X-Stream Science is an educational water quality testing program that gives students a hands-on learning experience in their local stream and the greater watershed. Participants are given the opportunity to learn about and experience real field work while contributing to data collection and monitoring of local watershed conditions. Best suited to students in grades 7-12, X-Stream Science aims to have schools commit to sampling the same location every year to allow quality long-term data to be collected.
It’s Experiential:
Students get outside to participate in hands-on, scientific inquiry by collecting biological, chemical and physical data on the water and surrounding land. Content is curriculum and place based.
It’s Stewardship:
Water quality, quantity and land use data is collected, analyzed and stored to be monitored and compared over time. This data will help students and decision makers make good choices to help our watersheds.
It’s Hands-on, it’s real life, it is X-Stream Science
X-Stream Science is led by the questions:
-What is the health of our local stream environment?
-How are different land uses changing water quality?
-How do habitat variables affect aquatic life systems?
-What changes can we see over time?
X-Stream Science has 3 parts:
- In-class preparation presentation. Watershed experts will provide an overview of the reasons for monitoring, the parameters we will study and the scientific protocols students are expected to follow.
- Stream-Side Experiential Learning. All equipment, materials and guidance will be provided for this half or full-day outdoor experience. Students collect benthic macro-invertebrate samples, as well as physical and chemical water and land data.
- In-class data analysis and debrief. What is affecting the stream? How does this affect our environment and community? Students will analyze and reflect on the data, then upload it to the website. This could be a starting point for additional stewardship activities.
The program is available to students in grades 7-12, as well as youth organizations, community groups and stewardship groups. For more information or to book a program please contact Chantelle at [email protected] or 587-201-4345.
