While Mr. Caplan points out the name of a plant, Brett Engwall and Bryan McCann studiously take notes
While most of the student body attended their regular classes, completed their worksheets, and basically carried on with their regular routines, Mr. Caplan’s AP Biology class was privileged enough to embark on a field trip to Torrey Pines on Tuesday, May 25.
The San Diego weather was perfect for hiking: warm with a slight breeze. Under the clear skies, the Biology students hiked a couple miles down to the beach, identifying various plants and birds along the way.
The class passed through a chaparral, a coastal sage scrub, a coastal strand, and the tide pools. In each community, they named the various producers and herbivores of that region, noting the specific traits and characteristics that made each plant and animal unique. The trek down to the beach was extremely scenic; twisting trees and tall, leafy plants formed natural tunnels that the students could pass through.
“Those areas with the trees were definitely one of my favorite parts of the hike,” says junior Cassandra Roulund. ”It was just so amazing; I couldn’t help but stop and take pictures.”
Not only were they privileged enough to pass through so many different communities, but the students were also allowed to eat on the beach. Many climbed up to the tide pool area to enjoy their sandwiches with a sea anemone or the occasional crab. Some fortunate students that had brought their bathing suits even swam for a while in the ocean.
Juniors Maddy Jones and Rachael Johnson stop to give their legs a break from the hike while enjoying the beautiful view of the ocean.
“Swimming at Torrey Pines was awesome,” says senior Lila Suleiman. ”The water wasn’t too cold either, so it was a nice way to cool off after hiking for hours beforehand.”
After the break for lunch, the students walked along the black sand and named the assortment of shells that lay strewn across the beach. Then, they began their strenuous hike back up the steep trail to their bus.
After such an amazing day, many students declared this field trip to be their favorite.
“I absolutely loved Torrey Pines. It was just perfect, complete with the unique plants, the sparkling ocean, and of course, the fighting lizards that we encountered on the way down. I would go again in a heartbeat,” says Roulund.
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