Volunteering Experiences

So, I just finished volunteering at the Bolsa Chica Conservancy for the second time, and it was pretty fun. We dug up ice plants that were harming the salt marsh, and planted new plants. It was very enjoyable...until it started to rain. Ice plants, by the way, are cold. Very cold. I swear I have pneumonia, or frost bite or something.
In other news, I get to go visit my fishies at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. The black sea bass got fed to some wold eels, and that I am very happy about considering the little punks bit me twice. Feeding carnivorous fish has it's downsides. Anyways, I will commence my plankton-tows for science fair tomorrow, and try not to get eaten by anything.

Revised Independent Component

I am hoping to complete my independent component at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, in San Pedro. I've finished ten hours already, and I'm already in the system for the aquarium.
While volunteering, they had me clean tanks, install tanks, feed jellyfish, and tidy up around the research facility. I really enjoy working with the people there, because they're around my age, but they have so much knowledge regarding marine life, and the components that I want to study.
I'm thankful to Elijah for allowing me to do the hours with him, and I will continue to post about my progress.

Blog 5b: Science Fair Proposal

1.) What is your topic?

• Marine Conservation Biology

2.) What is the driving problem behind your experiment and the quote by an expert to support this problem?

• Pollution in the ocean is the driving problem behind my experiment.
• "You wouldn't think you could kill an ocean, would you? But we'll do it in one day. That's how negligent we are."- Ian Rankin

3.) What is your hypothesis?

• If the pollution of the boat launch increases due to the anthropogenic activity, then the amount of zooplankton found in a plankton-tow would be less than the outer beach, which doesn't have as much outside pollution acting upon it.

4.) Write a paragraph summary of how you will perform the experiment.

• I would be collecting samples from the docks, and the outer beach, and comparing their salinity levels and the amount of zooplankton that I find.
• First, I'd go out to boat launch and collect data by doing a plankton-tow for Day 1. Then, I would go to the outer beach and collect data for Day 1 by doing a plankton-tow. Lastly, I would bring my data back to the lab, and test the waters using a refractometer, and then use the microscope to compare the amount of zooplankton found in the two different sites.

5.) Project Category

• Chemistry/ Ecology and Environmental Management

Possible Change in Topic

After discussing a few things with Mr. Purther, and Mrs. Pittman, I thought about changing my topic to environmental law. I realized that it might be even harder to find a mentor that works with environmental law, than a mentor that works with marine conservation. I have yet to decide on whether I will choose, but I'm sure I'll have the answer after my meeting with the teachers on Monday.

Blog 9: Working EQ and Possible Answers

1) What was the working EQ you used during your presentation?

• How can you effectively counter the anthropogenic effects dealt to the ocean?

2) Did you decide to revise your working EQ after your presentation?

• I have not yet decided to revise my working EQ. I was thinking about doing so, after one of my interviewees told me that there really isn't a way to reverse the damage that's already been done, but the only thing we can do is prevent further damage.

(3) What are possible answers to your current working EQ?

• Well, one of the best answers that I found was there isn't a way to counter the effects already done to the ocean, but we can prevent further damage.
• Another would be, making the problems that we're having more aware to people, so that they understand the critical nature of preserving the oceans.

Blog 8

Presentation Rough Draft

Blog 7: Independent Study Component

(1) Write a description of what you plan on doing for your independent study component.

• For my independent study component, I plan on volunteering at the Santa Ana Watershed's Interpretive Center in Chino, CA. By volunteering/job shadowing there, I will increase my knowledge of conservation ecology, and give me more intel on how I can effectively pursue my interests.

 (2) Describe in detail how you think your plan will meet the 30 hours work requirement.

• I think that my plan will reach the 30 hour requirement, because I will be on-site at an interpretive facility, job shadowing Brett Mills, hopefully, and he is a Biological Technician whose specialty is endangered fish that are in the Santa Ana Watershed. Depending on what I'll be doing at the Interpretive Center, that will determine how much I get out of volunteering there. If my time there does not meet the 30 hours, then I will further my research on my own by walking along local beaches effected by oil spills and gather any items that I can.

 (3) How does your independent study component relate to your working EQ?

• My working EQ is "What is the one of the most important things you can do to help preserve the earth's natural beauty?", and my independent study component relates to my EQ because one of the most important things you can do is get informed on what exactly happens when our oceans are polluted and the negative effects it has on humanity.