The Environmental Club ventured to the Sacramento trail which is a picturesque, rocky coastline off the coast of Gqeberha (about an hour’s drive from Muir College). The hike itself is approximately 5 kilometres long, starting from the Sacramento Cannon, all the way to Sardinia Bay. This we did going and coming, so about a 10 kilometre stretch overall. The coastline is truly remarkable, with a variety of ecosystems, biodiversity and geologic landforms over a relatively short space. The academic focus of this hike was to teach us as young scientists , a few practical scientific skills in the field, namely the application of the ‘scientific method’, which is taught from Grade 9 up to matric level.
The focus of the field lesson was ‘ocean acidification’ and the effects that increased carbon dioxide might have on the pH levels of seawater in relation to increased global warming.
Using basic household indicators like turmeric and teabags, the learners were able to test controlled, dependent and independent variables of seawater in response to these changing alkaline and acidic conditions. This was topped off with a brilliant (but most- challenging) dune-climb.