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Enhancing Understanding of Watersheds: DVD for Middle/High School Education

This project focuses on creating a DVD and website aimed at middle and high school students and teachers to illustrate the importance of watersheds. The visuals aim to engage students and enhance their understanding of watersheds and hydrologic principles. The content covers topics like watershed processes, water cycle, representation, and management challenges. Through visualizations and animations, the project introduces 21st-century techniques to explain complex systems like watersheds. The DVD production involves various software tools such as Google Earth, Maya, Adobe, and more, to create a comprehensive educational resource. The team is working on additional classroom activities and a web platform to supplement the DVD. Pilot testing and collaborations are underway to further refine the educational materials.

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Enhancing Understanding of Watersheds: DVD for Middle/High School Education

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  1. Watershed Visualizations – trials and tribulations creating a DVD for middle/high school students and classrooms Jim Washburne SAHRA, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ w/ Melissa Higgins, John Madden, Tim Seqin Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008 This work is supported by the National Science Foundation under Award GEO-0507710.

  2. Objectives A DVD & web site that: • Targets MS/HS students and teachers, • Illustrates what watersheds are and why they are important, • Captures student’s attention and improves their conceptual understanding of watersheds and basic hydrologic principles. Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  3. 1950’s era water education Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  4. 21st Century Visualization Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  5. What we know about spatial reasoning … and maps • Generally - a poorly developed skill, • More engaging if well known area or familiar (home) • Oblique (airplane) view closer to most people’s prior experience vs. nadir view • Map view requires prior experience with symbology • Contours hard to interpret • Colors/shading can help but … • Artificial band combinations can be confusing Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  6. Concept vs. Reality Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  7. Watershed Processes:Enduring Understandings • Definition & representation (maps & scale) • Basics: WS components and processes • Change: WS’s change over time (natural, anthropogenic) • Function: WS’s are complex systems • Management: WS management is complex • Issues: familiarity with SW watershed issues Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  8. Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  9. Challenges “Speculation. Water Monopoly. Land Monopoly. Erosion. Corruption. Catastrophe” Cadillac Desert, Marc Reisner Starting. Turnover. Clouds. Software. Compression. Slow Progress. Watershed Visualizations Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  10. GoogleEarth Google Software Maya Autodesk 3Dstudio Autodesk Flash Macromedia AfterEffects Adobe PremierPro Adobe Photoshop Adobe DVDStudioPro Apple FinalCutPro Apple ArcGIS ESRI Audacity Audacity workflow Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  11. Workflow ArtisticInterpretation Concept Outline Storyboard Text review Key frames Rendering Narration Sequencing AV timing review Labeling/Credits Movie DVD Supplements Pilot test review Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  12. Storyboard – water cycle Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  13. Watershed Fly-through Goal: introduction of WS in 3-D perspective before 2-D map Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  14. Watersheds Goal: Definition & representation (maps & scale) • Multi-format – video & animation • Range of scales – simple maps • Provides perspective • Where the water goes • Bias in representative figure Misconception: WS is area nearest river Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008 techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module01/whatiswatershed.htm

  15. Coastal and Eastern bias Cyclic view vs. simultaneous view Representation of reservoirs and fluxes Water Cycle Goal: tap into prior knowledge Misconception: Most important parts of water cycle are visible – rain & runoff Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  16. Cloud rendering & animation Rain streaks & rate Surface shading Cloud movement Multiple cloud decks Real videos Precipitation Misconception: Rainfall is uniform Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008 4

  17. How to display topo. & precipitation How to animate annual avg. rainfall Even monthly/weekly images are averages Orographic precipitation Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008 4

  18. Recharge Misconception: Groundwater and Surface water are not connected • In progress … • Balance betw. realism and conceptual process • Next step is to illustrate aquifers at a larger scale techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module06/TheWaterTable.htm Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  19. WS management is complex • Complex Human System • Culture • Laws • Economics • Politics • Science • Values • Familiarity with local water issues Experts see peril in reduced monitoring of Nations streams and rivers When Phoenix, Tucson merge High court issues consolidation decree for Colorado River South Arizona tribe settles water-rights dispute Chandler balks at using reclaimed water Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

  20. Current Status • Working on Module 4 – infiltration & recharge • Developing supplemental classroom activities • Developing web site • www.sahra.arizona.edu/education • Pilot Testing • Collaborations • Huth & Hall • GIS case histories &data analysis Watershed Visualizations, Feb. 2008

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