Sierra Watershed Education Partnerships

SWEP sponsors various fieldwork programs during the year with students eligible to participate in various programs based on their grade levels. The Wonders of Watershed fieldwork program for 4th grade students is a hands-on watershed education program that combines environmental science and community service.The Sagehen Field Station program for 5th grade students engages students in hands-on field study activities about the Sagehen forest, watershed and the plants and animals that exist in these environments.Environment Detectives is a field trip where 8th grade students learn skills used by environmental scientists to be detectives working as a group to solve the Mystery of the Dying Fish.The Tahoe Basin Watershed Education Summit allows high school students work along side scientific professionals to do hands-on field data collection.Various native fish education programs, field days and other events are sponsored for students of all grades.Forest Health and Defensible Space field programming has been expanding in Elementary, middle and high school, with some career pathway programming with older students.Winter Ecology programming involves getting the students outside to learn about snow science and winter survival skills in primarily elementary and middle school.Science Festival programming at the elementary level which revolves around experimentation and problem solving; particularly in the area of Environmental sciences.

SWEP promotes Sustainability and Advocacy Clubs applicable to various groups based on school levels. For kindergarten to 5th grade the Green Team program is utilized, with the Eco-Action program applicable to 6th, 7th and 8th grades and via the Envirolution Club for high school students 9th grade and above.These sustainability and advocacy clubs utilize interactive educational projects to empower students and teachers to be good global citizens working to ensure adequate resources for a clean and healthy environment. SWEP educators, along with high school student mentors, facilitate weekly club meetings with student participants to explore green service learning projects including waste reduction, reuse, recycling, gardening, composting, energy and water conservation, and pollution prevention. Through these meetings students work together to develop their knowledge, create a sense of civic responsibility, foster a school environment that emphasizes sustainability while practicing data, monitoring and other important language arts, math and science skills.