ELPFinalReport

7/16/2019 ELPFinalReport

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X-Stream TeamAdams Elementary 2013

Final Report


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Team Members: Angela Duncan, Hayden Hockett, Nico Hall, Taylor Coronel, Kailyn Haskovec,

Nora Kaywin, Derek Leung, Ariana Nelson, Madison DeLong, Maddy Brachvogel

Table of ContentsAbstract

Introduction

Project Overview

1. Winter

2. Spring

Pedagogical Approach

Evaluations (outputs in the form of a chart, outcomes/challenges, quotes from students?)Acknowledgements - Community Partners

Conclusions

References (works cited)

Appendix- Empty worksheets


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AbstractThe Environmental Leadership Program is a two-term program for University of Oregon

students who work together in groups on various environmental programs ranging from

conservation projects to film production to education outreach. The X-Stream Team, a

group of ten University students, spent winter term creating an environmental education

curriculum to teach at Adams Elementary in the Spring. Adams students in 1st through 5th

grades learned basic scientific principles of water through exploration of the McKenzie

River. The overall theme of the 2013 X-Stream Team was interconnectivity between the

McKenzie Watershed and its inhabitants. We worked to cultivate action through spreading

awareness and knowledge. Following David Sobel's (1996) framework of connecting with

animals in grades 1 and 2, exploring nearby environments in grades 3 and 4, and

examining human impacts on the environment in grade 5. Using principles of engaged

pedagogy, we strove to recognize students as complex and unique individuals, structuring

our lessons accordingly. In this way, the partnership between Adams Elementary and the

University of Oregon creates passionate stewardship of the environment in collegiate,

elementary, and greater Eugene communities.

IntroductionDue to a disconnect between the natural world and those who rely on it, the ELP

X-Stream Team strove to inform Adams Elementary students of their water source.

Citizens of Eugene have the unique privilege of receiving our drinking water from a localsource, the pristine McKenzie Watershed. As environmental educators at the University of

Oregon, we saw the need for community education and outreach in an effort to regain this

lost connection. The Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) was created in 2001 to

encourage more service learning between University students and the community. The

X-Stream addresses the lack of placed-based environmental knowledge within our local

community. Using various environmental education theories, such as constructivism

(building upon students previous knowledge) and bell hooks theory of engaged

pedagogy, we created place-based curricula that acknowledge the history of the place

where we teach, and the background of each individual student: their heritage, previousknowledge, personal strengths or interests, and even their mood on a given day.

This years iteration of the ELP X-Stream team includes ten members of the University

of Oregon community. We have spent the past six months working together in an effort to

bring place-based McKenzie Watershed curricula to Adams Elementary School. In the

winter we studied educational tools and theories in order to gain a deep understanding of

cognitive development theory and how to apply that theory while building our curricula. In


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the spring, we taught our lessons to students in grades 1 through 5 at Adams Elementary

and guided students on field trips in the McKenzie Watershed. Recognizing that all

students learn differently, we approached our facilitation by implementing our lessons

through an interdisciplinary framework. Art, music, ecology, language arts, mapping skills,

and myriad hands on activities engaging multiple intelligences structured our

implementation. We acted as facilitators rather than teachers, allowing the students to

incorporate their interests to their own education. This exercises critical thinking, as

students are given the opportunity to be an active participant in their own learning

processes by navigating the world around them. Our overall goal as facilitators aims to

increase the students environmental knowledge and awareness while helping them to

claim their agency in creating positive change.

Pedagogical StatementContemporary education settings use standards to ensure equal education. Rather than

promoting equity, this standardization can homogenize both the teaching and learning

experience. Using the tenets of bell hooks Engaged Pedagogy, we endeavor to

recognize and acknowledge differences in our students and facilitators, converting diversity

and variant learning styles into strengths, rather than challenges to overcome. Engaged

Pedagogy regards each student as a whole, and teaches to their unique mind, body and

well-being. We work as facilitators rather than teachers, directly engaging with the students

using inquiry and encouraging them to find answers on their own.

We aimed to allow the students to use nature as their learning environment as much aspossible. We incorporated the outdoor setting into our lessons, weaving the information

into games, scavenger hunts, and art projects in order to facilitate the development of well

rounded, creative students who have a deep understanding and respect for the world and

communities around them. We utilized place-based lessons to teach the unique history of

the environment with which the students are engaging, so they learn to recognize difference

in context as well as respect for all histories. Ultimately, our lessons are shaped to promote

deep engagement with challenging materials, profound love and respect for the

environment, and sharp critical thinking and inquiry skills. These larger frameworks include

map skills, math, language arts, species identification, geology, ecology, environmentalsciences, and lots of physical activity.


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Project Overview

Because the natural environment is intrinsically made up of multiple interdependent

systems, the overall focus of our project was interconnectivity. We emphasized

interconnections within our lesson plans to demonstrate how multiple elements within a

system rely on one another.

In the winter we studied various environmental education techniques and theories while

also creating our individual curriculum and working through a cohesive theme. We listened

to inspiring speakers from environmental education organizations throughout the

community talk about their experiences in the field. In the spring we implemented ourcurriculum at Adams Elementary, Green Island, and the Delta Old Growth Grove Nature

Trail.

First Grade

The concept we conveyed through our lessons is that animals are interdependent and

rely on their environment because it is important to understand that one action can affect

many different organisms. In our first lesson, Wondering about Watersheds, we explained

that many animals use the McKenzie

River and that it is also the source of ourdrinking water. Through the song, We All

Live Downstream by The Banana Slug

String Band and the use of American

Sign Language, first graders learned that

we are connected to the environment,

animals, and other people. On our

second day, The Web of Life visually

displays the interconnections between

animals and the McKenzie River. By

having the students hold a string

connecting them to other species and then tugging it, they all literally feel the effect of the

interconnections. On this day, we also taught about predator and prey relationships,

illustrating how animals rely on other animals. On the field trip, the students acted the native

predator and prey relationships through a tag game called Live It Learn It, so students

actively participated in understanding interconnected relationships. Through this game


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students were exposed to stable and unstable food chains depending on the amount of

predator and prey in the environment. We tailored our lessons to different learning styles

through the use of visual representations, hands on activities, and song and dance, to help

first graders respect and understand the dynamics of an interconnected environment.

Second Grade

In second grade our curriculum focused on the wonders of the water cycle and

connecting students to special places and

animals within the McKenzie Watershed. We

also emphasized the importance of local

institutions, such as the McKenzie River

Trust, and taking part in community action.Our first lesson began with the basics of the

water cycle through song and dance,

followed by an interactive class diagram.

These prepared our students for the final

activity, in which we discussed the different

sources of water on Earth and the small

amount available for human use. The

concepts of our first lesson were then carried over into our second lesson where we played

a water molecule role-playing game. Students traveled through the the stages of the water

cycle while interacting with places specific to the McKenzie Watershed such as Clear

Lake, The Cascades, or McKenzie River. Our final lesson was a field trip to Green Island,

just north of Eugene, it is the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers. There we

had 3 stations consisting of a bird watching, scavenger hunt, and a tree mulching activity

run by the McKenzie River Trust employees. Our lessons also focused on demonstrating

interconnectivity between the water cycle and all other living things.

Third GradeThird grade focused on conceptualizing the McKenzie Watershed as a dynamic system

composed of living and nonliving elements. Our goal was to familiarize students with the

potentially unobserved processes in the

McKenzie Watershed and to illustrate the

connection between living components like

pants and non-living matter such as soil. The


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first lesson was an introduction to the processes to erosion, runoff, water quality, and

sediment. Stream tables were used to facilitate an experiment with the students that

highlighted these processes, focusing on the importance of plants in the watershed. The

second lesson used a story to present the many forms of life, both large and small, found in

the McKenzie Watershed forest. We emphasized the role of decomposers as crucial to a

healthy watershed system. The final lesson was a field trip to Delta Old Growth Grove

Nature Trail where we continued our exploration of ecological relationships. Students

participated in a guided walk to identify previously taught concepts and to generate

enthusiasm for spending time outdoors in their local environment. Students also

participated in dissecting a fallen log, which offered a hands-on opportunity to examine

important decomposers. Finally, our lessons incorporate a multicultural element through

descriptions of traditional uses of native plants.

Fourth GradeFourth grade focused on the concept of plants and their interconnectedness with theenvironment in the McKenzie Watershed. Our goal was to make students more familiar

with local flora within the McKenzie Watershed, to show them how important plants are to

the local ecosystem as a whole, and

why we should care for our watershed.

Our first lesson included discussion

about the importance of a healthy

watershed and students developed and

tested hypotheses about the flow of

water by constructing watershed

models. We also included an activity

where students followed the path water

takes through the McKenzie Watershed

starting at its headwaters and ending in

the Pacific Ocean. The second lesson

incorporated building the students

skills at identifying plant species that grow in the McKenzie Watershed as well as

discussion of the cultural significance of certain species. Students used a plants leaf

shape, leaf arrangement, and other characteristics such cones, flowers, and fruits toidentify five native plants. The third lesson was a field trip to the Delta Old Growth Grove

Nature Trail, where students had opportunities to engage all of their senses in exploring the

natural environment and to practice identifying the various plant species they learned about

in previous lessons.


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Fifth Grade

Fifth grade focused on the interconnections of

humans and the McKenzie River. We decided tocenter our curriculum on human impacts, naming

our lessons Dynamic Dams. We hoped that in

designing our lesson plans around human

impacts the students would grasp the delicate

importance of their presence in the watershed.

Our first lesson was an hour of visual learning to

show the two types of dams that are specifically

on the McKenzie using two models that explain

exactly how hydroelectricity and flood controlwork. The second lesson was based on the idea

of getting the students to understand some positive uses for dams and their beneficial

outcomes. In order to do this, we created a lesson where students wrote skits about the

various ways we rely on the McKenzie dams, performing the skits to the class in an effort to

teach out the knowledge they gained from writing their short plays. The students jumped

right in, creating skits about safe drinking water, hiking clubs, conservation teams on the

river. The third lesson was designed to tap into the artistic abilities of the students while

building an attitude of understanding and awareness of the McKenzie. The students wrote

acrostic poems and created a mural that focused on the McKenzie River to be posted in

the Eugene Public Library. The students took pride in their work and the opportunity to

share what they learned about the McKenzie.

EvaluationsWe included various forms of evaluation for our teaching effectiveness in order to learn and

grow as facilitators. As environmental educators, our overall goal was to guide the students

towards being knowledgeable stewards of the environment. Evaluating the effectiveness in

achieving this goal provided a unique challenge because the quality of the students

respect for and future decisions about the environment is difficult to detect. Therefore, we

used various evaluation methods and authentic assessment techniques. Part of authentic

assessment included speaking with our partner, teacher, project leader, and managers

about our strengths and weaknesses in facilitating. In addition to our teammates critiques,

we also evaluated ourselves to improve our curriculum.


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Long term goals are difficult to evaluate, therefore we emphasized the short term goals, for

example, ensuring all objectives for each lesson were met. Some of the methods we used

for evaluation of short-term goals were fill in the blank worksheets, questionnaire handouts,

student participation, and feedback from teachers. Reflecting after each lesson clarified

our perception of ourselves as facilitators. We made sure our objectives were clearly

conveyed and understood. Coyotes Guide to Connecting with Nature by Jon Young, Evan

McGown, and Ellen Haas, provided us with the information to look for signals among the

students concerning their attitude about and understanding of the material. Some of these

indicators include self sufficiency, common sense, awe and reverence, and inquisitive

focus. In each lesson we measured our teaching effectiveness by watching for these

indicators.

The students in first grade filled out provided worksheets

answering where their drinking water comes from, a

predator-prey flow chart, and adjectives that describe

what the students saw on their field trip.

Forsecond grade, evaluations from the first two lessons

were based on the students journal entries which

include, a personal water cycle diagram and reflections

made after each lesson. Evaluations for the field trip

were much less concrete facilitators looked for a sparkle

in the students eyes and smiles on their faces.

Third grade evaluated based on student illustrations and

retention of vocabulary. Student journals were used as

another evaluation tool which showed what they gained from their time.

Fourth grade evaluated their lesson one based on the an inquiry-based review discussion

at the end of the lesson where we observed if the students learned our lessons main

objectives. For our second lesson we looked at the students worksheets, which involved

identifying the five plants in our lesson by listing two characteristics they used to identify theplant and a vocabulary evaluation quiz. In addition, we had an inquiry review discussion to

evaluate if they remembered the plant fun facts.Lastly, for our field trip we looked for

indicators of learning such as awe, a sparkle in the eye, and smiling faces.


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Fifth grade used a KWL chart as an evaluation tool. This

chart is comprised of three columns, the first column K

stands for what the students already KNOW, we filled

this column with the students previous knowledge of the

McKenzie, watersheds, and dams at the beginning of

the first lesson. The second column, W, represents

what the students WANT to know by the end of the

3-lesson series. We filled this column in as the students

thought of things they wanted to know about McKenzie

river and dams. The third column, L, is filled in after

each lesson is complete with what the student ultimately

Learned.

Outputs

We created a place-based curriculum for grades 1-5 which includes 15 lessons. We

spent 20 hours outside with the students and 26 inside the classroom. These hours were

spent with 347 elementary students in 12 classes. During the 1st and 2nd grade field trips

to Green Island Property, the students mulched 300 trees, making them active participants

in the community.

347 elementary students participated

20 hours spent outside

~2500 hours of development and

implementation

26 in-class lessons

300 trees mulched


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4 day-long field trips

OutcomesShort Term Long Term

Mapping skills

Familiarity with binoculars

and magnifying glasses

Ability to create an acrostic

poem ASL

Plant and animal

identification skills

Interest and involvement in

their local environment

(hikes of summer)

Reuse of our curriculum at

Adams Elementary

ConclusionsFollowing the Tbilisi declarations framework of how to effectively practice environmental

education through awareness, knowledge, attitude, skills, and action, we taught awareness

of the environment in order to inspire future action. Using activities that utilized inquiry

skills, we guided students to increase their curiosity for nature and their awareness of the

natural world. We encouraged active engagement with the McKenzie Watershed by

structuring our lessons to involve all senses, increasing deep sensory awareness of the

surroundings. Through the exploration of dams, students became aware of human impacts

on the McKenzie River and its role in providing energy and drinking water. We taught about

native animals of the McKenzie Watershed, increasing students knowledge of their local

surroundings. We encouraged appreciation, gratitude and inspiration of nature, fosteringtheir value of nature. Some of the skills students gained are proper use of binoculars and

magnifying glasses, cartography, insect and plant identification and language arts skills.

This lead to students embracing their agency in taking action. In the back of the students

journals we included local hikes in the McKenzie Watershed, inspiring future exploration of

their environment. We hoped to encourage responsible stewards of the environment who

embrace an active role in the community.


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Throughout this experience in the Environmental Leadership Program, the members of the

X-stream team gained a wealth of practical skills and knowledge that are applicable

towards a range of future endeavors. One of the most useful skills gained is the ability to

work effectively in a team setting. For example, members facilitated team meetings, set

agendas, and learned to communicate in a respectable manner. In addition, members

gained valuable experience working with community partners. The team was in constant

contact with the faculty at Adams Elementary from the planning stages of the curriculum all

the way to the last teaching session with the students. More relevant to this program

everyone also grew as educators. The team became better facilitators by reflecting on

experiences after every teaching session, constantly striving for improvement. Lastly, from

this experience team members received a plethora of satisfaction by creating an

environmental service learning project that reached over 300 elementary students.

Watching the students engage with these lessons that the team spent countless hours

preparing validated all of the hard work.

Acknowledgements

The Environmental Leadership Program X-Stream Team would like to take this opportunity

to thank all of the organizations and individuals, who made this program possible. Firstly,

thank you to The Gray Family Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation for funding our

work. Secondly, thank you to the Adams Elementary community - the teachers, and their

principal, Cindy Sainz - for fostering the facilitation of this program. Finally, we would like to

thank our project manager, Lokyee Au, and our professor, Kathryn Lynch, without whom

none of this would be possible.

Sponsors

Gray Family Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation

Community Partners

Adams Elementary School students, parents and staff National Forest Service (Willamette

National Forest) The Green Committee Adams Elementary

Cindy Sainz (Adams Elementary)

McKenzie River Trust


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Documents

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