Toshiba America Foundation Grant Shenandoah River: Exploring and Saving our Backyard.

The PLAN Our entire science department will join together to link the curriculum by doing a continuing project over the four years of science instruction with one culminating, multifaceted project.

The PLAN Our school will link to our environment by using the Shenandoah River, the fifth most polluted river in the United States, to explore and discover science, technology and other skills that were developed in the classroom.

The PLAN Students will create an action plan to improve the Shenandoah River based on their data and research allowing students to construct, discover, and initiate a plan to help improve the status of the Shenandoah River

The PLAN Finally, students will implement their improvement plan where they will be part of the solution. Through the final project, students will gain an opportunity to apply skills on how to make a presentation, evaluate economic factors, research science solutions, and evaluate the positives and negatives of the plan.

Why it’s important?

– Increase student’s interest in science to hopefully further their science education. STEM Prepare students for the science and technology job market. – promotes student interaction and connects students to Science curriculum Environment Issues Their backyard By connecting science to the Shenandoah River :

Increase Environmental awareness – Students who are connected to their environment have heightened environmental awareness and commitment of their environment – Students become stakeholders in local environmental quality issues.

To focus on 21 st Century skills – Calculate, analyze and form conclusions on water quality testing – tracking and pinpointing locations with GPS devices – Form hypothesis on issues fish kill, algae bloom and causes of pollution. – Hands on experiments – Create presentations and seminars for their local community on their scientific data and research collected. – Further concrete their critical thinking and problem identification skills

Formulate conclusions on Environmental issues that impact the Shenandoah River Based on their conclusions – develop project ideas – implement project’s that will begin to solve the river’s issues they have discovered.

How ? -By taking 3-4 trips to the river -Great students -Dedicated teachers -Supportive school and community -State of the art technology sponsored by Toshiba

Our Technology Equipment like a college Environmental Science program would use – Pasco Probe ware pH probes Turbidity Dissolved Oxygen Conductivity Weather anemometer GPS systems Water colorimeters Temperature Flow rate

East Rockingham will Rock by integrating Earth Science Biology Chemistry Physics

Special Thanks Toshiba America Foundation Bill Sprinkel Eric Baylor Merck, INC East Rockingham Science Teachers The School Board Last but not least… East Rockingham Community