A video about the new Model My Watershed (MMW) web app was featured as part of the NSF 2016 STEM For All Video Showcase.
Teaching Environmental Sustainability – Model My Watershed from videohall.com on Vimeo.
From the NSF 2016 STEM For All Video Showcase: The overall goal of the [Model My Watershed] project is to develop an interdisciplinary, place-based, problem-based, hands-on set of resources, models and tools (RMTs) aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards to promote geospatial literacy and systems thinking.
The project’s web applications, probeware and curricula are developed for middle and high school students to introduce them to environmental and geospatial science that will engender critical incidents, thus encouraging students to pursue environmental and geoscience careers.
The project has developed a web application, Model My Watershed (MMW), consisting of interactive, geographic information systems (GIS) and hydrological modeling tools that are scientifically accurate and allows users to easily assess and analyze complex national databases of environmental conditions in their local watersheds and also allows them to make virtual modifications to the environment to reduce both stormwater runoff and to improve water quality.
The project has also developed a low-cost device, the Watershed Tracker, that consists of four probes with Bluetooth connectivity that can run on both Android and Apple devices without the need for additional hardware or software.
In addition, this project has developed draft curriculum and is providing teacher professional development in five states (CA, IA, KS, PA, VA). Although the targeted watersheds are in those five states, the MMW application covers the contiguous 48 states and is freely available to anyone wishing to use it.
