Mini-Grant Application for School Year 2016-2017

Submitted by: Frank Marcantoni Email: frank.marcantonisr@sdhc.k12.fl.us Grade Level: 6-8 Subject: Science, Mathematics, Engineer
Co-Applicant: Email: Grade level: Subject:

School: Werbb Middle School Type: Public Grade Levels:6-8 County:Hillsborough

Approx. Enrollment: 800 Number of teachers:65 % of Free and Reduced Lunch:90%+

School Address:

6035 Hanley Rd Tampa, FL 33634

Phone: 813-872-5351 Principal:Frank Diaz Email: frank.diaz@sdhc.k12.fl.us

Project Title: Stormwater containment and control via rain gardens
Project Dates: 1/20/2017-2/24/2017 Grade Levels:

Focus Area(s) :Environmental Science- Ecology- Water Conservation - Interdependence

Abstract:
Grades 6-8 students will be investigating stormwater runoff problems that exist on campus. We will discuss the human impacts of the stormwater to the watershed both on campus and within the Town N’ Country community. They will then be introduced to green infrastructure design (rain gardens) as a method to decrease nutrient load on the watershed. In class, students will be asked to research the purpose of rain gardens. They will investigate locations for possible rain gardens on campus. They will develop a proposal and design for the on campus rain garden. Additionally they will build a physical model of their proposed rain garden in class. We will use these models to initially test stormwater quality. Their results will influence the composition of media within our campus rain garden, the location of our rain garden and the physical design of it.

Proposal:
1. Students will be investigating storm water runoff problems that exist on campus. We will discuss the human impacts of the storm water to the watershed both on campus and within the Town N’ Country community (there are several creeks that run adjacent to the campus that drain directly into Tampa Bay). They will then be introduced to green infrastructure design (rain gardens) as a method to decrease nutrient load on the watershed, assist in preventing erosion, and releasing water back into the atmosphere via evaporation, transpiration, and percolation. Our project is innovative because it is designed to be entirely cross-curricular and will involve the majority of our students in all 3 grade levels. Science students will collect data using digital data loggers (ecology, environmental science, water conservation), Language Arts students (expository and persuasive arguments required for the FSA for the project), Mathematics students (data analysis, graphing, statistical analysis, and projection), and Social Studies (Human Habitation and Impact of the Environment) thus tying all of the concepts together for our students and unifying the often-felt unintentional separation of subjects. 2. All activities are interdisciplinary and are aligned with current Florida Sunshine State Standards and NGSSS. Language Arts LAFS.6.W.1.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly. b. Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships among claim(s) and reasons. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from the argument presented. LAFS.7.W.1.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. LAFS.8.W.1.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically. b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. Mathematics MAFS.6.SP.1,2 (displaying data); MAFS.6.SP.2.4 (Displaying data: number lines, dot plots, histograms, box plots). MAFS.7.SP.1.2 (drawing inferences from data) Science Standards SC.6.E.7.2 Big Idea: Earth Systems and Patterns - The scientific theory of the evolution of Earth states that changes in our planet are driven by the flow of energy and the cycling of matter through dynamic interactions among the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, and biosphere, and the resources used to sustain human civilization on Earth. SC.68.CS-CP.1.2 Select and use data-collection technology (e.g., probes, handheld devices, geographic mapping systems and output from multiple runs of a computer program) to gather, view, organize, analyze, and report results for content-related problems, individually and collaboratively SC.6.N.1.4 Discuss, compare, and negotiate methods used, results obtained, and explanations among groups of students conducting the same investigation. SC.6.N.1.2 Explain why scientific investigations should be replicable. SC.68.CS-CS.1.1 Examine connections between elements of mathematics and computer science including binary numbers, logic, sets, and functions. SC.68.CS-CS.2.1 Create, modify, and use a database (e.g., define field formats, adding new records, manipulate data) to analyze data and propose solutions for a task/problem, individually and collaboratively. SC.68.CS-CS.2.2 Solve real-life issues in science and engineering (i.e., generalize a solution to open-ended problems) using computational thinking skills. SC.68.CS-CS.6.3 Identify novel ways humans interact with computers, including software, probes, sensors, and handheld devices. SC.7.N.1.6 Explain that empirical evidence is the cumulative body of observations of a natural phenomenon on which scientific explanations are based. SC.7.L.17.3 Describe and investigate various limiting factors in the local ecosystem and their impact on native populations, including food, shelter, water, space, disease, parasitism, predation, and nesting sites. SC.D.1.3, SC.D.2.3, SC.G.1.3. How Living Things Interact with Their Environment, students discuss the connection between ponds and the overall quality of a watershed. Social Studies SS.B.2.3. The student understands the environmental consequences of people changing the physical environment in various world locations. 3. This is a legacy project for the school that will continue to provide experiential learning for our students for the foreseeable future. Anticipated maintenance will be performed by the students as a part of environmental investigation and appropriate placement of various species of compatible Florida native water and drought tolerant as well as beneficial insect attracting plants. Through this educational experience, the students will identify our local watershed and learn the importance of controlling and retaining and how they can positively impact and influence storm water runoff. Teachers can provide the students with opportunities to investigate the causes of measured elevated levels of contaminants/pollution from the runoff and means by which those contaminant levels can be managed. Students will also have the opportunity to determine which flora and fauna (native/non-native/invasive) gravitate and grow in the area. 4. Technology is critical to this project, providing students with a direct connection to digital instrument collection and presentation of the factors that have been determined to be critical components in a watershed. We have the great fortune to have recently acquired PASCO SPARKS data loggers that will provide a digital means by which students will record measure turbidity, pH, ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites. Data will be posted on the school site's internal email system for shared use across subjects. Science students will share their findings in thoroughfares within the school and the impact to ecology, environmental science, water conservation, and the interdependence of biotic and abiotic factors. 5. Student artifacts, collected data, learning objects, and student-led watershed impact dialogue will be evaluated to determine comprehension. Pre and post-test will directly measure learning gains. 6. Our project success with TERRA will be shared, celebrated, and acknowledged with our district, our community, with the University of South Florida's Civil Engineering Department, our internal newsletter, as well as on social media linked to our school.

Budget:

I, Frank Marcantoni, certify that the application is complete and final, AND I verify that I have received permission to apply for these funds from Frank Diaz,the Principal of Werbb Middle School and any other individuals required by my school district.