This document outlines a unit plan for teaching second and third grade students about stormwater runoff and bioswales. The unit begins by introducing students to the concepts of pervious and impervious surfaces, runoff, and pollution through outdoor observations and readings. Students then learn about how bioswales work and how their school's bioswale helps manage stormwater runoff. They will partner with local organizations and develop a project to educate their community about protecting local waterways from runoff. The goal is for students to gain an understanding of watersheds and how their actions impact the environment so they can become agents of positive change.

1. Emilie Lavin
January 24, 2010
Bioswale Explorers Solve the Stormwater Problem
I. Overview and Expectations
Clean water is a basic need for life on earth; water makes our planet habitable. As far as we
know, there are no other planets that have enough water to support the complex network of living
things on our planet. Yet clean water, one of the building blocks of life, is becoming a scarcity on
our planet.
It is essential that educators teach today’s students how to conserve and protect our local
the waterways. If all children learned how to protect their community watersheds, we could raise a
generation of students with the skills to manage this precious resource. A place based curriculum
unit on bioswales, (a drainage system that cleans and filters stormwater runoff), is a great
opportunity to give students a sense of agency about this important issue.
Addressing the planetary water shortage is overwhelming, so it’s best to start in a familiar
place. There is a new bioswale at the school where I teach second and third grade --Willamette
Primary School in West Linn, OR. I plan to implement the following unit to teach my students one
way that we can protect and preserve our local waterways.
This experience will give my students an understanding of the bioswale on their
playground. By working with the city of West Linn and local watershed advocacy groups my class
can make a contribution to how their community deals with stormwater runoff. My hope is that this
experience is one of many that will confidence to tackle problems that arise in their communities
and their world.
II. Essential Questions
What happens to the rain once it hits the ground?
Why can’t the land absorb all the rain water?
How does runoff affect our watershed?
What type of pollution is caused by runoff?
How is our bioswale part of the runoff solution?
What is our community doing about stormwater runoff?
How can we partner with our community?
III. State and District Standards
Oregon State Science Standards
2.3 Scientific Inquiry: Scientific inquiry is a process used to explore the natural world
using evidence from observations.
2.3S.1 Observe, measure, and record properties of objects and substances using simple tools to

2. gather data and extend the senses.
2.3S.2 Make predictions about living and non-living things and events in the environment based on
observed patterns.
2.3S.3 Make, describe, and compare observations, and organize recorded data.
2.4 Engineering Design: Engineering design is a process used to design and build
things to solve problems or address needs.
2.4D.1 Use tools to construct a simple designed structure out of common objects and materials.
2.4D.2 Work with a team to complete a designed structure that can be shared with others.
2.4D.3 Describe an engineering design that is used to solve a problem or address a need.
3.3 Scientific Inquiry: Scientific inquiry is a process used to explore the natural world
using evidence from observations and investigations.
3.3S.1 Plan a simple investigation based on a testable question, match measuring tools to their
uses, and collect and record data from a scientific investigation.
3.3S.2 Use the data collected from a scientific investigation to explain the results and draw
conclusions.
3.3S.3 Explain why when a scientific investigation is repeated, similar results are expected.
District Social Studies and Science Standards:
Children develop understanding of broad-based concepts through first-hand investigations,
inquiry, perspective taking, the stories of predecessors and contemporaries, and a commitment to
serve the global community.
Second Grade District Social Studies and Science
• formulate rules that help people stay safe and get along with each other
• understand and use patterns as tools of organization
• use a variety of recording and organizational tools
• make inferences and predictions from evidence
• create and use maps to represent actual places
• gather information from charts, graphs and maps
• recognize the purpose, structure, and function of groups

3. • define relationships that support community life (i.e., global, ecological, regional, economic,
historical, social, cultural)
• describe how geographical and geological qualities help define a community
• describe how communities over time define themselves through their behavior and are affected by
technology
• identify the cause and effect relationship between two chronological events
• describe how diversity enriches a community and is essential for balance
• use the investigative processes of inquiry, observation, research, analysis, and communication
• participate in solving problems and making decisions regarding current, significant issues
Third Grade District Social Studies and Science Standards
• formulate rules that help people stay safe and get along with each other
• understand and use patterns as tools of organization (time, hierarchy, seasonal)
• use a variety of recording and organizational tools in combination
• make inferences, predictions, and generalizations from evidence
• create and use maps to represent actual places, including accurate features, multiple types of
information, and directionality
• gather information from charts, graphs, and maps and cross-compare information
• recognize the purpose, structure, and functions of groups
• define relationships that support community life (i.e., global, ecological, regional, economic,
historical, social, cultural)
• describe how geographical and geological qualities help define a community
• describe how communities over time define themselves through their behavior and are affected by
technology
• identify the causes and effects of chronological events
• describe how diversity enriches a community and is essential for balance
• use multiple sources to verify and extend information
• use the investigative processes of inquiry, observation, research, analysis and communication
• participate in solving problems and making decisions regarding current, significant issues
• recognize that there are different ways of looking at issues
IV. Learning Connections
While studying the Willamette bioswale students will be able to connect their learning to their
school and community. They will develop an understanding of how their actions connect to the
community and their local watershed. Visiting staff from the Environmental Services Department
of City of West Linn will clarify the connection between our swale and the implementation of their
stormwater management plan. The city will also teach students some specific content knowledge
about drains, pollution, and topics that interest them in the course of the unit. Students will then be
posed with the task of finding a way that they can partner with the city. Students will also learn
about the bioswale in the context of their local watershed from Tualatin River Keepers, an
organization that works on conservation and education. They state on their website that one of their

4. main goals is to “stop stormwater pollution from reaching our neighborhood streams.” The end
goal is for student enthusiasm and knowledge to support the objectives of The City of West Linn
and Tualatin River Keepers.
V. Intermediate and Culminating Projects
This place based unit will require many research skills. These may include: journaling
observations, keeping track of rainfall in the Willamette Valley; making diagrams showing why
runoff occurs, using graphic organizers to display information, using surveys and interviewing
techniques to collect data. The end project will depend on the community needs and student
interests. One certainty is that students will educate the school during an assembly with a
presentation. They will also develop a project to serve the greater community (e.g., a web-site, an
article in the city newspaper or a film, maybe even a student task force.
VI. Assessment
Students will use a rubric to design their final project. Giving the rubric to students ahead of
time sets a standard of accountability. The rubric will clarify expectations and the content to be
assessed. The particulars of the project will be determined by student interest. They will have the
opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge in writing or speaking, but their work must answer all
the essential questions of the unit. More than a mastery of the geologic or scientific concepts, I will
be looking for an explanation of why the concepts are important and how we can be agents of
change in our community.
VII. Unit Outline
Investigation One: Runoff
State Science standards: Scientific inquiry 2.3S, 3.3S; Engineering and design 2.4D
District Standards: using recording tools, make inferences and predictions, creating and using
maps, gather information from maps, identify cause and effect, how communities define
themselves
What happens to the rain once it hits the ground?
Go for a walk in the rain. Spend time outside and notice all the different surfaces that the
rain falls on. Write down observations.
Why can’t the land absorb the water in the first place?
Walk again in the rain if weather allows. Discuss the above question. Why is it that the land
can absorb the water in some places and it can’t in others? Walk around the swale. Talk
about its role.
What is runoff?
http://www.epa.gov/weatherchannel/stormwater.html
Read article to learn definition of runoff and causes. Discuss.

5. Read “Streams in the City”
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/nps_edu/pdf/urban.pdf
Take a walk around the neighborhood and notice examples of issues talked about in the
article.
Walk by the swale. Talk about its role.
How does runoff affect our watershed?
Make a model of a watershed to demonstrate pervious and impervious
http://www.stormwatercoalition.org/pdf/lessonPlans/lesson05-01.pdf

6. What type of pollution is caused by runoff?
http://www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/p2pages/water.pdf what is water pollution
What human actions cause runoff?
Give examples of residential, commercial, automotive, construction, forestry, and
agricultural runoff.
Read article that talks about human causes of runoff.
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/nps_edu/pdf/stop.pdf
Go for a walk around Willamette looking for evidence of pollution or possible culprits.
Walk by the swale. Talk about its role.
Make topographic map of the area around Willamette
http://www.stormwatercoalition.org/pdf/lessonPlans/lesson05-03.pdf
A collection of videos from the water channel:
http://www.thewaterchannel.tv/index.php?
option=com_hwdvideoshare&Itemid=70&task=categories
http://www.ecostudies.org/ed_curricula_water_lessons.html
http://www.catskillcenter.org/programs/edu/enviredu.html
Investigation Two: Bioswale
State Science standards: 3.3S.1, 3.3S2
District standards: make inferences and predictions, recognize purpose of groups, relationships
that support community,
Explore the bioswale and develop questions.
Measure the swale.
Identify the plants.
Notice the earth materials in the swale.
Identify and catalog plants. How many are there? How are they distributed?
Make a map of the swale.
How does the bioswale work?
How is our bioswale part of the runoff solution?
How does it benefit Willamette and the greater community?
Visit with Bob from CREST.
Visit with architects from H. Walker Macy.
Spend time in the swale with both visitors.

7. Students have questions prepared for visitors about swale and its workings, as well as runoff,
pollution, and how the swale helps manage stormwater.

8. Investigation Three: Partnerships
District Standards: make inferences and predictions, recognize purpose of groups, relationships
that support community, how geology and geography define community
What is our community doing about storm water runoff?
Investigation Four: Solutions
District Standards: make inferences and predictions, recognize purpose of groups,
relationships that support community, how geology and geography define community
What can we do to help our partners?
Read and discuss ten things that we can do to make a difference in our watershed. http://
www.epa.gov/adopt/earthday/index.html
Student will develop a whole class project where they can synthesize their knowledge, work in
small groups, and find a way to provide service to their school and local community around this
issue.
Why should we partner with our community?
The organizations below will help us in our exploration of these questions as well as
developing our content knowledge on swales and runoff.
Tualatin River Keepers
Tualatin River Keepers may work with us concurrently with other investigations in the unit.
It will depend on how we partner together and how their educational program fits in best
with the unit. There will be a field trip to our local wetland and river front as well as to a
wetland in the area.
Students will also learn to identify our watershed address:
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/nps_edu/pdf/what.pdf
City of West Linn
The city may visit us earlier in the unit. It will depend on how we partner together and how
the topic of their presentation fits in best with the unit. I would like the students to develop
an understanding of the city’s stormwater management plan. I hope that we can arrange a
field trip, or a place based task where they can identify
elements of West Linn Public Works.

9. VIII. Challenges and Opportunities
The biggest challenge with this unit is my lack of content knowledge. I am learning quickly, but
I don’t have a strong scientific background. Fortunately there are a lot of good resources on the
internet to use.
In order for my students to develop their content knowledge they will need to watch some
films. There is not a lot of reading on grade level for second and third graders about bioswales.
There are books and texts on water pollution, but for students to really understand how a swale
works they will just need to see it and hear about how it works from a real live professional!
I have never partnered with a community organization before and I am not sure of all of the
challenges that come with that. I realize that I may have to do quite a bit of networking before I find
the right project and right connection with someone. Another challenge is to find a developmentally
appropriate way for my students to make a difference in their community. I hope that we can write
or produce a project that will genuinely educate their peers, parents and other folks in the
Willamette neighborhood.
With this unit I have the opportunity to give my students a sense of agency. This unit is also a
personal and professional opportunity for me. I can learn about a subject about which I feel
passionately and hopefully pass that enthusiasm onto my students. If my students are not
passionate about runoff, I hope that my enthusiasm will be an inspiration for them to find their own
issues to explore in the future.

10. Introducing Stormwater
Students will begin to develop their understanding of storm water runoff and where it comes from.
Content:
Stormwater
Runoff
Pervious and impervious surfaces
Pollution
Human causes of runoff
Purpose:
Students will be introduced to the problem of stormwater runoff. They will identify the surfaces on
which rain fall. Through observation and testing, they will learn to identify which surfaces absorb
water, and which don’t. They will learn to identify pollutants.
Learning activities
Part I: Exploration
Developing a context for the concept of stormwater
What happens to the rain once it hits the ground?
Go for a walk in the rain. Spend time outside and notice all the different surfaces that the
rain falls on. Write down observations.
Why can’t the land absorb the water in the first place?
Discuss urban versus rural settings
Part II: Content Knowledge
Developing vocabulary and knowledge of key concepts
What is runoff?
http://www.epa.gov/weatherchannel/stormwater.html
Read article to learn definition of runoff and causes. Discuss.
What human actions cause runoff?
Residential, commercial, automotive, agricultural, construction, forestry
Agricultural runoff
Read article that talks about human causes of runoff
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/nps_edu/pdf/stop.pdf
Have students identify actions by themselves or their family that contribute to runoff.
Evaluation Strategies

11. Walk again in the rain (if weather allows). Once again notice pervious and impervious surfaces.
Assess students’ content knowledge by asking them to point out how absorbent different surfaces
are. Also have them identify possible contaminants.