|
Through the Waters of the Appalachians Tested and Reviewed (WATeR) Project, St. Paul High School has partnered with seven other area schools in Dickenson, Wise, Russell and Scott counties, the University’s College at Wise, the Black Diamond Resource Conservation, and Jon Rockett from the Powell River Project. The partnership concentrates on the collection of water quality data by using the GLOBE program. GLOBE (Global Learning through Observations to Benefit the Environment) is an arm of NASA dedicated to collecting environmental data.
WATeR is a developing model for partnering schools with the goals of addressing the weaknesses of student achievement in scientific investigations, improving in-services for teachers, and pre-service for college students. WATeR is enriching the science curriculum by providing training and support to conduct hydrology testing on local streams and rivers. College students are working hand in hand with the classroom teacher, increasing their interest in teaching and developing an awareness of environmental issues facing each community.
Teachers are currently monitoring local streams and rivers. The group will meet again in October to share experiences and receive training in analyzing and synthesizing the individual data. Throughout the year, the group will work together assisting each other, sharing data and experiences and planning ways to replicate the program in other schools across the region.
Click here to view the evaluation process.
View a news article about the WATeR Project here.
The proposed project will extend a successful water quality service learning program to a broader range of schools and communities. Appalachian Math Science Partnership has funded a program which empowers monitoring of water in the Clinch River and its tributaries in far Southwest Virginia by students in nine schools who work collaboratively with undergraduate students from UVA Wise and Mountain Empire Community College. This grant will allow this program to extend to 7 additional teachers in 4 additional schools, which will bring this watershed service learning project to 320 more students and allow continuation of the original project, which would impact 600 students.
The Waters of the Appalachians Tested and Reviewed Partnership (WATeR) program already in place provides service learning opportunities with the goal of addressing the deficiencies in student achievement in scientific investigation as demonstrated through SOL testing. This is accomplished through professional development for science teachers; providing structured mentoring between teachers, college students, and high school students; and above all, providing opportunities for high school students to engage in real world scientific investigation by monitoring hydrology of the Clinch River system using the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) program.
Through the relationship with college students, many of whom aspire to become teachers, this program aims to foster a wider community sense of environmental awareness as well as stress the importance of service learning as a critical element in science instruction. This program also aims to foster interest in the pursuing academic studies as well as careers in science related fields for our middle and secondary students. Evaluation data collected from the 2005-2006 school year shows a 40% increase in student interest in science in for students involved in our current program.
Click here to view the project proposal.
|
