Horseshoe Crab Project.pdf

15 fifth-graders at Pointers Run Elementary School in Clarksville, Maryland, are raising horseshoe crabs in their science class as part of the "Raising Horseshoe Crabs in the Classroom" program. The students, led by teachers Eric Jayne and Chris Brown, care for the crabs during their lunch and recess, testing the water in three tanks and feeding the crabs. The program, sponsored by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, allows students to learn about the endangered species and observe their growth. The students are learning about the nitrogen cycle, salinity, pH, and nitrate levels, and will release the crabs into the Chesapeake Bay in May. They are also learning about the importance of horseshoe crabs in the ecosystem and sharing their knowledge with others. Key facts learned by the students include: horseshoe crabs have a similar blood system to humans, five pairs of pinchers, and are an endangered species due to over-harvesting and dependence on them by sea-birds for food.