ces_watershed_innovation_lab
  1. Learn By Doing
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  3. Watershed Innovation Lab

Watershed Innovation Lab

我们的使命是让切斯特河成为世界上最广为人知的河流 to use this data in schools to teach students about the environment.

分水岭创新实验室(WIL)创造了独特的设备来帮助理解、观察、 teach and involve our students in research that shows us how watersheds work. 

从建造水质监测浮标到制造遥控船，再到 地图水质数据，分水岭创新实验室是一个探索的空间 depths through creative technologies. 

分水岭创新实验室也招募学生来帮助我们提供STEM项目 to K-12 classes. These programs include anything from aerial imaging with kites to tagging trees for observation to building underwater robots. 

Dr. Doug Levin他是WIL的负责人，得到了马里兰州创新基金的支持 商务部(Department of Commerce)在马里兰州创建了一家专注于浮标的企业(Basic) Observation Buoys(BOBs)) that collect water quality data. Water Quality systems are provided through a partnership with In-Situ Inc (Fort Collins, Colorado).

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Contact

Doug Levin, PhD

Deputy Director & Chief Innovation Officer, Center for Environment & Society

 

What We Do

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Water Quality Monitoring

在流域创新实验室，我们的工作重点是监测水质 in the Chester River. Our goal is to establish a correlation with water quality along 整个切斯特河与农业实践和降雨的发生有关. 

  • Water Monitoring Buoys我们建造浮标来收集和传输水质数据，以及有关的数据 aquaculture and engineering. These buoys are launched throughout the Chester River 让我们来监测，以及其他由其他组织监测的水体. 

  • Remote Control Boats (ROVERS)在与美国国家航空航天局合作的一个项目中，我们还建造了遥控船(ROVERS)来收集数据 water quality data that can be mapped. WAC students are helping with the design of 这些船，创造操作它们的方法，并学习最翔实的 ways to present the data gathered from them.

Sailbotz我们还在建造用于收集和传输数据的无人驾驶帆船 GPS and water quality data. 

这些卫星是在全球洋流中发射的，用来绘制水温，叶绿素 a, and other parameters to match with NASA satellite measurements. WAC students are 帮助设计这些船并使用从船上收集的数据.

WIL Water Quality Data

How to Use HydroVu Data

 

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Remote Sensing

The 27’ Research Vessel Lookdown is used with different remote sensing devices to make high resolution. We use side 扫描声纳绘制水下栖息地，多波束绘制海底深度， 海底剖面仪用来观察河底下的地质情况，还有磁力计 to find evidence of shipwrecks or other, iron laden, man-made objects. Students are 展示了如何使用不同的系统，可用于独立研究 and senior theses.

Research Fleet 
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STEM Education

We create programs for STEM education. These programs range from creation of an underwater robot, to building your own buoy, to aerial imaging with kites. Please see below for descriptions of our STEM programs. 

STEM Education Programs

在一个多小时内设计、建造并操作一个工作的水下机器人. 这个程序已经被使用到三年级，并通过专业使用 development for educators and more. Using PVS parts, pool noodles, and a controler 与舱底泵马达连接，一个水下机器人框架被建造并连接起来 a 30 ft (10 m) tether. Powered by a 12v battery held in a backpack, the Aquabotz can 带着相机在游泳池里“游泳”，或者用来拉一个自制的(学生建造的)鱼缸。 浮游生物拖，相机用于观察和浮游生物拖后检查 the deployment to see what is lurking in the water column. 

Aquabotz可以作为“随时可用”的套件购买，也可以不带水下相机. There are enough pieces to allow multiple frame designs. The controller is guarunteed for one year. Aquabotz with prebuilt controller, fram pieces and waterproof camera - $400 (battery not included), plus shipping. Get in touch for more details and to discuss program needs. NGSS lesson plans are included.

Contact [email protected] for additional information. 

sample Aquabotz battery backpack deployed aquabotz
This is a sample Aquabotz getting ready to be put in the water.  操作员背着电池背包，在水中控制Aquabotz in front of her.  This Aquabotz is sporting a nylon plankton tow being pulled behind it. After several 几分钟后，机器人被回收，被困的东西被冲洗到一个罐子里 microscopic analysis. The analysis includes plankton and plastic bits. 

 

我们向所有年龄组的人发起挑战，要求他们建造一个能打破“世界纪录”的浮标 它能容纳多少个高尔夫球，或者它能站多高而不翻倒. Our students present this challenge to K-12 groups all over our 2 counties. Small buoys 是用聚氯乙烯片建造的，可以容纳50多个高尔夫球，还是没有聚氯乙烯片就能站在一米高的地方 falling over. An indoor/outdoor thermometer is attached to create an observation buoy that measures water and air temperature. BABs program kits that service 30 students at a time will be available as a user resource. A website holds photos of records and prints certificates of achievement. Students leave knowing that buoys “mark underwater roads” and collect/transmit data.

在美国国家航空航天局(NASA)的一个合作项目中，人们在放飞风筝时，会携带一个拍摄照片的设备 the ground and senses the degree of moisture it contains.  Students learn how to fly kites that complete a mission to map the ground being flown over.

  1. Agro-Ecology -探讨农业、农业和生态的概念，以支持可持续发展. Demonstration gardens are designed, installed and monitored on school grounds.

  2. BOBs and FLOs -使用水质监测系统测量和绘制真实数据 and weather stations. 可视化明确的数据变化(数据喷泉)全天监测并显示 on large monitors installed in common school areas. Causal relationships are visualized between water chemistry, weather, and land use.

  3. Issues Investigation -识别环境调查中普遍存在的社会问题的技能 and using real data to support different viewpoints   will be demonstrated. Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate – In our programs, a 6th “e”被添加为“授权”，它被定义为“行动项目”，其中内在的 worth adds intangible value to the lesson.

  4. Its Electric -教育工作者使用太阳能电池板和微型涡轮机来转换太阳能和风 to electricity. They also explore battery science with fruits and vegetables. All that is learned will be transferrable to K-12 classrooms. This incorporates a “green 挑战”，学生们在竞争中努力减少学校的人均能源使用量 with others in their Schoolshed. (Add model railroading to explore circuitry & (and transportation))

  5. It's for the Birds – Educators are taught bird identification and basic avian science. Links are made to climate and weather, biology, geography (bird migrations), and pollination. 30 sets of binoculars and bird ID books are available for delivery to schools. Birdhouses, 蜂箱、蝙蝠屋、蝴蝶屋和花园被安装在学校的财产上.

  6. K-12 Curriculum Integration – Jemima Clark 与各县合作，使所有“一个流域”项目与联邦、州和地方政府保持一致 Local standards of learning.

  7. Sailbotz -使用一个自由漂浮的、不锚定的“浮标”和一个帆，我们探索洋流 以及如何利用这一媒介将学生与陌生的外国文化联系起来 climates, and varying habitats. 

  8. Overflight -教育工作者乘坐飞机，从空中看到他们的分水岭.

  9. Sense-It -电子元件和万用表向教育工作者展示如何构建传感器 使用电压来测量变化，并使用图形和数学将电压转换为物理 measurements – temperature, conductivity, and more. (adapted from Liesl Hotaling, Sense-It)

  10. Sense of Place -研究船、皮划艇、独木舟和徒步旅行被用来穿越水体 在公园范围内，采用观察和采样装置来表征不同的特征 habitats and bring “intimacy” between the park and its’ educators. This PDM may extend over two days.

  11. Shipwrecks – In areas where submerged cultural 文物被识别，它们将被成像与海底测绘设备和 their history and provenance identified. This interdisciplinary opportunity touches governance, economics, industry, social history, ag-history, and technology. The underwater 图像被绘制在30 ' x 25 '的广告牌上，学生们走在上面 interpret as if underwater.

  12. StoryMap -教育工作者学习如何使用手持GPS装置、计算机地图和在线工具 创建虚拟和真实的实地考察，结合学习目标和讲故事 tied to local landmarks.

  13. TREEs (Tree Research for Environmental Education) – Trees in schoolyards are tagged with QR-codes.   Each tag is linked to the mapped, GPS coordinates of the tree, its species, height, and girth (at 1m). A photo is archived in the web-searchable data base each year. The trees are adopted/assigned to students and monitored throughout their academic career (12 yrs). In the future, trees will be DNA fingerprinted and that information archived in a searchable database. This program was developed to meet NGSS research needs of all ages.

  14. Up, Up and Away - Flight Science -有系统地携带风筝、气球、纸飞机、无人驾驶飞机 into K-12 classrooms. Educators learn flight science and remote sensing and how to present it to their students at all ages. Select educators will qualify for their certificate to legally pilot Unmanned Aerial System (UAS).

  15. Virtual Field Trips - X,Y,Z -使用遥控船只和卡车收集全球定位系统参考数据-光谱图像; thermal mapping, bathymetry. (in planning)