Expedition Chesapeake: Educating a Watershed One Backyard at a Time

Expedition Chesapeake: Educating a watershed one backyard at a time

Description of the Project Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts in Harrisburg, PA is the driving force behind Expedition Chesapeake. The project has four main components:  a series of project-based watershed education modules: educational experiences designed for middle school and high school students, with materials available digitally through an online portal;  a large-format (IMAX®) film;  a made-for-television documentary program;  a 5,000 ft2 traveling science exhibit to be hosted by museums and science centers with a 4-D experience.

Watershed Education Materials These materials are appropriate for upper middle school through high school classrooms as well as non-formal science education venues. They include:  project-based, inquiry-centered learning; students working in teams to solve real-world challenges then correlate their learning experiences to their own backyards;  stand-alone lessons with learning experiences that are case-based, with focus on real places, problems and research throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed;  at least one hands-on science experience in each scenario;  lessons aligned to the National Science Standards as well as the Common Core Standards and science standards of the six watershed states and the District of Columbia; NGSS alignment to be added this spring;  a collection of rich teacher-friendly lesson plans which contain essential questions, assessment suggestions and rubrics, objectives, skills and vocabulary lists;  scientific and historic background information for the teacher;  suggestions for cross-curricular applications;  the use of science journaling to promote student reflection and understanding of new concepts.

Structure of the watershed education materials Expedition Chesapeake education materials are posted on the project’s website and are updated and enriched on a regular basis. Presently they include:  five modules, each addressing a major concept in watershed education  two stand-alone scenarios in each module developed around a real problem or situation in one of the six Chesapeake Bay watershed states  a separate water quality testing unit referenced in several of the scenarios  in development: a unit dealing with watersheds and their significance  at least one inquiry-centered hands on lesson in each scenario, allowing for exploration of a concept important to the question or problem presented in the scenario  practice in the skills and habits of mind of a scientist.

Features of the Expedition Chesapeake online portal The website currently includes features such as:  intuitive navigation panes.  access to all educator and student materials as downloadable pdf documents.  the ability to print individual documents or entire learning experiences.

It is our intention that students will come to understand that how they live their everyday lives affects their home environment as well as this national treasure, the Chesapeake Bay.