By Molly Ristuccia and Jana DaSilva
On a spectacular fall day, the fifth graders from Franklin visited
Drumlin Farm in Lincoln, MA to participate in the
Pond Communities program.
Students observed several ponds on the premises - including Ice Pond, which sits at the bottom of Drumlin Hill. One pond was completely covered in duckweed (vegetation) so much so that the pond looked like a field of grass. In fact, we were told students had accidentally stepped on this pond in the past!
Students saw many creatures including frogs and turtles, as well as aquatic insects (backswimmers, dragonfly nymphs, water striders, etc.) through observing ponds as well as "pond dipping" with nets and using magnifiers to see the creatures up close and personal. This trip was the culmination of our pond life unit in science in which students studied pond habitats and properties of water, and researched specific aquatic insects.
