CHESAPEAKE CHESAPEAKE 2000 2000

AGREEMEMTAGREEMEMTEducation Education ObjectivesObjectives

Beginning with the class of 2005, provide a meaningful Bay or stream outdoor experience for every school student in the watershed before graduation from high school.

Provide students and teachers alike with opportunities to directly participate in local restoration and protection projects, and to support stewardship efforts in schools and on school property.

There is overwhelming consensus that knowledge and

commitment build from first-hand experience, especially in the context of one’s neighborhood

and community.

Carefully selected experiences driven by rigorous academic Carefully selected experiences driven by rigorous academic learning standards, engendering discovery and wonder, and learning standards, engendering discovery and wonder, and nurturing a sense of community will further connect students nurturing a sense of community will further connect students with the watershed and help reinforce an ethic of responsible with the watershed and help reinforce an ethic of responsible citizenship.citizenship.

DEPT of EDUCATION GOALS

• Produce high performing, literate students.

• Provide at least one meaningful experience for every student in elementary,

middle, and high school.

• Ensure that teachers are prepared to implement effective instructional

programs.

• Create schools that model best environmental practices.

Experiences Experiences are are investigative investigative or projector project

oriented.oriented.

• Experiences include activities where questions, problems, and Experiences include activities where questions, problems, and issues are investigated by the collection and analysis of data issues are investigated by the collection and analysis of data (mathematical and qualitative) (mathematical and qualitative)

• Electronic technology, such as computers, probeware, and GPS Electronic technology, such as computers, probeware, and GPS equipment, is a key component of these kinds of activities.equipment, is a key component of these kinds of activities.

• Experiences should include:Experiences should include:

use equipment, use equipment, take measurements, and take measurements, and make observations for the purpose of making make observations for the purpose of making

interpretations and reaching conclusions.interpretations and reaching conclusions.

Investigative Investigative or or experimental experimental design design activities activities where where students or students or groups of groups of students:students:

• restoration, restoration,

• monitoring, and monitoring, and

• protection projects, that are problem solving in nature protection projects, that are problem solving in nature and involve many investigative skills.and involve many investigative skills.

Project-Project-oriented oriented experiences, experiences, such as:such as:

These experiences should These experiences should involve: involve:

fieldwork, fieldwork, data collection and data collection and

analysis, and analysis, and directly relate to the directly relate to the

role of the Bay (or role of the Bay (or other bodies of water) other bodies of water) to these peoples’ lives.to these peoples’ lives.

Social, economic, historical, Social, economic, historical, and archaeological and archaeological questions, problems, and questions, problems, and issues that are directly issues that are directly related to Bay peoples and related to Bay peoples and cultures.cultures.

Experiences such as tours, gallery visits, Experiences such as tours, gallery visits, simulations, demonstrations, or “nature simulations, demonstrations, or “nature walks” may be instructionally useful, but walks” may be instructionally useful, but alonealone do not constitute a do not constitute a meaningfulmeaningful experience as defined here.experience as defined here.

Experiences are Experiences are richly structuredrichly structured and and

based on based on high-quality instructional designhigh-quality instructional design.. 1) The 1) The preparation phasepreparation phase should should

– focus on a question, problem, or issue focus on a question, problem, or issue – involve students in discussions, research and team assignments involve students in discussions, research and team assignments – management and safety preparation.management and safety preparation.

2) The 2) The action phaseaction phase should should – include one or more outdoor experiences sufficient to conduct the include one or more outdoor experiences sufficient to conduct the

project; andproject; and– include students actively involved with the measurements, planning, include students actively involved with the measurements, planning,

or construction as safety guidelines permit.or construction as safety guidelines permit.

3) The 3) The reflection phasereflection phase should should – refocus on the question, problem, or issue; refocus on the question, problem, or issue; – analyze the conclusions reached; analyze the conclusions reached; – evaluate the results; and evaluate the results; and – assess the activity and the student learning.assess the activity and the student learning.

Experiences are an Experiences are an integral part of the integral part of the instructional instructional program.program.

Experiences should: Experiences should: • notnot be considered ancillary, peripheral, or enrichment be considered ancillary, peripheral, or enrichment

onlyonly• be clearly part of what is occurring concurrently in the be clearly part of what is occurring concurrently in the

classroomclassroom• be part of the division curriculum and be aligned with be part of the division curriculum and be aligned with

the jurisdiction’s learning standards, and the jurisdiction’s learning standards, and • occur where and when they fit into the instructional occur where and when they fit into the instructional

sequence.sequence.

Experiences are Experiences are part of a part of a sustained sustained activityactivity

Though an outdoor experience itself may: Though an outdoor experience itself may: • occur as one specific event, occurring in one day, occur as one specific event, occurring in one day, • the total duration leading up to and following the the total duration leading up to and following the

experience should involve a significant investment of experience should involve a significant investment of instructional time.instructional time.

• May include smaller amounts of outdoor time spread over an May include smaller amounts of outdoor time spread over an entire school yearentire school year

• May not necessarily involve all students in a class at the same May not necessarily involve all students in a class at the same timetime

• May require time increments spread over weeks or even monthsMay require time increments spread over weeks or even months

• A sustained activity will generally involve regularly-scheduled A sustained activity will generally involve regularly-scheduled school time and may involve extended day orschool time and may involve extended day or weekend activity weekend activity

Experiences Experiences consider the consider the watershed as a watershed as a system.system.

• Experiences are not limited to water-based activities Experiences are not limited to water-based activities

• As long as there is an intentional connectionAs long as there is an intentional connection made to the water made to the water quality, the watershed, and the larger ecological system quality, the watershed, and the larger ecological system

• May include terrestrial activities in the local community (e.g., May include terrestrial activities in the local community (e.g., erosion control, buffer creation, groundwater protection, and erosion control, buffer creation, groundwater protection, and pollution prevention).pollution prevention).

Experiences involve Experiences involve external sharing external sharing and communication.and communication.

Experiences should warrant and include further sharing Experiences should warrant and include further sharing of the results beyond the classroom. Results of the of the results beyond the classroom. Results of the outdoor experiences should be the focus of:outdoor experiences should be the focus of:

• school-based reporting school-based reporting

• community reporting community reporting

• publishingpublishing

• contribution to a larger database of water quality and contribution to a larger database of water quality and watershed information watershed information

• or other authentic communication.or other authentic communication.

Experiences are Experiences are enhanced by enhanced by natural natural resources resources personnel.personnel.

• Both in the classroom and leadership on-site during outdoor Both in the classroom and leadership on-site during outdoor activities. activities.

• Have technical knowledge and experience that can serve to Have technical knowledge and experience that can serve to complement the classroom teacher’s strengths and complement the classroom teacher’s strengths and

• Can serve as important role models for career choices and as Can serve as important role models for career choices and as natural resources stewards.natural resources stewards.

Experiences Experiences are for are for all all studentsstudents..

• An outdoor experience is for all students regardless of where An outdoor experience is for all students regardless of where they live. they live.

• It is It is intendedintended that students residing outside of the Bay that students residing outside of the Bay watershed have similar opportunities within their own local watershed have similar opportunities within their own local setting or beyond.setting or beyond.

It is also clear that these kinds of experiences must be extended It is also clear that these kinds of experiences must be extended to all students including students with disabilities, in to all students including students with disabilities, in alternativealternative programs, and special populations. No child should programs, and special populations. No child should be excluded from a be excluded from a meaningfulmeaningful watershed experience. watershed experience.

A meaningful Bay or stream experience...

• Richly structured, high quality design.• Investigative or project oriented.• Integral part of the instructional program.• Involves sustained activity.• Enhanced by natural resource personnel.• Involves sharing and communication. •Considers the watershed as a system.• Is for all students.

Sample Student Follow-Up Projects• Develop areas of the school campus .

• Off-site study area(s) in community or local habitat.

• Participate in local issues and land planning efforts.

• Conduct local inventories of natural resources.

• Add to or expand analysis of land use especially to wetlands

or riparian buffers.

• Work with Trib Teams, citizen monitoring or other

watershed groups

• Gather data and analysis of GIS-related projects connected

to Bay preservation and restoration.

• Cultural heritage projects.

Chesapeake Bay Program websiteChesapeake Bay Program website

http://www.chesapeakebay.nethttp://www.chesapeakebay.net

Chesapeake Bay Program Web SitesChesapeake Bay Program Web Sites

www.chesapeakebay.netwww.chesapeakebay.net

www.bayeducation.net/www.bayeducation.net/

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