Student Teaching Practicum: Sophomore Biology at Wachusett H.S.

This paper documents the completion of a student teaching practicum completed in accordance with requirements of the Massachusetts Department of Education for initial licensure. The practicum took place at Wachusett Regional High School in Holden, Massachusetts. The student taught two honors sophomore biology sections, and one Academic Enrichment sophomore biology section. Overall, lesson plans and course materials for seven units were designed and presented to these classes

B[a]P Contamination of Sediment in a Blackstone Valley Streambed

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a PAH, has been identified as a potential carcinogen. It enters the environment as a result of industrial emissions, is deposited in the watershed, and is biomagnified in animals living in contaminated waterways. B[a]P was extracted from sediment and crayfish tissues from a Blackstone Valley streambed, and GC was used to quantify contamination levels. Comparisons of B[a]P concentrations at different points suggested deposition patterns of B[a]P from a point source in a stream, and showed the most relevant test points for future research. Gut analysis of crayfishes showed that those living in the stream eat sediment. Levels of B[a]P detected in muscle tissue suggest that bioaccumulation occurs in crayfish, and supports the use of crayfish as a bioindicator