The Waterville storyline represents the BOEC’s first foray into the world of elementary learning. This curriculum was developed with a variety of influences, including Iowa State University Department of Education faculty, pre-service elementary educators, NGSS standards, and current ISU research. We hope that the efforts put into this project have culminated into a meaningful experience for educators and students alike.

In this curriculum, elementary students are both empowered and challenged to encounter a phenomenon, construct an explanation, and design a solution. Students work with a team of water quality scientists to investigate the issue of the fish population in the pond by Franny’s Farm. As the activities progress, students learn about the relationship between fertilizer runoff and aquatic ecosystem health. They are then challenged to design an experiment to test the efficacy of different water quality improvement techniques for nitrate removal. Lastly, students work with their groups and the imaginary town to implement the best solution to meet the town’s needs and budget.

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