Educational Programming for Constructed Wetlands

Educational Programming for Constructed Wetlands

Holder, Anders

Haliburton Highlands Stewardship Council
Host contact: Wooton, Brent

Wurtele, Susan
Department: Geography

TP-544

2006

U-Links Office and online

Haliburton County

Educational programming for constructed wetlands

Identify, create, and enhance educational programs of the constructed wetland wastewater treatment system at a local Fish Hatchery. Assess curriculum links to themes such as surface and source water protection and identify and suggest ways to maximize the educational benefits available from pilot constructed wastewater project.

Currently, a focus on the loss of habitat, filling of wetlands, and the contamination of watersheds, are considered priority in the Ontario curriculum. By identifying valued educational benefits and promoting linkages to existing curriculum, the Haliburton community will benefit through the recognition and utilization of the Haliburton fish hatchery facility. To fully undertake this research project, several steps were required to encapsulate the creation of the required curriculum. Research into the processes, policy, and overall creation of constructed wetlands was needed to ensure that the proper education could be conducted. Upon learning the fundamentals, review of previous research and lesson plans had been conducted. Contact with local public teachers was done in order to fully assess their objectives and goals for the lesson plans. A tour of the local fish hatchery took place to determine what is expected of the school tours.

The goal for this project was to undertake new curriculum development for grades four and eight, with an emphasis on the geography curriculum. This curriculum is centred on a tour to the Haliburton Hatchery. As well, the host requested a revising and enhancing of the existing lesson plan for Grade 10 Academic Science. The development of the teaching packages incorporating Treatment Wetland technology into the existing education curriculum was essential to promoting green technologies and expanding the community involvement of Haliburton.

Trent University