Overview

Students will study the indigenous plants, animals, and people of our  San Diego River.  We will examine current issues affecting the SD River, and offer solutions such as replanting the declining oak tree population and designing housing solutions for the people currently living along the River.

Project Initiation

The project launched with field trips to the San Diego River where students worked with adults from the San Diego River Park Foundation. Students hiked along the river and experienced homeless encampments, water pollution, declining native plants and animal populations and learned  about the oak boring beetles destroying  all the oak trees in San Diego.  Back at school an historian from the Luiseno Indians shared her artifacts and  stories about San Diego from a native American perspective. 

Project Exploration and Development

Empathetic from their trip, students brainstormed and responded to questions 1-how do you eat, take a shower or go to a job interview if everything you own is in a shopping cart? 2- How can we save the oak trees?  The work happened in all classes: Math, ELA Science, History, Art and Study Skills. They learned geometry by designing blueprints, and building  models of things like shower stalls, restrooms, picnic areas and locker rooms.They practiced argumentative writing, justifying why their model needed to be built along the river and if their project was sustainable. Staff from the River Park Foundation came to our school garden with 300 acorns, each student planted and cared for baby oak trees until they were ready to be transplanted at the mountains at the  Headwaters of the River. 

Project Revision and Exhibition

Students returned from winter break with 1 week to prepare for their exhibition of learning on Jan15, 2020.  Every 6th grader participated in a world cafe activity as a way to connect the dots of the River project.They talked about the impact 200 new oak trees has on the environment & reflected on how learning about the history of life along the river strengthened their writing and also gives them more confidence to speak when they present to parents and community members at the exhibition.

Teachers and Subjects

Susan Corrigan & Mari Monroe - ELA
Sonia Calantropio - Math
Daniel McCarthy - Math
Will Holsinger - Science
Edelmira Gomez - Social Studies
Diana Bentley - Ed Specialist
Ruth Wyatt  - Ed Specialist
Vikki Bolin - Art

SD River Experience

River Project Exhibition