Henrico Watershed Challenge

You will need to use your Science and Engineering Practices to complete the Watershed Challenge!

Are you ready for the challenge? You will investigate, analyze, and research to create your own action plan. Each plan will be different based on the outdoor area you select. It can be a park, neighborhood, or your backyard. When you are done...you can actually follow through with your plan. You have time...right?

After you are done, you will be an expert and will be able to help your school on its Watershed action plan!

Here’s what you will do!

Investigate: Go outside and explore an outdoor space near your home. Complete the Watershed Survey, this will help guide your investigation and alert you to areas that could possibly be improved. The watershed survey will also allow you to share your findings with HCPS! Here are the Watershed Survey Results so far by school.

Analyze: What did you notice about your outdoor space? Were there problems? Were there things that you did not see (birds, insects)? Create a chart, graph, or other way to show your observations/data.

Research: Research ideas on improvements you could make. Visit the BWISE Webpage and BayBackPack to learn about actions students have done. Read the James River Report or explore its resources.

Create an Action Plan: Use the information you’ve gathered to brainstorm and create an action plan for how you could help your watershed. Some ideas include improving wildlife habitat, creating a PSA or poster to bring awareness to an issue affecting your watershed, plant or mulch to reduce erosion, or pick up litter. Use the Watershed Challenge Action Plan Template, to help organize your plan.

Make Your Action Plan Happen: Go for it! You can bring the plan you created to life! Remember, how you improve your outdoor space will have a positive impact on the James River and Chesapeake Bay Watersheds.

Share: Tweet to @HenricoScience or email photos to your teachers to share your progress and HCPS can show how your plan and action makes a difference! Students who share their plans and stories (email, picture, etc) will receive a Schoology Badge.

Twitter: @HenricoScience @JRAvirginia #hcpswatershedchallenge @Maymont

Check back here for pictures of your classmates and teachers completing the challenge!


SPMS Teachers Test Water Quality

Jackson helps SPMS Teachers Test

Dishita's Wild Bird Shelter SPMS

A.T. Planting Flowers SPMS

Holli's PSA Poster SPMS

Divyanka's Wild Bird Shelter SPMS

C.L. Action Plan of Planting SPMS

SPMS Student takes action and plants!

Leo Harris Created a Visual Collage Hungary Creek MS

SPMS Student built and installed a bird feeder!

Elko student plants a garden!

Caleb Bupp is planting to help! Elko MS

Ms. Hampton is examining!

Quioccasin MS

Ms. Hampton found neat vegetation!

Quioccasin MS

Carson helped clean his creek!

Pocahontas MS

Way to go Carson!

Pocahontas MS

Ms. Nicholas is planting!

Tuckahoe Middle

Ms. Blyth's family examines an outdoor space

Amina examines her outdoor space

Tuckahoe Middle

Ms. Blyth's family is planting a butterfly habitat!