Our Winter Coastal Conditions featured partners for the CoastWatch in the Schools Resources Page are Curry Watersheds and Driftwood Elementary School. Their top-notch science and place-based education principles and practices can be seen woven into their curriculum and outdoor classrooms. In January, Education Manager Denise Harrington visited Driftwood Elementary, where students shared King Tide observations, including several made at their adopted CoastWatch Mile 48, Battle Rock. They then played the Oregon King Tides Project (OKTP) comparison card matching game, learning how king tides impact communities along the Oregon coast.

After playing the card game, Nancy Windholz’s 5th-grade students and Jen Nelson from Curry Watersheds gave Denise a tour of the school wetlands. They then noted changes in the water levels in their science journals. Dixie Howard’s 1st-grade students also compared King and Average High Tides using the OKTP cards and then gave Denise a tour of the school garden and compost program. 

If your school wants to integrate community science into your curriculum and/or adopt a CoastWatch mile, contact denise@oregonshores.org.

  • Coastal Lands
  • CoastWatch
  • Marine Conservation