WARE RET 2014 – Understanding the Engineering Design Process within the Local Watershed Mirko I. Soko 1, Mentors 2 : Ryan C. Locicero, Dr. Maya A. Trotz 1. Adams Middle 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 Objective Background Approach Literature Research References Conclusions STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education has been said to been missing the T (Technology) and E (Engineering) parts of it (Bouillon, L.M. et al. 2001); the emphasis in here will be to incorporate the E (Engineering) within a S (Science) lesson using M (Math) principles and some T (Technology). The Engineering Design Process (EDP), an iterative process or approach to find solutions to a broad variety of problems, includes defining a problem based on some criteria and constraints, generating ideas, creating a model/plan, evaluating the design and communicating the findings. Incorporating the EDP assists with student understanding of the local watershed, and promotes students to actively participate in data collection, evaluation, planning, designing a solution of a real-world concern, and the presentation of the findings. The students will be able to locate their school campus in the local watershed, and the major hydrologic and hydraulic features within walking distance. They will incorporate the EDP to assists with their understanding of the watershed while conceptually designing a solution of a real or potential world concern.  Students’ prior experiences and knowledge about the hydrologic cycle and watershed are elicited through open ended questioning.  Students participate in an inquiry activity to locate the local watershed, its boundary, the major conveyance systems or streams, and storage systems within walking distance of the school.  Next, students survey the community to gather information regarding potential stormwater issues (including flooding, drainage issues, water quality, and pollution concerns).  The EDP will be simply defined as ‘problem solving’ to the Middle School students.  Each stormwater issue is assigned to a group to design a solution.  Findings will be presented by the groups to the class.  Incorporating the EDP assists with student understanding of the local watershed.  Incorporation of the EDP promotes students to actively participate in data collection, evaluation, planning, designing a solution of a real-world concern, and the presentation of the findings.  There are good examples of improvements to the urban infrastructure that provide clean water within walking distance of the campus that could increase interest in STEM fields. Adams M.S. Campus The Adams Middle School campus is located within the Curiosity Creek Watershed in the City of Tampa; which is part of the Hillsborough River Watershed. The Curiosity Creek main channel discharges to the Blue Sink area which is south of Fowler Ave. and north of the school campus area. A lot of the lakes throughout the watershed do not have a positive discharge, and discharge in an out of banks at times during high storm conditions FLD&E (1987). Figure 1. Taken from SWFWMD 1.Bouillon, L.M., and Gomez, L.M. (2001). Connecting School and Community with Science Learning: Real World Problems and Schools – Community Partnerships as Contextual Scaffolds. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. Vol. 38, NO. 8, PP FLD&E (1987). Curiosity Creek Detention Pond, for the City of Tampa, Project Lantz, H.B. (2009). Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education What Form? What Function? Baltimore: CurrTech Integrations. Figure 2. Taken from USGS There is an expanded flood storage detention area south of Blue Sink and north of 109 th Ave within walking distance to the school campus. It has been noted that there is a potential disconnect between schools and the students home communities. A disconnect between what students learn as science in schools and how it has value and or relates to the lived experiences of them. A concept of ‘connected science’ uses real world problems within the local community to increase interest and serve as a contextual scaffolds to bridge the knowledge learned at school within the community surroundings Lantz, H.B. (2009). Stormwater Pond Storage Detention Area Stormwater Infrastructure Elevation, water surface ft. 10 Year Time Series of Elevation, Curiosity Creek Water Surface Sample Date