43
Photo
Neighbors | Jessica Harker .Boardman students gathered at Mill Creek Park's Lily Pond May 16 for the school's first BioBlitz field trip.
Photo
Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Josh Boyle, a natural resource and wildlife teachers aide at MCCTC, partenered with Boardman school's to create the BioBlitz program, and traveling with the school to the Lily Pond May 16.
Photo
Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Boardman teacher Megan Turillo discussed local wildlife with students at the school's trip to the Lily Pond May 16.
Photo
Neighbors | Jessica Harker .Boardman students gathered at the Mill Creek Metro Park's Lily Pond May 16 to observe and catalog the flora and fauna.
Photo
Neighbors | Jessica Harker .Boardman fifth grade teacher Megan Turillo instructed students on how to take photos using BioBlitz to upload to INaturalist May 16.
By JESSICA HARKER
Boardman students traveled to Mill Creek Park on May 16 to catalog the local wildlife.
Fifth-grade science teacher Megan Turillo said that the goal was for the students to become interested in new four dimensional ways of learning.
“We love reminding students about the jewel that is Mill Creek Park, and Josh Boyle offered us an amazing learning opportunity,” Turillo said.
Boyle is a teacher’s aide at MCCTC and an environmental education provider for 10 years.
He reached out to Turillo with the idea of teaching Boardman students how to use Bioblitz.
Bioblitz is a program used to capture images of local wildlife and upload them to INaturalist.
INaturalist allows scientists to identify the wildlife, which Turillo said is a great way for students to learn about the nature that surrounds them.
“This is what we like to call citizen science,” Boyle said. “It’s a way for everyone to get involved in the scientific research of their local areas.”
Boyle organized fifth-grade students into groups, which walked through the area around the Lily Pond photographing the wildlife.
He explained to students how to take photos of bugs and plants without disturbing the wildlife.
“The number one thing out here is observing,” Boyle said. “It’s just basic observational skills.”
Boyle had met with Boardman students the week before, teaching them how to use IPads to take the photos, and upload them to the program.
Turillo said that she was excited when Boyle reached out to the school.
“This was the learning opportunity we have been waiting for,” Turillo said.
She said that her desire was to encourage students to find a love for science.
“I think it’s important, especially for girls. This field is full of opportunities for everyone and it has such a wide range of possibilities,” Turillo said.