Project Grant NA26NOSX429G0002

ORGANIZATION: HIGH DESERT MUSEUM, 59800 S. HIGHWAY 97, BEND, OREGON, 97702 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: DANA WHITELAW, PH.D., EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HIGH DESERT MUSEUM, 541-382-4754, EXT. 326, DWHITELAW@HIGHDESERTMUSEUM.ORG PROJECT TITLE: LAYING THE GROUNDWORK PROJECT DURATION: AUGUST 1, 2025-JULY 31, 2027 PROGRAM PRIORITY: 1. SYSTEMIC CLASSROOM-INTEGRATED MEANINGFUL WATERSHED EDUCATION EXPERIENCES (MWEES) FOR K-12 STUDENTS THAT PROMOTE CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND INCLUDE HIGH-QUALITY TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RELATED TO THE MWEES. PROGRAM OVERVIEW: LAYING THE GROUNDWORK WILL TRANSFORM RURAL STUDENTS ACCESS TO MEANINGFUL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES IN CENTRAL OREGON, FOSTERING CARE FOR LOCAL WATERSHEDS AND FACILITATING CLIMATE RESILIENCY. RURAL FAMILIES IN OUR REGION ARE LARGELY DEPENDENT ON PRIVATE WELLS FOR WATER, AND AS A RESULT, THEY ARE SOME OF THE FIRST COMMUNITIES TO BE IMPACTED BY DECLINING LEVELS OF GROUNDWATER DUE TO INCREASED DEMANDS. THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE, THE HIGH DESERT MUSEUM WILL PARTNER WITH RURAL SCHOOLS TO CULTIVATE THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH THIS RELEVANT AND IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE. IN AUGUST 2025, THE MUSEUM WILL HOST A FIVE-DAY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP FOR SIX TEAMS OF UPPER ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS THAT WILL BUILD KNOWLEDGE OF GROUNDWATER SYSTEMS; MODEL FIELD EXPERIENCES; CONNECT TEACHERS TO A WIDE RANGE OF PERSPECTIVES, SUCH AS SCIENTISTS, TRIBAL NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGERS, AND AGRICULTURALISTS; AND BUILD TEACHER CONFIDENCE IN IMPLEMENTING MWEES. TEACHERS WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE WORKSHOP IN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAMS TO SUPPORT THE INTEGRATION OF THIS PROGRAM INTO THEIR SCHOOLS. OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, MUSEUM EDUCATORS AND PROJECT PARTNERS WILL SUPPORT TEACHERS IN IMPLEMENTING MWEES IN THEIR CLASSROOMS AND DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE CURRICULAR UNITS. THROUGH THE MWEES, TEACHERS AND MUSEUM EDUCATORS WILL GUIDE STUDENTS IN DEFINING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE THROUGH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH THAT CONSIDERS MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES; PROVIDE OUTDOOR FIELD EXPERIENCES THAT ENABLE STUDENTS TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT THEIR OWN INQUIRIES AND DATA-COLLECTING PLANS; SUPPORT STUDENTS IN DEVELOPING EVIDENCE-BASED CLAIMS; AND EMPOWER STUDENTS TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT AN ACTION PLAN. EXPERIENCES WILL INCORPORATE EMERGING PRACTICES FOR ENGAGING RURAL STUDENTS IN LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT BUILD ON THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES. AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM, TWELVE TEACHERS FROM RURAL SCHOOLS IN CENTRAL OREGON WILL BE EQUIPPED TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN THE SCIENTIFIC, HISTORICAL, AND SOCIAL CONTEXTS OF GROUNDWATER AND GUIDE STUDENTS IN DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING ACTION PROJECTS. OVER 300 STUDENTS WILL INCREASE THEIR INTEREST IN LEARNING, ADVANCE THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, AND FEEL A GREATER SENSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY. IN THE LONG-TERM, THIS INITIATIVE WILL CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY LITERATE PUBLIC AND GREATER CLIMATE RESILIENCY WITHIN RURAL COMMUNITIES. PARTNERSHIPS: THE MUSEUM WILL PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS IN RURAL CENTRAL OREGON TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM. WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING WITH THESE SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT THE INTEGRATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND STEM FIELDS, AND THIS INITIATIVE BUILDS ON OUR PRIOR WORK TOGETHER. IN ADDITION, A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERTS AND KNOWLEDGE HOLDERS WILL PROVIDE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES TO THE PROJECT, INCLUDING SCIENTISTS, TRIBAL NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGERS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS. WE WILL ALSO BUILD ON LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS IN THE REGION, INCLUDING THE CHILDRENS FOREST OF CENTRAL OREGON AND UPPER DESCHUTES WATERSHED COUNCIL. TOTAL FEDERAL FUNDS REQUESTED: $99,952 / TOTAL PROJECT COST: $99,952 COST PER STUDENT: $333 / COST PER TEACHER: $8,329