The proposed project is for the design and planned integration of systemic and sustainable MWEES into a newly created 9TH grade environmental science scope and sequence

IT will be led by the fairmount water works interpretive center (FWWIC) in partnership with the school district of philadelphia (SDP). The outcome of this project is for SDP students to have the opportunity for local, authentic and experiential learning experiences that meet the new PA environmental literacy and sustainability (E L & S) standards, including the mwee, in 9TH grade. Part of the project will include professional development for district high school environmental science teachers to advance their skills and understanding of the mwee framework and how to implement IT in the classroom with fidelity. Resources for the new course content, including any new or modified learning experiences, will continue the learning pathway already provided in fwwics understanding the urban watershed curriculum (4-8). The mwee opportunity will be embedded in the existing SDP science core curriculum. Mwee opportunities will be created in collaboration with the science specialists in the SDP office of curriculum and instruction along with content experts from the philadelphia water department and city of philadelphia office of sustainability. Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, the pennsylvania department of education is requiring the implementation of new standards, titled steels (science, technology and engineering, and environmental literacy and sustainability). One major component of the new E L & S component of the standards is the integration of meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEES) by grade band. The districts adopted core curriculum resource does not address the E L & S standards nor MWEES. This grant project will do so. The new MWEES and E L & S performance expectations will use the local watershed as its context for exploring the environment. Fairmount water works interpretive center is uniquely qualified to do this work. They are content experts in watershed education and education for sustainability. They currently partner with the SDP office of curriculum and instruction on understanding the urban watershed, a curriculum for elementary and middle grades, which is already aligned with E L & S standards.