Reconnecting Youth to Nature through Watershed Learning
Andrea Ames, Sandi Starr, Scott Jorgensen
SJ COE team
Storm Drain Detectives ~ Salmon in the Classroom ~ Nature Journaling
Presenters
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Welcome!
Please introduce yourself verbally or in the chat box.
Where do you teach?
What grade span?
In what capacity?
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What is your favorite body of water or memory involving water?
Overview
The process of using the local community and environment as a starting point to teach concepts in language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and other concepts across the curriculum.
Practice of public participation and collaboration in scientific research to increase scientific knowledge. Through citizen science, people share and contribute to data monitoring and collection. Usually this participation is done as an unpaid volunteer.
Involves the process of students analyzing "wicked" problems, identifying the inhumane and unsustainable systems that perpetuate them, and then developing solutions that do the most good and least harm for all.
Definition Page
CA Environmental Principles & Concepts (EP&C’s - 2004)
Principle 5 - Decisions affecting resources and natural systems are complex.
Principle 1 - People depend on natural systems.
Principle 2 - People impact natural systems.
Principle 4 - Matter, including pollution, flows between systems. (There is no “away.”)
Principle 3 - Natural systems have cycles that people benefit from and can influence.
Benefits
of Place-based Educational Experiences
Opportunity to Develop a Sense of Place
“ Integrating Sense of Place in adolescent development transforms a simple place into a home, a neighborhood, or a community.” ~Lupton Center
Sense of Place
A remedy for Nature Deficit Disorder
A remedy for Nature Deficit Disorder
“The idea is that as humans, especially children, are spending less time outdoors than in the past, this is contributing to a range of mental and physical issues like attention deficit disorders and obesity.”
Without a connection to nature, it’s difficult for one to feel comfortable in the outdoors.
Nature Deficit Disorder Defined
Builds Environmental Awareness
Fosters Stewardship
Place-based Learning Program Example 1:
Storm Drain Detectives
What is the Storm Drain Detectives program?
Monitoring areas are located above and
below Lodi storm drains
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These sites show the impact that the City of Lodi has on the Mokelumne River
Control site up river,
Test sites to identify patterns,
Test site at point downstream of drains to gauge system health as it leaves Lodi
What does a Storm Drain Detective do?
They Build Field Science Skills
Student Data Sheet from Mr. Mortola’s Marine Biology classs
Working with the Data & Community Presentation
Recipe for this Program’s Success
Starting your own Watershed Monitoring Program
Place-based Learning Program Example 2:
Salmon in the Classroom
What is the California
Aquarium Education Program (CAEP)?
‘Through a classroom experience of hatching fish eggs and coordinated activities, students experience first-hand the value of aquatic environments, the balance that must be met to maintain and preserve California's fisheries and aquatic habitats, and how their personal actions affect these valuable resources.’
~CAEP Website https://wildlife.ca.gov/caep
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CAEP… Also Known as
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…And many more!
What CAEP looks like in Action!
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Salmon Growth and Development
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Salmon Release Day!
Salmon Release Day in Action!
Recipe for this Program’s Success
Tools to Engage Students with your local Watershed
Place-based Learning Program Example 3:
Nature Journaling
Got Nature Journal?
Have you nature journaled with your students or for yourself?
Share your experiences.
Unmute or share in the chat.
"Nature Journaling is collecting and organizing your observations, questions, connections, and explanations on the pages of a notebook using words pictures, and numbers. You do not need to be an artist or a naturalist to begin. These skills can be learned by anyone, and you can develop them with deliberate practice."
- John Muir Laws
What is Nature Journaling?
Practice Part I
Find an object and verbal practice.
I Notice
I Wonder
It Reminds Me Of
Samples of Student Work
Look at student examples (Slides # 38-41)
Be prepared to share.
What do you Notice and Wonder?
Kindergarten Examples
Kinder Translation:
11 flowers. I wonder, are there juice on the flowers. I notice there are little (?) on the middle. 1 inch.
Second Grade Example
Nature Journaling Salmon in the Classroom
Fifth Grade Example
High School Example
Honors Biology
Share Out
What did you Notice?
What did you Wonder about the student samples?
GO FOR THE WIN!
WORDS
ILLUSTRATIONS
NUMBERS
How to get started
Tips for Taking Kids Outside
Example High School Assignment
From Jenn Buck’s Honors Biology Class (Tokay High, Lodi Unified)
Observational Skills
Curiosity
Oral Language Skills
Math
Note Taking
Writing
Benefits
Asking Questions
Environmental Principles & Concepts
Social & Emotional
NGSS, ELA, SEL
NGSS, ELA
ELA, ELD
Measuring and Counting
ELA
ELA
NGSS, ELA
Connections
Principle 3: Natural systems change in ways that benefit people and can influence.
Nature Journaling Resources
Solutions-based thinking begins with a connection to a place, history, or sense of “us”
Unless Someone like you cares a whole awful lot, it’s not going to get better. It’s not.
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~ The Lorax by Dr. Seuss