Green Team (Grades K-12)
Keeping Oregon's waterways healthy, one student at a time.
Green Teams commit to stewardship activities at a SOLVE managed restoration site for the duration of the school year participating in active restoration while learning all about watershed health. Each school adopts a stream in their own community, connecting them to stream health in their neighborhood. The intent of Green Team is to prepare students to be involved in these activities throughout their lives, as careers and/or as volunteers.
"I've become more heavily involved in restoration work and other projects locally. I have a whole new awareness and study to devote myself to. I now wish to combine my knowledge/curiosity of government, public policy and social media with an environmental policy major in college." - Senior, West Linn High School
Green Team Program Goals
- Students perform much needed community service while learning about stream restoration.
- Students commit to on-going restoration (visiting the site at least three times during the school year).
- Students see first-hand how science learned in the classroom in applied in the field.
- Students see how volunteerism positively affects the local community and natural habitat.
- Students interact with adults in the environmental science field and learn about science careers.
- Students become aware of issues impacting the health of their watershed and actions they can take to improve watershed health.
A Year in Green Team
Here is an example schedule of activities we offer. Most classes visit their site once a month but you could do more or less.
- September - In Class Presentation by SOLVE Staff: Watersheds 101
- October - Invasive Plant Identification, Invasive Plant Removal
- November - Native Plant Identification, Native Planting
- December- Salmon Placement with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- February - Stream Bioengineering Techniques
- March – Maintenance of new plantings
- April - Macroinvertebrate Survey, Water Quality Testing
- May – Wildlife Surveys
- June – Student Summit Presentations
- Site, tools, gloves, plants, site services, materials and supplies
- Introductory presentations on concepts of watersheds, water quality, plant ID
- Onsite staff to provide guidance and instruction
- Guest speakers and connecting your class with scientific professionals
- Classroom management
The Green Team program was designed to align with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Education Continuum 07/11/13 2 and Science, Technology, & Engineering & Math (STEM)-related education, including:
No Oregon Child Left Inside Oregon Environmental Literacy Plan: Toward a Sustainable Future
What do the students have to say about Green Team?
"Working with my hands and seeing my work benefit the world around me is not only satisfying, but it inspires me to make the effort to do the countless other things that can be accomplished everyday to help our world's environmental status." - Sophomore, Forest Grove High School
"I now know, after working on this project that I want to work close to nature in my future career." - Senior, Aloha High School
"I can point out plants by name and leaf arrangement and I know what is right and wrong when I'm hiking or at the river." - Senior, Reynolds High School
"SOLVE requires a lot of hard work and perseverance but it's completely worth it knowing that you've made a difference in your community." - Seventh grader, City View Charter School
“I hope my peers will continue to look out for their home and encourage sustainable practices beyond the time spent with the Green Team. I will!” - Senior, Gladstone High School
“Seeing invasive species in real life (not by some picture or projector on the internet in a classroom) made me see just how they're affecting our community.” - Senior, Aloha High School
What do the teachers have to say about Green Team?
"Without hesitation, all of my students report their work with SOLVE at Rinearson Creek makes learning Environmental Science exciting and helps them retain and understand the concepts taught in the course better than any other way in which they are taught." - Kevin Zerzan, Gladstone High School
"It may well be that my partnership with SOLVE is the most important aspect of the education that I provide for my students. The learning is real, it is deep, and it is profound; I have had students who tell me that the experience changed their lives and helped them find the path they want to pursue. " - Jim Hartmann, West Linn High School
"Making a connection between their community and watershed health is making a difference in the lives of my students. I see them being more thoughtful about pollution, making connections between storm drains and local habitats, understanding the need for clean water both for us and the wildlife around us. Our partnership with SOLVE has helped bridge classroom learning to our community where we can make a real difference and see results." - Tonya Mauk, City View Charter School
Want to learn more about how the Green Team program can benefit your school and surrounding community? Contact SOLVE Program Coordinator Karen Goldburg at email@example.com or 503-844-9571 x329
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