Learning Experiences Summary
(Lessons)
Embedded Files
Advocating for living things.
Making the case for how to help living things in a time of climate change.
The web of life--looking at the impacts on all levels of the food chain.
Students learned about watersheds, climate change, the local environment, and student community action via a multidisciplinary, standards-based approach. The lessons we create and integrate will utilize the 5 E's lesson design structure. We will link the lessons on this page. Each lesson link will include the main topic/question and the disciplines included. Within the 5 E structure we will include the specific curriculum standards the learning experiences include.
The fifth grade team, Ms. Devlin, Ms. Leo, and Ms. Mattson, are leading the project at Happy Hollow in conjunction with our Mass Audubon Naturalist Coach Kim Flanzer and Robin Stuart, Mass Audubon's Drumlin Farm 's Educator Coordinator and Jennifer Feller, Education Manager.
Note that this website is continually being revised and refined as we create and implement a year-long study about watersheds, climate change, and environmental advocacy/action
Another reference for MA watershed study.
Project Focus:
Project Focus:
To teach students about the SUASCO watershed and to inspire/support student community action as environmental stewards with respect to caring for this watershed.
To teach students about the SUASCO watershed and to inspire/support student community action as environmental stewards with respect to caring for this watershed.
Rationale:
Rationale:
Climate change is real, and helping students to understand their local environment, the impact of climate change, and the potential they hold for advocacy and impact with regard to protecting and caring for their environment is a positive, proactive teaching/learning effort.
Climate change is real, and helping students to understand their local environment, the impact of climate change, and the potential they hold for advocacy and impact with regard to protecting and caring for their environment is a positive, proactive teaching/learning effort.
Program:
Program:
Students will engaged in a large number of active learning experiences in classrooms and out in the local environment to learn about climate change, watersheds, their local environment, and student stewardship, advocacy, community action. These learning experiences will integrate curriculum standards across discipline.
Students will engaged in a large number of active learning experiences in classrooms and out in the local environment to learn about climate change, watersheds, their local environment, and student stewardship, advocacy, community action. These learning experiences will integrate curriculum standards across discipline.
Project Timeline:
Project Timeline:
Note that as the project was carried out some of the dates were changed somewhat, but the general order of the timeline was retained.
- October 1 - cross-discipline learning experiences providing background knowledge about journaling, habitats, the atmosphere, water cycle, carbon, and the geography/history of the area.
- October 2 - Collect soil, sand, gravel, sticks and other natural model-making materials on the playground during recess.
- October 3 - naturalist coach, Kim Flanzer, engages students in a watershed activity.
- October 3 - teachers review the hike with students and introduce the Jr. River Ranger workbooks. Students work independently to learn more about the SUASCO watershed using the packets.
- October 5- students hike to Greenways Conservation land to learn about and enjoy the local environment. At Greenways students will test water quality, study maps of the area, engage in ponding, observe the landforms, wildlife, and plants of the area, and have time to play and explore.
- October 6-23: Grade-level teachers integrate related standards-based lessons related to the environment, plants, energy, matter, and planet Earth. The lessons are logged on the webpage with the 5 E's format: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate
- October 24th - Kim Flanzer, teaches students about climate change
- October 25th - November 27th: Teachers continue to integrate standards-based lessons w/climate change/environmental information/focus.
- November 28th - Kim Flanzer leads students in lesson about student community action, advocacy, stewardship.
- November 29th - December 11th - Standards-based lessons help students to identify ways they might make a difference in the local environment.
- February - May: Students brainstorm civic action projects, make plans, complete and share projects.
- December 13th - April 2019: Students work on their projects in library and elsewhere.
- May 24th: Students hike at Great Meadows
- Riverfest Celebration Open for celebrations: June 22-23, 2019 (this did not work out given the time frame)
- June 18-24 last day of school.
updated 3/19/19
Questions related to advocacy for living things.
Kim leads the activity.
Kim reviews climate change information.
Students learn to work in teams.
The standards summary below from the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education clearly demonstrates the connection this project makes to expected STE standards. The project matches other STE, ELA and Math standards which are highlighted in the standards section of this website.
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