Erie Intermediate students go on science scavenger hunt

Sep. 27—ASHTABULA — A group of curious Erie Intermediate School fifth-grade classmates gathered together for an exciting adventure.

The students have been learning about ecosystems in their science class and their teachers, Lisa Ray and Christine Kovacs, thought of a great idea — a scavenger hunt.

They organized an ecosystems scavenger hunt, taking the students on a nature walk to the Brick Pond, located behind the Ashtabula Lakeside Elementary Campus on Wade Avenue. The purpose of the hunt was to learn about biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving things) and the wonders of nature firsthand.

"Students were on a mission to observe and find several items," Ray said.

Once all their scavenger hunt items were successfully found, the students reconvened and sorted the objects into subcategories: producers, consumers, or decomposers.

"The environment was perfect to find many examples," Kovacs said. "Students were able to note the environmental factors that affect these ecosystems, such as temperature and rainfall."

Fifth-grader Logan Surbella and a few of his classmates were so inquisitive that they got a little muddy.

"Learning can sometimes be messy, but it sure helps make learning fun," he said.

Ray and Kovacs beamed with pride at their students' enthusiasm and the lessons they had learned on the hunt.