San Joaquin River Watershed Institute


	Institute Summary: The San Joaquin River Watershed Institute seeks to create environmentally literate and engaged citizens in Fresno County by integrating watershed education into school curriculum. Educators will be assisted in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to teach students about the watersheds in which they reside and implement successful service-learning projects. Standards based watershed curriculum focusing on Fresno County will be developed that integrates science, history, language arts, and visual arts and promotes the mastery of California academic content standards and California’s Environmental Principals and Concepts. Environmental Education Certificate The Institute offers an Environmental Education Certificate upon the completion of 6 Continuing Education Units^* of Professional Development. Workshops are offered on weekends, some evenings, and during the summer. Courses are taught by experienced teachers and local experts and include field tours of the San Joaquin River watershed. The workshops are highly interactive and follow a seminar and field course style rather than lecture format. 2007-2008 Workshops: Environmental Action Project Workshop Preregistration A seminar for educators to come together and plan environmental action projects that can be implemented at school sites and in the community for the school year. Topics discussed will include Composting, Native Plant Nurseries, School Gardens, Recycling, Energy, Water Quality Testing, Bioassessment, Ecosystem Restoration and San Joaquin River Trash Reduction. Teachers will develop a project plan to improve the quality of the environment at their school and/or in their community (1 CEU). Please contact the coordinator about participating in this seminar. A date will be arranged with participants. Environmental Education Science Fair Projects Preregistration A seminar for educators to come together and learn about the Fresno County Science Fair program. Participants will learn how to develop projects that address environmental issues (1 CEU). Please contact the coordinator about participating in this seminar. A date will be arranged with participants. Basic Canoeing Preregistration In cooperation with the United States Canoe Association and RiverTree Volunteers the San Joaquin River Stewardship Program is pleased to offer an instructional program in canoeing. The instructional program teaches participants basic canoeing skills and water safety. Upon completion of the training session students will be awarded a certificate. This workshop prepares teachers to assist in the instructional program. Teachers will complete the basic canoeing course and develop lesson plans for canoeing activities. (1CEU). Please contact the coordinator about participating in this workshop. A date will be arranged with participants. Interpretive Canoeing Preregistration The interpretive canoeing program provides canoe trips that help students make connections between California Water Resources, native flora and fauna, ecosystem health, and the challenges of river restoration. Paddling though the “metro-wilderness” of Fresno, students will witness a wide variety of wildlife, see native plants in their natural habitat, and experience the wonder of the river landscape. This workshop prepares teachers to assist in the interpretive program. Teachers will take an interpretive canoe trip and develop lesson plans for interpretive trips appropriate to their grade level. (1CEU). Please contact the coordinator about participating in this workshop. A date will be arranged with participants. Salmonids in the Classroom Registration Salmonids in the Classroom are a project-based program for grades K-12. Students raise trout or salmon from eggs to small fish in their classrooms, and then release the fish into the San Joaquin River. Students cooperatively learn about the life cycle of salmon and trout and their habitat needs. By understanding the need to conserve habitats, students become stewards of local watersheds and can make informed decisions in the future. This workshop equips teachers to plan and implement Salmonids in the Classroom Project and develops Salmon curriculum for the classroom (1 CEU). This meeting will be held at Scout Island Education Center on Tuesday, October 23, 2007, 5-9 pm. (An additional meeting date will be arranged at the workshop.) Service-Learning and Ecosystem Restoration Registration This workshop will assist teachers in planning and implementing an environmental service- learning project. After an introduction to service-learning in the Scout Island classroom teachers will tour restoration areas at Scout Island and Meyers Water Bank & Wildlife Project. Training will be provided in collecting native plant seeds, propagating native plants from cuttings, growing native plants at school nurseries, and planning a restoration day for students (1 CEU). This workshop will be held at Scout Island Education Center and Meyers Water Bank & Wildlife Project on Saturday November 3, 2007, 8 am to 5 pm. NatureMapping Preregistration NatureMapping is a national program that engages students and teachers in studying the biodiversity of the natural environment. Participants are taught to identify plants and wildlife, record their location using GPS units, and input data into a database that can be used for classroom activities and shared with others. (For more information about NatureMapping visit the website, http://www.depts.washington.edu/natmap/.) NatureMapping is a great way to engage students in hands-on learning activities that meet academic standards and promote an appreciation for nature. This event will be held at the Meyers Water Bank & Wildlife Project on Saturday February 3, 2008, 8 am- 5 pm. Environmental Education for Students with Disabilities Preregistration An introduction to environmental education for educators working with students with special needs. Emphasis will be placed on activities and field trips available for special education students at Scout Island Education Center and Meyers Water Bank & Wildlife Project (1 CEU). This event will be held at the Scout Island Education Center on Saturday, March 2, 2008, 8 am-5 pm Summer Watershed Institute Preregistration A week long introduction to California Water Resources and the San Joaquin River Watershed “From the Sierra to the Sea”. Teachers will be exploring the San Joaquin River on a series of tours, meeting with Native Americans, water resource professionals, farmers, environmental organizations, and developing curriculum (1-4 CEU). Mark your calendar for July 15-19, 2008. Contact Information Steve Starcher, Coordinator sstarcher@kermantel.net Phone: 559.289.8874 Fax: 559.842.8338 Continuing Education Units are offered through Fresno Pacific University School of Professional Development. 1 CEU is awarded for every 18 hours of study. In addition to attendance at an 8 hour workshop 10 hours of lesson plan preparation is required. The San Joaquin River Watershed Institute is a project of Central Unified School District and the Fresno County Office of Education. The Institute is hosted at Scout Island Education Center in Fresno and is funded by a grant from the CALFED Bay-Delta Watershed Program. Visitors: 9986 Site Map

Institute Summary:

The San Joaquin River Watershed Institute seeks to create environmentally literate and engaged citizens in Fresno County by integrating watershed education into school curriculum. Educators will be assisted in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to teach students about the watersheds in which they reside and implement successful service-learning projects. Standards based watershed curriculum focusing on Fresno County will be developed that integrates science, history, language arts, and visual arts and promotes the mastery of California academic content standards and California’s Environmental Principals and Concepts.

Environmental Education Certificate

The Institute offers an Environmental Education Certificate upon the completion of 6 Continuing Education Units^* of Professional Development. Workshops are offered on weekends, some evenings, and during the summer. Courses are taught by experienced teachers and local experts and include field tours of the San Joaquin River watershed. The workshops are highly interactive and follow a seminar and field course style rather than lecture format.

2007-2008 Workshops:

Environmental Action Project Workshop Preregistration
A seminar for educators to come together and plan environmental action projects that can be implemented at school sites and in the community for the school year. Topics discussed will include Composting, Native Plant Nurseries, School Gardens, Recycling, Energy, Water Quality Testing, Bioassessment, Ecosystem Restoration and San Joaquin River Trash Reduction. Teachers will develop a project plan to improve the quality of the environment at their school and/or in their community (1 CEU). Please contact the coordinator about participating in this seminar. A date will be arranged with participants.

Environmental Education Science Fair Projects Preregistration
A seminar for educators to come together and learn about the Fresno County Science Fair program. Participants will learn how to develop projects that address environmental issues (1 CEU). Please contact the coordinator about participating in this seminar. A date will be arranged with participants.

Basic Canoeing Preregistration
In cooperation with the United States Canoe Association and RiverTree Volunteers the San Joaquin River Stewardship Program is pleased to offer an instructional program in canoeing. The instructional program teaches participants basic canoeing skills and water safety. Upon completion of the training session students will be awarded a certificate. This workshop prepares teachers to assist in the instructional program. Teachers will complete the basic canoeing course and develop lesson plans for canoeing activities. (1CEU). Please contact the coordinator about participating in this workshop. A date will be arranged with participants.

Interpretive Canoeing Preregistration
The interpretive canoeing program provides canoe trips that help students make connections between California Water Resources, native flora and fauna, ecosystem health, and the challenges of river restoration. Paddling though the “metro-wilderness” of Fresno, students will witness a wide variety of wildlife, see native plants in their natural habitat, and experience the wonder of the river landscape. This workshop prepares teachers to assist in the interpretive program. Teachers will take an interpretive canoe trip and develop lesson plans for interpretive trips appropriate to their grade level. (1CEU). Please contact the coordinator about participating in this workshop. A date will be arranged with participants.

Salmonids in the Classroom Registration
Salmonids in the Classroom are a project-based program for grades K-12. Students raise trout or salmon from eggs to small fish in their classrooms, and then release the fish into the San Joaquin River. Students cooperatively learn about the life cycle of salmon and trout and their habitat needs. By understanding the need to conserve habitats, students become stewards of local watersheds and can make informed decisions in the future. This workshop equips teachers to plan and implement Salmonids in the Classroom Project and develops Salmon curriculum for the classroom (1 CEU). This meeting will be held at Scout Island Education Center on Tuesday, October 23, 2007, 5-9 pm. (An additional meeting date will be arranged at the workshop.)

Service-Learning and Ecosystem Restoration Registration
This workshop will assist teachers in planning and implementing an environmental service- learning project. After an introduction to service-learning in the Scout Island classroom teachers will tour restoration areas at Scout Island and Meyers Water Bank & Wildlife Project. Training will be provided in collecting native plant seeds, propagating native plants from cuttings, growing native plants at school nurseries, and planning a restoration day for students (1 CEU). This workshop will be held at Scout Island Education Center and Meyers Water Bank & Wildlife Project on Saturday November 3, 2007, 8 am to 5 pm.

NatureMapping Preregistration
NatureMapping is a national program that engages students and teachers in studying the biodiversity of the natural environment. Participants are taught to identify plants and wildlife, record their location using GPS units, and input data into a database that can be used for classroom activities and shared with others. (For more information about NatureMapping visit the website, http://www.depts.washington.edu/natmap/.) NatureMapping is a great way to engage students in hands-on learning activities that meet academic standards and promote an appreciation for nature. This event will be held at the Meyers Water Bank & Wildlife Project on Saturday February 3, 2008, 8 am- 5 pm.

Environmental Education for Students with Disabilities Preregistration
An introduction to environmental education for educators working with students with special needs. Emphasis will be placed on activities and field trips available for special education students at Scout Island Education Center and Meyers Water Bank & Wildlife Project (1 CEU). This event will be held at the Scout Island Education Center on Saturday, March 2, 2008, 8 am-5 pm

Summer Watershed Institute Preregistration
A week long introduction to California Water Resources and the San Joaquin River Watershed “From the Sierra to the Sea”. Teachers will be exploring the San Joaquin River on a series of tours, meeting with Native Americans, water resource professionals, farmers, environmental organizations, and developing curriculum (1-4 CEU). Mark your calendar for July 15-19, 2008.

Contact Information
Steve Starcher, Coordinator
sstarcher@kermantel.net
Phone: 559.289.8874
Fax: 559.842.8338

Continuing Education Units are offered through Fresno Pacific University School of Professional Development. 1 CEU is awarded for every 18 hours of study. In addition to attendance at an 8 hour workshop 10 hours of lesson plan preparation is required.

The San Joaquin River Watershed Institute is a project of Central Unified School District and the Fresno County Office of Education. The Institute is hosted at Scout Island Education Center in Fresno and is funded by a grant from the CALFED Bay-Delta Watershed Program.

Visitors: 9986

Site Map