Cool Projects U.S. Gulf States - Texas
Bilingual Ocean Literacy Radio Program- "The Deep"
Contact: Mary Ann Wosenitz
Fourth and fifth grade students at Browning Elementary school in Houston, TX are participating in a unique project that educates the local community about the Gulf of Mexico. On weekly radio programs students inform others with Creature Features (facts about marine animals), Action Items (conservation issues, with an emphasis on what average people can do to help) and creative writing, such as short stories and poems.Read More...
Fonville Middle School Habitat Project
Contact: Adele Hanas
The 6th graders at Fonville Middle School have been working hard since last September to create a water-smart native habitat on their school campus. With guidance from Artist Boat, the Environmental Institute of Houston, the Barataria Terrebone National Estuary Program, and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance they completed the project on April 25th and held a celebration and planting day for their local community. The 120 foot by 75 foot overgrown plot of land is now an inspiring outdoor classroom. Beautifully hand painted tile benches display the different zones of the ocean for students to ponder as they walk about the trails and identify the native flora. Read More...
Get Hip to Habitat
Contact: Della Barbato
The Galveston Bay Foundation engages students directly with wetlands by having them create their own nursery. By planting smooth cordgrass in salt water pools students are able to mimic a salt marsh on school grounds. After a year students plant the grasses at a local restoration site. Click on the website link to find out more!Read More...
GK-12 Summer Field Science Program
Contact: Flora Buerger, Program Coordinator
The University of Texas Marine Science Institute conducts a Summer Field Science Program that produces hands-on, student-centered labs and field activities that create enthusiasm toward science, pique student curiosity about the world around them, and makes science relevant to their everyday lives. Students in grades 3-8 are eligible to participate and spend their summer outdoors exploring and learning!Read More...
Kids Teaching Parents Environmental Education
Contact: Logan Respess
The Floating Classroom Program (FCP) integrates classroom activities with a learning adventure aboard its 57' teaching vessel, the Karma. The program serves more than 4,000 students and teachers each year. Parents/guardians of students who earlier participated in the FCP are taken on one hour trips on Saturdays aboard the Karma. Students would become the primary instructors on these trips - allowing them to describe to the adults what they learned on their earlier school trips.Read More...
Know Your Watershed
Contact: Jennifer Lorenz
Located in Houston, TX, Legacy Land Trust is dedicated to protecting its local bayou systems. The "Know Your Watershed" project is part of the "No Child Left Inside" Environmental Education program and teachers will receive Texas Stream Team training and curriculum of the Clean Rivers Program. As teachers complete workshops to learn water testing protocols, they gain skills needed to enrich classroom lesson plans about water quality and prepare to lead student field studies of local waterways and increase desire for positive actions to improve water quality. By gaining an increased understanding of how quality of life issues are improved through reducing and preventing pollution, students may be able to balance lifestyle with environmental quality through their positive actions, and all parties involved gain a better understanding of how protecting waterways also protects the Gulf of Mexico and its habitat.Read More...
River Stewards II
Contact: Erin O’Neil Franz
Exploring the 1,600 acre beach site at the LCRA Matagorda Nature Park in Matagorda, Texas, enthusiastic middle school youth discover their interest in science and develop an appreciation for the environment through the River Stewards II program. The three year longitudinal TEKS-aligned (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) program allows local youth to experience multiple field excursions annually, utilizing the powerful gulf coast surroundings to supplement science classroom learning by increasing science achievement and promoting the stewardship of our natural resources. The curriculum differs based on grade level; however the following topics are spiraled in depth and complexity: watersheds, water conservation, water pollution and quality, aquatic biology and ecology.*Project developed and implemented by the Colorado River Foundation.Read More...
Student Ocean Radio Program in Houston, TX
Contact: Adele Hanas
Artist Boat and the 6th graders at Fonville Middle School are creating a radio program to generate ocean literacy in their local community. The programming will consist of different ocean topics that the students are currently studying, as well as updates and points of interest regarding their water-smart eco habitat. If you live near please drive by, tune in and, enjoy.Read More...
Sunset Lake Invaders
Contact: Tara Schultz, Director of Education
High school students from Corpus Christ Innovation Academy explore Sunset Lake and map invasive species. Texas State Aquarium conducts the Sunset Lake Invaders project and they incorporate technology by having students use GPS units and create GIS maps.Read More...
If you would like to submit something for posting to one of these pages, please email goma@disl.org with 'submittal' in the email title.
