Science on Seneca

Image: 

Science on Seneca is a field trip to Hobart William Smith College in Geneva, New York. Upon arrival the students will receive a quick overview of the college and a walk through the campus. After lunch they will board the college’s research vessel on Seneca Lake. The students will rotate through four stations during the three hour voyage.

Station one:  They will sample the water at various depths and test the oxygen and chloride content.
Station two:  They will use a Secchi disc to determine the depth of photosynthesis,  and discuss with the captain weather and location.
Station three:  They will drag for plankton and observe it under a digital microscope. The students will draw what they observe and tally   the numbers of that type of organism.
Station four: The students will study a dredge sample from the lake floor. They must draw a profile, determine color,  texture and look for life.

The information the students obtain is added to the college’s ongoing research of the lake.

In order to participate in the trip, the students must attend a pre-training at their school. They will see a Powerpoint of the trip and run through the experiments so that they are familiar with them before they get on the boat. They can also check the internet for the results from other high school students’ work.