Chesapeake Classrooms

Course Syllabus

Environmental Literacy for the Anne Arundel County Teachers

July 7th through July 11th 2014
ERO SRN #3361414002
Locations: All around Anne Arundel County
Join us for this unique professional Development opportunity as we spend 5 days
exploring the connections between our daily activities and the Ecology Chesapeake Bay
and Anne Arundel county watersheds. Hands-on investigations of underwater grass
beds, water quality investigations, canoeing, a tour and lunch at a local farm and a
school yard investigation will encompass our days. A tour of local storm water
management systems and storm water presentation will serve as highlights of the
course.
Course Leaders:
Tiffany Granberg, Education Program Manager, Chesapeake Bay Foundation
TGranberg@cbf.org Cell 443-614-2037
Will Williams, Outdoor Educator, Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center
wrwilliams1@aacps.org 410-222-3822; Cell (301)904-0350
Course Sponsor: Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Pre-reading: Life in the Chesapeake, Lipson & Lipson
CBF will provide each teacher participant with the Text, which will serve as our field guide
as we explore and discover the rich fauna and flora of the Severn River, Whitehall Bay
and Chesapeake Bay. Teachers will also be provided with a MWEE Guide, Environmental
Literacy Standards and a Field Journal to record activities, reflections and observations.
AACPS Environmental Literacy Blackboard Site: Environmental Literacy Resources
Middle School
Orientation Session: Wednesday May 21th 2014 4:30 6:00 PM

Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center

975 Indian landing Road
Millersville, MD 21108
410-222-3822

Day 1: Monday, July 7th 2014

Start Time:
Location:

8:30 am End Time 4:30 pm at Whitehall Creek

Great Room, Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center
975 Indian Landing Road
Millersville, MD

Agenda
8:30 am Group Intros - Overview of Agenda
Storm water management presentation Will Williams
Stormwater Restoration Site Tour - Carpool to Stormwater Sites
Drive to Whitehall Creek Stream Restoration Project
12 noon Arrive at Whitehall Creek - Lunch at Site
1:00 pm Site Exploration Activity and Water Quality Monitoring
2:00 pm Planting Project SAVs and Native Plants
4:00 pm Using issues investigation in curriculum
Watershed content:
What affect does storm water runoff have on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries?
How do we connect Environmental Literacy to the Core Content Curriculum?
How do we develop an Issues Investigation Plan?
Field Based Pedagogy:
Driving tour of Anne Arundel County with Arlington Echo staff to examine best/worst case scenarios of
storm water runoff and erosion control.
Storm water runoff activity
Watershed Demonstration
Overview of Environmental Literacy & Core Content Curriculum
Introduction to Issue investigation plan
Course credits and Final unit plan.
Application:
Storm water activity
Reflect on todays issues for application in classroom
Mapping skills
What you need for the Day:
Bring your own lunch & water bottle (snacks & drinks will be provided)
Wear comfortable clothes to be outside for a portion of the day
Wear comfortable shoes/boots for walking around outside, uneven terrain..
Cameras, field journals.

Day 2: Tuesday, July 8th 2014

Start Time 8:30 AM End Time 4:30pm at Roedown Farm, Davidsonville
Locations:
AM - Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
647 Contees Wharf Road Edgewater, Maryland 21037-0028 443-482-2200
PM- Roedown Farm
3856 Wayson Road, Davidsonville, MD
Agenda
8:30 am Introduction and overview of the SERC program
Wetland plants and their role in Climate Change studies
Plankton and Forest Ecology Activities
Earthworm Study
Invasive Species investigation
LUNCH Conclude the SERC portion of the day
Arrive at Roedown Farm Owner: Dr. Marko Bulmer
1:00 pm Overview of farm and sustainability concepts
Forest Buffer Restoration projects and the role AACPS students with the project
Macro invertebrate study in Davidsonville Branch
4:00 pm Environmental literacy application session.
Watershed Content:
What are the major functions of a wetland?
How are wetlands indicators of climate change?
How does invasive species alter the ecology of our landscape?
What roles do the Macro-invertebrates play in stream ecology
How can we live sustainably?
How can agriculture help support natural systems
Field Based Pedagogy:
Wet land investigation
Macro invertebrate study
Tree study/ activities
Land use investigation
Application:
Connecting what we have learned so far to Environmental Literacy and Core Content Curriculum
Homework:
Whats in your lunch, waste reduction activity
What you need for the day:
Wear clothes & shoes that are comfortable walking around outside all day.
Bring a reusable water bottle, and your lunch. Snacks & drinks provided. Bring pair of boots or old sneakers for
the stream if you have them we have extras. Sun protection, hat, sun block, lightweight long sleeves.
Cameras. Field journal

Day 3: Wednesday, July 9th 2014

Start Time 8:30 am End Time 4:30 pm at Annapolis Maritime Museum
Location: Annapolis Maritime Museum
723 Second Street, Annapolis, MD 21401 410-295-0104
Agenda
8:30 am Meet at museum review agenda for the day. Use rest rooms and get ready.
10:00 am Board vessel Marguerite, safety talk, departs for the Severn..
Water quality investigation on the Severn River
Fully immerse ourselves into the water to wade into shore
Underwater grass bed investigation and biological sampling
Seining for fish
LUNCH on the Boattrash free lunch challenge
Whats in your lunch, Waste Reduction Activity
Tolleys Point Oyster Reef for dredging and historical, ecological and economical investigation of
our iconic Eastern Oyster.
2:00 pm Return to AMM
Change clothes
AMM Program overview and activity with Josh Falk, AMM Education Director
4:00 pm Application session
4:30 pm Depart
Watershed Content:
What is the health of the Severn River and it underwater grassbeds?
What role do oysters play in the ecology of Chesapeake Bay?
How can we Assess the water quality through abiotic and bioitic sampling?
What is the current status of the oyster population in Chesapeake Bay?
What type of oyster restoration efforts are taking place?
What is the cultural importance of oysters in Maryland?
Field Based Pedagogy:
Dredging for Oysters & oyster reef ecology on Tolleys Point
Curriculum training and oyster investigations at the Maritime Museum in Eastport
SAV investigation, seining, and obtaining water quality data on the Severn River with John Page
Williams, CBFs Senior Naturalist
Application:
Processing water quality data and how to utilize it in an Issues Investigation Plan
What you need for the day:
Bring a lunch & water bottle (snacks & drinks provided). HAT/sun screen/sun protection/sun glasses. Wear
clothes that are comfortable and that can get wet while on the boat. Wear closed toe shoes NO FLIP FLOPS
allowed on boat-. Wear a bathing suit or something you can wear to wade into the water, chest deep. Bring
a pair of shoes that you will wear into the water. Bring Towel and a change of clothes for the drive home.

Day 4:Thursday, July 10th 2014

Start Time: 8:30 am End time: 4:30 at Truxton Park
Locations:
Morning: Truxton Park, Spa Creek Boat ramp
Truxton Park Road off of Primrose Road, Annapolis, Md. 21403
Afternoon: Bates Middle School
701 Chase Street, Annapolis Maryland 21401
Agenda
8:30 am Meet and unload canoes and gear
Forest Ecology and Tree Activities
Paddle introduction, instruction and canoe safety
Load up and depart.
Exploration on Spa Creek to Ego Alley
Return to Truxton Park and Drive to Bates Middle School
LUNCH
Watershed Model and Storm Water Run-off Activity
CBF School Yard Report Card
Access to Bates MS classroom for presentation on Anne Arundel County GIS
Application Session for Environmental Literacy
4:30 pm Depart for the day
Watershed Content:
How do we determine the health of a forest?
What are activities teachers can do with trees on their campus?
How does land use affect the health of Spa Creek, a tributary of the Severn River?
How does my school yard affect the health of the Bay?
How can I utilize my schoolyard to teach about the environment?
What is GIS? How can I use it in my classroom?
Field Based Pedagogy:
Canoeing on Spa Creek
Forestry/tree activities
School yard Report Card at Bates Middle School
Storm water run-off activity
GIS overview
Application session for Environmental Literacy
Application:
Using your schoolyard in your Issues Investigation Plan
What you need for the day:
Bring your own lunch & water bottle (snacks & drinks provided)
Wear clothes & shoes that are comfortable for walking around outside and for canoeing (clothes & shoes that
can get wet/dirty)

Day 5: Friday July 11th 2014

Start Time

8:30 AM End Time: 4:30 PM

Location:

Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center

975 Indian Landing Road, Millersville, Maryland 21108

Agenda
9:00 am Meet in Dining Hall
Pick up PDFs and Paddles Boathouse Unload Canoes at Waterfront
Exploration of Upper Severn River and Severn Run
Biological survey using Fish Shocking activity with Ross Williams, DNR Fisheries Biologist
Weeks reflection using water color postcard activity
Return to Arlington Echo
Lunch - Cook out provided by Arlington Echo Sides and desserts welcome
Art Integration the Chesapeake and Environmental Literacy
Work Session for Final project ideas
4:00 pm

Wrap up the course/Final Evaluation and Course Paperwork

Watershed Content:
How does Anne Arundel County affect the ecology of Chesapeake Bay?
What is the health of the upper Severn River?
How can I bring in the Arts into this Project?
Where can I go and who can assist me in my Issues Investigation Plan in Anne Arundel County?
Field Based Pedagogy:
Canoeing on the upper Severn River
Fish sampling on the upper Severn (fish shocking collection demonstration)
Freshwater water quality sampling
Arts Integration
Application:
Development of an Issues Investigation Plan that incorporates Environmental Literacy to the Core
Content Curriculum
What you will need for the day:
Lunch will be provided by Arlington Echo staff sides and desserts welcome
Bring a reusable water bottle
Wear clothes that can get wet & dirty while canoeing in the morning and shoes to walk around in the water.
Bring a complete change of clothes & shoes and a towel for after canoeing until the end of the day.

Final Project:
Develop a Project Based Learning Unit: See packet.

Instructors:
Will Williams, Outdoor Educator Chesapeake Connections
Office of Environmental Literacy and Outdoor Education
Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center
975 Indian Landing Road
Millersville, MD 21108
wrwilliams1@aacps.org
410-222-3822
Cell: 301-904-0350
Tiffany Granberg, Educator
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
6 Herndon Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21403
tgranberg@cbf.org
(443) 614-2014
Guest Instructors:
SERC:
Josh Falk Annapolis Maritime Museum,

jfalk@amaritime.org

Dr. Marko Bulmer Roedown Farm mbulmer@umbc.edu

Ross Williams Maryland DNR Fisheries rosswilliams@dnr.state.md.us

AACPS Environmental Literacy Orientation Session

Wednesday May 21st 2014
4:30 to 6:00pm
Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center
975 Indian landing Road
Millersville, MD 21108
410-222-3822
Welcome
Ice breaker- Will
Review Agenda- Tiffany
Project Framework
AACPS Environmental Literacy PlanMelanie Parker
IWEM- CBfs approach to Issue Investigation- Mentor Teacher, Tiff
Course Outcomes
Work product- Melanie/Will
Credit options- Tiff
Curriculum Module Development Teams- Mel
Submitting Work- Melanie, Mentor teacher
Q&A
Distribute materials
AACPS Environmental Literacy Overview
CBFs Meaningful Watershed Experience Guide
Life in the Chesapeake, Lipson and Lipson
Satellite Map
Watershed Map
Chesapeake bay Trust Grant