Hello everyone! Yesterday was a busy day for Market Science at the Metro Children’s Water Festival, an annual event that offers hands-on activities for students to learn about water, its importance to people and the environment, and how to better protect this most important natural resource. Bringing samples from Staring Lake in Eden Prairie, the Market Science team helped nearly 2,000 4th graders from around the Metro area explore what tiny creatures exist in one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes. We used lunchbox microscopes (a special thank-you to InSciEd Out for letting us borrow them!) to display zooplankton, a tiny freshwater invertebrate that eats algae. Students’ eyes lit up with excitement as these minuscule organisms wandered across the screen, swimming through the Petri dish and hunting for algal growth. They especially loved the buttons and temporary tattoos we brought! It was an amazing day, teaching kids and adults alike about the mystery that is our state’s freshwater ecosystems. We can’t wait to return next year!
