Our chosen topic "Adopt-a-Stream" offers the students many opportunities to learn. The stream (called `Hambach´) is very close to the school so that it can be developed as an extramural classroom without much effort. Stretches of the stream can be walked along, flora and fauna can be examined. The students can discover something new and experience nature.

With the help of water quality classifications they can find out how close the stream still is to its natural state. One proven method to identify the ological water quality is e.g. the sapropelic sediment analysis.

Scientific work can be practised by drawing up and evaluating water quality data. The results are supplemented by simple chemical tests. The data is entered onto a map so that ultimately a water quality map of the stream can be drawn up. At the same time the example `Hambach´ serves to help work out ecological correlations. Reasons for divergent water quality in the course of the stream will be presented.

Odenwaldschule Bachpatenschaft