HOUSATONIC  RIVER  RESTORATION  
 
HRR Home   | Education Network  |  Curriculum Project  |  Middle School Curriculum

 

 

Housatonic River Unit

 

Field Trip and Service Learning Evaluation

 

Attendance: Bill and Alison (social studies), Jesse and Rene (language arts), Asha and Mary (Science), Ed and George (Math), Kate and Mike (special education)

 

Meeting Minutes:

 

  1. Review goals for field trip and service learning components (e.g. canoe trip, cobble stations, service learning at Cobble, service learning at Bear’s Den property) set during summer planning meetings.

 

See attached evaluation matrix for responses.

 

 

  1. Review field trips and service learning days in terms of content, methods, and outcomes in relationship to goals set during summer.

 

See attached evaluation matrix for responses.

 

 

  1. Summarize the pros and cons of each field trip and service-learning day.

 

See attached evaluation matrix for responses.

 

 

  1. Should the goal and/or content and methods for any of these days be adjusted to better meet the goals of the Housatonic River unit?

 

See attached evaluation matrix for responses.

 

 

  1. Any other suggestions?

 

• Begin the year out with the Housatonic River unit rather than present set up, which starts year with a month-long English history unit. English history could be moved to end of 7th grade school year.

 

• Unit would benefit from better clarification and framing of the big picture to connect various components. Using Housatonic watershed or valley instead of river would help to encompass broader science and history content.

 

• Final projects and presentations incorporated language arts, history, math, and art. Science was included only indirectly. Adding a science component to the assignment could strengthen student projects.