How Muddy Is The Muddy River

How Muddy is the Muddy River?

Patreka J. Wood-BlainBoston Public Schools

What is Urban Ecology?• Relatively new area of science

• Focuses on the affects of urbanization on the health of the ecosystems

• The Urban Ecology Institute educates students about their environment through hands-on exploration of the unique ecology at each field site.

The Muddy River

• Encompasses 5.6 square miles• Flows through Boston, Brookline & Newton• Part of the Charles River Watershed

Muddy River Restoration Project

Exploring Your Field Site• Scavenger Hunt• Social Ecology Site S

urvey• Mapping Your Field Si

te

Water Quality Test Kits• Dissolved Oxygen• Nitrates• Salinity• pH• Water Quality Data S

heets

Developing a Research Question

• What Makes a Good Research Question?

• Card Sort Game

• Finding a Good Question

• Designing Your Study

Gathering Data• Site Survey Data Sheets• UEI Database

02

46

810

1214

1618

10/3

/200

6

10/1

7/20

06

10/3

1/20

06

11/1

4/20

06

11/2

8/20

06

12/1

2/20

06

12/2

6/20

06

1/9/

2007

1/23

/200

7

2/6/

2007

2/20

/200

7

3/6/

2007

3/20

/200

7

4/3/

2007

4/17

/200

7

5/1/

2007

water temperature

oxygen

Sharing Research• The Student Urban Research Gathering

on Ecology (SURGE!) conference in March

• The Annual Student Research Conference in May allow students to showcase their work for fellow students

For More Information• www.muddyriver.wikispaces.com

• Visit www.urbaneco.org

• Email pwood2@boston.k12.ma.us