This project will achieve a district-wide increase in authentic and locally relevant science educational experiences for all 5TH grade students in east wenatchee, washington leading to student-led…

This two-year, $298,908 project grant from the Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will fund the Cascade Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group to deliver meaningful watershed educational experiences and curriculum integration for all 5th grade students in the East Wenatchee, Washington school district. The goal is to increase authentic, locally relevant science education and student-led stewardship actions to improve local watersheds and recover imperiled salmon populations. Teachers will receive professional development and partnerships will be established with diverse community organizations to confidently implement multidisciplinary teaching approaches serving students of all abilities and backgrounds. Through outdoor investigations of local streams and schoolyards, students will gain knowledge about regional salmon, watershed phenomena, human impacts, Indigenous culture and history. This will lead to the development of stewardship actions addressing issues identified throughout the school year. The funding opportunity aligns with the Marine Sanctuary Program's objective to support monitoring programs tailored to each sanctuary's information needs involving natural processes and human influences on water, habitat and living resources.

This project will achieve a district-wide increase in authentic and locally relevant science educational experiences for all 5TH grade students in east wenatchee, washington leading to student-led stewardship action to improve our watersheds and recover imperiled salmon. Teachers will confidently implement multidisciplinary teaching through meaningful watershed educational experiences (mwees) and curriculum integration to better serve student populations of all learning abilities and cultural backgrounds. Students will gain knowledge about local salmon and watershed phenomena, effects of human impacts, regional indigenous culture, knowledge, and history, and participate in outdoor investigations of local streams and their own schoolyards leading to the development of stewardship actions addressing issues identified throughout the school year. This funding opportunity will provide professional development (PD) and partnerships with a diverse range of community partners for 5TH grade TE