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INTRODUCTION TO NEW YORK HARBOR: Its past, present and future Course overview in progress As the first course in a multi-year study of the harbor and estuary the following unit will focus on an introduction to the harbor and various water bodies that make up the estuary. Students will visit different sections of the estuary, meeting different environmentalists, boat builders and others who work on the water, studying specific scientific concepts and comparing and contrasting the water bodies in terms of their physical make-up, their water life, and their environmental issues. The lead teacher for this class is Rebecca Krucoff, who will team teach with Assistant Principal Joseph Johnpoll, and a rotating teacher from the Bushwick Campus. The class meets every day except Mondays at the Schermerhorn Row classroom at South Street Seaport Museum at 8:30 AM. From there they go visit different parts of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary. As with all Harbor School off-site curricula, this first unit will have the following three goals: 1. To use the resources of the harbor and a study of the harbor to better teach the content and skills the students already need to learn (whether science and science skills, history and history skills, ELA and ELA skills, math and math skills) 2. To use Waterkeeper Alliance and the South Street Seaport Museum as a model for studying, preserving and advocating for the New York City community 3. To use the resources of the water to better connect students spiritually to themselves and to their community Throughout our first study students will: Observe the estuary and extended water bodies and record our observations visually and in writing Examine various types of maps and charts of the water Create maps of the estuary Do water quality tests Observe the flora and fauna of the water bodies Read about the natural history of the estuary Meet people with expertise and deep connection to the estuary and harbor Get out onto the water and have fun on the water Connect our study to the Waterkeeper and South Street Seaport preservation models by articulating how our study can help us to become community ³caretakers² and advocates Brainstorm other ways we need to examine the estuary and the harbor in order to become Waterkeepers Present our findings in various media for the greater public The course takes place over 10 sessions, plus project time, as outlined below: Day 1: (Oct. 14, 15, 16, 17, 21) at South Street Seaport Museum Intro to New York Harbor (Rebecca, Joe and teacher to teach) Reflections on what they learned about the Harbor from the Lettie G. sails Differences b/w port, harbor and estuary (cultural and scientific) When did New York lose its intimate connection to the water? Intro. to the seaport/scavenger hunt/meet seaport staff Teach basic observation skills (object observation) Take kids out for an East River Observation from Seaport pier/Brooklyn Bridge Become familiar with geography of the area with maps and charts Wrap-up Day 2: (Oct. 22, 23, 24, 28, 29) at East River Apprenticeshop Get out on Newtown Creek: (Anthony Francis and Basil Seggos) Row, float and explore in gigs Lesson on pollution Historic and current uses of Newtown Creek Scientific samples Observation Sketch What makes Newtown Creek unique (among the Hudson-Raritan Estuary?) What makes it important for humans? Day 3: (Oct. 30, 31, Nov. 5, 6, 7) at Pier 40 ­ Floating the Apple Get out on the Hudson: (Don Betts, Chris Figueroa, Roy and Brendan) Lessons on tides with plumb lines, measuring current Row and float and explore in Whitehall gigs Scientific samples (salinity, turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen and seine net for fish) Observation Sketch What makes the Hudson unique (among the Hudson-Raritan Estuary)? What makes it important for humans? Day 4: (Nov. 12, 13, 14, 18, 19) at Rocking the Boat Get out on the Bronx River: (Jim and Adam from RTB) Historic and current uses of the Bronx River Geology and Forestry (where does the river come from) Row, float and explore in gigs (if not too cold) Scientific samples/measuring tides Observation Sketch What makes the Bronx River unique (among the Hudson-Raritan Estuary?) What makes it important for humans? Day 5 (Nov. 20, 21, 24, 25, 26) at The River Project Hudson-Raritan Estuary (team taught with Cathy Drew and Chris Letts?) Morning at Seaport? Fish of the estuary Ecology of the estuary Day 6 (Dec. 2, 3, 4, 5, 9) at South Street Seaport Museum Oysters in New York Harbor (with Debbie Dalton from Baykeeper and Maggie): Plankton observation Why are oysters important? What has been their historic role in the ecosystem What has been their role in the development of New York City Life cycle of an oyster Seeding and putting out 5 new traps Day 7 (Dec. 10, 11, 12, 16, 17) at American Musuem of Natural History Biodiversity and ecology of New York Harbor (Rebecca and AMNH staff): Ocean and Estuary Life Food chains and webs Why are their 206 species of fish in New York Harbor? Environmental impact of the exhibit (talk to curator about why the exhibit was made this way and how it was made) Day 8 (Dec. 18, 19, Jan. 6, 7, 8) history/walking tour of Lower Manhattan - from SSSM to Pier 40 ­ if not too cold How did the Harbor shape the history of our city (Rebecca and Caissa) Port Waste-water Drinking water Immigration (neighborhoods) How the coast of Manhattan has changed with fill and development Old images etc. Day 9: (Jan. 13, 14, 15, 16, 20) trip to Coney Island and New York Aquarium Intro to the Atlantic Ocean life: (NY Aquarium employees) Historic and current uses of Coney Island and the ocean Explore the beach Scientific samples Observations Visit the aquarium and talk with aquarium educator What makes Coney Island unique (connection to the Hudson-Raritan Estuary?) What makes it important for humans? Day 10: (Jan. 20, 21, 22, 23, 26) at South Street Seaport Museum Project time: Blue Mapping Comparison of different parts of the estuary/Harbor Figuring out what will go on the blue map and dividing tasks Conduct monthly oyster data collection and prepare to report to NY/NJ Baykeeper Work on project Home Port Days: (Jan. 27, 28, 29) Work on project/Present project Project Description Blue Mapping: Using the idea of green mapping as a model, students will create both an individual map of the estuary or a section of the estuary for a family member and the class will create a giant map of one of the water bodies we studied for display at SSSM and the Harbor School. These maps will include all of the scientific information discovered, as well as environmental info. and what people can do to preserve the estuary. Each section of the map will be labeled and illustrated, and will also include sketches, photographs, writing pieces etc.. Maps will be displayed and select students will orally present the maps to other groups. Return to overview of Academics at NYHS.

New York Harbor School Bushwick Campus 400 Irving Ave., 4th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11237 Nate Dudley, Principal 718.381.7100 info@nyharborschool.org Search NYHS Click here to access your newyorkharborschool.org email account.