Cascade High School is situated on the shores of Cascade Reservoir, a highly impacted body of water in central Idaho. Cascade Reservoir's eutrophic conditions result from cultural effects ranging from flood irrigation practices to secondary effluent discharges from an upstream community. Students in Cascade High School's Advanced Biology class learn the fundamentals of limnology and employ that knowledge to propose and implement a solution to a specific aspect of Cascade Reservoir's problems. In order to solve an environmental problem, students must balance the scientific, economic and political aspects of their proposal. Initially, they learn the physical and biological condition's of the reservoir's ecology. Students then monitor the chemical make-up of the reservoir using sophisticated technologies. They key the biota into specific groups and formulate a water quality index based on the biological and chemical aspects of their studies. They share their data over the Internet, participate in field work with water quality experts at federal and state levels, and attend public hearings regarding the future of Cascade Reservoir. Finally, students write a paper summarizing their results and supporting their proposed solution. They gather public and expert support for this solution in order to implement proposals, and have been successful in writing grants to secure funding for implementation. As a result the school has become linked with community concerns, and has produced a multitude of national awards reflecting the quality of students' work.


Introduction

Science education involves the traditional approach of learning the terms and facts of science that provide a foundation for critical thinking and problem solving skills. The Cascade Reservoir Restoration Project conducted by students in Cascade High School's Advanced Biology class concerns real life problems that directly connect with students' lives. Ultimately, this project integrates factual information and practical problem solving into a complete education for the students.


Project Overview

Cascade Reservoir is a man-made, draw-down irrigation impoundment constructed in 1948 that provides a large share of the economy and recreation for the community. Recently, the 17 mile long, four mile wide reservoir has been experiencing the effects of ultra-eutrophication resulting in large algae blooms. The usefulness of the reservoir for swimming, boating, fishing, and general aesthetics has been adversely affected and directly impacts the students' lives. The reservoir provides a real life laboratory to teach the essential components of good science and citizenship.

The project begins by introducing the fundamental facts of limnology in order to solidify a scientific background in water quality and more specifically, Cascade Reservoir. Lectures are used to present the material and then the class travels to the lake for hands-on labs and demonstrations of facts in a real world setting. Formal field trips with agencies in charge of various aspects of the reservoir, such as the Bureau of Reclamation and the Department of Environmental Quality, allow students to see how professionals use limnology to manage the lake and its watershed.

Within this introduction to limnology, it is important to emphasize the way in which the physical, chemical, and biological components of a water body integrate. Therefore it is necessary to study each aspect separately, and later compile this information to create a broad understanding of the reservoir's ecology. Initially, the class must consider the physical profiles of Cascade Reservoir, including altitude, geology, watershed characteristics, water flow, and land management practices. Students examine maps and aerial photos, take field trips to various locations, and discuss these characteristics to understand how they make the reservoir unique.

Students then study the chemical composition of the water in Cascade Reservoir. Lectures concentrate on the nature and uniqueness of the water molecule, as well as the minerals and ions that are dissolved in the water and their origins. Students run chemical water tests using a variety of instruments starting with Hach and Lamotte test kits and proceeding to colorimeters (DC1600), pH meters, conductivity meters, and finally spectrophotometers (spect 20D) and Beer's Law analysis of ions. Advanced chemistry is used and learned, as students make their own standards using electronic balances and serial dilutions, graph data, and utilize computer interfacing to laboratory equipment. This is a challenging part of the unit in which problem solving skills are incorporated as students discover how to construct standards and dilutions within the range of the needed measurements and available equipment. At this point in the unit, the class utilizes the water quality index provided by the SITE (Students Investigating Today's Environment) program which is used to share discoveries and measurements on the computer network while learning new skills and connecting with students conducting similar experiments across the state. The class collects data at many locations and at several different times of the year in an effort to gain an understanding of the dynamics of the reservoir's chemistry.

Finally, students address the biological aspects of Limnology and specifically how these relate to Cascade Reservoir. Lectures set a foundation and provide scientific vocabulary while field trips facilitate collection of samples. Students run sophisticated fecal coliform analysis, and microscopic and macroscopic examinations to identify and classify a diverse amount of life forms. The class explores the water quality needs of each organism and develops a biological water quality index for Cascade Reservoir.

At the culmination of this process, which can take anywhere from 13 to 18 weeks, students have gained a working knowledge of the ecology of Cascade Reservoir in a variety of ways, each reinforcing the other. Class periods are 95 minutes long, allowing for complex labs to be run during class time, and field trips are taken for half days, full days and on weekends. Field trips involve wading, swimming, power-boating and canoeing, all of which are extremely popular. Students may elect to do multi-media reports on their findings using video, computers, and sophisticated software.

The project now enters its second phase: the identification of solutions to environmental problems related to Cascade Reservoir. Students divide into self-chosen groups of three or four, and are asked to identify and propose a practical and feasible solution to a specific aspect of the reservoir's eutrophication. They attend water quality meetings, give public testimony, write letters to representatives, and use the Internet to do research and set up cooperative experiments with some of the world's leading experts. Students carry out experiments on ideas they are researching, and meet with various experts to share information and get feedback on proposals. Finally, each group will present their proposal in the form of a 20 page report, including graphs, drawings and a bibliography. They also make a 20 to 30 minute video on their project using high-tech editing equipment and software. For the past five years, students have completed this difficult work with enthusiasm and success. As they begin formulating solutions, it is essential to stress that environmental problems can only be solved if one considers the science, economics and politics of the problem and addresses these issues in a realistic way.

Once the solution process begins students are turned loose to work on their own. This work includes a significant amount of research and preparation beyond the classroom. Students use the knowledge they were exposed to in the beginning of the project to solve real life problems. It is at this point that the real learning takes place. Students gain enough knowledge to attend professional meetings, understand what is going on, and make valuable contributions to the restoration effort. Students are allowed to join the class as Juniors and work on their specific projects through their Senior year. The entire class is enlisted to help on projects as necessary. There are two things one must remember when educating young people: never underestimate their abilities to accomplish difficult tasks, and never hold them back. Give them the freedom to explore the world and be creative. Their insight can create solutions that adults overlook due to prejudices or special interests.


Implementation of Student Projects

When students discover viable solutions to specific aspects of Cascade Reservoir's cultural eutrophication, they then begin the process of implementing these solutions. The students must first build support for their project within the community, but more importantly, support must be garnered from the professionals in the various government agencies in charge of the management of Cascade Reservoir. This task is challenging, and many times involves altering various aspects of the proposal to meet specific requirements and regulations. Often, support from the groups directly responsible for the problem must be generated in order to convince them to change their land management practices.

For instance, one year a group of students proposed that ranchers set aside small pieces of land where wild rice could be planted in small, constructed wetlands. Flood irrigation water from pastures would be funneled into the parcels where the rice could effectively remove nutrients from the water before being discharged into the reservoir. Convincing ranchers was a daunting task and involved a multitude of phone calls and visits before a participant could be found who was willing to change his ranching practices. In addition, the group convinced the Bureau of Reclamation to test the project on Bureau land. The students eliminated the problem of funding when they submitted an application to the Idaho Fish & Game for a Phillips Petroleum Environmental Partnership grant and received $1,000 to test their project.

This process is repeated every year by each group who formulates an idea they wish to pursue. The class has received $5,000 in a PEP grant for construction and monitoring of a wetland. The Bureau of Reclamation has now constructed several wetlands on their property and presently has a group of students monitoring various water quality parameters to determine the effectiveness of these wetlands at removing nutrients. Another group of girls researched the possibility of altering an old railroad grade, thereby making a large wetland on a major tributary of Cascade Reservoir. This body of water would be allowed to fill with plants which would then remove the majority of nutrients entering from the Gold Fork watershed. This project was never actually funded while these students were in school, but the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has since allocated $250,000 to conduct engineering studies on the feasibility of constructing this proposed wetland.

One year a student proposed a creative and unique approach to save the trout struggling to survive in the reservoir. He proposed that water from streams feeding the reservoir from its steep, west side could be piped to deeper portions of the lake, thus providing cool, oxygen-rich, sanctuary pockets that could aid trout survival during the hot summer months when oxygen is depleted from the reservoir. This project was approved after several intense, scrutinizing meetings with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and the Cascade Reservoir Technical Advisory Committee. He was awarded a $6,500 research contract to construct and monitor this project and report and publish his results. He obtained permits from a host of regulatory agencies and received volunteer help from many community members as well as his peers in the Advanced Biology class.

A group of four girls (Kara Thurston, Dani Gahl, Tessie Gordon, and Stacie Julian) who call themselves "The Sewage Sisters" have spent almost two years researching and promoting a "cutting-edge" technology being developed in England by a company called Biotechna. This new technology, called Biocoils, removes nutrients from the sewage effluent being discharged into the reservoir by an upstream, neighboring community. Biocoils remove nutrients through the use of Chlorella algae and are efficient and cost-effective. And engineering firm in California and the parent company in England estimated the cost of building a system at McCall, an upstream neighbor, to be approximately two million dollars, which is considerably less than traditional sewage treatment options. These girls had engineers from England and California helping them via the Internet, and attended many meetings to discuss their research with political and environmental agencies. They generated tremendous public support and appeared on television, in newspapers, and various professional publications. This group received nearly $22,000 in grants in order to construct a mobile demonstration unit and collect data on its efficiency. Much of this money was awarded through national grants such as a Toyota NSTA Tapestry grant and the Phillips Petroleum Environmental Partnership grant. However, local agencies such as the Cascade Reservoir Association and others, along with private citizens, have made significant contributions of money and time, facilitating the construction of this project. Gaining funding from such diverse sources demonstrates the widespread support this class generates.

Ultimately, implementation is up to the students. If they can find the money and support, the Advanced Biology class will supply the place and the people. Teachers guide and help them as do a number of extremely qualified and dedicated individuals. Students are granted the opportunity to solve an environmental problem and respond to this respect with hard work and dedication.


Impacts on Education, Esteem, and Environment

The Cascade Reservoir Restoration Project is a testament to the impacts a non-traditional teaching approach can have on the students, people, and environment of a community. Throughout this project students have gained an amazing amount of respect for their capabilities from professional scientists, government officials, community members, national organizations, teachers, and most importantly, themselves. This respect is born from the benefits an alternative teaching method brings to the classroom. The identification of the different needs of individual students and the ability to create unique motivational tools are keys to the success of any science curriculum. Students leave this course with a heightened awareness of their own responsibilities as well as the knowledge that they have massively contributed to the protection of the environment.

In today's high schools teachers must be prepared to accept the fact that a single approach to science education will not meet the needs of all students. It is paramount to realize that all students need a firm foundation in scientific concepts, reasoning, and problem solving, regardless of whether or not a student plans to further their academic career in science. Our technological society requires well-educated, scientific-literate citizens to be able to make the choices appropriate to the growth and development of the world. Because this project involves hands-on work, academic work, interpersonal skills, and manual skills of construction and assembly, it allows students with diverse talents, needs, backgrounds, and goals to participate and learn together. For example, within a group one student might possess strong communication skills. Therefore this student may conduct telephone interviews or meetings with organizations and scientists. Another member of the group might harbor manual skills that can be better put to use in the actual construction of a project. In this manner students are able to enhance and utilize their natural abilities, and learn new skills by observing their peers. These projects can involve students not typically oriented toward traditional science education. Diversifying opportunities to a diverse group of students is a major reason for the program's success.

Once diverse opportunities are given to the students, it is also important to accommodate different learning styles. Teaching methods must balance knowledge and fact level instruction with higher level thinking and problem solving strategies. In the Advanced Biology class traditional methods such as lectures, text books, and text book labs are combined with alternative methods to provide this balance. Demonstrations and relevant videos are appropriate to introduce concepts and stimulate creative thinking and discussions. Open-ended labs enhance creativity and problem solving skills. Using discrepant events in chemistry and physics and controversial topics in biology is a good way to generate scientific reasoning and evaluation. This array of techniques not only provides students with a working knowledge of the facts of science, but more importantly, enables them to use this information to solve problems. Students must also learn that high level thinking skills can be used in all facets of their lives. This concept is provided through the presentation of problems which strongly relate to the students' lives, such as improving the water quality of a local reservoir.

It is apparent that the ability to discover ways to relate education to students' lives is a key to motivation. Students are more likely to work hard and participate when completing projects they feel are worthwhile. While finding ways to motivate students can be difficult it is necessary to move students to act. Participating in projects of this caliber creates publicity that motivates students to work harder, or join in the project if they haven't already. For example, members of the Advanced Biology class have been featured on Boise area newscasts and the television program Incredible Idaho. Students revel in the fame they receive and enjoy enthusiasm from the community. Younger students notice the publicity and are motivated to join the class as they get older. Motivation likewise increases when students are rewarded for their efforts with scholarships, grants, and awards from competitions. For instance, Advanced Biology students have won a multitude of scholarships by consistently placing among the top five national finalists in the Seiko Youth Challenge Environmental Action contest. (see Table 1) Perhaps the most rewarding motivator comes with the actual implementation of the projects. Students feel a sense of pride when realizing that their proposals are practical, valid and even sought after by professionals. This tangible outcome alerts students to their real-life achievements.

Real-life connections play an important role in this project. While learning scientific concepts students also gain the insight to apply this knowledge to their daily lives. During this project students must deal with the scientific, economic and political aspects of proposing a solution to an environmental problem and implementing this solution. They learn that unless all of these aspects are equally addressed, success is virtually impossible. Because the students do this work on their own, they become responsible for their own education. This sense of responsibility remains with them for the rest of their lives.

One of the most important outcomes of this project is the actual restoration of Cascade Reservoir. Projects that have been implemented are providing valuable studies concerning the most effective techniques for improving the water quality of the reservoir. Students have forced the community to become aware of the extent of water quality problems, and are challenging political powers to address environmental issues as a significant part of their political agendas. As awareness spreads through publicity, those in charge of protecting the environment are pressured to do more rather than less. This project has also stimulated students in other communities to address similar environmental problems. Considering these facts, the students have done more to advance the restoration of the reservoir than is immediately obvious.


Conclusion

It is evident that alternative teaching methods can and will enhance the overall education of students in science. The Cascade Reservoir Restoration Project provides a theme by which students can develop many aspects of their education, including scientific, communication and technical skills. The ultimate success of this project proves that this thematic, outcome-based approach to learning is beneficial to a science curriculum, and should be included in classrooms everywhere.

Kyra Guest, Jerimi Paul, Autumn Gestrin, Jennifer Reif - 1993 Seiko Youth Challenge West Region Semi-Finalist - Wetlands to the Rescue

Dorice Constans, Erin Kennedy, Tara Kennedy, Stephanie Schuette - 1993 Seiko Youth Challenge West Region Semi-Finalist and Finalist - Saving Cascade Reservoir - Removing Phosphorus Through the Use of Constructed Wetlands

Kenna Thomas, J.J. Conrad, Jon Stiles - 1993 Seiko Youth Challenge West Region Semi-Finalist and Finalist and West Regional Champion, awarded $5,000 scholarships - Implementation of Resource Management Systems and Submersible Propellers to Efficiently Attain the Destratification of Cascade Reservoir

Advanced Biology Class - Awarded $5,000 Phillips Petroleum Environmental Partnership Grant for water quality studies

Brian Kimmel, Chris Gibbons, Kevin Payton, Ken Schmitz - 1994 Seiko Youth Challenge West Region Semi-Finalist - Causes and Effects of Phosphorous Loading in Cascade Reservoir

Rad Probst, Christie Moses - 1994 Seiko Youth Challenge West Region Semi-Finalist and Finalist - Reduction of Cyanobacteria in Cascade Reservoir by Chemical and Environmental Means

Matt McDonald, Ben Plehal, Kenna Thomas - 1994 Seiko Youth Challenge West Region Semi-Finalist and Finalist - Reinstatement of Bats: Environmentally Sound Pest Control

Jerimi Paul, Erin Morgan, Harry Waldron - 1994 Seiko Youth Challenge West Region Semi-Finalist, Finalist, and West Regional Champion, awarded $5,000 scholarships, awarded $1,000 Fish and Game/PEP Grant for implementation - A Biological Approach to Nutrient Reduction

Danielle Gahl, Stacie Julian, Tessie Gordon, Kara Thurston ("The Sewage Sisters") - 1995 Seiko Youth Challenge West Region Semi-Finalist and Finalist - Advanced Integrated Biocoil Ponding System: An Environmentally Friendly Method for Treating Sewage Effluent

Karrie Bolen, Chris Stiles, Robert Steele, Brad Stanton - 1995 Seiko Youth Challenge West Region Semi-Finalist and Finalist - A Unique Approach to Reservoir Restoration

Ed Cimbalik, Jeff Newberry - Awarded $6,500 from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality for implementation of project - The Fish Saving Proposal - Hypolimnetic Injection

Advanced Biology Class and "The Sewage Sisters" - Awarded $10,000 Toyota Tapestry/NSTA Grant for implementation of mobile biocoil project

"The Sewage Sisters" - Awarded $500 Valley County Soil & Water Conservation District Grant, $1,000 Cascade Reservoir Association Grant, $1,500 Lightfoot Foundation Grant, $1,500 Cascade Coordinating Council (IDEQ), $5,000 PEP Grant, $750 Idaho Power Grant, and $700 Pacific Northwest Pollution Control Council for implementation of mobile biocoil project

Advanced Biology Class - Awarded $1500.00 by the Lightfoot Foundation for the Biocoil Project Grant.