Integrated Aquaponics Program
Our unique 6th grade team will integrate traditional learning objectives with hands-on application and real-world experiences. Our aquaponics team will combine the study of language arts, math, science, and social studies with interactive exploration of aquaponics.
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Both teachers and students will incorporate aquaponics into their schedules throughout the school year. Teachers will blend hands-on aquaponics into their lessons, while students can schedule aquaponics activities into their collaborative and independent work sessions.
What is Aquaponics?
The most simple definition of Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (the soil-less growing of plants) that grows fish and plants together in one integrated system. The fish waste provides an organic food source for the plants, and the plants naturally filter the water for the fish.
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The third participants are microbes (nitrifying bacteria). These bacteria convert ammonia from the fish waste first into nitrites, and then into nitrates. Nitrates are the form of nitrogen that plants can uptake and use to grow. Solid fish waste is turned into vermicompost that also acts as food for the plants.
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In combining both hydroponic and aquaculture systems, aquaponics capitalizes on their benefits, and eliminates the drawbacks of each.
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(The Aquaponic Source, 2017)
Meet Our Team
Mr. Greg Donovan
Science
Mr. Ted Rosiak
Social Studies
Mrs. Faiza Benyoussef
Math
Mrs. Melissa Hoot
Language Arts
Mrs. Ana Guerrero
ESOL Concepts & ELL Support
