Sanitation District Co-teacher number 1

Module 4: Locating and Partnering with Co-Teachers Plan

Name: Ashley Olwine

Position: Environmental Education Program Manager: Sanitation District

Contact information: 1045 Eaton Drive | Fort Wright, KY 41017 |

 (859) 547-1657 | aolwine@sd1.org | www.sd1.org

Describe the plan you have made with this person.

a.      How will you bring what they have to offer to your students? After talking to Ashley, I was instantly buzzing with ideas on what I can do to make my classroom learn from the information she was giving me and what her facility had to offer. I have to say, there is so much that the Sanitation District 1 can offer. There are many programs for all age groups all the way to high school, but she informed me that my classroom, 4-5^th had some of the most fun programs to utilize in the classroom. There were also field trip opportunities.  She helped me go through the various programs that they had to offer by guiding me through the website, which is located at http://www.sd1.org/default.aspx.

      As I looked at the programs on the computer website, she discussed all they had to offer. Here is a list of what we discussed: (Keep in mind that there are opportunities for all grade levels, but I am mentioning the ones that apply to my classroom)

1.      Storm Water Education: She described a unit that could be taught in the classroom. The unit includes 5 one-hour lessons, including topics such as point/nonpoint source pollution, watershed management, wetlands, and Best Management Practices (BMPs). Each student receives a water log workbook for free and can learn things such as storm and water information, pollution in our bodies of water, info on wetlands and erosion, etc. She also described a program named BMP involved in the lessons stands for Best Management Practice. You can learn about green info structures, vegetative roofs that can be used to help the environment and much more. If you have one completed workbook turned in to the center, your school can get a water discount off their bill. They are discounting it by 25%, what an incentive!

2. Field trips and tours: Ashley informed me of their headquarter facility tours. They have an outdoor environmental education center that was incorporated into the site design. They offer interactive learning along the banks of Banklick Creek.  This facility features many educational tools and Best Management Practices (BMP's). Here is a list of what their field trips include information on: 

a. Wetland classroom

b. Storm water garden

c.       Retention and detention basins

d.      Vegetated bioswales

e.      Native meadow

f.       Watershed plaza

g.      Oil/water separator

h.      Porous pavements

i.        Cistern

j.       Urban forest

k.      Environmental art sculptures

l.        Vegetated roof

m.    Native American creek walk and more!

There are many structured field trips/tours that students can go on. Their mission is to empower and educate citizens and students about the vital importance of protecting our waterways for future generations. On each field trip, students are given SD1’s national award-winning field notebook that will keep him or her focused and engaged. They are aligned with the Kentucky Core Content Standards, and the field notebook is set-up to give each student a task to perform at each featured activity.
 For more information, they say to visit this website: http://www.sd1.org/AboutSD1/PublicServicePark.aspx  or  http://www.sd1.org/Education/Storm_Water_Education.aspx 

 3. Splash McClean visit: Splash McClean is SD1’s fish mascot.  Splash helps children understand how human behavior can negatively or positively impact fish and wildlife habitats.  He visits your school, especially when you do the programs I have mentioned, or visit their facility. He is a fun way to get your students interested in what they are teaching you about. 

4. School Award! There is an award your school can win: which is apart of their “Protecting the Environment Award Program”. They recognize scouts, students and teachers who have gone above and beyond to protect Northern Kentucky’s water resources and environment. There is a cash prize that is sponsored by Wal-Mart in Ft. Wright.

What technologies will you use? (video/voice technologies, etc?)

a. Here is a link to newspaper articles that I will share with my students about the school award, “Protecting the Environment Award Program” that I will enter my school in.

“Scouts plant rain garden”, Alexandria Recorder, page 3, 7/15/10

“Ceremony Recognizes Students, Teachers”, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7/3/10

b. Here is a list of Smart Board activities:

Curriculum Compatible with SMART Board

Click the links below to access each of the five Environmental Unit lessons developed for use with SMART board technology. The lessons correspond with SD1's Environmental Unit Guide (for teachers) and Water Log Workbooks (for students).

Lesson 1 - Would You Swim Here?
Lesson 2 - Gimme a BMP! Lesson 3 - We All Live in a Watershed
Lesson 4 - Help Save the Birds
Lesson 5 - Wetlands
Additional Resources

If these links do not work for you, go here on the website to get them:

http://www.sd1.org/Education/Storm_Water_Education.aspx

b.      Students will view some of the following websites:

Wetlands websites

• America's Wetlands
• Discover Canada's Wetlands
• DuckData -A bibliographic database of N.A. waterfowl and their wetlands habitat.
• Ducks Unlimited - Teachers, click here to see all the "education stuff" they have! NEW
• Endangered Species and Wetlands Report
• Environmental Concern: Wetlands - Education links page.
• Everglades National Park
• Explore Georgia's Natural Wonder - Okefenokee Swamp. Click here for information and pictures on plants and animals.
• Fresh Water Wetlands - Great resource!
• Glossary of Wetland Words
• Information on Wetlands
• Importance of Wetlands
• Lost Wetlands
• Okefenokee Joe - Has the "Snake Man" visited your school?
• Okefenokee Swamp Education Center - Click here to go to the Critter Center.
• Okefenokee Swamp - One of Georgia's wetlands.
• Wetland Information
• The Wetlands Education System
• Wetlands and Ecosystems - Teaching theme.
• Wet and Wild! - Theme page
• Wetland Fact Sheets - Click on the links for information.
• Wetlands For Kids - Wow, great site! Click here for classroom activities.
• Wetlands for Wildlife - From the Audubon Society.
• Wetlands - Status and Trends
• Wetlands and People
• Wetlands Links - Hotlist
• Wetlands Protection
• Wetlands Theme Page - Hotlist
• What are Wetlands - Great informational site.
• World in Our Backyard - Wetlands Curriculum for teachers.
• World Wetlands Day - Celebrate this day February 2

Storm Water Websites:

www.kidsgardening.com/themes/raingarden.asp

www.ocwatersheds.com/publiced/kids-corner/index.html

Websites about Vegetated Bioswales

www.crd.bc.ca/watersheds/lid/swales.htm

What are the school disciplines and specific national, state, district or school standards that it will address?

This covers many standards for practical living, science and social studies. I will give you a sample of standards that will be covered.

PL-EP-3.1.4 Students will identify consumer actions (reusing, reducing, recycling) that impact the environment.

SC-04-2.3.2 The surface of the earth changes. Some changes are due to slow  processes such as erosion and weathering. Some changes are due to rapid processes such as landslides, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

SC-04-4.7.1 The world has many different environments. Distinct environments support  the lives of different types of organisms. When the environment changes, some plants and animals survive and reproduce and others die or move to new locations.

SC-04-4.7.2 All organisms, including humans, cause changes in the environment where they live. Some of these changes are detrimental to the organism or to other organisms; other changes are beneficial (e.g., dams benefit some aquatic organisms but are detrimental to others).

SC-EP-3.4.1 Organisms have basic needs. For example, animals need air, water and food; plants need air, water, nutrients and light. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their needs can be met.

SS-05-4.1.1 Students will use geographic tools (e.g., maps, charts, graphs) to identify natural resources and other physical characteristics (e.g., major landforms, major bodies of water, weather, climate, roads, bridges) and analyze patterns of movement and settlement in the United States.

SS-05-4.1.4 Students explain how factors in one location can impact other locations (e.g., natural disasters, building dams).

SS-05-4.4.3 Students will describe how individuals/groups may have different perspectives about the use of the land (e.g., farming, industrial, residential, recreational).

SS-EP- 4.4.1 Students will describe ways people adapt to/modify the physical  environment to meet their basic needs (food, shelter, clothing).

How will you assess what your students have learned?

1. I can assess my students by grading their completed water log workbook.
2. I can assess my students by asking them to write about our field trip to the Sanitation District by using a rubric.
3. I can assess my students by asking them to draw about what they have learned and making a poster.
4. I can assess my students by asking them to do a project that includes a rubric. The students can do a project that involves PowerPoint, Photo story or a video they create that describes what they learned from the unit.
5. I can assess my students by having them share with they younger class the experiments we did, and taking anecdotal records.