B-WET Arroyo Colorado
Professional Development
Workshop for Teachers
Funded by NOAA
What is B-WET?
Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET)
• Supports experiential learning
• Is locally implemented and administered by the most appropriate NOAA
office or program
• Promotes MWEEs through competitive funding
• Builds local capacity to support MWEE implementation, when required
• Focuses on K-12 Audiences
• Is rigorously evaluated at the local and national levels
• Incorporates NOAA products and services as appropriate
• Supports the NOAA Education Plan
What is a Meaningful Watershed
Educational Experience (MWEE)?
• Experiences are investigative or project oriented.
• Experiences are an integral part of the instructional program.
• Experiences are part of a sustained activity with students.
– Preparation phase (question, problem, or issue about the environment)
– Action phase (outdoor experiences/observations/data collection)
– Reflection phase (analyze conclusions reached and communicate the results)
• Experiences consider the watershed as a system
• Experiences are enhanced by NOAA products, services, or
personnel.
B-WET Arroyo Colorado Professional
Development Workshop for Teachers
Primary Objectives
• Expose teachers to MWEE, enabling them to inspire and lead
young people toward thoughtful and sustainable stewardship
of the natural resources of, and supported by, the Arroyo
Colorado Watershed.
• Provide necessary technical support, resources, and 12 hours
of continuing education
• Gauge attitudinal changes towards the Arroyo Colorado
Watershed and related science topics
• Develop a program that will be sustained by Region One past
program end.
Arroyo Colorado
Laguna
Madre
Arroyo Colorado
Laguna Madre
Arroyo Colorado Table-top Model
~Lessons~
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
What is a watershed?
Where does your water come from?
Where does your water drain to?
What is nonpoint source pollution?
What are some things you can do to prevent
nonpoint source pollution?
Rapitest Soil Test Kit
EasyGel Coliform Test Kits
Meaningful Watershed Experience
Opportunities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
UTPA Coastal Studies Lab
South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center
Harlingen’s Arroyo Parks
Water treatment facilities
Texas Stream Team
Eco-tour boat-based filed trip/floating classroom
NOAA Data and educational resources
Arroyo Colorado Partnership resources
Map of South Padre Island
Andie Bowie Waste Water
Treatment Facility
SPI Birding
& Nature
Center
UTPA Coastal
Studies Lab
Laguna Madre Water District Waste Water Treatment Plant
Andie Bowie Facility
SPI Birding &
Nature Center
Laguna Madre
SPI Convention
Center
Laguna Madre Water District Waste Water Treatment Plant
Andie Bowie Facility
Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience
Harlingen teachers tour the Andie Bowie Waste Water Treatment Facility on SPI
Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience
South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center
Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience
Harlingen teachers visit the SPI Birding & Nature Center for bird watching and
water monitoring.
Water Monitoring Parameters
Temperature
Salinity
Turbidity
Dissolved Oxygen
pH
Biochemical Oxygen Demand
Nitrogen
Phosphorous
Coliform Bacteria
Bird Blind #3
Sampling Sites
Bird Blind #4
Laguna Madre
Bird Blind #5
Bird Blind #1
Bird Blind #6
Fresh water outflow
from wastewater
treatment plant
Bird Blind #7
Andie Bowie Wastewater
Treatment Facility
Padre Blvd
View of boardwalks and wetland from the
SPI Birding & Nature Center tower
Laguna Madre
Bird Blind #3
Bird Blind #2
Bird Blind #4
Bird Blind # 1
Drying beds
at the waste
water treatment
plant
View of water treatment facility from the
SPI Birding & Nature Center tower
Laguna Madre
Bird Blind #5
Bird Blind #6
Bird Blind #4
Fresh water output
from water treatment
facility
Drying beds
at waste
water treatment
facility
Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience
Harlingen teachers analyze water testing results @ UTPA Coastal Studies Lab
Biochemical Oxygen Demand
Coliform Bacteria
Results – October 13, 2012
Results – October 20, 2012
Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience
Harlingen teachers tour the UTPA Coastal Studies Lab