Introductory Paper

East of Dripping Springs, there is a location that has been cited for a proposed neighborhood development.  This will include 175 acres of unidentified commercial development.  This particular parcel of land drains directly into Barton Creek, which drains directly into the Edwards Aquifer.  The developer has described the method in which this neighborhood will be constructed as “conservation development”.  Episodes such as this one have familiarized Central Texans with the terms aquifer and recharge.  News reports and newspaper articles frequently feature the plight of the Edwards Aquifer.  Such a fragile resource requires careful planning and legislation to protect it.  However problematic city growth may be it is necessary as population increases, and current cities, such as Austin, expand outwards, and new cities are developed in arid regions of the country.

“How would you develop a neighborhood to protect aquifer purity and sustainability?”  This is the driving question that will be given to the students in the anchor video.  The video in conjunction with a discussion, led by the teacher, will serve to thoroughly expose students to the journey they are about to take.   The course has been designed to start slow, and gradually pick up pace as the semester progresses.       

This project has been designed to submerge students into investigative roles surrounding not only the planning but development of a neighborhood that lies in the delicate recharge zone of an aquifer.  There are a number of small projects that will be completed along the way, each of which is relevant to the final project, the neighborhood development proposal.  The class aims to give students the chance to experience science as it should be, by getting their hands into it.   In the end this project will serve to educate students on important hydrogeologic issues that will need to be dealt with in the future, by citizens such as them.

The first portion of the class will be the most familiar to students.  It consists of a small number of formal classes, in which students will take notes on subjects that are critical to their understanding of the project material.  These lectures will be followed by a series of small projects, each of which will aid the students in the development of the final project, the proposal.  The subject matter covered in the course is new to the students, so extra care will need to be taken to ensure students’ complete understanding.  With that said, it is also important to realize when students’ understand the material easily enough, and need to be challenged.   

Ultimately, this class is intended to bring students from their familiar way of learning about science, to the method of learning science by doing it.  This will be something new, and perhaps not truly realized until they have continued on with their education.  Students have the opportunity to work on a project that relates to a problem they are probably already familiar with, preserving the Edwards Aquifer.  This familiarity will provide a sort of “comfort” to the students in that it is an issue they have not only heard a lot about, but have a personal concern for.    

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The activities in the aquifer unit will put students in different situations.  Throughout the semester, background lessons will be introduced to give the students a more concrete understanding of hydrology.  These will include lessons on basic geology and hydrology, as well as reading and understanding maps and aerial photographs.   Students will learn how the type of rock forming the aquifer affects the contamination and recharge.  Being able to read topographic maps is an important skill for anyone who enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking or biking.   Shorter lessons will be injected within the semester, if a project necessitates them.  Such as before doing field work students will be instructed on the proper ways to take notes and record data, as well as common sense safety lessons. The first hands on activity will have the students constructing a model aquifer in an aquarium.  The construction will take about a week, and will give students a first hand look at all aspects of aquifers, including how they provide us with water and just how easily contaminated they are.  Other lessons will have students doing research on contaminants that are common in populated areas.  They will collect water samples from local creeks, and test for contaminants.  The students will then use the internet, and library resources to find out how these contaminants can harm humans and wildlife.  They will also look at maps and aerial photographs to trace areas that will be affected, and areas that could be possible sources for these contaminants.  There will be a lab that will model water usage in urban areas.  This will employ a modeling program form a University website.  Students will use ratios and proportions to see if the water that is used will be enough for the needs of a growing city, such as Austin.  Students will also have the opportunity to participate in a debate between community activists and contractors.   The final activity for students is for them to develop a proposal detailing the development of a neighborhood within an aquifer recharge zone.   The project will test students grasp on their newly learned knowledge and how they applied it to their research.  This activity will also give them insight on how they can use their knowledge to try and impact their own communities. 

OBJECTIVES/PROJECT GOALS

The goal of this project is to educate students on the complexity of the many aspects concerning aquifer preservation.  This will be accomplished through studies of all these aspects, including the human impact, the effects of the geology of the aquifer (both at the surface and the subsurface), and the part played by legislation at the community, state, and national levels. The final project is a proposal created by the students in which they will present the method in which they will develop a neighborhood within an aquifer recharge zone.  This will allow students to apply their knowledge from throughout the semester to an investigation.  Project based instruction itself provides students with the opportunity to learn in a manner in which they are completely unfamiliar.  They will be able to truly learn this new material and apply it.   

ASSESSMENTS

When introducing background geology, the standard quizzes and homework assignments will be used to see if students understand the broad concepts and terms.  As we work on individual projects, deadlines will be set at specific stages.  Initial deadlines will deal with the background work, while subsequent deadlines will asses the student’s progress towards the completion of various projects.  Through the submission of drafts, the teacher will be able to make suggestions and give them back to the student before the final deadline when each project is due.  The final assessment, pertaining to the largest portion of the student’s grade, will come from their completion of the proposal.  This project will allow the teacher to not only check whether or not students learned from the smaller projects, but if they actually understood what they learned.  The students will research the development of a neighborhood, carefully considering all aspects of development; including geology, hydrology, community involvement, and legislation.  The students will see just how much work goes into the protection of an aquifer.

WEB RESOURCES

The following list of websites is a helpful starter for teachers to visit before undertaking this project.  The first two give background/scientific information on the subject.  The next two are from activist groups that strive to protect the Edwards aquifer.  

www.edwardsaquifer.net/

www.bseacd.org/

www.sosalliance.org/

www.keepersofthewaters.org/trough.cfm?id=3