When piping plovers flock to the popular Crane Beach in Ipswich each spring, they have their own dedicated section of sand to use for nesting, thanks to students at Ipswich Middle School. Bringing awareness to the local environment is a guiding principle that drives environmental education at the school, says teacher Tina McMahon. Seventh graders start the year with a basic ecology background that allows them to dive into a water quality unit, where they measure the salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH of the Ipswich River, which has made the endangered rivers list three times, including this year. “It’s not only about helping students educate and make connections to other people; it’s about helping them understand their own environment and how they can add to the sustainability of where they live,” explained McMahon. To learn about ways to conserve the natural habitat, students also take a two-day canoe trip to examine the health of the local soil, plants, animals, and macroinver...