The Rivers Project Curriculum

河流项目课程旨在为学生和教师提供参与具有现实世界环境影响的活动项目的机会。它的目标是开发一种全国性的河流课程，能够跨越传统课程领域的界限，将科学、社会科学和英语结合起来。该课程将推动一支“河流观察者”的学生队伍，他们将研究和监测各自社区的河流。将编写一套教材，适用于任何河流；包括化学、生物和地质/地理单元；跨学科，将英语和社会科学元素纳入每套教材；侧重于教学数据收集和解释；并使用计算机电信网络传输和评估河流数据和文字。这个课程开发项目将是与州和国家机构以及商业和工业的合作项目。将收集的数据可用于解决问题，并可为科学、历史和数据库做出贡献。当河流项目学校收集数据时，当地的州和联邦机构将能够访问和评估这些信息。反过来，教师和学生将为River Watcher实习生同事设计和举办研讨会，创建一个由感兴趣、参与和学习的教育工作者和年轻科学家组成的网络，他们的最终目标将是为安全、清洁的河流而工作。尽管该项目的成果旨在提高学生对与河流相关的科学概念和事实的理解，但主要的主旨将是交流对科学的本质和过程更清晰的观点，并积极让学生参与发展对环境负责的行为。

The Rivers Project curriculum seeks to offer students and teachers the opportunity to engage in an activity based program with real world implications for the environment. Its goal is to develop a national rivers curriculum that can cross the boundaries of traditional curricular areas to unite science, social science and English. The curriculum will propel a student force of "River Watchers" who will research and monitor rivers in their respective communities. A set of teaching materials will be developed that will: be applicable to any river; include chemistry, biology, and geology/geography units; be interdisciplinary and incorporate English and social science elements into each set of materials; focus on teaching data collection and interpretation; and use a computer telecommunication network to transmit and evaluate river data and writings. This curriculum development project will be a cooperative venture with state and national agencies, as well as business and industry. The data that will be collected can be used to solve problems and can contribute to scientific, historical, and data bases. When a Rivers Project school collects data, local state, and federal agencies will be able to access and assess the information. Teachers and students will, in turn, devise and conduct workshops for fellow River Watcher interns, creating a network of interested, involved and learning educators and young scientists whose ultimate goal will be to work for safe, clean rivers. Although the outcomes of the program target improved student understandings of river-related science concepts and facts, the major thrust will be to communicate a clearer view of the nature and processes of science and to actively involve students in the development of environmentally responsible behaviors.