Jul 11th, 2007
Shifting Currents
Project Title: Shifting Currents: Elwha River Restoration
Project Grades: 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
Content Areas: Science/Social Studies/Language Arts/Community Service
Essential Question:
How can we as individuals affect the world tp create a more sustainable future?
About This Project:
Eagle Harbor High School is a small school-of-choice in the Bainbridge Island School District, designed to integrate classes around the theme of Global Sustainability. In addition to offering individual contracts for students whose interests or time constraints make them unique learners, we provide core classes in English, Social Studies, Science, and Math. In keeping with that philosophy, EHHS students have been participating in an unprecedented scientific research project with enormous environmental, political, social and historical impact.
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Elwha River Restoration – Background Information: In 2012, the two dams in the Elwha (Clallam County, Washington) will be removed in a gargantuan effort to return the historic salmon runs to the river. The U.S. Department of the Interior now owns both dams, and much of the watershed is contained within Olympic National Park. Restoration activities will hope to return a critical piece of the natural biodiversity to this amazing river ecosystem. Read more. |
In the fall of 2005, EHHS became part of an interdisciplinary science/social studies/ language arts/service learning project in cooperation with Olympic Park Institute, the National Park Service, and Olympic ESD, related to the removal of two dams in the Elwha (Clallam County) River and subsequent restoration of the watershed. Students would study related issues during the fall and winter, culminating in a week-long residency at OPI, in the spring, engaged in research activities that would then be entered into the on-going baseline data being collected in the years previous to the dams’ removal.
Teacher Profiles:
Mary Kay Dolejsi is in her 3rd year of teaching at Eagle Harbor High. She has a Ph.D. in Chemistry, and comes to teaching after many years of managing the Biotechnology Resource lab at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. She has endorsements in Biology, Chemistry, and Math, and appreciates the deeper learning that can come from applying knowledge and skills in a working context. mdolejsi@bainbridge.wednet.edu
Marie Marrs has taught over 30 years, in four different states, in Social Studies and Language Arts, with an emphsis on environmental education. She holds an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction, with credentials in secondary ed, special ed, and administration. “A. Marie Marrs” mmarrs@bainbridge.wednet.edu