WARE RET 2014 –Rain Garden Construction-C. Leon King High School Nicole Richards-Works 1, Ryan Locicero 2, Dr. Maya Trotz 2 1. C. Leon King High School; 2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida For more information about the program visit: The Water Awareness Research and Education (WARE) Research Experience for Teachers (RET) is funded by the National Science Foundation under award number This research has also been supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's STAR program through grant and the Tampa Bay Estuary Program and the Southwest Florida Water Management District. It has not been subjected to any NSF, EPA, or TBEP review and therefore does not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency, and no official endorsement should be inferred. Abstract Objectives Background Year 1 Approach: Install a Rain Garden References Year 2 Approach: Study the Rain Garden After completing a rain garden challenge I in May 2014 to choose a location for a rain garden at their campus, the students at C. Leon King High School designed and installed a 100 square foot rain garden at the school with 3 media layers consisting of gravel, sand, top soil, mulch and plants. Fifty plants were installed representing 12 different species of native plants. The overall cost for the project was $ Incoming freshmen will use the rain garden as a living lab. They will analyze the plant growth to determine the rain garden’s maintenance needs and evaluate the rain garden’s success. This research focuses on the process for integrating a rain garden into high school curriculum from the installation of one to the subsequent use of it by other students to learn STEM.  Review rain garden installation process.  Monitor and maintain rain garden site.  Develop activity to use the rain garden as a living lab. Figure 2: Choose rain garden location 1.The students completed the rain garden challenge to choose the rain garden location (Figure 2). 2.The students selected the quantity of each plant species based on their physiological characteristics. 3.Each student drew a shape that they would like the rain garden to look like. The students looked at all of the shapes and in groups they chose two shapes that they would like to see. The shape that was chosen the most was selected for the rain garden. 4.The students spray painted the shape of the rain garden after measuring the area (Figure 3). 5.The area was excavated and graded (Figures 4 & 5). 6.The underdrain was placed in the excavated area where a rain barrel will be connected to help alleviate the pressure from the water that will flow from the roof. 7.The media layers (gravel, sand, and top soil) were added (Figures 6 & 7). 8.The native plants were installed (Figure 1). 9.The mulch layer was added (Figure1). 10. The rain garden was monitored and maintained in July 2014 by teacher and researchers (Figure 8). Rain gardens are small stormwater collection areas that are designed to withstand the extremes of moisture and concentrations of nutrients that are found in stormwater runoff I,II. The incoming freshmen will utilize the existing rain garden to conduct research on plant management and data analysis. This analysis will include plant height, circumference, and number of shoots. Students will then create a PowerPoint presentation and record their data on an instructor provided wiki site III. From there they will decide if their plant was a good choice and if they were planted in the correct location for the rain garden. Students will then present their information to the class. Based on the input of everyone’s data, they will design the next rain garden. Figure 3: Site Layout Figure 4: Excavate and grade Figure 5: Excavate and grade Figure 6: Add media layer (sand) Figure 7: Add media layer (top soil) Figure 1: Plants were installed and mulch was added to finish the rain garden. I. II. III. Figure 8: Monitor & Maintain Activity Reflection: The rain garden activity was rewarding both intrinsically and extrinsically. We were able to help the environment and gain school spirit. The students enjoyed the process and they learned a lot. A manuscript is in the works to submit to The Science Teacher Magazine explaining the activity and experiences.