Red Streams Blue School Program A project of the Brandywine Valley Association

If you could tomorrow morning make water clean in the world, you would have done, in one fell swoop, the best thing you could have done for improving human health by improving environmental quality. - William C. Clark, speech, Racine, Wisconsin, April 1988

What is Red Streams Blue? The goal of the Red Streams Blue Program is to ensure that all streams in the Brandywine Watershed meet PA water quality standards. Our map shows the streams that do not meet water quality standards in red. Blue streams meet the standards. The Brandywine Creek is the drinking water source for much of Chester County as well as Wilmington, Delaware. The Brandywine Creek provides recreation for many residents, including fishing kayaking and swimming. The Brandywine Creek and its tributaries provide habitat and natural corridors for wildlife. The beauty of the Brandywine Watershed is an important natural resource.

What is the Red Streams Blue (RSB) School Program? An interdisciplinary program engaging an entire grade level in watershed dynamics. 2 hour program has introduction, 8 stations, and closing Emphasis on taking personal action to improve water quality

The Program

Whole Group Introduction Who uses water? What do we use it for? We begin by exploring why water is important to us.

The Station Rotations  8 stations  Each station is about 12 minutes  Facilitated by trained parent volunteers  Each station includes demonstrations and/or active participation  Utilizes mapping, math, science, modeling, observation, simulation

Where in the World: Seeing where we live and what bodies of water our actions may affect

Water Limits & Cycles: Measuring how much of the world’s water is potable and how it cycles.

Community Water Cycle: Tracing the flow of water from the creek to our homes and businesses and back to the creek

Macro Mayhem: Checking out stream macroinvertebrates as indicators of water quality

Food Web: Seeing how organisms are interdependent

Runoff Runoff: A look at how development affects water quality

Erosion Explosion: Seeing how runoff causes erosion

Home Improvements: ways to improve water quality in our own backyards BeforeAfter

Curriculum extensions Plant a rain garden on campus Design, paint and install rain barrels Take part in a storm drain stenciling project Measure home water usage and rooftop runoff Do a stream water quality study

Endorsements: Comments from teachers and parent volunteers They GOT it! It was such a great afternoon for the students and yes, we definitely want this to happen again next year. Thanks for making a difference! Thank you for a very informative and engaging day! I thought the entire program was an eye opener for all who participated, including myself! This was a really great experience for everyone. I had a great time and learned SO much. You run an excellent program that sends home an important message! The stations were exactly what I was hoping to review before PSSAs, so this material is perfect for us. I already want to do it again next year. I am embarrassed to admit I learned a lot Thanks a million for an awesome day! You really made this a fun, interactive, learning day (for both kids and grown-ups). Watershed is such an important concept and something that kids at this age can really understand.

How to? For schools outside of the Brandywine Watershed, please contact Connie Nye to arrange and for pricing. For grant-sponsored Brandywine Watershed Schools: 1 st year: free of charge 2 nd year: ½ price of $250 3 rd year & beyond: full price of $500 School recruits parent volunteers BVA rep sets up training and trains volunteers prior to program Volunteers run program, facilitated by BVA rep

Anything else you're interested in is not going to happen if you can't breathe the air and drink the water. Don't sit this one out. Do something. You are by accident of fate alive at an absolutely critical moment in the history of our planet." - Carl Sagan

For more information, contact: Red Streams Blue Brandywine Valley Association 1760 Unionville-Wawaset Road West Chester, PA

For more information, contact: Connie Nye Sweet Water Education Events Training (SWEET) Downingtown, PA