Dateline: Camp Driftwood, April 6 2016
After gathering samples from the incoming high tide, Grade 6 students examined “meroplankton” under microscopes at Driftwood. We learned that the ocean tide rises 7 feet, and in this watery rise and fall, microscopic sea creatures are whisked about in the ebb and flow. Under the microscopes we discovered Single celled organisms called Diatoms which are plantlike structures. To our amazement, the water samples were also full of many-celled organisms that darted across our microscopic field of vision. Our microscopes were so clear we could see fins propelling the organisms, and the movement of cellular material with on the simple creatures. Although these are called mere plankton because the are so small, they are the beginning of the food chain and play such a large role, and without them no creature could exist; small fish eat plankton, but without plankton they would die, and bigger fish wouldn’t have smaller fish to eat. All of life in the sea is interdependent on plankton.
Whereas interdependence is necessary for survival in the seas, we also learned that it is also beneficial for human success. We learned through some sophisticated role -playing and discussion that when we become interdependent with each other, we can solve difficult situations.
It took mere plankton to help us open our eyes to interdependence as a phenomenon for survival and success!