Housatonic River Curriculum Project

Background:

Over the past decade, a number of teacher-initiated projects at Southern Berkshire Regional School District (SBRSD) have developed into a multifaceted environmental studies program. With the support of Housatonic River Restoration (HRR), Massachusetts Cultural Council, and other funders, Mount Everett Middle School’s 8^th grade Housatonic River Unit is becoming a key component of a K-12 environmental education initiative that emphasizes the study of local ecosystems, utilizes school grounds as “laboratories” for interdisciplinary learning, and supports environmental stewardship activities in the community.

Beginning in 2002, the K-12 was guided by a steering committee composed of SBRSD teachers and administrators and a diverse assemblage of staff from local conservation organizations. Charged with guiding the development of the district’s environmental education efforts, the committee has charted an ambitious plan to expand existing programs through professional development, curriculum review/revision, and partnerships with local conservation organizations.

The committee specifically recommended that the district focus on developing a model program at each school level (elementary, middle, and high school) that will expand over time to encompass multiple grades/classes and will build curricular bridges between the schools. The committee also recommended that the school develop opportunities for student involvement in environmental stewardship projects on school grounds and in the community. The middle school’s Housatonic River Unit serves as an excellent model from which to build similar units for the elementary and high school level.

This report provides an overview and full curriculum documentation of the interdisciplinary Housatonic River Unit developed through HRR’s Housatonic River Curriculum Project. The report contains a unit summary and timeline, as well as lesson plans and associated materials, final project and presentation assignments, and evaluation rubrics and other assessment tools. It also includes descriptions of the service learning projects and two evaluation meetings. Samples of student work (e.g. journal entries, essays, projects) and supporting photos and videos are provided as well.

Project Overview:

During an environmental education planning session in April 2002, four Mount Everett Middle School teachers committed to developing an interdisciplinary, project-based curriculum to enhance an existing social studies unit on the Housatonic River. The HRR grant received this year has enabled the middle school team to design and implement an expanded Housatonic River Unit that meets a broad array of standards in the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework and provides a strong service-learning component. Flying Cloud Institute provided planning, coordination, and documentation support for the project in collaboration with Mount Everett lead teachers Bill Gillooly and Asha Von Ruden and the 7^th and 8^th grade team.

Over the course of several daylong work sessions and shorter meetings this past summer and early fall, the 8^th grade team (eight subject area teachers representing social studies, science, language arts, and math, and one special education teacher) revised and expanded a pre-existing Housatonic River Unit. Project coordinator, Dale Abrams, provided facilitation and guidance during the planning sessions and logistical support for coordinating field trips and service learning projects. The 8^th grade teachers planned and designed an array of new classroom and field learning experiences, journal assignments, and interdisciplinary projects and presentations. This advance planning substantially improved the scope and depth of the unit. The teachers redefined the purpose of the unit, improved the framework alignment, added a service-learning component, and developed a number of new assessment tools.

The result is a new unit spanning roughly four weeks during September and October, during which social studies, language arts, and science teachers dedicate a large portion of their class time to the Housatonic River curriculum. Math and art teachers dedicate class time as well and participate in the field studies and service learning components. The new unit has a significantly expanded language arts component that includes numerous student journal assignments (administered and evaluated throughout the unit) and a major language arts presentation as a culminating piece. The unit now includes two service-learning projects organized in conjunction with local conservation groups. These changes represent major growth from the existing social studies focused Housatonic River Unit that spanned one to two weeks in recent years. The implementation of the new unit is described below and presented chronologically in the unit timeline that follows.

Project Description:

During September and October, eighty students and teachers participated in a multi-layered river study. Social studies, language arts, and science teachers dedicated a large portion of this time to Housatonic River curriculum. Math and visual arts activities were incorporated around the field study day and service learning projects. All eighty students participated in a Housatonic River canoe trip, an interdisciplinary field study day at Bartholomew’s Cobble, and one of two stewardship projects sponsored by The Trustees of Reservations and the Sheffield Land Trust. Students participated in class discussions and project work sessions, and presentation preparation throughout the unit. Working in small groups, students completed an interdisciplinary (math/art, language arts, social studies) project, which they presented to their peers. As the culminating activity, the 8^th graders made nineteen presentations to elementary school classes during which they shared their understanding of Housatonic River. The major components of the new unit are described below.

Introductory Lessons

All 8^th grade students received an auditorium presentation led by the social studies and language arts teachers one week ahead of the field-learning component. This lesson provided an introduction to the Housatonic River Unit emphasizing the concept of viewing the river through the eyes of colonial settlers. Using visuals and narrative, the teachers described the river during the colonial period and discussed how the river has changed over time. The objective of the unit, as presented in this introduction, is for students to develop an intimate understanding of the river while striving to see through the eyes of a settler, scientist, writer, and historian, all while becoming good caretakers of the river for the future.

Early lessons in science, social studies, and math classes, introduced the journal component and provided preparation for the canoeing day and Bartholomew’s Cobble field trip. Students spent one class session in advance of the field trip learning about the Housatonic River while discussing an information packet provided by Housatonic Valley Association. Students also participated in a class on canoeing skills and water safety preparation with Kate Bos, a Mount Everett team member and special education teacher.

Language Arts Component

A desire to add a substantial language arts component to the unit contributed to an important decision to build student journals into the new curriculum. Journals became a key element of the unit redesign, providing a means to gauge prior knowledge, monitor interest, evaluate learning, and guide development of the unit. Given the logistical challenge of organizing and transporting nearly 80 students for field trips, journals provided a positive way to extend the learning experience well beyond the field learning days. The canoe day, the Cobble field learning stations, most classroom lessons, and the project and presentation were all accompanied by specific journal prompts (brief writing assignments connected to the day’s activities that were due the following day). The students completed six journal entries, a persuasive essay, a major group project, and prepared and delivered an interdisciplinary presentation for peers and elementary level students. Their journal entries provided important feedback regarding unit design and sequencing that would help in restructuring the unit next year.

Field Learning Component

Earlier versions of the Housatonic River Unit had included a canoe trip as the culminating activity for the unit. In the redesigned unit, all 8^th grade students participated in a half-day Housatonic River canoe trip and a half-day field trip to Bartholomew’s Cobble. The canoe trip functioned in the past to increase appreciation of the natural beauty of the river. The Cobble field trip became an important vehicle to convey, illustrate, and practice social studies, science, math and art content and concepts. Each day, forty students canoed and forty participated in the Cobble field study. Students documented these experiences using their journals, worksheets for some of the stations, and 35mm disposable cameras.

Housatonic River Canoe Days —The primary goal was to provide a positive river experience to overcome the common perception that the river is dirty and not worth visiting. Forty students per day participated in canoeing roughly three miles out and back on the Housatonic River starting at the bridge just upstream from Bartholomew’s Cobble in Ashley Falls, MA. The canoe trip helped students develop an aesthetic and ecological appreciation of the river and provided canoeing and water safety skills. Details of the advance preparation and canoe trip experience are provided in the related lesson plans.

Bartholomew’s Cobble Field Study Days — Forty students per day participated in an interdisciplinary field study at Bartholomew’s Cobble in Ashley Falls, MA. Four groups of roughly ten students rotated between four learning stations, each with a particular emphasis (e.g. ecosystems/soils, water quality, human history and ecology, and art/math in nature; see below). Scheduling arrangements were made in advance with Sarah Robotham, preserve manager for Bartholomew’s Cobble, to ensure that our large group didn’t conflict with other groups visiting the Cobble.

Living History: Ann Elizabeth Barnes, who works as a tour guide for Trustees of Reservations and Sheffield Historical Society, created a living history presentation specifically geared toward our 8^th grade students. She captivated students with a lively narrative that explored the changing relationship between people and nature in the Housatonic Valley from the late 1600s to present. Her presentation was made all the more compelling by the use of period clothing and other artifacts to highlight historical practices.

Soil and Ecosystems: Mary Edwards, a Mount Everett Middle School team member and science teacher, provided students with an overview of the main forest ecosystems found at the Cobble (and the Housatonic watershed). During the field trip, students collected and analyzed soil core samples from three sites to compare soils associated with three representative ecosystems (i.e. old growth hemlock forest, deciduous bottomland forest, and red cedar forest), as well as soil temperatures and qualitative descriptions for each site.

Water Quality: Asha Von Ruden, project leader and Mount Everett science teacher, provided an introduction to water quality parameters with an emphasis on pH and dissolved oxygen in advance of the field study day. During the field study experience, students collected and compared water samples from two locations on the Housatonic River (immediately up stream and down stream from Corbin’s Neck). The groups performed dissolved oxygen and pH tests on site and recorded data for later classroom analysis.

Art and Math in Nature: Peggy Reeves, a Mount Everett art teacher, worked with math teacher George Milukas to design a field learning experience that allowed students to search for, identify, and sketch mathematical forms in nature (e.g. sphere, polygon, spiral, helix, and meander). Students eagerly embraced the scavenger hunt that involved finding geometric shapes in the berries, vines, flowers, trees, and other natural objects, including the river itself, at the preserve. A surprising confirmation of the impact of this activity came several weeks later when students participating in the Bartholomew’s Cobble service project repeatedly shared discoveries of mathematical shapes in the midst of their invasive plant survey and removal work.

Group Project and Presentation Component

Another key component of the new Housatonic unit is a group project and presentation designed to provide students avenues to demonstrate their understanding. Working in small groups, all students were given an assignment to complete an interdisciplinary (math/art, language arts, social studies) project and presentation. This project was introduced in social studies and language arts classes and subsequent class sessions were dedicated to project research and completion, and presentation preparation and practice. Drawing on new understanding gained via field trips, readings, and classroom discussions, the students drew maps of the region, created promotional brochures, and wrote persuasive essays. Using these visual aids, they made presentations “through the eyes of settlers, scientists, writers, and historians” for their peers. As the culminating activity for the unit, the 8^th graders made nineteen presentations to Undermountain Elementary School classes, during which they shared their understanding of the Housatonic River.

Service Learning Component

Following the steering committee’s recommendation, service learning has recently become an integral part of the district’s environmental education initiative. Research has shown that this work elicits a deeper involvement from students and enables them to gain a richer understanding of academic concepts. Thus far, K-12 service projects include trail construction, water quality monitoring, and invasive plant control. Projects such as these add authenticity to the academic experience by connecting the curriculum to current community conservation efforts.

The Housatonic River Unit provided two opportunities for students to benefit from service learning and make lasting connections with area conservation organizations. This unit brings teachers and students together with staff from Flying Cloud Institute, Sheffield Land Trust, and The Trustees of Reservations, providing hands-on learning experiences that tap the expertise of these community organizations. Such partnerships are critical at a time when schools are facing unprecedented budget shortfalls. The two middle school projects completed this year are described below and in the lesson plans for these activities.

Bear’s Den Property — Topographical Survey and Mapping – Forty students participated in a project initiated by the Sheffield Land Trust (SLT). SLT requested the middle school’s assistance with surveying a parcel of land adjacent to the school that is proposed for conservation. Either SBRSD or the Town of Sheffield will ultimately acquire the property with SBRSD students and teachers acting as stewards. Sheffield Land Trust staff provided guidance regarding survey protocol. Mount Everett math teacher George Milukas modified these ideas into a curriculum that allowed students to roughly measure and map the topography using simple tools (plot map, 10 foot rods, a hypsometer, and a trundle wheel). In addition to completing the survey, the groups also spent time removing trash from the property. Twenty students per day participated in this project.

Bartholomew’s Cobble — Invasive Plant Monitoring and Control – Forty students participated in a project initiated by The Trustees of Reservations (TTOR). TTOR requested the middle school’s assistance with mapping and controlling introduced invasive plants at Bartholomew’s Cobble preserve. TTOR needed assistance with measuring the size and density of a stand of fragmites (a tall reed-like grass). This information will provide a baseline from which to monitor the spread of this species and determine whether control measures are needed. Project coordinator Dale Abrams developed a protocol for roughly mapping the plants’ current distribution and density. TTOR also requested assistance with ongoing efforts to control multiflora rose, European barberry, and purple loosestrife. Students learned techniques for clipping flower heads, cutting plants, and digging out roots. Students loaded plants into a pick-up truck for removal. Twenty students per day participated in this project.

George demonstrates hypsometer (to measure slope) at Bear's Den.

Documentation/Presentation:

During the summer planning workshop, the 8^th grade team mapped out the overall sequence and content of the new Housatonic River Unit. The team spelled out the overall purpose and goals, specific standards and learning objectives, a sequence of lessons and activities, and a process for evaluating student work and the unit as a whole. The team divided up the planning and documentation of the lessons and related materials based on academic disciplines. Each pair of subject area teachers took responsibility for documenting all lessons that fell predominantly within their domain. The teachers frequently consulted with each other regarding content and standards due to the interdisciplinary nature of the unit. As a whole, the team spent more than forty hours on documentation. The amount of time required for this phase was significantly underestimated. This report and all other Housatonic River curriculum documents were submitted to Housatonic River Restoration in early April.

Public exhibition of the project has progressed more slowly than anticipated due to the time involved in completing the documentation. The project coordinator found an initial forum for sharing the unit via a SBRSD professional development series. From February through May the project coordinator led a bi-weekly science professional development series. The Housatonic River Unit was highlighted throughout as a model environmental education curriculum with a strong community outreach component.

The culmination of the Housatonic curriculum project for SBRSD is scheduled well after the completion of the actual Housatonic unit. In late May, the district will host an Environmental Education Open House for teachers, families, and members of the community (i.e. Sheffield and neighboring towns). Exhibits and presentations about the Housatonic River Unit and other watershed education efforts will help the Housatonic unit reach additional teachers, students, parents, and the community at large. The event will also include a dedication ceremony for newly completed wetland and forest trail. A report addendum summarizing this event will be sent in early June.

Evaluation:

The evaluation plan for the middle school project involved participant evaluations following the summer institute, and mid-term and final evaluations during and following the implementation of the Housatonic River Unit. Separate evaluation questions were used for the summer institute, field and service learning component, and final unit evaluation respectively. A brief summary of the evaluation results is provided below. Complete details are provided in the evaluation meeting minutes (see below).

The team came together once during and once following the unit to evaluate progress and to document ideas for improving the project next year. Overall, the team thought the unit represented a significant improvement over past efforts. The main suggestions were to increase the length of the unit and front load the experience with more social studies and science content (i.e. prior to the outdoor learning) so that the field experiences have a clearer context. The team also agreed that the quality of student projects could be improved and that the best ways to address this are to provide high quality examples, to provide more in-class work time with multiple drafts/revisions, and to give feedback along the way. The idea of somehow dividing the field-learning day into two days was also explored. Please refer to the evaluation questions and meeting minutes, which are included following the lesson plans, for full details. The evaluation of the canoeing and field-learning components is documented in the accompanying spread sheet/matrix.

Field component evaluation – The teachers and project coordinator evaluated the field component during a meeting held in early-October. Please refer to minutes for details.

Outward Bound Consultation – In mid-October the team benefited from an unexpected consultation with Outward Bound staff regarding the Housatonic River Unit. This opportunity arose when the district superintendent brought in two consultants Outward Bound’s Expeditionary Learning (OBEL) program. These veteran OBEL teachers had extensive experience with project-based instruction/learning and offered advice our teachers found helpful regarding ways to improve quality of student work, such as providing high caliber examples for students to emulate, dedicating more time to evaluation and multiple revisions, and identifying an outside audience (e.g. town planning board) to create a valid reason and motivation for completing the work. This meeting was important in allaying the team’s concerns about the quality of some student work. The teachers walked away with tangible ways to improve the odds for student success.

Final evaluation meeting – The teachers and project coordinator evaluated the entire Housatonic unit during a meeting held in mid-November. Please refer to minutes for details.

Future Plans:

The primary goal of this project was to expand and improve an existing 1-2 week social studies and science unit. This year, the 8^th grade team successfully designed and implemented a highly interdisciplinary four-week Housatonic River Unit. The new curriculum has been fully documented by the teachers and coordinator for in-house use and for dissemination to other schools. The team will meet again this summer to further revise the project.

Our goals for the coming year include extending the 8^th grade Housatonic River Unit to six weeks, broadening the scope to better encompass the watershed, and expanding the service-learning component with additional water-related projects. These curriculum planning and revision necessary to accomplish these goals will be completed during a series of three planning workshops during July and August 2003, facilitated by FCI staff. Using data from two evaluation meetings held this year, the team will work to improve curricular content, project assignments, and assessment tools, in ways that support students in producing high quality projects and products. Staff from area conservation organizations will be brought in to assist with refining the service-learning component and developing new community projects. Every effort will be made to build authenticity into the service-learning experiences by connecting the curriculum to current community conservation efforts. All curricula will continue to be documented, evaluated, revised, and improved.