Watershed Ecologists in Training: Student Scientists on the Sound

This presentation will provide an overview of the Watershed Ecologists in Training (WET) education program.  WET is a project- and inquiry-based curriculum that promotes environmental stewardship by enhancing critical thinking skills and drawing specific links between human actions and their ecological impacts on marine ecosystems.  WET is a model for an authentic partnership between aquatic researchers, community non-profits, local government and K-12 schools.  The goal of WET is for students and teachers to become more ocean-literate through increasing their knowledge of estuaries and watersheds, and how these ecosystems affect their daily lives.  Throughout this curriculum, teachers and students learn that marine environments, and the freshwater systems that flow into them, act as buffers to improve water quality, reduce the effects of floodwaters, prevent erosion, and provide habitat for many species.  Participants also learn how coastal areas provide value to humans in the forms of recreation, scientific knowledge, and resources. From the source to Puget Sound, students will explore watershed connections through hands-on activities, service-projects, student-driven field investigations, data analysis, and creating interpretive signs.