Ms. Tjernell's Class!
Loma Verde School
4th Grade Salt Marsh Restoration
“Imagine 60 school kids trudging off to work along the top of a levee on a school morning.”
“To work? Why weren’t the kids in school? Were they playing hookey?”
“No, these 60 4th graders from Loma Verde School in Novato were off to do science, outdoors at a marsh just a few miles from school. On Tuesday, October 30, Loma Verde 4th graders participated in a salt marsh restoration at Sonoma Baylands, east of Novato and just off Highway 37. The restoration was organized by STRAW, Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed. Here is their report.”
To get prepared for the field trip, we did a number of activities. First, a naturalist named Brita came to our classroom and taught us about the salt marsh ecosystem. She showed a slide show of the Sonoma Baylands and how they’ve changed since the levees were breached to turn farmland back into wetlands. Then we studied about ecosystems using our science book. It took us a long time to finish the chapter. Then Mrs. T. passed out handouts with sketches of a salt marsh. My favorite part was when we created a quilt with drawings of plants and animals in a salt marsh. (My mom bought the quilt at our school’s PTA auction.) After the quilt, we put a chair up on the round table and dressed it with clothing to show how we should dress in layers for the field trip. (Joseph)
There are many steps in planting a native. One is to get your materials, e.g., gloves, shovel, and hand shovel. Look at the flag where you want to plant. Then get the plant that matches the flag, e.g., F1, G3, L4. Next dig a hole and put the plant in the hole. Then smash some rocks and put them around the plants. Also put rocks in front of the plant so when you pour water, it doesn’t go toward the other plants. Finally get some mulch and put it on the dirt where the plant is. (Daniel) Then admire your work and move on to the next. (Kelsey)
I saw many living organisms at the marsh. First I saw a potato bug; it looked ugly and weird. When I was digging a hole, I saw a pincher bug that was black and red. Then when I turned around, I saw a white egret! I had never seen one so I was excited. When I was done planting, I went on a walk to pick up garbage. Then I saw a toyon bush and pickle weed, and crawling around was a lizard. I went to the other side of the levee and saw what I wanted to see—a harvest mouse! But it was eaten by a hawk or other bird. (Kelsey)
Do you know how much outdoor learning our class did that October day? Altogether we planted almost 250 plants! Not only that, we had fun, too. We were allowed to get dirty, dig holes along the levee, watch for wildlife, hike on the levee, and search for endangered species. This was the most amazing field trip in California history! (Megan)
QUILT PHOTOS!
Here are 2 photos of the quilt my students made after our experience helping STRAW restore a bit of wetland. As you can imagine, the kids were very excited about planting natives that will give shelter to the endangered salt water harvest mouse and clapper rail.
