Malverne students discover aquatic organisms

Third-grade students the the Davison Avenue Intermediate School participated in the Discovery Tank Outreach Program last week.

Offered by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Marine Education Program, the program aims to expand students’ understanding of the marine environment so that they can appreciate, protect and enhance the shorelines and waters of Long Island.

Kristin Colavito, a marine biologist with the CCE, introduced students to sea stars, mussels, hermit crabs, snails, small fish and seaweed that inhabit the waters off the shore of Long Island. She discussed the special traits of each organism and its place in the aquatic food chain.

“The tanks gave children a unique opportunity to actually observe and handle aquatic organism that they usually don’t encounter,” said third-grade teacher Patricia Fisher.

Fisher, who has been with the district for 21 years, wrote a proposal to the Malverne Educational and Fitness Foundation last year and won a grant to help bring the Discovery Tank Program to Davison Avenue.

“[The children are] familiar with land mammals because of many of them have mammals as pets, but they usually only see aquatic organisms in text books or possibly on T.V.,” Fisher said. By bringing the program to the classroom, the students “actually got to handle sea stars and crabs, and watch fish in action. So it was a very nice experience for them — it brought science to life.”