Roxborough, Manayunk Schools Joining Watershed Summit Event

ROXBOROUGH-MANAYUNK, PHILADELPHIA – Representatives from Roxborough-Manayunk area schools are heading to a three-day summit where they will dive into the science of watersheds to broaden their understanding of water's role in our lives and how to protect it.

From June 6 through June 8, students from Roxborough's Cook-Wissahickon Elementary and Manayunk's James Dobson School will come together for the Understanding the Urban Watershed Student Summit held at the John James Audubon Center in Mill Grove, where they will enjoy a nature scavenger hunt, hiking and canoeing, connecting what they have been learning all year in the watershed.

The summit is part of a three-year Middle School Teacher Fellowship Program from the Fairmount Water Works.

In fall of 2014, the Fairmount Water Works launched the program to develop an integrated urban watershed curriculum for students in sixth grade through eighth grade.

Supported by the William Penn Foundation, the program focuses on dynamic and interactive study of water, watersheds, and water use in the context of an urban environment like the Greater Philadelphia area.

“Middle school is an ideal time to capture the enthusiasm of students through hands-on exploration and project-based learning,” according to Ellen Freedman Schultz, Fairmount Water Works Associate Director for Education and William Penn Foundation Teacher Fellowship Program Manager. “By integrating real-world environmental experiences into the classroom, the goal is to increase student engagement and to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our watersheds.”

Other participating schools include William D. Kelley Elementary School, Henry C.Lea Elementary School, Andrew Jackson School, Maritime Academy Charter Middle School, Blaine Academics Plus School and La Salle Academy.

An important part of the program was the redesign of resourcewater.org, online access to the curriculum that enables teachers to navigate through each learning experience and activities with ease, including access to instructional resources, links to standards, embedded videos and assessment rubrics.

This project grew out of the Fairmount Water Works’ watershed education work, published in: Understanding the Urban Watershed Curriculum Guide, a framework for suggested activities related to water and urban watersheds.

The Guide was developed and tested over several years in schools throughout Philadelphia.

"This unique curriculum is being developed at a time when the need for high quality environmental education is critical for student understanding of the issues faced not only in Philadelphia, but also across the nation," Karen Young, Executive Director of the Fairmount Water Works, said.

The Teacher Fellowship Program was made possible through many local collaborations.

Teachers received monthly training with environmental experts from the Philadelphia Water Department and partner organizations.

Classroom assistance also came from students of Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore College, Bryn Mawr College, and other area institutions.

An Advisory Board of curriculum experts, educators, school administrators, scientists, planners and strategists from Philadelphia Water Department and its partners provided feedback, advice, and guidance for the program.

The John James Audubon Society, the Summit location’s host organization, is one of the 23 environmental education centers in the Delaware River Watershed supported by the William Penn Foundation Watershed Protection Fund to increase the number and diversity of watershed advocates, stewards, and ambassadors.

Pictured above: sixth grade students from Jackson Elementary wade in the Wissahickon Creek looking for macro-invertebrates

Contributed photo