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WEEKS of MARCH 15 & 22, 2004 |
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| Fishing for Answers
by Jeffrey Stanley 11th and 12th grade students in Janet Villas’ Oceanography and Lyubov Obertnaya’s Environmental Science & Ecology electives took a field trip to AREAC, the Aquatic Research and Environmental Assessment Center at Brooklyn College last week. AREAC covers 15,000 square feet and is devoted to the study of aquatic organisms and their environments. “We took a tour of the salt and freshwater tanks and several ongoing experiments were explained to us,” said Villas. “We’ve been discussing the impact of pollution and over fishing on ocean fish. By seeing several aquaculture experiments and a project that follows the population of flounder in Jamaica Bay, I wanted to show the students that people right here in Brooklyn were trying to find real solutions.” Two-thirds of AREAC’s space is devoted to saltwater creatures. The trip was part of the students’ in-class work, and was intended to have a direct impact on what they learn this semester. “We have an opinion essay assigned in Oceanography where the students have to make a choice if urban aquaculture is a good or bad solution to depleted fish populations,” explained Villas. “By actually seeing an urban fish farm, they can make an informed choice.” Villas takes her students on frequent field trips, and stressed the importance of getting kids out of the classroom, especially science students. “Why talk about the ocean or the environment when it is right here, a short subway ride away? New York has so much to offer and it makes teaching so much easier when you have all shared the same experiences and gathered the same facts. Discussions have more meaning and classes are so much more interesting.” For instance, she points out wryly, “we also saw a tiny clown fish, the ‘finding Nemo’ fish. Their opinion of the reality of the movie was severely challenged!” |
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