Chapel Hill schools teach hands-on environmentalism

Eighth-grade students at Culbreth Middle School could learn about the environment from the comfort of their desks.

But school officials decided that wouldn’t be much fun.

Instead, students spent last Thursday splashing through a stream behind the school to complete their first round of water quality testing in a drainage basin.

The students will continually test the stream’s acidity and nitrate levels to teach them about human impacts on the environment.

Environmental education is part of the school’s eighth-grade curriculum, and events like the water testing arise from collaboration among Chapel Hill, the University and local environmental groups, school officials said.

“We’ve combined all of our resources to provide more resources to teachers,” said Wendy Smith, stormwater management and environmental education coordinator for the town.

Local schools’ involvement

Rob Greenberg, a science teacher at Chapel Hill High School, said hands-on education is key to understanding the environment.

With this in mind, his students create projects every year to be displayed during Earth Action Day.

“I try to make it meaningful and relevant,” Greenberg said. “There’s a lot of art in science.”

Greenberg said his class benefits from resources from the town, including speakers like Smith.

“I’ve always felt lucky to live in Chapel Hill,” Greenberg said.

Smith said she implements specialized programs in second, fifth and eighth grade classes to teach students about water pollution and environmental models.

“It’s really fun because you get that excitement,” she said.

Haw River Assembly

The Haw River Assembly, a group based out of Chatham County, works to preserve the river and educates local students about the river and environment.

Donna Myers, watershed education coordinator for the assembly, said local schools like McDougle Elementary School participated in the Haw River Learning Celebration this month.

The society sponsors events where students can measure water acidity, analyze runoff effects and turn sedimentary rocks from the river into paint.

“Ninety-nine percent of the projects we do are hands on,” Myers said.

“Our programs really empower youth, or participants of any age, with knowledge of things they can actually do in their neighborhoods.”

The UNC Institute for the Environment also helps teachers learn to use hands-on approaches to environmental education.

“(The program) was a great opportunity to support the science teachers,” said Michele Drostin, project coordinator of the environmental resource program.

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