Exploring Our Fluid Earth

This is a great activity for teaching sampling methods in the classroom. My goal is to extend it into the field. I think it would have gone a little smoother for me if I had given a little more instruction on sampling methods before having students "invent" their sampling strategies. I wasn't able to complete the quadrat percent method with my students. They quickly lost interest, especially when their transect covered only substrate. This activity was challenging with the number of students, student groups and the size of the study area. Next time I'll try to make the study area more extensive. This was a great activity to help me teach sampling methods, something I don't think I've ever taught separately, but so important in scientific inquiry. Teaching is also a learning process so this was a good first experience to build on for me.