AP Environmental Science students are spending Thursday and Friday at the John Bunker Sands Wetlands in Seagoville to study an aquatic ecosystem that helps cleans and filters drinking water for the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

“It is always better to see things in person and experience with all your senses,” AP environmental science teacher Jamie Berendt said. “Going to the wetlands allows students to experience the outdoors in a very rich with biodiversity ecosystem but also have the opportunity to analyze the water quality themselves and identify indicator species of that water quality.”

The field trip will be a hands-on experience with students being taught about what makes a wetland before getting to explore and gather data. Students will have the opportunity to conduct a guided water quality test of various parameters, collect and identify macro invertebrates, identify various plants, and do a soil survey.

“Last year was my first year teaching the course and by the time I found out about this wetlands it was too late in the year to put anything together, I set a goal to do it this year for sure,” Berendt said. “I hope students will gain an appreciation for what nature can do for us that serves a very crucial service and understand why wetlands are so important to ecosystems and biodiversity.”

For sophomore Hannah Lee, the field trip is the chance to expand her learning as well as bonding with classmates.

“I wanted to participate in the apes field trip because overall apes is a fun class so I knew I would have a lot of fun with my classmates,” sophomore Hannah Lee said. “I hope to learn about nature and the bacteria that is found in the samples that we take during the field trip.”