Today's elementary group took advantage of a gloriously warm and sunny morning to visit our Crestview neighborhood pond. The RE group has been periodically sampling the water quality at the pond this year to determine the relative stability and overall health of the pond environment.
We first made observations about the greater ecosystem, noting that the pond lies in a small valley between the Crestview neighborhood on one side, and farm fields on the other. We discussed the fact that this pond was man-made, as evidenced by the dam and earthen berm we walked across to access the far side of the pond. The children were very curious about the bales of barley straw partially submerged along the shorelines, and were fascinated to learn that they are a natural algaecide, releasing algae-inhibiting compounds as they decompose.
We startled a blue heron as we approached the pond; marveled at the presence of numerous dragonflies; slapped a couple of pesky mosquitoes; and were amused by the sight of several dozen turtles sticking their heads out of the water every few minutes. Were they taking their own version of field notes observing us?
For some of the children the water sampling was a familiar process. For others it was a fascinating new experience. They seriously noted air temperature, water temperature, turbidity, pH, and dissolved oxygen content. Then we compared today's results with our records of samples taken at the end of September and the end of November. What we discovered was that our results were impressively consistent from season to season, leading the children to reach the conclusion that the Crestview pond is a relatively healthy and stable ecosystem that supports a variety of life.
During this past year the children have been engaged in curricula that support our Unitarian Universalist sources of belief, including the WOW we experience when we learn from sources as diverse as science and reason as well as inner transcendental experiences. They have participated in activities from the PEAK Leave No Trace program that have bolstered their sense of environmental stewardship, honoring our seventh Unitarian Universalist principal "the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part." And they have learned to appreciate the similarities and differences between themselves, growing and thriving within their own community. Within this stimulating and nurturing environment, our children are incorporating knowledge and direct experience into a spiritual framework that will become the foundation for them to engage the world with a free and open mind, and cherish all its amazing inhabitants.
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