Sixth Graders Dive into Hudson River Curriculum

9/25/2024

It’s a rite of passage for every sixth grade Masters student. Each fall, the seining trip makes a splash with the sixth graders. With buckets and notebooks in hand, the students transform the Dobbs Ferry waterfront into their science classroom.

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According to middle school science teacher Dan Russo, who is marking his 17th year teaching this popular marine life unit in the sixth grade’s yearlong study of the Hudson River: “It never gets old,” he shared. “The smiles on the students’ faces and their joy of exploration makes all of the hard work worthwhile.”

“After learning the Hudson River’s history and science, students are given the unique opportunity to experience the natural beauty of the river firsthand,” Russo explained. “Clad in hip waders and wielding seining nets, they venture into the river in search of a variety of organisms.”

Raymond Wesner ’31 is a fan of the hands-on experience. “It’s quite interesting,” he shared. “I fish and swim a lot and it's just fun to go in the water, be in nature and look for animals and other things.”

Wesner’s seining teammate Anabella Recabarren ’31 was excited to catch a couple of crabs and jellyfish, though being in the water “felt mucky and the pressure on your legs (from the wading pants) gets really tight.”

Russo, who was accompanied by sixth grade faculty Mark Tamucci, Katie Meadows, Brittany Farrar and Jen Rathkopf, was proud to report on their catches of the day: “This year, students were able to successfully identify Atlantic silversides, banded killifish, red-jointed fiddler crabs and moon jellies.”

For Kole Kweku ’31, success came when his team collaborated and followed Mr. Russo’s and Mr. Tamucci’s instructions. “We didn't rush and didn't go too deep. We went slowly and no one fell in and it all worked out,” he said. “I was with my friends and having a good time in the water.”

“We’re out here to learn about the Hudson and to experience life in the Hudson and also learn about how the Native Americans were fishing and boating on the Hudson many, many years ago,” said Wesner.

“They are already channeling some inspiration from their seining trip into the music classroom and writing protest songs about environmental awareness and cleaning up the river,” added Meadows, sixth grade dean and performing arts coordinator. “I love to see the students make these connections in their learning!”

“It is my greatest hope that students will remember this trip long after they have graduated from Masters,” added a beaming Russo.