Purpose
Unfortunately, students in an urban setting rarely have meaningful experiences with nature. In many cases, they lack the opportunities to develop and explore curiosities about their natural environment. In turn, they also lack the understanding of the interdependencies of humans, other species, and the physical environment, and therefore lack the knowledge necessary to be stewards of the watershed in which they live. Richmond, Virginia provides the ideal setting for students to gain "meaningful watershed experiences." The James River runs directly through downtown Richmond, and eventually empties into the Chesapeake Bay, which has been classified as an impaired water body, with repeated monitored violations of water quality criteria.
This curriculum unit is designed to accomplish two goals. The first is to increase students' awareness of the impact of their daily choices on the James River and Chesapeake Bay watershed. The second is to introduce research and inquiry-based practices in the classroom and in the field to encourage questioning and experimentation, thus promoting more holistic learning of science concepts.
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