Nsea's place-based watershed science program students for salmon (SFS) is a partnership between whatcom county fourth grade classrooms in public, private and tribal schools and nsea staff

The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) will receive $289,000 through a two-year Project Grant award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the Marine Sanctuary Program (CFDA 11.429). NSEA will implement a six-month, 40-hour professional development series for Whatcom County fourth grade teachers focused on watershed science. NSEA staff and community partners will provide hands-on training to help teachers successfully implement an updated, place-based curriculum that aligns with climate science standards and incorporates Indigenous knowledge. The curriculum will be piloted through NSEA's established Students for Salmon program, a partnership integrating 12 outdoor lessons into fourth grade classrooms. The grant aims to maximize student experience by equipping teachers to facilitate both classroom and outdoor learning on salmon habitat and watersheds.

Over the course of 5-6 weeks each classroom is provided both classroom and outdoor activities facilitated by sea staff in tandem with teachers leading 12 outdoor lessons from a four-unit curriculum. Recently the curriculum has been updated by a group of western washington university students to better align with climate science standards, incorporate social justice and indigenous science, and to further connect local resources. Nsea staff is anxious to pilot the new curriculum and have identified the NOAA b-wet grant as an ideal opportunity to set teachers up for success by providing in-depth training, ultimately maximizing the experience for students. Therefore, the proposed 6-month professional development series (~40 hours/10 sessions) led by nsea staff and community partners will provide hands-on…