Homewaters Project

[http://www.homewatersproject.org Homewaters Project] , formerly the Thornton Creek Project, is an educational nonprofit organization located in the Thornton Creek watershed on the North Seattle Community College campus. The mission of Homewaters is to connect people to nature and each other in the context of their home communities. [brochure]

The organization was founded in 1992 by a group of enterprising Seattle teachers who saw a need to develop innovative ways to teach students the connection between people and place, while at the same time engaging students in classroom concepts by applying them to the real world. It has grown into an effective and efficient organization serving the Seattle area. Originally focused on the Thornton Creek watershed of north Seattle and Shoreline, Homewaters has expanded its scope to serve students and teachers of the entire Seattle and Shoreline School Districts, including the cities of Seattle, Shoreline, and Lake Forest Park.

Homewaters offers nine different experiential education programs to elementary and secondary school students as well as two for citizens at large. The programs use Place-Based Education to connect people to their home communities.

Programs

Elementary School

Homewaters Project connects elementary school students to the natural environment of their community through inquiry-based field experiences. Homewaters assists teachers to integrate these activities into existing curricula and the Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs). Several provide hands-on experiences of district-mandated science kits such as Ecosystems, Land and Water, the Tiny Neighbors extension of the “Microworlds” STC science kit, and the Water In Our Lives extension of the Foss “Water” science kit.

Ecosystems Field Investigation

*Students conduct two inquiry science activities within walking distance of class to observe human impacts to natural systems and compare the habitat for bugs in a sheltered location with a non-sheltered location.

Land and Water Field Program

*Students investigate a real stream, making comparisons to their classroom models, and explore salmon habitat.

Mapping My Area

*Children learn valuable map-reading skills as they identify and appreciate the desirable features of their neighborhoods and locate, discuss and learn how to change the detrimental ones.

Tiny Neighbors

*Teachers and students conduct investigations of local ponds and lakes with support from Homewaters.

Water In Our Lives

*Teachers and students calculate how much water their school uses and measure how fast water percolates into the ground on various surfaces.

Watershed Gardens

*Teachers and students examine water use and carry out applied water conservation projects at their school.

Secondary School

Ecology and Evolution

*In the spring of 2009, Homewaters will pilot a field investigation for eighth graders to extend the learning from this classroom science unit out to nearby nature.

Neighborhood Green Mapping

*Homewaters supports teachers and students in identifying important ecological and cultural features of their community and assessing areas for improvement using GIS and the international Green Map System.

Water and Community

*Students and their teachers explore the relationship between land use and water quality in Puget Sound using inquiry-based science and GIS software as a tool for analysis.

Community Programs

Thornton Creek Long Walks

*Community members walk the length of Seattle’s largest watershed and learn its history, ecology, and current issues.

Book Readings, Kayak Tours, Fairs & Festivals

*Homewaters Project collaborates with public agencies and community organizations to increase citizen awareness of local watershed issues using various tools.

References

# [http://homewatersproject.org/images/HWBrochureBoeing.pdf Homewaters Project brochure]

External Links

[http://homewatersproject.org Homewaters Project] Official Website