Offering a watershed learning event for elementary school students at a nature center
Abstract
For Earth Day 2001, RSVP of the Capital Region of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, partnered with several governmental and nonprofit agencies to hold a "Water Snapshot" at a nature center to correspond with other environmental activities across the state. Learning stations were set up to illustrate the link between watersheds and how they are treated to water quality. There were seven stations where a total of 80 students learned about macroinvertebrates, water flow, stream bank erosion, habitat assessment, various water testing techniques, and created a field sketchbook. Carol Orman, RSVP of the Capital Region, submitted this effective practice in April 2002.Issue
Creating learning activities to teach students about watershed ecology that are both fun and informative.Action
Activities- Seven individual stations were set up for the elementary school students to visit where they learned about macroinvertebrates, water flow, stream bank erosion, habitat assessment, various water testing techniques, and created a field sketchbook.
- Seven groups of 10-12 students with two adult supervisors spent about 15-20 minutes at each station. Approximately every twenty minutes each group moved to the next station. Each station was set up with a small table and chair where the children watched and asked questions.
- A community member gave a presentation on stream flow patterns and conditions of stream banks using large geographical maps set up on an easel.
- A representative from The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection gave a talk about habitat assessment, including the riparian environment along stream beds in the state, vegetative zone width, litter, and disruptive pressures.
- An academic professor, Dr. Bernie Solon, contributed a sample of benthic macroinvertebrate organisms and other insects to address the topic of indicator species to determine water quality.
- A well-known local artist, Patti Gilmartin, led students in making their own nature journals out of recycled materials.
- The stations were set up on a boardwalk, but stations could also be set up along a stream bank with fewer people. (One of the lessons taught was not to disturb the life in the stream by kicking stones and destroying where plants and animals live.)
- The senior volunteers were set up and ready to begin by 9:00 a.m. and the last busload of children arrived by 9:30 a.m.
- Each mentor set up their own test kits to demonstrate investigations on air and water temperature, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, pH, phosphate, nitrate, sulfate, and other issues related to water quality.
- Supplies were purchased with an intergenerational grant from the Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging. A Dauphin County Commissioner presented the grant check to the RSVP Board President as a kick-off to the day's program events.
- Before the event, the area coordinator visited numerous art stores and craft shops to collect donations of slightly used matting and poster board ends from their framing departments. Donations of wrapping paper illustrated with insects and plants were used for the covers of nature journals. Stencils of insects were available for the students to use to decorate their journals.
- RSVP of the Capital Region partnered with the Pennsylvania Senior Environment Corps-Capital Region water monitors, Environmental Alliance for Senior Involvement (EASI), Paxton Creek Watershed and Education Association Rangers, Department of Environmental Protection Staff, Harrisburg Area Schools and an area artist, to offer an earth day event at a nature center for elementary school students.
- RSVP of the Capital Region coordinated the event, which was called a "Water Snapshot," and was held on the grounds of the Olewine Nature Center, a Dauphin County Parks and Recreation facility, to correspond with Earth Day 2000.
- The area coordinator notified the newspapers and the media with announcements of the event. One major area newspaper attended and took photographs. These were used in later press releases that appeared in weekly area newspapers.
Context
Water is one of Pennsylvania's greatest natural resources. The state has more than 83,000 miles of streams and rivers and 4,000 lakes and impoundments. These are home to more than 120 different species of fish, nearly 1000 species of aquatic insects, and 38 species of clams and mussels. There are approximately 160,000 water-based recreation acres with an economic benefit exceeding 1.34 billion dollars yearly. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), roughly 43 percent of Pennsylvania's streams and rivers have been surveyed to assess water quality. Of that number, about one-fifth of the surveyed streams and half of the surveyed lakes (13 percent of the total) are impaired or polluted. Despite these challenges, Pennsylvania has been addressing these problems since the 1970s when the state became a national leader by adopting strict water quality regulations to protect aquatic resources.
In Pennsylvania, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has traditionally declared an Earth Day theme and assisted the Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education in distributing environmental education information to schools and others in the community.
Outcome
Students learned about links between watersheds and the activities within them to water quality.
The event brought together many teachers, environmentalists, interested aids, students, retired teachers, retired businesspersons, artists, photographers, and the RSVP Director.
Evidence
There was an overwhelming response for the Earth Day field trip. It was anticipated that 60 students would be interested, but over 80 attended from Camp Cirton, Marshall, and Steele Elementary Schools in the Harrisburg School District and from the Circle School, a private institution.
A waiting list has been established for different grade levels and classes from the schools that have already participated in the program and would like to see a similar event implemented.
Other area schools have expressed interest in trying the program.
Posted On
August 6, 2002For More Information
Related Practices
Related sites
Pennsylvania Department of Aging, Senior Environmental Corps
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection