Biology class witnessing Eutrophication in a pond (photo: AJ Etumnu ’25)
Northwood has many academic classes taught by a diverse and qualified range of teachers. Biology is one of the classes taught at Northwood. Faculty member Marcy Fagan teaches it. The biology class has an exciting form of teaching with a mix of inside and outside education. The Mirror spoke to Ms. Fagan about her teaching style, and she said she believes students learn better when they can see what they are writing in their notes and reading in their textbooks so that the knowledge can be remembered.
In the fall, the biology class took two trips outside of school, incorporating facts from the class. The trips included visiting a pond near the Lake Placid golf course to see eutrophication firsthand. Eutrophication is when a body of water becomes enriched with nitrogen and phosphorus. The class also learned that the golf course uses untreated sewage water to water the grass, which is good because it’s sustainable.
This HAB warning was placed at Mirror Lake shortly after a biology class field trip (photo: AJ Etumnu ’25).
The other noteworthy fall trip was a blockbuster impromptu trip to Mirror Lake to witness the discovery of a Harmful Algal Bloom, which was also studied in class.
“ I enjoy Ms. Fagan’s trips a lot,” James Martin ’26 said. “They are very educational as they help us learn the unit for the tests. My favorite part was when I saw the scientist test the lake. It made me feel like I was doing meaningful actions at an urgent time for some people.”
Hamish Riddell ’26 also appreciates the field trips. “ I’ve enjoyed the biology trips a lot. I think they enhance the learning of the class. I think there is a lot more interaction and question-asking. I love this class and hope it continues teaching us this way.”
