On September 12, students had the opportunity to visit Augustana College where they got to conduct a photosynthesis lab in the slough. Dr. Geedey, a professor of Biology at the college taught the students about primary productivity.

 

It was the first time the AP Environmental class has done a lab at Augustana.

 

“Our students learned what a real college lab was like while learning about primary productivity,” said Laura Vroman, a Chemistry and AP Environmental Science Teacher.

 

The students took notes, participated in a discussion, and collected data. To collect the data, they had the opportunity to go into rafts in teams of four to take light readings, dissolved oxygen readings, and retrieve the bottles used in the experiment. They also got to collect water samples to look at the living organisms in the pond.

 

After collecting data, they went back to a lab to analyze it and draw conclusions about the amount of photosynthesis that occurs in the slough!