Water EducaTion for Alabama 's Black BelT (WET)

About WET | Program Planning | Events | Outcome and Evaluations

Outcome and Evaluations

Students gave the highest rank to our WET module and also enjoyed our events most among other field day activities. They also considered our water experiments as the most challenging module. Our future evaluations will focus on a list of specific outcomes that can be easily measured (e.g., the student will learn how to measure DO, stream discharge, how to calculate a hydrologic gradient, ways to identify contaminants, conserve water resources, etc.) in addition to more qualitative assessments (e.g., Would you tell a friend to participate in this event?). Our project has a long term goal of improved performance in science-related subjects, although this is not easily measured in short time.

Teacher Evaluation

  1. The field trip was well structured with great hands-on educational and enjoyable learning activities for the students and the teacher.
  2. The modules correlated with the classroom curriculum and the Alabama Course of Study for sixth grade. Each activity was age appropriate and met the COS objectives #2: describe factors that cause changes to Earth's surface over time; and #3: describe water and carbon bio-geochemical cycles and their effects on Earth.
    I think the program was very beneficial from an educational perspective. The students were able to practice the steps in the Scientific Method. They were guided in making observations and wrote about them. I was glad to hear that the students had a preview to the lessons on the fifth grade trip last year. I was also impressed with their responses during the presentations.
  3. Continue checking the Alabama Course of Study when planning the modules. Provide a follow-up trip near the end of the school year to extend the activities.
  4. The equipment and the art activities seemed to motivate the students. They maintained a high interest level from start to finish. They were not hesitant to explore new concepts and ask questions.
  5. All the materials from this field day will be useful. Each student needs a book for note taking and journal writing. The journals they received will be used for notes during the 2 nd Nine Week. Making the pet rocks, observing minerals and rocks, investigating ground water and soil were great introductions to our next lessons in science. I will be able to use the handout and materials to enhance my lessons.

Students Evaluations ( questionnaire and sample answers)

Which modules did you find the most challenging (hardest)?

  1. The hardest group for me was the water group.

What are some things you learned about groundwater from the geologists?

  1. I learned that the water we use comes from the ground, I thought it came from somewhere else.

What did you like most about today's field trip and what other activities would you like to see added to future field trips?

  1. The thing I liked most about today's field was the water experiment. In the future I would like to see the study of animal added to the field trips.
  2. That we should use gravel if you want to get fresh water. Our water comes from an aquifer.
  3. Some thing I learned about ground was that if you get water from a ditch you can put some type of liquid in the water to make it a certain color. Also if it does it is being recharged.
  4. One thing I learned from ground water was how you could keep your water from being polluted.

How did you rate today's modules on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being excellent and 1 being fair?  Average of 4 evaluations