B-WET Award Recipients
The Pacific Northwest Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program is an environmental education program that supports locally relevant experiential learning in the K-12 environment.
Funded projects provide meaningful watershed educational experiences for students, related professional development for teachers, and help to support regional education and environmental priorities in the Pacific Northwest. The primary delivery is through competitive grants.
- 2023 Recipients
- 2022 Recipients
- 2021 Recipients
- 2020 Recipients
- 2019 Recipients
- 2018 Recipients
- 2017 Recipients
- 2016 Recipients
- 2015 Recipients
| Award Name/Description | Location | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Cascade Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group |
Wenatchee, WA |
$132,463 |
Lummi Nation |
Bellingham, WA |
$97,657 |
Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group |
White Salmon, WA |
$149,766 |
National Wildlife Federation |
Portland, OR |
$106,665 |
Port Townsend School District |
Port Townsend, WA |
$138,477 |
Vashon Nature Center |
Vashon Island, WA |
$75,000 |
| Award Name/Description | Location | Amount |
|---|---|---|
AFFILIATED TRIBES OF THE NORTHWEST INDIANS |
Portland, OR |
$75,000 |
Cascade Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group |
North Central, WA |
$149,454 |
Environmental Science Center |
Burien, WA |
$79,860 |
NOOKSACK SALMON ENHANCEMENT ASSOCIATION |
Bellingham, WA |
$144,500 |
TWIN HARBORS WATERKEEPER |
Cosmopolis, WA |
$139,442 |
| Award Name/Description | Location | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Cascade Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group 2021 – 2023 Systemic and Inclusive Science Education: North Central Washington MWEEs and Teacher Empowerment The goal of this project is to achieve a system‐wide increase in equitable and inclusive 3rd grade science education and engagement for students in Wenatchee, Washington leading to student‐led stewardship action. Teachers will confidently implement science teaching through Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) and improved curriculum and strategies to better serve student populations; especially English Language Learners (ELLs). Students will gain knowledge about local salmon phenomena, weather & climate issues, and animals of the Pacific Northwest through time and participate in field investigations and stewardship actions. This funding opportunity will provide professional development (PD) for up to 50 3rd grade teachers and an updated bilingual curriculum to support MWEEs across three science units (Schools for Salmon, Weather and Climate, and Animals through time; a full year curriculum). The target audiences are 50 3rd grade teachers and up to 1000 3rd grade students enrolled in the Wenatchee School District and other schools throughout North Central Washington. The project aims to eliminate barriers to a systemic and equitable science education, these barriers include: teachers without the experience or confidence in delivering science curriculum and supporting student‐led investigations, teachers that do not share cultural backgrounds with students or have the specialized skills to communicate science effectively to ELLs, a majority of students (52.5%) who are historically marginalized, underserved, and underrepresented, and (54.4%) students who would face socioeconomic barriers to education. |
Wenatchee, WA |
$99,485 |
Discover Your Northwest / Cascade Head Biosphere Reserve 2021 – 2022 Story of Life as Told by Water Through COVID safety compliant, place-based learning and two curriculum themes, this program will engage teachers and students in experiencing first-hand the inner workings of the water cycle, how it generates weather systems, creates watersheds, and supports the life cycle of wild salmon. Targeted to up to 12 teachers and 8 classrooms reaching some 240 students in the Lincoln County School District (LCSD) we will offer a dynamic mix of natural arts and sciences classroom activities, digital resources, and field-based adventures in the UNESCO Cascade Head Biosphere Reserve. Both Next Generation Science Standards and the Coastal Connections standards co-developed by the Oregon Coast Aquarium and LCSD, will be used to structure Professional Development offerings and Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs). Curriculum will be based on the inner workings of a coastal temperate rain-forest watershed, including its upland, estuarine, and marine ecosystems with two integrated thematic classroom and field experiences: "Raindrop to Sea Watershed Trail": Researching and walking the entire length of a small coastal temperate rain-forest watershed, tracing the gravitational migration of water to the sea, making observations and conducting experiments regarding ecosystem resiliency in the face of climate change, by employing a variety of tools including the iNaturalist app; "Salmon, The Land-Sea Ambassador": Understanding the function of estuaries as the resilient meeting places of fresh and saltwater, using floating classrooms to explore the life cycle of keystone species of wild salmon through research, experimentation, and Gyotaku fish printing. |
Otis, OR |
$59,599 |
LUMMI INDIAN BUSINESS COUNCIL 2021 – 2022 Lummi Nation Youth: Importance of Water Quality and Healthy Watersheds to the Lummi Schelangen ("Way of Life") Lummi Natural Resource Department engages 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th grade students at the Lummi Nation School in active stewardship of the environment, focusing on the impacts of poor water quality and development in the watershed on the health of salmon and shellfish. This program helps provide Lummi Nation School students with the tools and knowledge to be the next generation of natural resource managers and the ability and empowerment to control and improve the environment for the betterment and survival of their community and culture. The lessons connect the importance of watershed health and water quality and quantity to the abundance and health of salmon and shellfish which are culturally important food sources for the Lummi community. Through hands-on activities, students will learn about how to protect water quality and watershed health through several activities, including: salmon and shellfish biology and life cycle; climate change including ocean acidification, hypoxia, and harmful algal blooms, and effects on shellfish species; raising salmon in the classroom for release in a nearby stream; observing the spring fishery and tagging and tracking chinook returning to their natal spawning grounds; planting native plants to restore habitat; measuring water quality; touring and mapping the storm water structures adjacent to the Lummi Indian Business Council administration building; touring Lummi natural resources and Northwest Indian College water quality and aquatic robot labs; touring Lummi natural resource's salmon and shellfish hatcheries; conducting a marine life field foray at Lummi Stommish grounds; and marine water quality and ocean acidification lessons on Snow Goose research vessel. The lessons use the best available science, data collection and inquiry and meet state curriculum standards. All activities are embedded into the school curriculum beyond just the sciences; students also create art (poetry, photography, personal narratives, artwork, and verbal and visual presentations). The students will demonstrate mastery of their curriculum by sharing what they have learned with their parents and community in a video presentation and poster session. |
Bellingham, WA |
$62,169 |
MID COLUMBIA FISHERIES ENHANCMENT GROUP 2021 – 2023 Central Washington Watershed Connections This project supports 11 meaningful watershed education experiences (MWEEs) with 24 schools from 17 school districts in Eastern Washington and provides related professional development for teachers. This project reaches 1,830 1st – 11th grade students, and 65 teachers, helping students connect salmon recovery and local watershed issues to ocean ecosystems (including the issues of climate change and ecosystem resiliency). Each MWEE includes in-class preparation, hands-on restoration and/or monitoring at a restoration project site or other stewardship, in-class reflection and follow-up, and is supported by ongoing teacher professional development. Each MWEE is tailored to meet the needs of the individual school, and to demonstrate to teachers the value and feasibility of MWEEs. Many of the participating schools serve communities with very high poverty rates, including the Yakima Tribal School, Wahluke, Granger, and several other districts. In addition to the school districts, this project includes partnerships with Yakama Nation, Yakima Basin Environmental Education Program, Pacific Education Institute, Benton Conservation District, and Kittitas Environmental Education Network. |
White Salmon, WA |
$100,000 |
NISQUALLY RIVER FOUNDATION 2021- 2023 Climate Literacy, Monitoring, and Action in South Sound This project will engage local environmental educators, teachers, and students in the Nisqually and South Puget Sound Watersheds. Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) training will reach at least 25 local environmental educators, and this content will be incorporated into teacher and student engagement across Thurston County. More than 120 teachers, including all of the 5th grade teachers within the North Thurston Public Schools, will participate in professional development during the first year of the grant period, including: WQ Monitoring Training (WQMT) will frame the MWEE's in the context of the local watersheds, teach monitoring protocols outlined in our Quality Assurance Project Plans, provide resources aligned with local, state and national learning standards, and prep teachers for bi-annual WQ MWEEs; Salmon Climate Literacy Monitoring and Action in South Sound (CLAMSS) will create an informed community of 25+ teachers who will take leadership roles through this deeper professional development series focused on climate impacts to salmon in South Puget Sound. Each training will include hands-on lessons, highlighting NOAA resources and relevant local science, preparing teachers to engage students in MWEE's; Action Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) Summit will demonstrate the importance of service learning throughout all programmatic elements. Teachers will engage in actions suitable for classroom engagement to include but not limited to a waste audit with Thurston Solid Waste, No Idle Zone campaign toolkit, sharing of TEK through our tribal partners, as well as tree planting and invasive species removal projects in the region; Assessment Retreat for up to 50 teachers to share observations, evaluation results, teacher and student outcomes, and personal experiences; Summer Institute for Teachers (SIfT) 2022 and 2023 for up to 50 teachers will focus on Wildfire and Drought (2022), and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) (2023) and inspire an environmentally literate team of teachers as they plan for the upcoming school year; During the second year (2022-2023), 1750 students will participate in WQ MWEE' s, 1,000 in CLAMSS MWEE's , and 500 in Action MWEE's . They will investigate impacts of polluted storm water and climate impacts on local salmon populations through hands-on field investigations. 500 students identify and implement. Action MWEE's to improve salmon habitat. Students will share ideas for and results of Action MWEEs with their school board, city council, and local river council. We will include teachers and students (grades 4-12) in the Nisqually and South Puget Sound Watersheds. |
Olympia, WA |
$99,793 |
Vashon-Maury Island Nature Center 2021 – 2023 Hands-On Science: Adaptive Teaching Strategies for Watershed Education During COVID Vashon Nature Center's (VNC) is the core provider of environmental education to the Vashon Island School District (VISD) on Vashon-Maury Island. The school district serves 1500 students, 23% are BIPOC (16% are Latinx, 7% other BIPOC) and 25% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced lunch. Demand for VNC programs increased dramatically during COVID with more teachers cueing into the advantages of outdoor learning and asking for assistance in incorporating outdoor activities into on-line schooling. VISD started an outdoor learning committee to explore ways to make outdoor learning a larger part of district-wide learning processes. In addition, COVID has brought to light strong disparities in access for Latinx students. All the above provide both challenges to VNC staff capacity and opportunities to greatly improve, integrate, and expand MWEEs on our island and beyond. The aim of this project is to overcome these challenges and build on these opportunities in the following ways: Provide professional development to teachers of existing MWEE's and to new teachers that have expressed interest to create flexible COVID sound learning models and encourage teacher-led integration of MWEEs into the long-term curriculum; Improve and co-teach MWEEs in 5th, 6th, and 9th grades and start one new MWEE in grades 1-4. 450 total students/year get a 3-week long hands-on science experience; Increase equity and access for Latinx students by: supporting a Community Education Specialist to act as a mentor to Latinx families and students; and obtaining training for all VNC staff in justice, equality, diversity and inclusion in education; Increase technological capability and planning for flexible learning models: build capacity in terms of technological equipment and staff training as a long-term investment. |
Vashon-Maury Island, WA |
$84,137 |
| Award Name/Description | Location | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Discover Your Northwest / Cascade Head Biosphere Reserve Story of Life as Told by Water This project will engage teachers and students in experiencing first-hand the inner workings of the water cycle, how it generates weather systems, creates watersheds, and supports the life cycle of wild salmon. Targeted to 10-12 teachers and approximately 300 students in the Lincoln County School District (LCSD), this project will offer a dynamic mix of natural arts and sciences classroom activities and field based adventures in the UNESCO Cascade Head Biosphere Reserve. Both Next Generation Science Standards and the Coastal Connections standards co-developed by The Oregon Coast Aquarium and LCSD will be used to structure our Professional Development offerings and Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences. Curriculum will be based on the inner workings of a coastal temperate rain-forest watershed, including its upland, estuarine, and marine ecosystems and include two integrated thematic classroom and field experiences. |
Otis, Oregon |
$59,782 |
Dungeness River Audubon Center North Olympic Watershed Science: Schools Supporting Salmon North Olympic Watershed Science: Schools Supporting Salmon will provide 20 teachers with a 3-day teacher professional development workshop to increase confidence in leading meaningful watershed experiences for their 4th and 5th grade students in four school districts. The workshop will provide background content on the Olympic Peninsula's wild salmon populations and help teachers integrate local watershed content into their existing curriculum. Teacher contact will continue throughout the year with phone calls, meetings, and school visits to support them in implementing MWEES in the schoolyard, and to help prepare students for their field science investigation of assessing the health of two local watersheds for salmon. Along with the outdoor experience along the Dungeness River and Peabody Creek, 915 students will participate in a stewardship project working to improve salmon habitat, while gaining an understanding that human actions can have significant impacts on natural systems. |
Sequim, WA |
$53,272 |
Environmental Science Center Salmon Heroes: Understanding Watershed Health in Diverse Communities through Salmon Field Studies, Water Quality Training, and Stewardship Action Projects Salmon Heroes is a four-part, six-hour education and stewardship program for approximately 1,250 students in underserved areas of south King County. The program will train 30 teachers on successful strategies for getting their students outside to implement MWEE's on their own campuses by focusing on watershed issues such as storm water pollution and ocean acidification. It improves environmental literacy, including climate and ocean, by using field-based education experiences to encourage positive connections to local, natural settings, to increase awareness and understanding of other limiting factors to salmon survival, and to improve stewardship behaviors to keep our watershed healthy and protect salmon habitat. |
Burien, WA |
$49,383 |
LUMMI INDIAN BUSINESS COUNCIL Lummi Nation Youth: Importance of Water Quality and Healthy Watersheds to the Lummi Schelangen ("Way of Life") Lummi Natural Resource Department engages 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th grade students at the Lummi Nation School in active stewardship of the environment, focusing on the impacts of poor water quality and development in the watershed on the health of salmon and shellfish. This program helps provide Lummi Nation School students with the tools and knowledge to be the next generation of natural resource managers and the ability and empowerment to control and improve the environment for the betterment and survival of their community and culture. The lessons connect the importance of watershed health and water quality and quantity to the abundance and health of salmon and shellfish which are culturally important food sources for the Lummi community. Students learn best with hands on activities and learn about how to protect water quality and watershed health through several activities including: learning about salmon and shellfish biology and life cycle, adverse effects of climate change including ocean acidification, hypoxia, and harmful algal blooms, and effects on shellfish species; raising salmon in the classroom for release in a nearby stream; observing the spring fishery and tagging and tracking Chinook returning to their natal spawning grounds; planting native plants to restore habitat; measuring water quality; touring and mapping the storm water structures adjacent to the Lummi Indian Business Council administration building, touring Lummi Natural Resources and Northwest Indian College water quality and aquatic robot labs, touring Lummi Natural Resource's salmon and shellfish hatcheries, conducting a marine life field foray at Lummi Stommish grounds, and learning about marine water and ocean acidification on Snow Goose research vessel. The lessons use the best available science, data collection and inquiry and meet state curriculum standards. All activities are embedded into the school curriculum beyond just the sciences; students also create art (poetry, photography, personal narratives, artwork, and verbal and visual presentations). The students will demonstrate mastery of their curriculum by sharing what they have learned with their parents and community in a video presentation and poster session. |
Bellingham, WA |
$59,948 |
MID COLUMBIA FISHERIES ENHANCMENT GROUP Central Washington Watershed Connections, 2020-2021 This project supports 11 meaningful watershed education experiences (MWEEs) with 24 schools from 17 school districts in Eastern Washington and provides related professional development for teachers. This project reaches 1,830 1st – 11th grade students, and 65 teachers, helping students connect salmon recovery and local watershed issues to ocean ecosystems (including the issues of climate change and ecosystem resiliency). Each MWEE includes in-class preparation, hands-on restoration and/or monitoring at a restoration project site or other stewardship, in-class reflection and follow-up, and is supported by ongoing teacher professional development. Each MWEE is tailored to meet the needs of the individual school, and to demonstrate to teachers the value and feasibility of MWEEs. Many of the participating schools serve communities with very high poverty rates, including the Yakima Tribal School, Wahluke, Granger, and several other districts. In addition to the school districts, this project includes partnerships with Yakama Nation, Yakima Basin Environmental Education Program, Pacific Education Institute, Benton Conservation District, and Kittitas Environmental Education Network. |
White Salmon, WA |
$59,984 |
NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION Fish Eggs to Fry Eco-School USA - Salmon Stewards The project will engage K-12 schools in the Portland-Metro region, specifically targeting five Title I schools (grades 2-5) that have higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students and students of color, with 250 students and 10 teachers participating, along with family and community members involved in watershed learning and stewardship activities. The project goal is to engage school-based teams in meaningful project-based learning that contributes to a greater understanding of and stewardship of watersheds within the Columbia River Basin. It will integrate Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's (ODFW) Fish Eggs to Fry program with the National Wildlife Federation's (NWF) Eco-Schools USA by training educators, providing school seed grants, and engaging students in Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs). |
Milwaukie, OR |
$52,615 |
NISQUALLY RIVER FOUNDATION Climate Literacy, Action, and Monitoring in South Sound 2020 (CLAMSS 2020) CLAMSS 2021 will create an informed community of 50+ teachers through Water Quality (WQ), OA, and Ecosystem Resiliency focused trainings to prepare for MWEE implementation. WQ Monitoring Training will frame the MWEE's in the context of the local watersheds, teach monitoring protocols outlined in our Quality Assurance Project Plans, provide resources aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and other rigorous state learning standards, and prep teachers for bi-annual Water Quality MWEEs (1250 students). Networking events will review protocol, share curriculum updates, and highlight local opportunities for action MWEEs. 30 teachers will take leadership roles through the CLAMSS Fellows, a deeper professional development series focused on Ecosystem Resiliency and OA in the South Puget Sound estuarine ecosystem. Each training will include hands-on lessons, highlighting NOAA resources and relevant local science, preparing teachers to engage 750 students in Ecosystem Resiliency and OA lessons and investigations, followed by MWEEs on local beaches. We will investigate impacts of OA on local oyster farms in South Puget Sound, incorporate Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) for climate resiliency, and engage with local scientists participating in ongoing studies of the effects of OA on the local ecosystem. 400 student delegates will share WQ data, identify healthy/impaired waters and Action MWEE's to improve WQ at the 29th Annual Student GREEN Congress. Students will share ideas for and results of Action MWEEs with their school board, city council, and local river council. All 50 teachers will be invited to a year-end "Assessment Retreat" to share observations, evaluation results, teacher and student outcomes, and personal experiences. All 50 teachers will also be invited to Summer Institute for Teachers (SIfT): CLAMSS 2021 will focus on OA and Ecosystem Resiliency and inspire an environmentally literate team of teachers as they plan for the 2021-2022 school year. |
Olympia, WA |
$59,715 |
NORTHWEST MARITIME CENTER Salish Sea Stewards Program: Integrating Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences into the South Whidbey Public School District The goal of this project is to improve and protect the future of Puget Sound by increasing ocean acidification and ecosystem resiliency literacy through the integration of MWEEs into the South Whidbey Public School District curriculum. These MWEEs will foster a connection for South Whidbey youth to their local watersheds and a sense of environmental responsibility. All teachers will receive 30 hours of professional development of which 20 hours will be outdoors; seventh-grade teachers will receive a total of 58 hours of which 35 hours will be outdoors. Based on this training, at least one MWEE with a minimum of four hours spent outdoors will be incorporated into each K-12 grade level. For seventh-grade students, ocean acidification and ecosystem resiliency based on NOAA, Washington Sea Grant and NANOOS educational resources will be incorporated into the science curriculum. This curriculum will incorporate MWEEs that culminate in a three-day intensive inquiry-based Salish Sea Stewards Discovery Program with a minimum of twenty hours spent outdoors. Additional features of this project include Washington Sea Grant workshops, experiential elective courses, student-driven research and student-driven stewardship projects. Opportunities for both teacher and student community and peer-to-peer dissemination are included. Through this project, MWEEs as well as NOAA, Washington Sea Grant and NANOOS materials focused on ocean acidification and ecosystem resiliency will be integrated into the South Whidbey Public School District curriculum. This curriculum and experiential learning opportunities will foster a connection for students to their local watersheds and a sense of environmental responsibility that we hope will help improve and protect the future of the Puget Sound. |
Port Townsend, WA |
$60,000 |
PORT TOWNSEND SCHOOL DISTRICT #50 Developing Understanding of Ocean Acidification and Building Solutions in Coastal Communities Port Townsend School District (PTSD) will collaborate with multiple community partners, Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee, Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan Team, Washington Sea Grant, Pacific Marine Energy Center, and Port Townsend Marine Science Center to deliver high quality professional development to cohort teachers and long-term classroom integrated Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences (MWEE) for students, with an emphasis on ecosystem resiliency, ocean acidification and solutions. Fifteen, first year cohort teachers, from Port Townsend and three participating school districts, will participate in a two-day summer professional development, followed by two project planning sessions. Fifteen previous year cohort teachers will be supported with one project planning session. This training will provide NOAA resources, lesson plans, and activities, combined with background knowledge to prepare the cohort teachers to provide MWEEs for approximately 1400 students, from four school districts and ten grade levels. The project outcomes will be shared with educators across the region as a model for place-based watershed education. |
Port Townsend, WA |
$59,968 |
| Award Name/Description | Location | Amount |
|---|---|---|
AWARD NAME/DESCRIPTION |
LOCATION |
AMOUNT |
Feiro Marine Life Center North Olympic Watershed Science: Salmon Impacts (NOW:SI) North Olympic Watershed Science: Salmon Impacts program will provide meaningful watershed educational experiences for 1376 4th and 5th grade students and their 45 teachers, combined with a week-long teacher professional development workshop for 20 of those educators, in four school districts on Washington's North Olympic Peninsula. Students and teachers will learn background content on Washington's wild salmon population through workshops and classroom lessons, assess the health of two local watersheds for salmon through field investigations, and connect to school based stewardship opportunities. Program partners for this effort include Feiro Marine Life Center, Dungeness River Audubon Center partnership (which includes the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe and Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society), Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and Olympic National Park. |
Port Angeles, WA |
$59,261 |
Lummi Indian Business Council Lummi Nation Youth: Importance of Water Quality and Healthy Watersheds to the Lummi Schelangen ("Way of Life") Lummi Natural Resource Department will engage 3rd, 5th, 7th and 8th grade students at the Lummi Nation Schools in active stewardship of the environment, focusing on the impacts of poor water quality and development in the watershed on the health of salmon and shellfish. This program will help provide Lummi Nation School students with the tools and knowledge to be the next generation of natural resource managers and the ability and empowerment to control and improve the environment for the betterment and survival of their community and culture. The lessons will connect the importance of watershed health and water quality and quantity to the abundance and health of salmon and shellfish which are culturally important food sources for the Lummi Community. Students learn best with hands-on activities and will learn about how to protect water quality and watershed health through several activities including: learning about salmon and shellfish biology and life cycle, adverse effects of climate change including ocean acidification/hypoxia and harmful algal blooms, and impacts on shellfish species; raising salmon in the classroom for release in a nearby stream; observing the spring fishery and tagging and tracking Chinook returning to their natal spawning grounds; planting native plants to restore habitat; measuring water quality; touring and mapping the stormwater structures adjacent to the Lummi Indian Business Council administration building, touring Lummi Natural Resources and Northwest Indian College water quality and aquatic robot labs, touring Lummi Natural Resource's salmon and shellfish hatcheries, conducting a marine life field foray at Lummi Stommish grounds, and learning about marine water and ocean acidification on a Snow Goose research vessel. The lessons will be provided using best available science, data collection and inquiry and will meet state curriculum standards. All activities will be embedded into the school curriculum beyond just the sciences; students will also create art (poetry, photography, personal narratives, artwork, and verbal and visual presentations). The students will demonstrate mastery of their curriculum by sharing what they have learned with their patents and community in a video presentation and poster session. |
Bellingham, WA |
$59,948 |
Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group Watershed & Ocean Connections This project will support eight meaningful watershed education experiences (MWEEs) with eight school districts in Eastern Washington and provide related professional development for teachers. Watershed and Ocean Connections program reaches 880 4th – 12th grade students and 33 teachers, helping students connect salmon recovery and local watershed issues to ocean ecosystems (including the issues of climate change, ocean acidification, and hypoxia). Each MWEE includes in-class preparation, hands-on restoration and/or monitoring at a restoration project site or other stewardship, in-class reflection and follow-up, and is supported by ongoing teacher professional development. Each MWEE is tailored to meet the needs of the individual school, and to demonstrate to teachers the value and feasibility of MWEEs. Educational partners, including the Yakima Tribal School, Wahluke, Granger, and other districts serve disadvantaged and underprivileged communities. In addition to the school districts, this proposal includes partnerships with Yakama Nation, Yakima Basin Environmental Education Program, Pacific Education Institute, Benton Conservation District, and Kittitas Environmental Education Network. |
White Salmon, WA |
$59,971 |
Nisqually River Foundation Climate Literacy, Action, and Monitoring in South Sound 2020 (CLAMSS 2020) CLAMSS 2020 will create an informed community of 50+ teachers through Water Quality (WQ), hypoxia and Ocean Acidification (OA) focused trainings to prepare for meaningful watershed education experiences (MWEE) implementation. WQ Monitoring Training will frame the MWEE's in the context of the local watersheds, teach monitoring protocols outlined in our Quality Assurance Project Plans, provide resources aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and other rigorous state learning standards, and prep teachers for bi-annual Water Quality MWEEs (1250 students). Networking events will review protocol, share curriculum updates, and highlight local opportunities for action MWEEs. 30 teachers will take leadership roles through the CLAMSS Fellows, a deeper professional development series focused on OA, Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) and hypoxia in the South Puget Sound estuarine ecosystem. Each training will include hands-on lessons, highlighting NOAA resources and relevant local science, preparing teachers to engage 750 students in hypoxia and OA lessons and investigations, followed by MWEEs on local beaches. We will investigate eelgrass restoration as carbon sinks, kelp restoration as a solution to ocean acidification, hypoxia in Hood Canal, wastewater facilities and nutrient loading in Budd Inlet and tour local oyster farms in South Puget Sound. 400 student delegates will share WQ data, identify healthy/impaired waters and Action MWEE's to improve WQ at the 28th Annual Student GREEN Congress. Students will share ideas for and results of Action MWEEs with their school board, city council, and local river council. All 50 teachers will be invited to a year-end "Assessment Retreat" to share observations, evaluation results, teacher and student outcomes, and personal experiences. All 50 teachers will also be invited to Summer Institute for Teachers (SIfT): CLAMSS 2020 which will focus on OA, HAB, and hypoxia, and inspire an environmentally literate team of teachers as they plan for the 2020-2021 year. |
Olympia, WA |
$57,361 |
Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) The Students for Salmon (SFS) Program The Students for Salmon (SFS) Program serves the 4th grade audience in Whatcom County public schools, including tribal, private, and homeschool cooperatives. This multi-stage program includes both in-classroom and outdoor activities over a course of 5-6 weeks. By following the outlined components of NOAA's meaningful watershed education experiences (MWEEs); SFS inspires and educates the next generation of conservationists by utilizing the marine environments and surrounding watersheds, while restoring critical salmon habitat through direct action opportunities that improve the health of the Salish Sea. Annually, SFS supports over 1,700 students (85+ teachers) in the investigation of both local and global watershed issues in relation to salmon, and identify accessible actions that address these issues in their own community. The SFS Program is a long-standing and trusted program offered at no cost. Additionally, the supplemental Students for Salmon Curriculum1 and training workshops provide professional development opportunities for participating teachers that build a community of environmental leaders beyond our program. |
Bellingham, WA |
$59,858 |
Oregon State University / Oregon Sea Grant MWEEs by the Sea III: Diving Deeper Funded by NOAA and Oregon State University (OSU), Oregon Sea Grant (OSG) has provided environmental literacy education for students and teachers for over forty years and has led several successful B-WET projects. MWEEs by the Sea III: Diving Deeper will build on partnerships developed and lessons learned from previous projects, leveraging existing NOAA-funded programs and assets, partner expertise, and regional connections to support educators from Lincoln County School District (LCSD) in the creation and implementation of MWEEs tied to watershed-focused Project Based Learning (PBL). We will target LCSD 5th-12th grade teachers, providing a minimum of 30 contact hours of Professional Development (PD), consisting of a multi-day workshop with classroom and field components, followed by additional online and in person training over several months. The proposed project will utilize mentor teachers who have successfully completed previous MWEEs by the Sea projects to provide additional support. These mentors will help recruit participants, share their successes and student projects, and work with new teachers as they create and execute their implementation plans. This PD will introduce MWEEs, provide fundamental knowledge about PBL, and connect participants to local community partners and NOAA resources and assets, including those related to Ocean Acidification (OA) and Hypoxia, to support the implementation of watershed-focused student stewardship projects. Once students have completed their projects, they will attend a Student Watershed Symposium held at OSU's Hatfield Marine Science Center, to share their results with peers, community partners, researchers, resource managers, and the general public. It is anticipated that a minimum of 20 new educators and 600 students will be directly impacted by the proposed project. |
Newport, OR |
$60,000 |
Port Townsend School District #50 Building Awareness and Understanding of Ocean Acidification in Coastal Communities For the third year, The Port Townsend School District (PTSD) will collaborate with two community partners, Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee, and the Port Townsend Marine Science Center to deliver high quality professional development to cohort teachers and long-term classroom integrated Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences (MWEE) for students, with an emphasis on ocean acidification and hypoxia. First year cohort teachers will include Port Townsend teachers and two participating school district teachers in a two-day summer professional development, followed by two project planning sessions. Second and third year cohort teachers will be supported with one project planning session. This training will provide NOAA resources, lesson plans, and activities, combined with background knowledge to prepare the cohort teachers to provide MWEEs for approximately 580 PTSD students, in at least seven grade levels, and approximately 440 students from participating school districts. The project outcomes will be shared with educators across the region as a model for place-based watershed education. |
Port Townsend, WA |
$59,681 |
University of Washington Bonds Across the Water: Exchanging knowledge and actions across boundaries to address ocean acidification The goal of the proposed work is to promote student understanding about and actions to address ocean acidification (OA), and for students to share their perspectives and solutions with peers across the Pacific Northwest and around the Pacific Rim. We will first curate and newly-integrate high school curricular resources that explicitly draw the connections between inland waters and OA, and modify our online software that promotes student-to-student dialog as a platform for student sharing on these issues. We will present these curricular tools to 16 high school teachers from indigenous and non-indigenous communities in WA state in a two day professional development training, combining field studies, data analysis, scientific presentations and discussions. Teachers from Hawai'i and American Samoa will join remotely for a portion. Teachers will then bring this curriculum to their classrooms, with incentives including a teacher stipend to offset the costs of attending the workshop, webinars and school visits during the school year with marine scientists and marine educators and a virtual field trip offered by our partners at EarthEcho International. Approximately 450 students from the partner schools will then engage in watershed-based field research projects, drawing the connections between issues such as watershed inputs and ocean health, specifically related to salmon, and removing auxiliary stressors on marine organisms and ecosystems sensitive to OA. Students will then document their findings and share their results with their colleagues in WA and elsewhere using the student dialog software through video, photos and text. Integration with the existing Inquiry to Student Environmental Action (I2SEA) and Ecosystem Pen Pals programs will greatly broaden the impact of the project at the conclusion of the funding period, allowing it to reach thousands of classrooms and hundreds of thousands of students worldwide. |
Friday Harbor, WA |
$59,955 |
| Award Name/Description | Location | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Feiro Marine Life Center North Olympic Watershed Science: Salmon Impacts (NOW:SI) North Olympic Watershed Science: Salmon Impacts provides meaningful watershed educational experiences for 4th and 5th grade students, combined with teacher professional development for educators in four school districts on Washington's North Olympic Peninsula. Students and teachers learn background content on Washington’s wild salmon population through workshops and classroom lessons, assess the health of two local watersheds for salmon through field investigations, and connect to school based stewardship opportunities. Program partners for this effort include Feiro Marine Life Center, the Dungeness River Audubon Center partnership (which includes the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe and the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society), Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and Olympic National Park. |
Port Angeles, WA |
$46,298 |
Lummi Indian Business Council Lummi Nation Youth: Importance of Water Quality and Healthy Watersheds to the Lummi Schelangen ("Way of Life") Lummi Natural Resource Department engages students in 1st-12th grade at the Lummi Nation Schools in active stewardship of the environment, focusing on the impacts of poor water quality and development in the watershed on the health of salmon and shellfish. This program helps provide Lummi Nation School students with the tools and knowledge to be the next generation of natural resource managers and the ability and empowerment to control and improve the environment for the betterment and survival of their community and culture. The lessons connect the importance of watershed health and water quality and quantity to the abundance and health of salmon and shellfish- which are culturally important food sources for the Lummi Community. Students learn about watersheds, water quality and storm water runoff, and limiting factors such as changes in river flow regimes, high temperatures, and ocean acidification resulting from climate change that adversely affect salmon and shellfish survival through classroom and field based lessons. Students learn best with hands-on activities, and learn about how to protect water quality and watershed health through several activities including: learning about salmon and shellfish biology and life cycle, adverse effects of climate change including ocean acidification and effects on shellfish species; raising salmon in the classroom for release in a nearby stream; observing the spring fishery and tagging and tracking Chinook returning to their natal spawning grounds; planting native plants to restore habitat; measuring water quality; touring and mapping the stormwater structures adjacent to the LIBC administration building, touring water quality and aquatic robot labs, touring salmon and shellfish hatcheries, conducting a marine life field foray at Lummi Stommish grounds, and learning about marine water and ocean acidification on a NOAA research vessel. The lessons provided use best available science, data collection and inquiry and meet state curriculum standards. All activities are embedded into the school curriculum beyond just the sciences; students also create art (poetry, photography, personal narratives, artwork, and verbal and visual presentations). The students demonstrate mastery of their curriculum by sharing what they have learned with their parents and community in a video presentation and poster session. |
Bellingham, WA |
$59,698 |
Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group Watershed & Ocean Connections This project supports five meaningful watershed education experiences (MWEEs) with eight school districts in Eastern Washington and provides related professional development for teachers, reaching 800 4th – 8th grade students and 22 teachers. Students connect salmon recovery and local watershed issues to ocean ecosystems (including ocean acidification). Each MWEE includes in-class preparation, hands-on restoration and/or monitoring at a restoration project site, in-class reflection and follow-up, and is supported by ongoing teacher professional development. Each MWEE is tailored to meet the needs of the individual school, and to demonstrate to teachers the value and feasibility of MWEEs. |
White Salmon, WA |
$58,561 |
Nisqually River Foundation Climate Literacy, Action, and Monitoring in South Sound (CLAMSS) CLAMSS works to build a resilient community of teachers through water quality and Ocean Acidification(OA) -related training to prepare them for meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEE’s). Water Quality Training teaches monitoring techniques and protocols outlined in our Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs), gives resources aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and other rigorous Washington State learning standards, and preps teachers for a bi-annual Water Quality MWEE. Fall/Winter Networking events provide opportunities to review protocol, share curriculum updates, and meet local experts. Teachers take on leadership roles through the CLAMSS Fellows program, a deeper OA-focused training on the estuarine ecosystem of South Puget Sound. Each CLAMSS Fellows training includes hands-on lessons and classroom components, highlighting NOAA resources and relevant OA field studies. CLAMSS Fellows prepares teachers to engage students in climate and OA curriculum, followed by Nearshore MWEE’s on local beaches. Teachers and students investigate zooplankton population dynamics, mussel byssal thread strength and oyster growth in South Puget Sound. Student delegates share water quality data, identify healthy/impaired waters, and identify Action MWEE’s to improve water quality at the 26th Annual Student GREEN Congress. Students share ideas with their school board, city council, and river council to build support for their action projects. All teachers are invited to a year-end "Assessment Retreat" to share observations, evaluation results, teacher and student outcomes, and personal experiences. |
Bellingham, WA |
$59,493 |
Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) The Students for Salmon (SFS) Program Students for Salmon (SFS) Program educates and inspires the next generation of conservationists; at the same time, restoring critical salmon habitat and promoting direct action opportunities for 4th graders to learn and improve the health of the Salish Sea. This multi-stage program includes both in-classroom and outdoor activities, utilizing the marine environments and surrounding watersheds of Whatcom County, WA. SFS assists teachers from public, tribal, private and homeschool cooperative programs annually; supporting students in the investigation of both local and global environmental topics, and identifying accessible actions to address environmental issues in their own community. The SFS Program is a long-standing and trusted program offered at no cost. Additionally, SFS includes a tested and approved, systematic, long-term teacher training series in cooperation with Whatcom County school districts building a community of environmental leaders beyond our program. |
Bellingham, WA |
$59,283 |
Oregon State University / Oregon Sea Grant MWEEs by the Sea II: Expanding Opportunities for Oregon Coast Educators and Students to Engage in Project Based Learning The Oregon Coast STEM Hub (OCSH) is a network of diverse educational and community partners focused on increasing STEM interest and literacy for students along the entire Oregon Coast. The OCSH connects educators and students to regional resources and relevant issues, with a focus on coastal natural resources and marine science. The project leverages existing NOAA funded programs and resources, partner expertise, and regional connections to support educators in the creation and implementation of MWEEs tied to watershed-focused project based learning. The project leadership team builds off lessons learned through the implementation of a previously B-WET funded MWEEs by the Sea project, to develop and implement an additional series of daylong workshops in new communities along the coast. These workshops introduce MWEEs, provide fundamental knowledge about Project Based Learning (PBL), and connect participants to local community partners and NOAA-funded resources to support the implementation of watershed-focused student projects. Teachers from the original MWEEs by the Sea grant are invited to participate in these workshops as mentors, sharing their successes and student projects, and work with new teachers as they create their implementation plans. Once teachers have completed projects with their students, they will have the opportunity of attending one of several Student Watershed Symposiums held along the Oregon Coast, where studentsl share their results with peers, community partners, researchers, resource managers, and the general public. |
Newport, OR |
$60,000 |
Port Townsend School District #50 Building Awareness and Understanding of Ocean Acidification in a Coastal Community The Port Townsend School District (PTSD) collaborates with three community partners, Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, and Fort Worden State Park to deliver high quality professional development to cohort teachers and long-term classroom integrated Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences (MWEE) for students, with an emphasis on ocean acidification. First year cohort teachers participate in a two-day summer professional development, followed by two project planning sessions, and second year cohort teachers are supported with one project planning session. This training provides NOAA resources, lesson plans, and activities, combined with background knowledge to prepare the cohort teachers to provide MWEEs for PTSD students at seven grade levels. The project outcomes will be shared with educators across the region as a model for place-based watershed education. The project outcomes will be shared with educators across the region as a model for place - based watershed education. |
Port Townsend, WA |
$47,296 |
RE Sources Rural Young Water Stewards Project The Young Water Stewards program engages high school students from rural school districts in Whatcom County in investigations of how human land-use practices impact the health of their local watershed through in-class lessons, water quality testing, field visits in the watershed, studying Best Management Practices and reporting on what they learned. High school students from rural Whatcom County communities are led by RE Sources staff through two introductory lessons to provide background education on watersheds and the sources and issues with non-point water pollution. The students then participate in a field experience to survey their local watershed, including a tour of several areas of their local watershed and conducting water quality sampling. A follow-up lesson is conducted to compare and contrast the collected data. Results are used to discuss Best Management Practices, how they are informed by Best Available Science and the value of individual stewardship actions. The students conclude the project by participating in a stewardship project coordinated by RE Sources using available community resources. Experiences from all classes will be shared with the community, either through student-generated culminating projects or through RE Sources staff-generated opportunities to capture and share student experiences. During the second half of the project year, a teacher professional development opportunity is also provided to support Whatcom County teachers in collaboration with Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. The goal of the training is to increase teachers’ confidence and ability to teach about watersheds and nonpoint source pollution by providing Whatcom County teachers with tools to directly support the use of environmental education pedagogy and increase their knowledge of issue-specific content to enhance Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences (MWEEs) in their teaching. |
Bellingham, WA |
$48,949 |
| Award Name/Description | Location | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Chehalis River Education Consortium Chehalis River Connection: Using Water Quality to Connect Students and Inspire Environmental Stewardship Across Chehalis Basin Students and teachers from around the Chehalis Basin Watershed will learn about local environmental topics and environmental stewardship through twice yearly water quality monitoring days of a nearby stream or river, restoration events, including invasive species removal and/or planting native trees and shrubs, field trips and classroom presentations in addition to a culminating event at a local college. Teachers will attend training events and additional workshops to help facilitate these programs. The audience for this project is spread across 14 districts (including a juvenile detention center) in the Chehalis Basin area and includes students in grades 4-12. Approximately 40 teachers and over 1,000 students participate in this program every year. |
Tumwater, WA |
$45,000 |
Environmental Science Center Salmon Heroes: Watershed Education and Water Quality Training for Underserved Students Salmon Heroes is an education and stewardship program which uses project-based learning to train the next generation of environmental leaders. Salmon Heroes will educate approximately 1,800 students and 300 adults on watershed issues and improve their stewardship behaviors through hands-on learning in an outdoor setting. |
Burien, WA |
$36,500 |
Feiro Marine Life Center North Olympic Watershed Science Program (NOW Science) NOW Science will provide meaningful watershed educational experiences for elementary and middle school students in four school districts on Washington's North Olympic Peninsula in hands-on, inquiry and place-based field investigations. Customized multi-disciplinary curriculum will build core science literacy, culminating with peer teaching opportunities and a community-focused student showcase. |
Port Angeles, WA |
$48,193 |
Lummi Indian Business Council Lummi Nation Youth: Importance of Water Quality and Healthy Watersheds to the Lummi Schelangen ("Way of Life") Lummi Natural Resource Department will engage approximately 250 students in 1st-8th grades at the Lummi Nation Schools in active stewardship of the environment, focusing on the impacts of poor water quality and development in the watershed on the health of salmon and shellfish. This program will help provide Lummi Nation School students with the tools and knowledge to be the next generation of natural resource managers and the ability and empowerment to control and improve the environment for the betterment and survival of their community and culture. The lessons will connect the importance of watershed health and water quality and quantity to the abundance and health of salmon and shellfish- which are culturally important food sources for the Lummi community. Students will learn about watersheds, water quality and storm water runoff, and limiting factors that adversely affect salmon and shellfish survival through classroom and field based lessons. Students learn best with hands-on activities, and will learn about how to protect water quality and watershed health through several activities including: raising salmon in the classroom for release in a nearby stream, observing the spring fishery and tagging and tracking Chinook returning to their natal spawning grounds, planting native plants, taking water quality samples, conducting a stormwater structure survey, touring LNR and NWIC water quality and aquatic robot labs, touring LNR's salmon and shellfish hatcheries, conducting a clam survey and traditional clam bake, and conducting a clam survey. The lessons will be provided using best available science, data collection and inquiry and will meet state curriculum standards. All activities will be embedded into the school curriculum beyond just the sciences; students will also create art (poetry, photography, personal narratives, artwork, and verbal and visual presentations). The students will demonstrate mastery of their curriculum by sharing what they have learned with their parents and community in a video presentation and poster session. |
Bellingham, WA |
$59,792 |
Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group Watershed Connections – Hands-on Salmon, Climate, and Ocean Science Rural Watershed Stewards Program This project will support ten meaningful watershed education experiences (MWEEs) with ten school districts in Eastern Washington. This project reaches 1,250 4th – 12th grade students (and 33 teachers), helping students connect salmon recovery and local watershed issues to ocean ecosystems (including lessons on ocean acidification). Each MWEE includes in-class preparation, hands-on restoration, stewardship, or monitoring at a restoration project site, and in-class reflection and follow-up. Each MWEE is tailored to meet the needs of the individual school, and to demonstrate to teachers the value and feasibility of MWEEs. |
White Salmon, WA |
$58,582 |
The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association Students for Salmon (SFS) Program Students for Salmon (SFS) Program educates and inspires the next generation of conservationists; at the same time, restores critical salmon habitat and promotes direct action opportunities for more than 1,825 4th graders to learn about and improve the health of the Salish Sea. This multi-stage program includes both in-classroom and outdoor activities, utilizing the marine environments and surrounding watersheds of Whatcom County, Washington. SFS assists 80+ teachers from public, tribal, private and homeschool cooperative schools annually, supporting students in the investigation of both local and global environmental topics, and identifying actions available to address environmental issues in their own community. The SFS Program is a long-standing, well-rounded program offered at no cost. Additionally, SFS creates a comprehensive sequence of NSEA-led, instructional sessions that are supplemented by an inquiry-based, watershed science curriculum that is fully aligned with state standards. SFS additionally includes a teacher professional development training series, which takes place over several months involving area partners. Participating teachers will demonstrate environmentally-responsible attitudes and behaviors, acting as role models for their students and increasing their ability to guide students to address current and future environmental issues. Through this series, NSEA staff will work to build a community of environmental leaders beyond our program. |
Bellingham, WA |
$50,564 |
Oregon State University / Oregon Sea Grant MWEEs by the Sea: Connecting Oregon Coast Educators and Students with Resources to Support Project Based Learning The Oregon Coast STEM Hub (OCSH) is a network of diverse educational and community partners focused on increasing STEM interest and literacy for students along the entire Oregon Coast. One of eleven state-funded hubs, OCSH connects educators and students to regional resources and relevant issues, with a focus on coastal natural resources and marine science. The project will leverage partner expertise, existing resources, and regional connections to support educators in the creation and implementation of MWEEs tied to watershed-focused project based learning. The project leadership team will work with coastal education partners to determine needs and priorities for five day long workshops that will be held at informal education sites along the coast. These workshops will introduce MWEEs, provide fundamental knowledge about Project Based Learning (PBL), and connect participants to local community partners and NOAA-funded resources to support the implementation of watershed-focused student projects. Once projects are completed, students will convene at Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center where they will share their results with peers, community partners, researchers, resource managers, and the general public. It is anticipated that a minimum of 75 educators and 2000 students will be directly impacted by the project. |
Newport, OR |
$60,000 |
Port Townsend School District #50 Building Awareness and Understanding of Ocean Acidification in a Coastal Community The Port Townsend School District will collaborate with three community partners, Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, and Fort Worden State Park to design and deliver professional development to cohort teachers and Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences (MWEE) for students, with an emphasis on ocean acidification. Thirteen cohort teachers will participate in a two-day summer professional development, followed by two project planning sessions during the school year. This training will provide NOAA resources, lesson plans, and activities, combined with background knowledge to prepare the cohort teachers to provide MWEEs for approximately 400 PTSD students, at seven grade levels. The project outcomes will be shared with educators across the region as a model for place-based watershed education. |
Port Townsend, WA |
$43,454 |
RE Sources Rural Young Water Stewards Project The Young Water Stewards program will engage high school students from rural school districts in Whatcom County in investigations of how human land-use practices impact the health of their local watershed through in-class lessons, water quality testing, field visits in the watershed, studying Best Management Practices and reporting on what they learned. High school students from rural Whatcom County communities will be led by RE Sources staff through two introductory lessons to provide background education on watersheds and the sources and issues with non-point water pollution. The students will then participate in a field experience to survey their local watershed, including a tour of several areas of their local watershed and conducting water quality sampling. A follow-up lesson will be conducted to compare and contrast the collected data. Results will be used to discuss Best Management Practices, how they are informed by Best Available Science and the value of individual stewardship actions. The students will conclude the project by participating in a stewardship project coordinated by RE Sources using available community resources. Experiences from all classes will be shared with the community, either through student-generated culminating projects or through RE Sources staff-generated opportunities to capture and share student experiences. During the second half of the project year, a teacher professional development opportunity will also be provided to support Whatcom County teachers in collaboration with Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. The goal of the training is to increase teachers' confidence and ability to teach about watersheds and nonpoint source pollution by providing Whatcom County teachers with tools to directly support the use of environmental education pedagogy and increase their knowledge of issue-specific content to enhance Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences (MWEEs) in their teaching. |
Bellingham, WA |
$49,823 |
| Award Name/Description | Location | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Oregon Department of State Lands - South Slough Reserve The Oregon Coast Education Program - Building Capacity for Stewardship The Oregon Coast Education Program (OCEP) is a network of institutions that has advanced K-12 marine and coastal education throughout Oregon since 2009. This project will harness the power of OCEP alumni teachers, project partners, developed education modules, and lessons learned to dive deeper into the implementation of OCEP education modules and best practices in local schools. The project will be implemented by a leadership team of K-12 mentor teachers working with the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Oregon Sea Grant, the High Desert Museum, Portland State University – Center for Science Education and three Oregon STEM Hubs to offer mentor teachers training on leadership skills and implementing meaningful watershed education experiences (MWEEs) with peer teachers. OCEP project coordinators will work with OCEP mentor teachers to strengthen the integration of coastal education in four Oregon communities on the Oregon Coast, Bend and Portland. The project will directly impact 10 OCEP teachers who will work with 30 new teachers and 800 students. |
Charleston, OR |
$60,000 |
Oregon State University StreamWebs Student Stewardship Network StreamWebs is a watershed stewardship network with five components: (1) field and classroom support; (2) an online watershed database that facilitates student data analysis, peer to peer learning, and content sharing; (3) Watershed Monitoring Kits that provide access to the tools necessary to conduct a field studies; (4) StreamWebs curriculum materials that provide teachers with guidance for setting up an investigation and following up with field data back in the classroom; (5) hands-on field trainings in water quality, aquatic macroinvertebrates, photopoint monitoring, riparian surveys, etc. During the third year of this project, Oregon Sea Grant intends to maintain and expand resource accessibility and support for existing StreamWes.org users, amplify the local relevance of the StreamWebs program by providing focused, hands-on field and classroom support for 8-10 educators (formal and informal), and provide professional development for teachers throughout Oregon. This project will directly work with over 700 students, and provide professional development for at least forty other educators and volunteers, along with maintaining support for the over 650 registered StreamWebs.org users, that will conservatively reach an additional 2500 students. |
Corvallis, OR |
$60,000 |
Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership Watershed Science in Action This project will provide meaningful watershed learning experiences to 780 students from underserved communities in the lower Columbia River estuary, including schools in Pacific and Wahkiakum counties in Washington, and Clatsop and Columbia counties in Oregon, bringing concepts of watershed ecology and coastal and marine environments alive through outdoor and classroom experiences. Project components include classroom lessons and field experiences. Participants will learn about local watersheds, ocean and estuarine environments, local environmental issues, and demonstrate increased appreciation and knowledge of their watershed through measurable program evaluations. |
Portland, OR |
$59,810 |
Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group Watershed Connections – Hands-on Salmon, Climate and Ocean Science This project supports ten meaningful watershed education experiences (MWEEs) with eight school districts in Eastern Washington. This proposal reaches 1,300 4th – 12th grade students (and 28 teachers), helping students connect salmon recovery and local watershed issues to ocean ecosystems (including lessons on ocean acidification). Each MWEE includes in-class preparation, hands-on restoration and/or monitoring at a restoration project site, and in-class reflection and follow-up. Each MWEE is tailored to meet the needs of the individual school, and to demonstrate to teachers the value and feasibility of MWEEs. |
White Salmon, WA |
$59,500 |
Environmental Science Center Salmon Heroes: Watershed Education and Water Quality Training for Underserved Students This project is an education and stewardship program which uses project-based learning to train the next generation of environmental leaders. Salmon Heroes will educate approximately 1,200 students and 200 adults on watershed issues and improve their stewardship behaviors through hands-on learning in an outdoor setting. |
Burien, WA |
$36,243 |
Feiro Marine Life Center NOW (North Olympic Watershed) Science Program This project will provide meaningful watershed educational experiences for approximately 960 elementary and middle school students and 50 teachers in four school districts on Washington’s North Olympic Peninsula in hands-on, inquiry and place-based field investigations. Customized multi-disciplinary curriculum will build core science literacy, culminating with peer teaching opportunities and a community-focused student showcase. |
Port Angeles, WA |
$52,030 |
Lummi Indian Business Council Lummi Nation Youth: Water Quality, Watersheds and Salmon This project will engage 1st - 5th grade students at the Lummi Nation Schools in active stewardship of the environment, focusing on the impacts of poor water quality and development in the watershed on the health of salmon and shellfish. Students will learn about watersheds, water quality and storm water runoff through lessons and building watershed models. Students learn best with hands-on activities, and will learn about how to protect water quality through the watershed model, planting trees, taking water quality samples, conducting a storm water structure survey on their school grounds, touring Lummi Nation Natural Resources Department (LNR) salmon and shellfish hatcheries, and through a clam survey and traditional clam bake. The lessons will be provided using best available science, data collection and inquiry and will meet state curriculum standards. The lessons will also be culturally relevant and will connect the importance of watershed health and water quality to the abundance and health of salmon and shellfish – which are culturally important food sources for the Lummi Community. LNR will partner with Lummi Nation Schools, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, Washington State University Extension Program, Stillaguamish Tribe and Snow Goose to implement this program. |
Bellingham, WA |
$50,000 |
RE Sources for Sustainable Communities Rural Watershed Stewards Program This project will engage 275-450 high school students in investigations of how human land-use practices impact the health of their local watershed through in-class lessons, water quality testing, field visits in the watershed, studying Best Management Practices and reporting on what they learned. High school students from rural Whatcom County communities will be led by RE Sources staff through two introductory lessons to provide background education on watersheds and the sources and issues with non-point water pollution. The students will then participate in a field experience to survey their local watershed, including a tour of several areas of their watershed to conduct sampling at diversely impacted areas within the watershed, measuring water quality at a minimum of three distinct locations (forested stream, urban stream and rural/agriculturally-impacted stream). A follow-up lesson will be conducted to compare and contrast the collected data. Results will be used to discuss Best Management Practices, how they are informed by Best Available Science and the value of individual stewardship actions. The students will conclude the project by creating stewardship videos or community presentations sharing the data they collected, their observations and their recommendations for stewardship activities. |
Bellingham, WA |
$40,000 |
The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association Students for Salmon (SFS) Program This project is a hands-on elementary education program utilizing the marine and estuarine environments and surrounding watersheds of Whatcom County, Washington to provide meaningful environmental education opportunities to more than 1,100 students. Through a strong complement of outdoor and classroom experiences, 45+ teachers from public, tribal, private and homeschool cooperative schools are provided at no cost with locally relevant, inquiry-based watershed science that is fully aligned with state standards. |
Bellingham, WA |
$35,000 |
| Award Name/Description | Location | Amount |
|---|---|---|
Oregon Department of State Lands - South Slough Reserve The Oregon Coast Education Program – Strengthening Connections This project uses existing and new coastal education partnerships to provide multi-day and community-based professional development workshops in Oregon. OCEP is using previously created coastal education modules to train and support teachers in the practice of meaningful watershed and coastal education activities with their students. |
Charleston, OR |
$60,000 |
Oregon State University StreamWebs Student Stewardship Network This program provides support to students, teachers, and project partners with hands-on field and classroom trainings; access to field sampling equipment; curriculum materials and open-source, web-based tools for watershed data analysis. |
Corvallis, OR |
$60,000 |
Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group Watershed Connections – Hands-on Salmon, Climate and Ocean Science This project supports Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) in eight school districts in eastern Washington. Each MWEE is tailored to meet the needs of the individual school and to demonstrate to teachers the value and feasibility of MWEEs. |
White Salmon, WA |
$58,795 |
Seattle Aquarium Society Citizen Science: High School Students Monitoring Nearshore Environments This program provides underserved high school students and teachers with authentic research experiences in the Puget Sound marine environment while collecting scientifically significant data to share with local governments and agencies. |
Seattle, WA |
$30,000 |
Port Townsend Marine Science Society The OASSIS Project (Ocean Acidification Study through Systems and Inquiry Science) This program offers a unique opportunity for Jefferson County, WA, high school students to explore and study Ocean Acidification. The program culminates with a student summit to share learning with their peers and the community. |
Port Townsend, WA |
$38,342 |
Feiro Marine Life Center NOW (North Olympic Watershed) Science Program This program provides meaningful watershed educational experiences for elementary and middle school students in four school districts on Washington’s North Olympic Peninsula in hands-on, inquiry and place-based field investigations. |
Port Angeles, WA |
$54,375 |
Suquamish Tribe Indigenous Student Exchange Project - Pacific Rim Ocean Acidification This project brings together indigenous communities across the Pacific to share common ideas, values, and traditional ways of knowing. Students at each location are researching in parallel about environmental change in their local ecosystems and communicating with their pen pals about how these issues may impact their respective communities. |
Poulsbo, WA |
$58,726 |
Pacific Education Institute Coastal Ecosystem Education Leadership Development & Expansion This project is designed to create a teacher leadership cohort to support fellow teachers in their collaborative groups. PEI and partners are working to strengthen teacher understanding and skills in field science and engineering practices through a leadership workshop, collaborative group coaching, webinars and a summer institute for teachers and administrators. |
Olympia, WA |
$60,000 |
The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association Students for Salmon (SFS) Program This project is a hands-on watershed education program that provides elementary school students and teachers with locally relevant, inquiry based watershed science, and stewardship integrating classroom instructional requirements with meaningful outdoor experiential learning. Students spend time studying salmon habitat, water quality, native plants, macroinvertebrates and restoring local streams. |
Bellingham, WA |
$30,000 |
For more information, please contact: Jacqueline Laverdure, (360) 406-2084, Jacqueline.Laverdure@noaa.gov