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能够跨越传统课程领域界限，将科学、社会科学和英语结合起来的国家河流课程。该课程将推动“河流观察者”的学生力量，他们将在各自的社区研究和监测河流。将编制一套适用于任何河流的教材；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融入每一套教材；注重教学资料的收集和解读；并利用计算机通信网络传输和评价河流数据和文字。这个课程发展项目将是一个与州和国家机构以及商业和工业的合作项目。收集的数据可用于解决问题，并有助于建立科学、历史和数据库。当河流项目学校收集数据时，当地州和联邦机构将能够访问和评估这些信息。教师和学生将依次为其他“河流观察者”实习生设计和举办讲习班，建立一个由感兴趣、参与和学习的教育工作者和年轻科学家组成的网络，他们的最终目标是为安全、清洁的河流而工作。虽然该项目的成果旨在提高学生对河流相关科学概念和事实的理解，但主要的推动力将是传达对科学的性质和过程的更清晰的看法，并积极地让学生参与到对环境负责的行为的发展中来。

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.