Linking Watershed Education with GK-12 Education in a Watershed Context is part of the National Science Foundation’s Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education Program which supports graduate students in a national effort to advance scientific knowledge through partnership with K-12 schools.
The goals of the national program are
- to improve communication of science and research with diverse audiences
- to stimulate interest in science and technology by bringing cutting-edge research into the classroom
Fellows in the local program team with teachers in schools throughout the Sugar Creek Watershed and share their expertise in watershed science with students and teachers. Each Fellow also conducts research in the Sugar Creek watershed. In the classroom, Fellows help students with hands-on activities that research conditions in the Sugar Creek and the land that drains into the Sugar Creek. Students study the impact human activity has on streams in their community. Science becomes something with real-life application and encourages advocacy of good stewardship of our local environment. In addition, the Fellows’ love of their subject matter and enthusiasm for scientific research stimulates interest and inspires students to consider careers in the sciences and technology.