Freshwater Curriculum
SC Adopt-a-Stream Freshwater High School Curriculum
Since the launch of the SC AAS citizen science monitoring program, dozens of teachers and outdoor educators have attended the monitoring certification workshops with an aim of bringing the field portion of their learning back to their classrooms. This transfer of information is often incomplete for the student, who may not be consistently taught the background of why, how, and what the program is monitoring and the potential of community sourced data shared in the 6-hour certification workshop. Thus, the SC AAS Freshwater Curriculum was created to address the identified classroom environmental education interest.
Curriculum Content
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River Geomorphology: Balancing Inputs, Energy, and Aquatic Life
Defines the types of river habitats and how they support a diverse array of species. Examines how land use changes as well as how changes in watershed hydrology affect a river system.
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Water Chemistry: Measuring What's in Our Waters
Explores water chemistry, pollution, and causes of pollution. Learn how pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and air and water temperature effect stream health and how to test for each parameter.
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Water Quality Measures: Balancing Growth and Water Quality
Construct scientific arguments and design solutions that can protect waterways and ecosystem biodiversity from anthropogenic impacts.
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Macroinvertebrates
Discusses the flow of the river to flora and fauna, discuss how macroinvertebrates are classified by functional feeding groups, and how they are used in bioassessments to gage stream health.
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Water Quantity: Protecting Our Most Precious Resource
Experience the flow of the river to flora and fauna, discuss how macroinvertebrates are classified by functional feeding groups, and how they are used in bioassessments to gage stream health.
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Climate Change
Examines the effects of climate change such as rising sea levels, water cycle alterations, and changes to crop yields and growing seasons. Discuss ways to mitigate and reduce the climate impact.
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Citizen Science River Monitoring, Explore the Options
Now that you are inspired by this citizen science water quality and ecosystem monitoring initiative, learn about options for community stewardship, increasing public awareness, organizing at your school and more!
Adopt a Stream
As a class, commit to adopting a reach of stream to observe, monitor, clean up, and protect. Evaluate and journal about how changes in the watershed are helping or damaging your adopted stream.
Citisci Club
Create an afterschool citizen science club that monitors an adopted stream reach and explores other citizen science projects. Citizen science, globally, is changing how we manage our natural resources.
Building Community
Look for volunteers in your community active with SC Adopta- Stream. We can not measure change without data. Partner up to find an upstream-downstream monitoring scheme. Compare results and identify mini-grant projects to make a difference!
Monitor with Others
Citizen science monitoring increases accessibility to natural resource data. Share this news with others! Monitor with friends, family, church, neighborhood, and others.
