In honor of Earth Month, the two fifth grade classes in the Harding Township Public School studied water in a variety of ways. The students tested drinking water and pond water, read about acid rain and performed experiments regarding everyday pollutants.

As part of their recent "Do the Swamp Thing" promotion, the Great Swamp Watershed Association sent representatives to the classroom to conduct a "hands-on" demonstration and experiment using a three-dimensional "wetlands model." According to teacher Lisbeth Decotiis, "The children were able to see for themselves the basic functions and values of wetlands, made even more effective because we were studying the wetlands in the Great Swamp."

"The students conducted experiments measuring how much water the wetlands absorb, which demonstrates their value in reducing flooding and erosion, trapping sediment, and providing habitat for birds and animals. This was a wonderful exercise that brought our curriculum to life and helped the students visualize what really happens when an ecosystem becomes unbalanced." Ms. Decotiis continued.

As an extracurricular activity, three students (Katey Erck, Olivia Shelton, and Griffin Gannon) accepted their teachers’ challenge and completed "The Great Swamp Scavenger Hunt." First they had to research and find a description of 10 animal species found in the Great Swamp and then they actually went into Great Swamp and located them. According to Karen Patterson, a Watershed Association representative, the scavenger hunt was an enormous amount of work but the children did a great job and really earned their ‘Do the Swamp Thing" t-shirts from the Watershed Association.

Kings Supermarkets, Inc., a partner in the "Do the Swamp Thing" promotion awarded gift certificates to the fifth grade classes. "Do the Swamp Thing" was an Earth Month celebration of the multitude of recreational, historical, and educational resources available in the Great Swamp Watershed region.

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