Waters to the Sea™: Trinity River A water education resource http://www.hamline.edu/education/cgee/waters-to-sea-trinity.html

Tracy Hollis Waters to the Sea Program Coordinator - Texas Center for Global Environmental Education (CGEE) Hamline University - St. Paul, Minnesota Fort Worth, Texas tdhdolphin@sbcglobal.net 817-239-2705 (cell)

Waters to the Sea™: Trinity River Engage in the rich, interactive, multimedia tool that will enhance social studies and science investigation for students in grade 4-8. Explores essential concepts about the Trinity River and its watershed. Brings to life the region’s environmental history and explores the relationship between human activities and the Trinity’s waters and ecological resources.

Different Ways to Use the Program in Your Classroom  Teacher Presentation Tool: Projecting the program’s content to the class using a computer projector, screen, and audio speakers.  Student Computer Lab Resource: All students in the class can use the program at once in a computer lab. Student Class Project Resource: Use the program as a resource for individual students to use as part of class projects or remediation  Student Exploration and Presentation: Have groups of students explore different sections of the program and then present those sections to the rest of the class using Waters to the Sea as a presentation tool.  Student Use at Home: Have students access the program individually at home via the internet

Elements Found in Teacher Guide Big Idea: The central watershed concepts explored in the interactive module Background information: A short introduction to the important ideas teachers need to know in order to effectively teach the watershed concepts in the module Learning Objectives: What the students will learn through their interactions with the module Essential Questions: These are the big, complex questions the module will explore. While the modules will not answer these essential questions, students will gain experiences and background knowledge necessary to investigate these questions. Vocabulary: Each module will define specific vocabulary words students need to know in order to successfully investigate that section. Discussion Questions: These questions will help you guide student discussions and probe for student understanding. In most cases, the questions are arranged so that they work progressively up Bloom’s taxonomy, becoming increasingly complex. Extension Activities: At the end of each section, you will find suggested activities that can help deepen student’s understanding of a concept, and provide an inquiry-based experience that makes use of the ideas in the modules.

TEKS Connections 7th Grade Science TEK 112.19 (SE) 7.8C 8. Earth and space: The student knows that natural events and human activity can impact Earth Systems. The student is expected to: (C) model the effects of human activity on groundwater and surface water in a watershed

TEKS Connections 8th Grade Science 8.11D Recognize human dependence on ocean systems and explain how human activities such as runoff, artificial reefs, or use of resources have modified these systems.   Trinity Bay

Important Facts About Our Watershed What is our human Impact on the Trinity River? The Trinity River headwaters are near the Texas-Oklahoma border in Clay, Archer, and Montague counties. Clear Fork, East Fork, Elm Fork & West Fork of the Trinity The Trinity River is 710 miles long and the watershed encompasses 18,000 square miles has 1,983 miles of tributaries, and includes all or parts of 38 TX counties Many human activities affect the Trinity River, including 22 reservoirs on the river to provide drinking water and flood control. Within the Trinity River Watershed, the Trinity River flows through five of the ten major ecosystems in Texas: Cross Timbers Forest, Blackland Prairie, Post Oak Savannah, Piney Woods and Gulf Costal Prairies and Wetlands, until it empties into the Trinity Bay east of Houston. The most populated river basin in Texas and it provides drinking water to nearly 8 million people

Trinity River Basin and Eco Regions Trinity River Basin (8) affects Five Ecoregions (8,5,4,3,2)

Are You in the GREEN?

Introductory Video to Trinity River Gives an introduction to the history of the Trinity River, what it looks like between the upper, middle and lower Trinity River and human impacts. The importance of the Trinity River and what part of Texas encompasses the Trinity River Watershed. Let’s Watch the Video! http://cgee.hamline.edu/waters2thesea/Trinity/

We are all UPSTREAM from Someone! What is a watershed?

Understanding Watersheds module “What is a watershed?” Understanding Watersheds module

What is ground water? What is surface water? How does water flow? Understanding the Water Cycle

What does a student need to understand before they can “model the effects of human activity on a watershed?” How do humans impact a watershed?

“What is groundwater?” “What is surface water?” “How does water flow?” Go to Upper Trinity Section Urban water cycle module Impervious Surfaces- Streets to Streams Transportation and Water Quality Water Re-use

“Human effects on a Watershed” Water Quality Lab Tutorial

“Human effects on a Watershed” Urban water cycle module Impervious Surfaces- Streets to Streams Transportation and Water Quality Water Re-use

“Human effects on a Watershed” Storm Water module Point and Non-Point Source Pollution

PLEASE GO ONLINE AND LIKE US ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE Waters to the Sea- Trinity River Educators https://www.facebook.com/groups/448164658657475/

Estuaries In the Balance The Texas Coastal Bend This is another wonderful production from the Center for Global Environmental Education and it focuses on the human impact on the estuaries as the Trinity River flows into the coastal bend areas around and into the Trinity Bay. cgee.hamline.edu/CoastalBendEstuaries

Other Resources Texas Agrilife Stream table Erosion model Enviroscape – And available from your City Environmental Services group Living with the Trinity (KERA) Lessons - water cycle, watersheds, water quality testing Project Wet Sum of All Parts Build a Watershed Texas Wildlife Association LANDS - Trinity River program

2016 Trinity River Summer Institute oc The River Institute takes place over three activity-filled days. Participants interact directly with professionals and have first-hand experiences withe Trinity River watershed that can be directly transferred to classroom practice. Core concepts in science will be explored, as well as activities and visualizations that engender student understanding of those concepts. Explore the interactive Waters to the Sea: Trinity River multimedia resource; Investigate human impact on water quality through macro invertebrate collection and study, and through chemical water testing Learn about watersheds in general and the importance of the Trinity River watershed in Texas; Find out what aquatic plants live in the Trinity River watershed; Participate in hands-on activities and spend 3 hours on the river in a kayak or canoe Estimated date: Week of June 8-10

Thank You for Your Time Tracy Hollis Please contact me if you have any questions about the WTTS program and conducting water education with your students Tracy Hollis Waters to the Sea Program –Texas Program Coordinator Center for Global Environmental Education (CGEE) Hamline University St. Paul, Minnesota| Fort Worth, Texas tdhdolphin@sbcglobal.net 817-239-2705 (cell)

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