Water Quality & Plankton

Water Quality and Plankton class field trips introduce students to environmental testing through lab kits that measure dissolved oxygen, coliform counts, pH, temperature, and other parameters.  The classes use a sample collector to draw water directly from the Hudson River. Students also use a secchi disk lowered into the river to measure turbidity. A plankton net is used to collect samples which are then examined under a microscope.  This could include varieties of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and benthic macroalgae and invertebrates.

Student Objectives

• Use scientific equipment to explore Hudson River water quality
  


• Measure the impacts of humans on the Hudson River’s ecology
  


• Observe planktonic life through the use of microscopes
  


• Examine the role of Plankton in the River’s food web

Fill out an application

For details:

Call our Education Department at 212.627.2020 or email.