Fourth-graders learn to appreciate nature with a trip to Carolina Bay

There's nothing like having a nature reserve practically in your own backyard.

Every year, Millbrook Elementary School teacher Karey Santos takes advantage of it, taking her fourth-graders to Carolina Bay, only about a mile from the school.

"Every time it's a new group of kids, a new group of people who are going to care about the environment," said Santos. "This is an incredibly good class. When they came into the woods, the kids were so quiet they didn't even scare the birds."

According to the City of Aiken website, Carolina Bay is actually more of a roughly circular depression with an uncertain origin. The site provides a treasure trove of small fish, birds, plants and other critters. The kids take water temperature and collect samples.

Santos described three different species of fish found in Carolina Bay. One is called a mosquito fish, because it feeds at the top of the water, primarily eating mosquito larvae.

"If I had its mouth, it would be right up here between my eyes," Santos said, drawing smiles from the kids.

Another fish is the darter, which feeds in the center of the water.

"The third fish is called, believe it or not, the chub sucker," Santos said cheerfully. "It feeds on tubifex worms at the bottom of the water."

Parent Susan Kain said she's delighted that her daughter Kelly and the other children are getting this kind of exploratory lab experience.

"The kids are observing and recording and learning how science is done," Kain said.

Fourth-grader Samantha Stiles said that Santos is really cool.

"I like to look at the water and all the birds and trees," she said.

Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.