Rain Gardens: A Beautiful Service Learning Project

Kitrina Carlson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
University of Wisconsin - Stout
E-mail: carlsonki@uwstout.edu

           Every educated person should have an understanding of basic biological            concepts…Overpopulation, the destruction of the environment, and the malaise of            the inner cities cannot be solved by technological advances, nor by literature or            history, but by measures that are based on an understanding of the biological roots            of these problems.
                                              Ernst Mayer - This is Biology: the Science of the Living World

There is no question that tomorrow's leaders must excel in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in order to develop solutions to the urgent societal problems we are facing as a world and simply to be competitive in the increasingly technical and skill driven work force.  It had been a goal of the U.S. Department of Education's National Commission on Excellence in Education to have students perform among the "first in the world in mathematics and science achievement by the year 2000" (NSB, 2006).  However, on international assessments of performance in math and science, U.S. students consistently perform poorly and achieve at or near the bottom of participating nations (NSB, 2006). 

The data shows that we are failing our kids in STEM education.  The pedagogical methods currently used to educate our youth in STEM do not inspire or reward curiosity, engagement, or passion for STEM. There are several proposed reasons for this failure with under-qualified teaching staff, too few resources, and lack of public support being just a few broad categories that have been "called out".  I'm sure each of these plays a role, but I'm convinced one good experience in the STEM classroom can change lives and lead children down a path towards STEM careers.

It has been a somewhat painful and shocking discovery for me as a new assistant professor to realize that a large number of my students come to the university under prepared for even an introductory biology class, and it has become my passion to share my love for science with my students.  I’m fortunate to work with other passionate scientists and have been gifted with a great deal of direction and support from my colleagues in my attempts to establish new teaching pedagogies in my STEM classroom.

I would like to share a successful venture I am currently working on involving a rain-garden service-learning project that is taking place in my college-level introductory botany class.  I have detailed how I organized the curriculum so that other K-16 science instructors may establish their own rain garden service-learning courses.

Background

Service Learning:

Service learning is the process of applying knowledge learned in the classroom to help a community need followed by personal reflection (Kraft, 1996).  Abundant research has shown that students are typically more engaged and become more socially aware after taking part in a service-learning based classroom activity (Shumer et al., 1999).

Rain Gardens:

Runoff from developed areas increases flooding and carries pollutants from streets, parking lots, and even lawns into local streams and lakes.  Establishing rain gardens within these urbanized areas is one method used to reduce the effects of storm water runoff.  Rain gardens are a relatively new concept.  These gardens are designed to soak up rain water, mainly from the roof and parking lot or driveway of a house or other building.  The garden fills with a few inches of water and allows the water to slowly filter into the ground rather than running into storm drains.  Compared to a conventional lawn, a rain garden allows about 30 percent more water to soak into the ground.  This reduces the quantity and improves the quality of storm water runoff that drains into local lakes and streams.

Rain Garden Curriculum

Students enrolled in introductory botany have an opportunity to learn horticultural skills and apply them to a serious environmental concern that impacts their community.  In this course students design and install community rain gardens.  The semester is broken up into three units, with each unit focusing on some aspect of rain garden design and installation.  The goal of this project is increased student engagement in the STEM classroom and a greater sense of obligation to their community.

Unit 1 objectives:

Students learn about the environmental impact of storm water runoff from impervious surfaces in urban environments has on water quality and begin to recognize connections between their actions and environmental health. 

The unit starts with a video on the natural connections that exist between all living things and the external environment.  Following this video, I ask students to write down the social issue that is of greatest concern to them and share it with the class.  Invariably these issues relate to vast social problems, such as world hunger, destruction of the rain forest, or global warming.  Then I ask the students to brainstorm and find a solution to their social issues.  They recognize the problems they’ve outlined are too grand to be solved in a five minute class period, but it does lead to discussion about the positive impact one person can have on their world.  At this point I introduce the topic of storm water runoff and I lecture on the impact that storm water runoff from urban and industrialized area has on environmental health.  I inform them that research has shown that rain gardens are an effective tool in controlling storm water run off and I let them know that they will have an opportunity to design and install a rain garden for a local community member.  During this unit students begin to recognize that their actions have an effect on their environment and that small changes by numerous people can have a very large impact.

Unit 2 objectives:

Students learn the mechanics of rain garden design, including where to locate the garden, how to select an appropriate size, and how to select the appropriate plants for their design.

The second unit starts with a general introduction to rain gardens and how they function to prevent storm water runoff from reaching lakes and streams.  At the start of the second unit each group of four students is assigned a local community member to design a rain garden for.  Community members interested in having a rain garden design have been recruited by me during the summer at our local “farmer's market”.  The “rain garden initiative” objectives are shared with the students.  Students are informed of all the considerations that must be made of their rain garden site.  Students learn about the impact soil type, slope of the land, and sun and shade may have on their gardens and the importance of selecting plants most well suited to the garden location.  Several guest lecturers visit the class during this unit to lecture on basic design components as well design issues more specific to gardening, such as consideration of plant height and blooming times. 

The unit ends with a rain garden board game I designed.  To complete the game students must successfully navigate through a series of questions that require them to role play as if they are meeting with their homeowner, select an appropriate rain garden location, make calculations for rain garden size, and select plants that are most appropriate for their locations.  The winner of the game in each group is awarded bonus points.

At the end of this unit students are asked to contact their homeowners and set up their first site visit.  Homeowners have been informed that students will be contacting them to discuss their specific rain garden needs.  At the site visit students help the homeowners determine the best placement for their garden as well as calculate the most effective size based on the square footage running off into the garden site.  Students also interview homeowners to determine homeowner garden style preferences as well as other specific needs the homeowners may have.  During the first visit students make a soil collection and process these soil samples during a subsequent laboratory meeting.  The information collected by examination of the site, interview with the homeowners, and analysis of the soil sample is all used in the development of the rain garden design.

Unit 3 objectives:

Students apply the information they have learned in the classroom to produce a rain garden design.  After learning the techniques involved in rain garden installation, students install a rain garden.

In this unit students are given more specific rain garden design parameters (in addition to the parameters established by their homeowner).  Students working in their groups are asked to develop a rain garden design that costs between $1 - $2 per square foot and meets the specific criteria of a rain garden.  They are asked to present both me and their homeowners with some type of model or presentation that clearly shows the layout and shape of their garden as well as shows the garden relative to the other features of the homeowner’s property, such as the house or driveway.  Students must indicate to me and the homeowners how their design meets the specific needs of the homeowner.  In addition to the model, students must provide the homeowners with a detailed plant list, budget and list of businesses that the selected plants can be purchased from.  Homeowners should be able to take the design and easily implement that rain garden plan.

In the final part of this unit students install some of the designed rain gardens.  This is the first semester we have planned to do rain garden installations.  Students will work in teams of eight.  They will learn the installation skills during laboratory “skills stations” that have been designed to show students how to remove sod, level the garden surface, make any necessary soil amendments, and plant.

There are several reflection components to this project including presentation of rain garden designs and installations to their classmates and a final reflection document that students are asked to write and post on the class online discussion board. 

Conclusion

This project is designed to inspire students to be community minded, environmentally aware citizens, and it is working.  Students often comment that it was a difficult task but “they can't wait to see what it looks like next year” and that they plan to revisit their sites in the future.  I have also had numerous students stop by or email to let me know they were inspired to install their own rain gardens in their own hometown communities.  By learning about local water quality concerns and designing rain gardens to help reduce the impact of stormwater runoff students begin to feel more connected and concerned about their community.  At the same time they are gaining skills and knowledge related to the botany curriculum. 

References

Kraft, Richard J. (1996). Service Learning: An introduction to its theory, practice, and effects.
           Education and Urban Society, 5, 131-159.

National Science Board (2006) America's pressing challenge: Building a stronger foundation. 
           Science and Engineering indicators companion Arlington, VA: National Science            Foundation (volume 1, NSB 06-01; volume 2, NSB 06-01A). Available at            http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind06/.

Shumer, R., Treacy, A., Hengel M.S., and O'Donnell, L. (1999) Recent dissertations on service
           and service-learning topics. National Service-Learning Cooperative Clearinghouse,            University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN.

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