Water and our Valley

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Submitted by Jocelyn Hayes on Wed, 2017-06-07 00:00

In preparation for the digital storytelling that I will do for my middle school life science students I have taken some pictures of our most valuable resource.  I will be writing a digital story as part of my curriculum for next year.  I often include stories in my day to day teaching and my kids love it.  I may have them produce their own.  New learning, new things, and new ideas are what makes this profession outstanding.  (I hope the pictures don't post sideways.  There was not an option to rotate them.)

Comments

Matt Pollard's picture

Submitted by Matt Pollard on Thu, 2017-06-08 08:44

With you students being from an agrarian background/economy, I’m curious how much pushback or resistance you get from your students regarding farm practices and their impact on the watershed? Are these topics you are breach without lots of controversy? Just wondering. 

Jocelyn Hayes's picture

Submitted by Jocelyn Hayes on Thu, 2017-06-08 11:59

The reason I took this class is to become more aware of the socio-economic impact to our water resources.  I have not taught about the watershed to my middle school students.  By taking this class I feel like I can offer a week or so in my curriculum calendar to talk about the importance of the watershed and how or why we need to protect it.  I am also curious as to what their opinions will be.

Jay Millan's picture

Submitted by Jay Millan on Sat, 2017-06-10 07:35

I have been in Idaho now for a decade and a half but I still spend my summers in upstate NY.  I have noticed a strange disconnect with the youth of each region.  Recycling in NY is the law and generations of kids have been brought up doing it, but in ID veryfew people even consider it.  In NY, vehicle emissions are tested every year and you can't register your vehicle if it does not pass, while in Idaho, the bigger the cloud of black smoke your truck blows, the cooler you are.  It is really strange to me that the opinions are so disparate. In fact, when I talk to my Social Studies students about environmentalism, the scoff and laugh about it.  Air, water and land pollution as well as noise just does not matter to them.  How can I change this mindset?