In late September, 7th grade students assumed the role of environmental scientists at their Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE).  Students used science skills and knowledge to explore the overall health of the local ecosystem at Meadowlark Gardens by collecting data, communicating ideas, and later evaluating the data. Students practiced making observations and inferences and then used to create poems, FlipGrid videos, and scientific drawings. They explored the biodiversity of local plants and animals, determined the level of pollution in the water systems by discovering which macroinvertebrates survive there, tested the water quality of the stream using probeware tools to measure different water quality indices, and they examined the overall health of the local stream by documenting the features of its buffer zones. Back in the classroom, students work collaboratively to evaluate the collected data and then to reach a consensus regarding the overall health of our local watershed.

All seventh grade science students participate in MWEE. Whether a student is in honors science, teamed class, or a level 1-2 ESOL class, students engage in activities to help them observe the nature around them. This experience allowed students to explore the variety of interesting critters that live in the water at Meadow Lark Gardens. Not only did they get to examine organisms up close, but this experience also helped them gain a better appreciation of the importance of protecting their habitats.  It's not just a science experience but an overall educational experience. See MWEE up close in our photo gallery below.