NJAS Summer Institute for Ecosystems Education!

FIELD STUDIES     IN THE PASSAIC WATERSHED     August 13 to 17, 2007

A total of 12 participants representing nine school districts attended the 2nd Annual Summer Institute for Ecosystems Education in the Passaic Watershed.  The distribution of districts made for a more well-rounded experience as each teacher/teacher team brought with them a different perspective of this urban watershed.  Districts included Passaic, Wayne, Perth Amboy, Paterson, Summit, Bernardsville, Montclair, Bedminster and West Milford.  Most teachers were from the sciences (Earth Science, Biology and Environmental Science), although several were middle school teachers who taught a full curriculum.  All were seeking ways to increase their ability to integrate the environment into all of their curricula.  The weeklong program used experiential learning techniques to introduce and reinforce inquiry-based teaching.  Participants learned how to:

• Introduce the concept of watershed
• Use topographic maps to determine a sense of place within the watershed
• Use of GIS as a classroom tool
• Simulate and conduct a macroinvertebrate study and use visual watershed assessment techniques
• Teach about surface water and ground water supplies
• Develop questions that stimulated student-driven inquiry.

• How to conduct habitat mapping and assessment of habitat health
• Natural history interpretation via canoe in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, visiting the Great Falls in Paterson and the

Support classroom activities were taken from New Jersey WATERS:  Watershed Approach to Teaching the Ecology of Regional Systems and Fishing for Answers in an Urban Estuary. 

When asked, “What did you find most helpful about this workshop?” responses included:

• The abundance of materials given and the great ideas that the instructors offered.
• The many field trips and diverse types of experiences as well as the materials provided. 
• The fact that watersheds have such a great impact on human, plant and animal life.
• Useful concepts and creative ways to incorporate knowledge/experience into memorable lessons.
• Learning how to better structure my lessons to emphasize inquiry and to let “experience” drive the lesson.
• The technique of teaching – actually seeing the process of inquiry-based learning in action. 

Teachers explored the headwaters of the Passaic River and looked at the fault line between the Highlands and the Piedmont geologic regions.	Each teacher kept a "working journal" throughout the week where they could keep impressions, ideas for lessons and other thoughts they had.
Teachers learn about the processes involved in managing the Passaic Valley Sewerage Authority.	A trip to the Great Falls in Paterson gave perspective on some of New Jersey's complex geologic history.  Here is the interface between sedimentary rock and basalt.
Teachers traced the Passaic River on topographic maps of the watershed.	We used the maps to perform an assessment of the week and what the teachers learned.

For additional information, call, write or email
 NJAS Department of Education
 Center for Research and Education
 600 Route 47 North
 Cape May Court House, NJ  08210
  (609) 861-0700  

New Jersey Audubon Society (NJAS) is a statewide, not-for-profit, membership organization committed to preserving New Jersey’s habitats and species biodiversity.  We invite your support through membership and participation in our programs.