JUNE 2020 UPDATES
As of June 2020, The Community Waters Science Unit and Field Study has been discontinued in Seattle as Seattle Public Schools shifts entirely to Amplify Science. We are working on developing NEW field trip and virtual programs for 2020-21 to enhance and localize some Amplify units! STAY TUNED.
Edits to Community Waters Teacher Manual (and some worksheets)
September 2018 update to Manual
Made some edits to Lesson 9 to fix the numbers of bins.
July 2018 updates to Manual
Changes designed to address problem with models not drying out when doing multiple tests student solutions (based on feedback from teachers that models were not working right).
Site Models: Instead of adding water three plus times to the same site model tub (to test it without the solution, to test the solution, and again after optimizing the solution) we will now have separate models for each test. The teacher’s example model will be the only one tested without a solution in it. Engineering teams will build their solution in a site model tub and test how it did. Then they will decide what they want to change and build their optimized solution in an ADDITIONAL site model tub.
- Lesson 9 Prep: Half of the soil in each of the 8 stormwater tubs is moved to an empty tub (or put aside) resulting in 15 tubs with half as much soil in each. [Teachers will be provided additional tubs]. Since each tub has half as much soil, we have also cut the amount of water used in tests in half.
- Lesson 9: Instead of building one tub per engineering team, students (or volunteers) build two site model tubs per engineering team.
- Lesson 14: Instead of making changes to their solution to optimize it, students will create their new optimized solution in a different site model tub.
Changes based on assessment of 2017-18 School Year
- Translations: Added information to manual about availability of translations on website (for Take Home interviews and Lesson 6 worksheets)
- Teacher Training Videos: Added information to manual about the short teacher training videos available on website.
- Pre-Unit Prep & Take Home Assignment (new section): Added discussion of a pre-unit take home interview designed to tap into a student’s personal/ family/ cultural experiences with water. Moved materials prep here from implementation planning section. Added box on dealing with mold in tubs and student directions sheet for teachers using students to set up tubs.
- All Lessons: Added a “yield sign” symbol to show good stopping points in each lesson.
- Lesson 1: Added a table designed to help assess student’s explanatory models (in examining student work section).
- Lesson 5: Clarified that the Local Stormwater Systems lesson is important to help student’s understand impacts their stormwater happens elsewhere so they get why “adding more storm drains” is not an ideal stormwater solution.
- Lesson 6: Added information about translations available on website for worksheets.
- Lesson 11: Question added to the “Evaluating Solutions Worksheet” that asks students for evidence from the summary table that supports their solution choice.
3/12/18 update
- Lesson 6: Added a simpler one pager version of the Neighborhood Stormwater cards (used by teachers during Walking Field Trip).
- Lesson 1 and 15: Added a Take Home Interview to lesson 1 and changed the Take Home Interview in lesson 15.
1/25/18 update
- Lesson 7 Worksheet: Added a 8.5 x 11 version of the Explanatory Model to the website.
11/20/17 update – edits based on teacher feedback from training
- Throughout: Included references to a smaller rain jar we are now using (top of jar is 1000 ml).
- Lesson 1: Removed “plant” scribble from Explanatory model Zoom In. Added examples to What-How-Why Spreadsheet. Added references to additional explanatory model version on website and to what to say to student’s about the explanatory model.
- Lesson 3: Suggested use of highlighters to show impervious surfaces on schoolyard map.
- Lesson 4: Added a reference to students making a prediction before doing the investigation. Replaced graduated cylinder with a plastic cup for observing water samples (in procedure and the graphic on the data sheet). Referenced there being multiple ways students might draw the tubs.
- Boeing: Added reference to Boeing helping fund Community Waters implementation.
Community Waters Science Unit 