Using GIS as Ladders to Environmental Learning.. What a Joy!

[BonnieBracey-Sutton1]

I am Bonnie Bracey Sutton, a retired educator working in the community space of the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly in SW Washington , DC. I recently have completed NatGeo's online course using a bunch of field trip experiences I had with students to the Baltimore Aquarium, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center | Understanding Ecosystems for a Sustainable Future , and using this lesson Watersheds 101 | Ecosystems on the Edge  and a hands on lesson Group Programs | Smithsonian Environmental Research Center , Shoreline Connection with students who had no experience in environmental science.

It was the fight of my life to get this done. No one was interested in science or the environment in leadership 

in the council housing, but SW BID, did an activity at the Duck Pond that was the beginning of the study of ponds, rivers , and estuaries that we followed at the pond, then on the Potomac and then on the river at SErc.

We loved this video. The Science of Where
https://images.app.goo.gl/ACLswhwnsZuc6vno7

Most of the children did not know much about water, watersheds, estuaries or GIS, so we began to study the Chesapeake Bay and how we are a part of the watershed.The National Botanical Ga

We built a town and studied watershed runoff.. and saw some GIS imagining after storms.at the National Botanical Gardens.

We studied using lessons from MWEES.

https://doee.dc.gov/page/meaningful-watershed-educational-experiences-mwees 

Department of Energy & Environment

We used maps and resources on the internet and GIS location to explore, explain and examine the Chesapeake Bay

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/topics/resource-library-watershed/?q=&page=1&per_page=25

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/hires/sea-level-climate-change-and-chesapeake-bay/

I had no funds and no one was interested so I found a couple of resources in a grant from the youth activities task force  part of SWNA.( Southwest Neighborhood assembly)

Our final field trip was to the Baltimore Aquarium. Such joy they had

. We  used GIS, Geography, History and we had an Eat a Crab Lab.

The children loved their map collection, the use of GIS and the learning about

rivers to the sea.

I can not begin to share how difficult it was to do these trips. Churches and

SWNA made it possible.

I could do a lot better if connected to an organization.

This was for me a must do set of trips.  I did not have access to students.

DC Schools the public schools are difficult to work with.

How do I get to do this work in DC?

[CharlieFitzpatrick]

Rock on Bonnie! Never give up. The kids can "get it" even if adults won't let them ... sneak it to 'em! After-school clubs, posters, teaching by osmosis ... they can get the picture. Slower, perhaps, but less bound up.