Programs and Projects
Education and Outreach

IRWA provides educational and curricular offerings designed to serve educators in the Ipswich River Watershed, through curricula, study sites, and, in past years, student conferences and special projects. IRWA also encourages teachers and students to undertake special projects to teach and learn about the Ipswich River Watershed.

Curricula

The Hydrologics curriculum is intended for 2nd-5th grade students. This curriculum focuses on hands-on, inquiry-based, fun investigations into water, water use, watersheds, and watershed critters.

Hydrologics Curriculum (pdf format)
Hydrologics: Links to Massachusetts Frameworks (pdf format)
Appendix B: Water Supply By Town (simplified) (pdf format)
Appendix B: Water Supply By Town (advanced) (pdf format)
Duck Coloring Picture for Hydrologics (bitmap file)

The Planning for Growth curriculum is intended for middle-high school students, and focuses on helping students understand development pressures and land use regulations in the watershed.

Planning for Growth Curriculum (pdf format)
Land-Only Image
Land-Only Image Key
Land and Water Image
Land and Water Image Key

Throughout its 25 year history, IRWA has collected a large library of information on the river, its watershed, and related issues. Teachers are invited to visit our office and browse the library.

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Study Sites

IRWA offers study guides to help budding naturalists learn about one site in the upper watershed and one site in the lower watershed.

The first study site in North Reading includes information, identification guides, and student worksheets on bird watching (including an identification sheet), tree identification (including an identification sheet), and macroinvertebrate sampling activities.

Upper Basin (North Reading) Study Site (pdf format)

The second study site in Ipswich and Topsfield (focusing on Willowdale State Forest and Bradley Palmer State Park) includes information, student worksheets, data sheets, and equipment ordering information for water quality sampling, vernal pool identification, edible plant identification, macroinvertebrate sampling, and flow monitoring activities in these two parks. Appendix A provides an edible plant guide.

Lower Basin (Ipswich/Topsfield) Study Site (pdf format)
Appendix A: Edible Plant Guide (pdf format - 6 MB)
Appendix B: Directions for DO kit (pdf format)

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Student Conferences

The annual Ipswich River High School Conference started in the early 1990s as a collaborative effort between teachers and IRWA. Conferences were held each year at Reading Memorial High School, with notable assistance from Leo Kenney of Reading Memorial High School, Walt Tompkins of Hamilton/Wenham Regional High School, and Peg Lawrence of the IRWA. After a few very successful years (with nearly 200 students and teachers in attendance each year), funding limitations led to discontinuation of the conferences in favor of teacher trainings based on the curriculum described above.

In 1998, IRWA received funding to revive the conference. Held at the Topsfield fairground in the spring, the conferences focused on providing middle and high school students with field experience (wetlands, macroinvertebrates, vernal pools) with knowledgeable trip leaders. As field experiences require smaller groups of students, these conferences were smaller overall (around 40 students) and continued for two years. Staffing and funding limitations prevent IRWA from being able to offer these programs currently.

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Special Projects

Highlighted on this page are Ipswich River-related projects conducted by students and teachers within the Ipswich River Watershed. We are happy to have this opportunity to highlight student work and results! If you would like to post your students' project on this web site, please contact us at irwainfo@ipswichriver.org.

North Shore Technical High School Monitoring Project
Overview

Under the leadership of 12th grade Natural Studies teacher Glenn Tarpinian and principal Alan Bernstein, North Shore Technical High School received grants for sampling equipment from the Massachusetts Department of Education, the Toshiba America Foundation, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, and the Antioch Center for Environmental Education. After a presentation by IRWA, the class analyzed their sampling results and developed the following synopsis of the project. Mr. Tarpinian can be reached at North Shore Technical High School at (978) 762-0001.

A few words from the teacher…
Our class has been researching the water quality aspects of the Ipswich River watershed. We tested the pH, oxygen, carbon dioxide, temperature, flow rate, ammonium, calcium, chloride, nitrate, phosphate and turbidity. We took monthly samples of the river water; using probes attached to a hand held computer called a LabPro. We conducted our test at the river and in the lab -- recording our results on a class spreadsheet, creating tables and graphs.

Our objective was to learn how to create a chemical profile of the river, learn about processes within the ecosystem, and share our findings with our local watershed association. We became scientists investigating the water that we use and drink. Usually we worked in groups of two to perfoming different tests. The data was recorded and averaged. We would then attempt to explain our findings in terms of expected norms, possible reasons for increases or decreases in specific test results, and their effects on the life of the river. Our class has been studying the river environment and conducting tests since October 2001. We have met with a representative from the Ipswich River Watershed Association who explained how to interpret our results and how IRWA uses monitoring data to further its mission.

Based on our testing and what we've learned it is our conclusion that the water quality and health of the river is fair and usually within expected norms, particularly when compared to its history. Keeping an eye on the Ipswich River is worth the effort, since we did find a few quality concerns depending on the season and weather, and especially since the river is such an important natural resource.

North Shore Technical High School Data

Local Boy Scout Educates the Public about Protecting the Ipswich River

When North Reading High School freshman Frank Moda III learned that the Ipswich River was designated one of the nation's most threatened rivers*, he decided to focus his boy scout community service project on educating the public about opportunities for protecting the river. Specifically, Frank chose to develop an educational sign and install it in a local park. (Photo: Frank (right) stands in front of the new sign with P.K. Kuehnel.)
Working in close coordination with his parents, his Scout Master Mark Jarvis, Eagle Scout Rob McGlauflin, and Brian Woods of North Reading Parks and Recreation, it took Frank over three months to research, design, and construct the sign, which was finally installed in Parish Park on Saturday, Novermber 3, 2001.

Entitled "Help Save the Ipswich River," Frank's sign offers park visitors 12 tips on how they can help protect this precious resource. Frank gathered information for the sign from newspapers, brochures, the internet, local conservation groups, and state agencies. After finalizing the text, layout, and structural design for the sign, Frank presented his idea to the North Reading Recreation Committee, which approved the sign's installation in Parish Park. Frank next met with Wayne Moda, president of NU Graphics/TGS in Woburn, who donated his time and resources to produce the sign insert. Finally, Frank and his father built the sign's wooden structure and installed the insert.

As a finishing touch to the project, Frank wrote a letter to the editor of the North Reading Transcript announcing the sign's installation and thanking all those who helped bring the project to fruition. The Transcript published his letter along with a feature story on his efforts.

IRWA would like to commend Frank on all his hard work and congratulate him on a job well done! We would also like to thank Frank's mom for sharing her son's story and photos with us.

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