Since January 2018, Oregon Sea Grant has been providing MWEEs By the Sea educator workshops throughout the Oregon Coast STEM Hub to train educators to engage their students in Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs). The free workshops target formal and informal educators of students in Grade 3-12.

In each workshop, participants engage in hands-on classroom and field activities related to watershed topics, and explore locally-available educational materials that can be checked out and used with students. The resources and best practices shared supported teachers to design and implement a Project Based Learning (PBL) unit.  All trainings focused on Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences and culminated in a Student Watershed Symposium event, but each workshop topic and grade level varied by location. The MWEEs by the Sea series is supported by grant funds from the NOAA Bay Watershed Education Training (B-WET) program.

Teacher Workshop Topics and Locations

MWEE Year III
This year, NOAA B-WET funding will support Gr. 3-12 teachers on the South Coast with a variety of professional development opportunities throughout the year totaling 30+ hours.

  • Nov 16, 2019 - MWEEs by the Sea: Diving Deeper, Gr. 3-12 in Charleston - see photos of the kickoff here and here.
     

MWEE Year II
Oregon Sea Grant received a second year of B-WET funding to provide additional workshops throughout the Oregon Coast STEM Hub in 2018/19. These workshops were held:

  • Nov 10, 2018 - Stormwater Pathways, Gr. 3-8 in Lincoln City - see photos
  • Dec 1, 2018 - Wonderful Wetlands, Gr 3-12 in Charleston - see photos
  • Dec 8, 2018 - Wonderful Wetlands, Gr 3-12 in Yachats - see photos
  • Jan 12, 2019 - Stormwater Pathways, Gr. 3-8 in Cannon Beach - see photos

MWEE Year I
The first year of the project featured five workshops:

  • Jan 6, 2018 - Watershed Monitoring and Habitat Restoration, Gr 6-12 in Rockaway Beach - see photos
  • Jan 20, 2018 - Marine Debris, Gr 6-12 in Newport - see photos
  • Jan 27, 2018 - Marine Debris, Gr 3-8 in Astoria - see photos
  • Feb 3, 2018 - Watershed Monitoring and Habitat Restoration, Gr. 3-8 in Coquille - see photos here and here
  • Feb 17, 2018 - Climate Change, Gr 4-12 in Port Orford - see photos
 
Student Watershed Symposium events

Students of MWEE teachers are invited to present at a Student Watershed Symposium in the spring.The Student Watershed Symposium events are opportunities for students to share with peers and community the stewardship projects they have been undertaking.

In MWEE year III, we intended to hold three SWS events, but due to COVID-19 rules, all were cancelled.

  • cancelled: April 14, 2020 at OIMB / Charleston Marine Life Center in Charleston
  • cancelled: April 28, 2020 at Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport
  • cancelled: May 14, 2020 at Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria

In MWEE year II, there were three SWS:

  • March 19, 2019 at Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport - see photos
  • April 30, 2019 at OIMB / Charleston Marine Life Center in Charleston - see photos
  • May 14, 2019 at Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria - see photos

In MWEE year I, the SWS was held on May 22, 2018. - see photos

 

For more information about MWEEs by the Sea, contact Cait Goodwin at [email protected]