[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: school aquarium project



At 09:38 AM 11/22/97 -0800, you wrote:
>Hi Karen,
>I was reading through the APD, and saw a post which reminded me to ask
>how the school project is going.

Hi Karl,

I hope you don't mind, I'm going to post this response on the APD too, in
case other people are interested.

The school project is going great!  We have an official name for the
program now too.  It's called "Treasures in Glass Boxes" and it has even
been written up in the local newspapers.  We have, at last count, 16 tanks
set up.  We are hoping to get another 8 done before year end.  That will
bring us to the end of phase one.  We will have outfitted and set up all
the smaller tanks in our possession.  We still have a number of teachers
looking for classroom tanks, and will be applying for grant money to supply
those tanks, and for ongoing money for supplies.  

We also have 2 larger tanks (a 55G and a 50G "tub") that will eventually go
into the common areas of the school. (hall and library)  We are in the
middle of construction that will more than double the space in the current
school, and the building will be completely closed for the summer, and the
current library will be moved to the new section.  It didn't make sense to
set up these larger tanks just to have to dismantle them over the summer.
We will set them up when they will be able to remain in their permanent
"homes".

We have tanks set up include Asian, Amazon, West African and Malawi Mbuna
biotope tanks, species paludariums set up for paddle fin newts, eastern red
spotted newts, fire belly toads, freshwater crabs, land crabs, hatchling
turtles and an Anole.  We also have a few just "plain" pretty community
planted tanks<g>.  The only tank that is not fully planted is the Mbuna
tank.  Even the snappers have plants, although they need to be replaced
frequently.<g>

We are growing the faster growing plants fast enough now that we've been
able to trade some in toward supplies at the local pet shop.  We expect to
have Kribs, Platies and Afras to trade before the end of the year.

Some of the remaining tanks will hold the following:

Mud Skippers
An Asian swamp tank for Anabantoids of some sort
White's tree frogs
Livebearers (some wild type)

We are working with the computer experts at the school in hopes that a web
site can be set up where we can store educational materials that we develop
so that other teachers and school systems can use them as a resource to
start their own programs.

The kids are all very excited, and it is very rewarding to walk into a
class room and here the latest "news" about what is going on in each tank.

One of our local pet stores (Uncle Ned's Fish Factory) is so positive about
the program that they have donated several tank set-ups to school systems
in other towns in the area as well.

It's been a lot of work, and there is a lot of work still to do, but I'd do
it again in a minute!  Thanks to _all_ of you who have helped.