B-WET Education Program

2018 PACIFIC NORTHWEST B-WET RECIPIENTS

AWARD NAME/DESCRIPTION

LOCATION

AMOUNT

Feiro Marine Life Center

North Olympic Watershed Science: Salmon Impacts (NOW:SI)

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