For Robert Ettlinger’s eighth-grade biology students at Albert Leonard Middle School, a boat ride down the Norwalk River and a visit to the Maritime Aquarium provided hands-on exploration and lessons. While on the boat, students took samples from the river and examined them under a microscope – seeing, up close, plankton and infant barnacles. Students also touched rocks from the bottom of the sea, as well as shells and crabs. At the aquarium, lessons included dissecting a fish to study the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, and viewing the numerous displays showcasing “residents” of the aquarium. To make the trip possible, a fundraiser that brought in $600 was held – and resulted in a day of fun and education.
