Environmental Investigations: Delaware Watershed Mystery

An Interdisciplinary Inquiry-Based Curriculum Unit

Delaware Watershed Mystery is a teacher training institute that provides middle level educators from Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania with the process, skills and confidence to investigate current and local environmental issues with their students in a non-biased manner.

Environmental Investigations Framework

Process Approach
The Delaware Watershed Mystery brings the process of inquiry to the study of environmental issues. The curriculum framework provides middle level educators with step-by-step instructions to guide students through this process.

Interdisciplinary
The framework can easily be used in a team-based instructional approach as it integrates science, math, social studies, and language arts within the investigation.

Integration of Ideas
The Institute incorporates effective and innovative ideas with hands-on activities, including SEPUP labs, conflict resolution, mediation, role playing, and technology applications.

Standards-Based
The curriculum addresses Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania state standards in science, math, social studies and language arts.

Directly Applicable
The Environmental Investigations curriculum was developed and is continually tested by teachers from Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. All three states border the Delaware River where the simulation is based. Upon completion of the Institute, participants have all the necessary resources to implement the curriculum in areas around their schools.

Simulation
Using a simulated scenario allows educators to practice the steps of a scientific investigation. Beginning with environmental issue identification to potential solutions and implementation, each step of the framework is actively modeled.

A Local Issue as Example
Participants explore a local environmental issue to learn how they can involve their students in an issue investigation relevant to their community.

Cost
The $3,500 per participant tuition for the Institute is generously donated by corporate and foundation supporters such as those below.

2004/2005 Program Supporters:
Agilent Technologies
Davenport Family Foundation
DuPont
Rohm and Haas Company
Rutgers University
The Waksman Foundation for Microbiology

For specific information on this training please contact Rachel Pokrandt at rpokrandt@keystone.org , 970-513-5805 or 1-800-842-7485.

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Session Dates:

July 8-13, 2007

Highlights of the institute

Non-biased Approach
Teachers are introduced to a new way
of thinking about their approach to contentious issues. They learn strategies to identify and remove their own bias in order to facilitate student inquiry.

Institute Facilitation Team
The Keystone Center staff members are former classroom teachers who have been trained in the organization’s non-biased pedagogy. Program facilitators are past participants actively using the curriculum framework to investigate environmental issues with their students.

Setting
Hosted in Philadelphia, The Delaware Watershed Mystery combines classroom time with outdoor exploration of the natural and built environments. Using local ecosystems, field experiences are tangible and provide a scientific back-drop to the simulation.

Resources
All participants receive the curriculum in a notebook and CD-Rom format; lab materials used in the simulation; and computer software. Continued support from staff is offered throughout the implementation process.

Course Credit
Educators who successfully complete the Institute have the option of receiving three graduate level credits from Colorado School of Mines at a minimal cost.