Debra Weitzel teaches environmental science at Middleton High School in Middleton, Wisconsin. Debra won the 2007 Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award, presented annually by the National Environmental Education Foundation to an outstanding educator who has successfully integrated environmental education into the curriculum.

This week, April 12-18, is National Environmental Education Week (EE Week.) EE Week promotes understanding and protection of the natural world by actively engaging K-12 students and educators in an inspired week of environmental learning before Earth Day. This year’s theme is Be Water Wise! To learn more or get involved, visit www.eeweek.org.

Ride the WAV
By Debra Weitzel

Have you ever engaged students in water testing during a water resources unit, collected data, and then moved on to a new unit? What happened to all the data the students collected? Did you only collect data once that year, during that one unit on water?

At Middleton High School (WI) my AP and general Environmental Science students are monitoring Pheasant Branch Creek, both during the water resources unit, and as part of the Water Action Volunteers (WAV). WAV is citizen science initiative and associated database maintained by the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

Continue reading “EE Week Guest Blogger Series: Ride the WAV”