The goal of the Understanding the Urban Watershed Curriculum is to increase environmental literacy and educate for sustainability through deep and varied Learning Experiences in grades 4 through high school. The process empowers both students and teachers and hopes to be nothing shy of transformative – growing knowledge and skills, changing attitudes and increasing civic engagement both in and out of the classroom – for their school community, for their neighborhood, their city and their watershed.

Knowing that learning is interpreted and experienced in many ways, it was our goal to design a differentiated learning curriculum that is engaging for a variety of learning styles without compromising the breadth and depth of the content.

Additionally, with an ever-changing world, we have tried to create content, associated activities and experiences that are flexible and fluid. Know that if you teach this curriculum, we will support you with a week-long summer professional development workshops, monthly convenings throughout the school year, teaching materials, and one-on-one coaching.

The Fairmount Water Works’ Curriculum is designed as place-based, hands-on, and minds-in for students to increase knowledge about their local watershed and water system infrastructure, in order to grow their understanding of issues and take action for a more equitable and sustainable future for themselves.

The curriculum provides an opportunity for classroom educators to connect their students to one of the most fundamental elements in all living things – water, and to help them understand their role and responsibility to protect this shared resource.

Together students and teachers discover the complexities and responsibilities associated with accessing, using, managing, cleaning up and returning water to our waterways undiminished for today, for tomorrow, and for future generations.