The Watersheds Ambassadors ePBL (environmental Project Based Learning) gives 7th grade students an awareness and appreciation of wetland and upland habitats and their importance in our ecosystem. This comprehensive curriculum integrates activities in math, science, language arts, and social studies in the classroom and then extends the learning out in the field through Project Based Learning opportunities. Students have the opportunity to move from awareness to action and become ambassadors for the protection of their watershed as they experience it first hand. Students visit Starkey Wilderness Park or CrossBar Ranch and will be immersed in learning as both Watershed Curriculum (Watershed Basics) is supported AND environmental Project Based Learning (ePBL).
| ePBL: Gopherus polyphemus Habitat and Population Monitoring: Students will learn about gopher tortoises and why they are considered a keystone species and an example of commensalism. Student will learn how to use a GPS to navigate to specific locations for surveying. Students will survey a gopher tortoise habitat and collect field based data to determine ideal conditions. Students will use quadrats to identify organisms in that ecosystem. Students will collect aquatic organisms, and conduct basic water testing to see how humans are impacting the environment. |
| ePBL: Prescribed Burns: Students will learn about Prescribed Burns, their purposes, and effects on ecosystems. Students will learn how to use a GPS to identify a specific location for surveying.Students will use quadrats to identify specific plants that can survive in an ecosystem after a prescribed burn. Students will survey growth and parameters of a burn site. Students will conduct soil testing to see how fire impacts the environment.Students will collect aquatic organisms, and conduct basic water testing to see how humans are impacting the environment. |
| ePBL: Pine Forests: Students will learn how best land management practices are beneficial ecologically and economically for Longleaf pine forests. Students will plant Longleaf pines using best land management practices. Students will conduct soil testing to determine how humans are impacting the environment of the pine plantations. Students will collect aquatic organisms, and conduct basic water testing to see how humans are impacting the environment. |
| ePBL: H2O Science: Students will learn about the importance of water testing to determine the viability of organisms is various ecosystems.Students will test for pH, Dissolved Oxygen, temperature, Phosphates, Nitrates, and turbidity from water collected from a lake and river on site. Students will collect aquatic organisms to look for biodiversity.Students will collect aquatic organisms, and conduct basic water testing to see how humans are impacting the environment. |
| ePBL: C.S.I. CrossBar Scientific Investigations: Students will learn how to identify various tracks, scat, and skulls to determine what organisms are in an ecosystem. Students will conduct soil testing to determine how humans are impacting the environment these animals live in. Students will collect aquatic organisms, and conduct basic water testing to see how humans are impacting the environment. |
We are able to provide the Watershed Ambassador’s Program through the generous funding provided by
For Additional Information please contact:
Karen Getty Stewart- kstewart@pasco.k12.fl.us