A Collaborative Exploration for Grades 6-8 & 9-12

This online collaborative project will bring students around the nation together with the goal of developing an understanding that everyone, independent of their geographic location, is connected to the oceans. Students around the country will gain an understanding that the oceans not only affect their lives but that their lives also affect the oceans. The core activities associated with the project will involve the study of Nonpoint Source Pollution (NPS). NPS is the primary threat to coastal water quality and is recognized by States as the leading remaining cause of general water quality problems. These pollutants make their way into our nation's waterways and from there into our marine coastal environments.

Oceans Connecting the Nation will center on student collaboration throughout the country, both inland and at the seashore, to stimulate student investigations of NPS in their communities. Students will conduct water quality testing of a major local water source (e.g. river) to determine the levels of pollutants that could be attributed to NPS, and will also share other environmental information such as climate data and ecosystem characteristics about their local community. This will promote discussions about how NPS affects their local community as well as the oceans, and allow students to develop an understanding of how the oceans affect their daily lives. For example, students in interior sections of the country may learn that runoff from their community could negatively impact coastal areas hundreds of miles away. Conversely, students who live near the shoreline will develop a better appreciation of the role that those living inland play in keeping the oceans clean. Working in teams, inland and coastal classes will develop an authentic product (e.g. presentation, community newsletter, web site, etc.) that describes the research study they conducted, what was learned, and recommendations for each community on how they can reduce NPS.

Pulse People:
Mike Newman

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