HOUSATONIC RIVER  RESTORATION  
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Teaching about the Housatonic watershed.

We rely on natural resources to exist, and the Housatonic River is one of these valuable resources. The watershed provides the water that we use for numerous reasons; drinking, farm irrigation and livestock use, industry, recreation, and food and shelter for wildlife. Because all the land area within a watershed is connected by flowing water, our individual actions can affect the entire watershed. What we do on the land impacts the quality (and quantity) of water. Some examples of land use that effect the watershed and its resources include construction, recreation, farming, factories, roads, etc. Often we do not readily see the connection between our actions and the environment; watersheds offer a teaching opportunity to connect our lifestyles with the impact on the environment.

Everyone is connected to a watershed. We all live and work and go to school in a watershed. Most likely, your school is near a stream or pond or other body of water. The study of watersheds is an accessible way to promote hands-on ecological investigations. It is crucial that we work to help our students become environmentally literate citizens who may one day work to protect our watersheds.

Teaching outdoors brings with it a variety of new issues to teacher and students alike. As with any trip out of the classroom, you will need to know your school’s procedures and regulations. Check school records for any health concerns in advance (ex: allergies to bee stings, etc.) If you are going to undertake a water study outdoors, be sure to check the area first for any hazardous pollutants. Some possible indicators of pollutants include a rainbow sheen on the water and a foul smell coming from the water, although both a sheen and unusual odors can have natural causes. In instances of obvious water contamination you should call the local Hazardous Materials (“hazmat”) office and choose another location to study with your class. In Berkshire County the hazmat response is handled by the fire department.

Be sure to discuss safety rules and precautions with your students before heading outdoors. You may want to involve the students in setting clear guidelines with clear consequences. Some suggestions for student safety include:

· Stay with an adult leader.

· Don’t lean over water (it’s best to have students sitting and carefully looking into the water, or even lying on their stomachs.)

· Wear closed-toe shoes.

· Long sleeved shirts and long pants help protect against ticks and poison ivy.

· If you or your students are going to be canoeing or boating in the water, be sure to provide PFDs (Personal Flotation Devices; also called lifevests.)

Encourage your students to record observations in a field notebook. Students can choose to keep notes or quick sketches in this notebook to record their visit and remember the details later. One technique used by many outdoor educators is to create an “outdoor pack” that includes all the materials your students will need. It can take any form, but a large zip-top bag is handy because it may protect the things inside from any water splashes or rain. This pack could include whatever is generally needed for an outdoor experience including: notebooks, pencils, clipboards, magnifying lenses, nets, spoons, bowls, field guides, small jars with lids, ruler or tape measure, bug boxes, and something to sit on.