ABOUT US

The Eastern Sierra Watershed Project (ESWP) is designed to improve science education in Inyo County through a combination of hands-on science activities and supporting curriculum development, associated teacher professional development, the creation of a collaborative network of teachers and local scientists, with the engagement of the larger community.

ESWP began as a countywide, middle school science education program organized around the historic rewatering of the Lower Owens River. Middle school science teachers throughout the county, local scientists and land managers came together to create a curriculum introducing their students to watersheds, watershed monitoring, data collection, and the management of water resources. In the process, the teachers receive training in the use of best practices for science instruction and in strategies to reach diverse learners. This multifaceted educational program was developed with the support of many local resource agencies, including the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Inyo County Water Department, US Forest Service and CA Department of Fish and Game.

In 2004, ESWP collaborated with the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Hands on the Land program, beginning the expansion of the watershed project into elementary classrooms. Through directed scientific investigations, 2nd and 4th grade students have the opportunity to explore Fish Slough, a wetland located in the arid Owens Valley.

Students participating in ESWP activities are introduced to their local environment through hands-on, inquiry-based activities, in the classroom and in the field. ESWP activities provide students the opportunity to develop critical thinking, problem solving and reasoning skills. Community docents are a key to the success of the project as they provide an invaluable service leading small groups of student in field and classroom activities. The project also engages tribal communities, building on a successful project to document traditional ecological knowledge.

ESWP is sponsored by the Eastern Sierra Institute for Collaborative Education (ESICE), a non-profit organization which pursues scientific research and monitoring programs focused primarily on real world environmental and social issues. Using educational methods based on collaboration, creative problem solving, and commitment to community, ESICE fills a vital role as a center for innovative educational opportunities in the Eastern Sierra Region.