STE@M: Science, Tech, Engineering (at) Moretown
Creating an interdisciplinary learning experience for students is grades 4,5, and 6th has been our primary learning objective. An interdisciplinary learning experience that weaves together science, technology and engineering into a place-paced and project-based curriculum. To connect our learners to the local and global community, we use the symbol @ to represent our connectedness to others in our interconnected world. Indeed, we are inspired to "Think Globally, Act Locally". What better symbol of our local communities than the rivers that run through our town: the Mad River and the Winooski River. What follows are our inspirations and ideas for weaving the river into a rich, interdisciplinary framework of teaching, hoping that it provides the "steam" to keep this engine going for a year full of inquiry, curiosity, investigation, tinkering, connections, and discovery.
A River Runs through Moretown (Mad River and Winooski)
- How can we be good stewards of our watersheds and rivers ?
- Where does the Mad River start? Where does it end?
- Hike to the origin of the Mad River, explore where it goes (the Atlantic Ocean via Lake Champlain)
- Incorporate Mapping, Google Maps, geo-pins (explore HistoryPin Steve Sharp)
- Fly fishing (create your own fly)
- Explore tributaries, dams (design and build challenge)
- Effect on Local economy, tourism
- Social Studies connections: Native American cultures, Revolutionary War (US History), local history, 1927 Flood and Tropical Storm Irene: change over time
- Engineering challenge: design structures that can withstand flooding
- Creative Writing connection: Write legends about the start of the Mad River
- Explore Citizen-science opportunities
- Health of the water, ecosystem. water quality. Connect with Laura Dlugolecki, Stormwater Specialist with the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District, Friends of the Mad River Watershed, Friends of the Winooski River.
- Rubber Duckies to track motion and movement.
- Vermont Rural Partnership, DonorsChoose: funding and grant opportunities
- A Year in the Mad River Watershed (photography project). Collaborate with art? (teaching resource: Anne Hutchinson at Thatcher Brook Primary School)
- End of the Year Celebration of the Rivers that Run Through Moretown
Will the rubber duckies be 'trackable" or perhaps 'tweet" ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe are exploring that, Lucie. At the very least, they will have trackable tags, so if and when and where they are found, people can give that information to us. Though, I imagine a flotilla of tweeting rubber duckies would be much more powerful. :-)
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