Sixth graders conducted a simulated stream ecology study

Water Quality? Ask the bugs! 

Amy Schorr’s sixth graders became aquatic ecologists as they explored how the smallest creatures can tell us the biggest stories about water health! Using a simulated stream, they collected and identified macroinvertebrates — insects, snails, and worms that live in water — to see what these organisms reveal about pollution levels.⁠
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By analyzing their findings with a Pollution Tolerance Index, students discovered how the presence (or absence!) of certain species helps scientists assess water quality. Science, teamwork, and a little bit of bug-catching fun all came together for a hands-on lesson in environmental stewardship!⁠