Watershed

Integration

Program

Service Project Involvement

Throughout the course of the school year students participating within the WIP programming will participate in varying forms of service entailing environmental stewardship. Past service components have included some of the following: ~ removal of invasive species ~ Union Terrace Elementary outdoor classroom ~ HydroMania at Cedar Crest College ~ PALMS pond ~ Bluebird and bat boxes ~ Horseshoe Crab census

Watershed Integration Program

Kristin Jacoby

kjacoby@palisadessd.org

Dave Hinkle

dhinkle@palisadessd.org

Palisades

Middle School

a “hands-on, feet

wet” approach to

learning

Student Program Entrance

Any 6th grade student is eligible

for application into the Water-

shed Integration Program. The

process of application for all in-

terested students is as follows:

~ Student application

[2 week time period]

~ Applications meeting rubric

standards are entered into

lottery

* students which score a

perfect will receive

automatic acceptance

into programming

* students must obtain a

70% in order to be

eligible for lottery

~ 30 student applicants

selected will receive an

acceptance letter and/or wait

list letter

Mission Statement

The Watershed Integration Program’s mission is to utilize a rigorous inquiry based approach through means of a student-driven, standards-based curriculum. We strive to enhance our students abilities to gather, analyze, apply and communicate first-hand information in an environmental context. Additionally, we hope to instill a positive sense of responsibility and pride in our students own personal, educational path bringing forth an imprint in their continuation of lifelong learning and stewardship.

Student Schedule

Period 1 and 2: Exploratory Block

Period 3: Mathematics

Math Facts/Mentoring

Lunch

Periods 5—8: WIP Curricular Block

~ Language Arts

~ Science

~ Social Studies

[All periods prior to lunch are with the

students regular 7th grade peers ]

Program Curricular Focus

The curricular focus of the Watershed Integration Program is an integrative approach which encompasses each of the curricular standards within the 7th grade planned courses through means of an environmental lens. Our course content weaves each of the academic disciplines into the study of hydrology, specifically a watershed. The school year content mirrors the progression of a watershed, from local fresh headwaters to the open ocean. To enhance the content experiences faced within the classroom we believe the students must experience aspects of the programming first hand to truly understand the environmental impact to such ecosystems and make their own ecological footprints in the world. These excursions entail the following: ~ Cooks Creek Watershed data analysis ~ Hawk Mountain Sanctuary ~ AJ Meerwald sail ~ Morris Arboretum ~ Wetlands Institute [Stone Harbor, NJ] ~ Chincoteague Bay Field Station [Wallops Island, VA] * 4 day overnight experience

The only cost to students throughout the course

of the entire Watershed Integration Programming is the overnight Chincoteague Bay Field Station —

approximate cost $320