Project Description:
Pinewood Middle students spent a day outside at Palmer Park in the Buck Creek watershed. Teachers and community partners set up stations to accommodate 150 students. The stations included water quality testing for nonpoint source pollution, macro sampling and identification to evaluate water quality at multiple sites, litter cleanup to prevent debris and pollution from entering Buck Creek, art and reflection activities on addressing NPS pollution and erosion in the park, invasive species removal, and a nature walk.

Students visually compared the stretch of Buck Creek where it flows through the golf course (where the turf grass is mowed up to the edge of the creek and there is erosion) with a tributary to the creek that flows through a wooded area of the park. They also compared the water quality of these areas. They explored and reflected on what is causing the differences, the related impacts on aquatic life, and what can be done to improve the golf course portion of the creek.

Fostering Lifelong Stewardship:
After this project of data collecting, cleaning, and reflecting; I hope students think twice about their local waters. With the efforts of trying to plant the seed of stewardship, I students realize that they can play a major role with their environment and that what they do (positively/negatively) matters.

Partners:
WMEAC, Kentwood Parks Department, Kent County Parks Department

Teachers:
5

Students:
140

Funder:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

Showcase Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT36yIO8WUQ

Project Description:
Pinewood Middle repeated their successful day of service learning and stewardship at Palmer Park in Kentwood. Students performed water testing at different points along the creek, removed invasive species, and learned about the flow of water through the park.

Fostering Lifelong Stewardship:
This relationship with a local park will give students a sense of stewardship.

Partners:
Michigan State University Extension, Kent County Parks

Teachers:
4

Students:
150

Funder:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

Showcase Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=860yP0qRe8w

Project Description:
Pinewood Middle continued their tradition of service learning and stewardship at Palmer Park in Kentwood. Students performed water testing at different points along the creek, removed invasive species, and removed sticks from an open area, allowing maintenance staff to mow and reduce the spread of garlic mustard and oriental bittersweet. After the day, students reflected on their field packet and created a CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) poster to publicly display their findings.

Fostering Lifelong Stewardship:
A multi-year study of watershed health will help students understand the long-term effects of their work.

Partners:
Kent County Parks, Kent Conservation District

Teachers:
4

Students:
150

Funder:
GVSU College of Education

Showcase Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=229gkNm3zpo