MWEE Programs
SEF regularly works with schools to develop in-depth citizen science programs in which students conduct a long-term investigation of a local waterway following NOAA’s Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) curriculum model. Throughout the course of their investigation, students participate in a variety of classroom-based lesson plans and field experiences led by Foundation staff members that address current issues facing local waterways, produce tangible water quality data, and culminate in the implementation of student-led action projects to improve water quality and educate the public about local environmental challenges facing their community.
KCPS 4th MWEE: Changing Chesapeake
Changing Chesapeake MWEE Booklet
Changing Chesapeake is a systemic MWEE program for Kent County’s 4th grade students that explores how human activities on land have impacted the health of the Chesapeake Bay over the past four centuries. The program consists of both classroom-based lesson plans and field experiences, and culminates with student-led action projects in which participants work to improve water quality in a local tributary and educate the public about modern challenges impacting the Chesapeake ecosystem.
As part of the program, students visit the Holt Education Center, where they learn about watersheds, the relationship between land use and water quality, and actions people can take to protect the environment. The second field experience at Turner’s Creek allows students to hike, explore tributaries in canoes, and observe how erosion affects water quality and aquatic life. These experiences connect directly to the students’ classroom unit on erosion, deepening their understanding of how natural processes and human activities shape the health of our nation’s largest estuary.
LINK to Google Slide Deck that accompanies the Student Handbook for the Changing Chesapeake MWEE.
Funding Source: The Veverka Family Foundation, Chesapeake Bay Trust
KCPS 7th MWEE: Watershed Watch
Watershed Watch is a systemic MWEE program for Kent County’s 7th grade students in which participants investigate the health of the Radcliffe Creek Watershed and take action to improve the environment. Through hands-on field studies and classroom instruction, students assess water quality, explore human impacts on the watershed, and develop action projects focused on community awareness, restoration, activism, and educating younger students.
The program includes three field experiences, each accompanied by pre- and post-lesson plans. Students begin their investigation at Gateway Park, located at the headwaters of Radcliffe Creek, where they determine the stream’s health through a land use survey, water chemistry tests, a macroinvertebrate survey, and catching critters in the stream. Next, they visit the Holt Education Center to further explore the relationship between land use and water quality through map analysis, additional water chemistry testing, and by dissecting a crayfish; an aquatic macroinvertebrate. Finally, students paddle the lower stretch of Radcliffe Creek where it enters the Chester River, comparing and contrasting different sections of the creek while observing flora, fauna, and signs of human impact.
By combining scientific investigation with real-world environmental action, Watershed Watch empowers students to become stewards of their local watershed and advocates for a healthier environment.
LINK to Google Slide Deck that accompanies Student Handbook for the Watershed Watch MWEE.
Funding Source: The Veverka Family Foundation, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
QACPS 6th MWEE: Wild Wetlands
The Wild Wetlands Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) is an immersive environmental education program for 6th-grade students in Queen Anne’s County Public Schools (QACPS), made possible through a NOAA B-WET grant. Designed to complement the county’s Lab Aids curriculum, this program engages students in hands-on investigations at Sultana’s Lawrence Wetlands Preserve and Holt Education Center. Through interactive experiences, students explore the impact of land use on water quality and gain a deeper understanding of the vital role wetlands play in the health of the Chesapeake Bay. A key feature of the program is a paddling trip on either Radcliffe Creek, a tributary of the Chester River, or at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC), a program partner.
By blending classroom learning with outdoor exploration, the Wild Wetlands program builds environmental literacy skills while empowering students to make informed decisions that contribute to a healthier, more sustainable Chesapeake Bay.
LINK to Google Slide Deck that accompanies the Wild Wetlands MWEE.
Funding Source: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA)
