Engaging Students in Science and Engineering to Solve Real Problems

The Community Waters Science Unit is designed for 4th grade students.  It incorporates Next Generation Science Standards* and the Ambitious Science Teaching framework. IslandWood initially partnered with Seattle Schools on the development and implementation of the unit with the support of many generous funders.

Over the course of the unit, students use science and engineering to understand and develop a solution for a real world stormwater runoff problem in their community. They use experiments and field investigations to build on their understanding of why stormwater can cause flooding in an urban setting.  Then they use an Engineering Design Process to come up with a proposal towards solving a specific local stormwater problem.

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We have a video about the curriculum here.

This site is designed to support teachers in using the Community Waters Science Unit. It includes curriculum, lesson-specific links, support materials, and options to sign up for additional IslandWood support.

Teacher Professional Development coming soon to Tacoma teachers in November 2022!

To learn more about IslandWood’s programs, and other ways you can engage with IslandWood, please visit our website.
* Next Generation Science Standards is a registered trademark of Achieve. Neither Achieve nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.