Welcome to Stream Watch

Stream Watch is a two year thematic program that will be offered to both sixth and seventh grade students.  This program integrates an intense environmental study of Chester County watersheds with aspects of the sixth and seventh grade curricula.  Stream Watch was developed from the philosophy that children can learn through real life experiences.  Exploring their world, asking questions, and then finding the answers allow the children to make connections between their learning and the world in which they live.  By using the watershed as a focus, the children will have a concrete and relevant basis from which to develop problem solving skills, decision making, and higher order thinking skills.

Two alternating themes will be explored throughout the program, change and unity.  Each theme will be intensely studied over the course of one year.  Change is a natural phenomenon in both the physical and social world.  It is important for the children to identify why things change, the forces that causes change, and the effects of change.  Change is the underlying force of life.  With change comes a balance, or unity.  Without unity the world would be a puzzle that has missing pieces.  These themes will tie together the children's exploration of both the natural and social aspects of the world.

In order to completely immerse the children in the study of these themes, Stream Watch is a comprehensive program that integrates all core area classes.  It was designed so that the core of the curriculum is based on an exploration of the natural and social aspects of change and unity within a watershed, and then extends to a study of these themes in the world.  Learning about change and unity goes far beyond just knowing about science and social studies.  It includes using mathematical skills and concepts to build three-dimensional topographical maps, to gather data concerning the watershed, to analyze this data, and much more.  Although math will be integrated in Stream Watch, the students will also follow a separate sixth or seventh grade mathematics program.  In addition, Stream Watch includes an intense development of language arts skills.  Learning in Stream Watch occurs through continuous reading, writing, speaking and listening.  Through the integration of all subjects, the children will see the interrelated nature of learning.  Learning takes on meaning as it is in the real world.