Download waters to the sea: trinity river teacher guide

WATERS TO THE SEA:
TRINITY RIVER
TEACHER GUIDE
Excerpts:
Understanding Watershed Module
“Our Water, Our Home” Video
Urban Water Cycle – Stormwater Module
Center for Global Environmental Education,
Hamline University School of Education
© 2010 CGEE, Hamline University.
All Rights Reserved
Waters to the Sea: Trinity River
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WATERS TO THE SEA: TRINITY RIVER
TEACHER GUIDE
Executive Producer: Tracy Fredin
Producer: John Shepard
Writers: Peggy Knapp and John Shepard
Layout: Brinkley Prescott, John Shepard and Peggy Knapp
__________________________________________________________________
Presenting Sponsors
Dallas/Fort Worth International
North Texas Municipal Water
Tarrant Regional Water District
Airport
District
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Supporting Sponsors
American Water Works
Association, Texas
Chapter
City of Dallas
Marty Leonard
Trinity River Authority
City of Fort Worth
Environmental
Protection Agency,
Region 6
University of North
Upper Trinity Regional
Texas
Water District
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Supporters
Alan Plummer Associates, Inc.
KERA
City of Irving
North Central Texas Council of Governments
Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau
Water Environment Association of Texas
Freese and Nichols
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Special Thanks
Kathryn Cash, Shane Woods and Jodi Sarber, Fort Worth ISD;
Tracy Hollis, Grand Prairie ISD; Jill Hill, River Legacy Foundation
Waters to the Sea: Trinity River
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About CGEE
The Center for Global Environmental Education (CGEE) is an integral program in the School of
Education at Minnesota’s oldest university—Hamline University, which celebrated its 150th
anniversary in 2004. Since CGEE’s inception in 1990, our mission of fostering environmental
literacy and stewardship in citizens of all ages has led us far beyond the University’s boundaries.
While remaining true to the roots of our traditional academic mission, we have extended and
amplified our reach and impact, primarily through leading and maintaining organizational
partnerships.
The relationships we have developed include high-level representatives in agencies at all levels
of government, prominent non-profit organizations, corporations and private enterprises that are
American household names, numerous foundations, and prominent individuals.
For over a decade, teachers, students, community leaders, and concerned citizens have come to
CGEE for inspired instruction and outstanding educational resources. The Center’s pioneering
work in environmental education is grounded in the tradition of progressive learning that has
been a hallmark of Hamline’s School of Education. CGEE’s commitment to the strategic use of
technology combined with hands-on learning creates and supports global communities of
learners committed to the stewardship of local environments.
CGEE Mission
To foster environmental literacy and stewardship in citizens of all ages.
CGEE achieves its mission through complementary programs that impact four audiences:
 Distinctive professional development and graduate degree programs for educators
 Project-based, K-12 initiatives that have enriched learning for hundreds of thousands of
students worldwide
 Multimedia programs that have impacted millions of citizens through multiple channels
of dissemination
 Community outreach initiatives that engage citizens in local stewardship
Waters to the Sea: Trinity River
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Table of Contents – Excerpts from Teacher Guide
Introduction to Teacher Guide………….....………….....…………........…..
5
Understanding Watersheds….…………………………………....................
7
Water Quality Lab Tutorial
“Our Water, Our Home” Video (4 minutes)…………………………
12
Urban Water Cycle
Storm Water (“The Journey of a Raindrop”) ……...….…..………
13
Appendix: Waters to the Sea: Trinity River Partners………………..……..
17
Waters to the Sea: Trinity River
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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the Waters to the Sea: Trinity River program! This program is a rich, interactive,
multimedia tool that will enhance social studies and science investigation for students in
grade 4-8. Waters to the Sea explores essential concepts about the Trinity River and its
watershed. Available online and on disk, Waters to the Sea brings to life the region’s
environmental history and explores the relationship between human activities and the
Trinity’s waters and ecological resources. This document has been designed to introduce
teachers to the program, offer suggestions on how to effectively use the tool to strengthen
classroom learning, and give teachers background information on how to guide student
investigations into the content of each module.
Waters to the Sea’s modular design can be used in multiple ways. Though the content is
non-linear and can be accessed and explored in any order, we do recommend a general
progression through the content for those who plan to use the program in its entirety.
This mini version of the teacher guide details just a few of the modules to give an
introduction to Waters to the Sea: Trinity River.
All segments of the program have been correlated with Texas education standards (TEKS).
You will find links to standards correlation information in the sections of this guide that
address each program module.
Disk vs. Internet Access of Program
The program can be accessed via disk or the Web. If it is being accessed via the Internet,
broadband internet access is required along with a relatively new and fast computer (2008 or
later is recommended), with the “Adobe Flash plugin” installed (present in some 95 percent
of computers presently—if needed it’s a free download at http://www.adobe.com/go/EN_USH-GET-FLASH). When used via the Web, the program plays through a web browser.
If played from a disk the program has an “executable” file and requires no special software
on the user’s computer. Alternatively, versions of the program that offer a site license may be
installed on hard drives of computers within the school and on network servers.
How to Use the Program in Your Classroom
Here are some ways teachers have used Waters to the Sea in the classroom:
 Teacher Presentation Tool: Use the program as a presentation tool, projecting the
program’s content to the class using a computer projector, screen, and audio speakers.
 Student Computer Lab Resource: All students in the class can use the program at
once in a computer lab.
 Student Class Project Resource: Use the program as a resource for individual
students to use as part of class projects or when other classroom work is completed.
 Student Exploration and Presentation: Have groups of students thoroughly explore
different sections of the program and then present those sections to the rest of the
class using Waters to the Sea as a presentation tool.
 Student Use at Home: Have students access the program individually at home via the
Web.
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Teacher Guide Section Elements
Each module in the teachers guide includes the following elements:
•
Big Idea: The central concepts explored in the interactive module
•
Background information: A short introduction to the important ideas teachers need
to know in order to effectively teach the concepts in the module
•
Learning Objectives: What the students will learn through their interactions with the
module
•
Essential Questions: These are the big, complex questions the module will explore.
While the modules will not answer these essential questions, students will gain
experiences and background knowledge necessary to investigate these questions.
•
Vocabulary: Each module will define specific vocabulary words students need to
know in order to successfully investigate that section.
•
Discussion Questions: These questions will help you guide student discussions and
probe for student understanding. In most cases, the questions are arranged so that
they work progressively up Bloom’s taxonomy, becoming increasingly complex.
•
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Correlations
This section contains: (1) A link to Appendix A: Science and Social Studies TEKS
Charts by grade (4th-8th). (2) A link to Appendix B: Full Text - TEKS Science and
Social Studies Correlations. The link goes directly to the correlations for that
particular module.
•
Extension Activities: At the end of each section of the teacher’s guide, you will find
suggested activities that can help deepen students’ understanding of a concept, and
provide an inquiry-based experience that makes use of the ideas in the modules.
Enjoy your exploration of these Waters to the Sea: Trinity River modules,
and of how you might use the program to enhance student learning!
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UNDERSTANDING WATERSHEDS
This interactive element includes:
•
A video (14 sec.) and interactive segment
on the water cycle in nature
•
A video (45 sec.) introduction to the
concept of a watershed
•
An interactive exploration of major U.S.
watershed regions
Big Idea
Water is constantly changing forms (or phase) from liquid to gas to solid. Water also moves
across the landscape and through soils in systems called watersheds.
Background Information
You cannot see it, but everyday water all around us evaporates from rivers, lakes, and the
ocean. Water held in plants is released as water vapor through transpiration. Water vapor
rises in the atmosphere to form clouds in a process called condensation. Your students see
water in liquid form and as snow when it falls to earth as precipitation. Precipitation that
doesn’t seep into the ground, to become groundwater, is called surface water, and feeds
rivers, lakes, and the ocean where it evaporates once again. This never- ending basic process
is called the Water Cycle—precipitation, evaporation and transpiration, and condensation.
Water moves and changes from a solid (ice and snow) to a liquid (rain, surface water and
groundwater) to a gas (water vapor) over and over again.
Your regional watershed—the area of surrounding land whose surface waters drain to a
particular river, lake, or ocean outlet along the coast— links to the water cycle by catching
precipitation in the forms of rain and snow. Where does a drop of water go when it falls in
your yard? There are several possible answers, which your students might think of in a short
discussion: 1) it evaporates back into the atmosphere; 2) it flows as surface water runoff
along streets, sidewalks, fields and forests into creeks, rivers, lakes and the ocean; 3) it soaks
into the soil and is sucked up by the roots of plants and trees for nourishment; and 4) it seeps,
or percolates, through the soil where it pools in underground deposits called aquifers to
become groundwater.
Essential Questions
Water Cycle:
• How does the water cycle affect Texans?
• How do Texans affect the water cycle?
• Who needs water?
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Watershed:
• How does our watershed affect how we live?
• What role does groundwater in our aquifers play in how Texans’ water supply?
• How do human activities affect water quality in a watershed?
Learning Objectives
After completing this section, students will:
• Identify the main components of the water cycle
• Understand how people interact with the water cycle
• Understand what a watershed is
• Be able to identify primary U.S. watershed regions in the lower 48 states
Vocabulary
• Aqueduct—man-made open canal built to carry a large quantity of flowing water
• Aquifer—a water source under the ground
• Condensation—water vapor becoming a liquid or a solid
• Evaporation—liquid water becoming a gas
• Fresh Water—comes from treated water sources or groundwater for drinking,
washing, cooking, heating, cooling and industrial purposes.
• Groundwater—water under the ground that supplies springs and wells
• Hydrologic—relating to water
• Percolation—water moving downward through openings
• Precipitation—rain, snow, sleet or hail
• Regional Watershed—the area of surrounding land whose surface waters drain to a
particular river, lake, or ocean outlet along the coast
• Surface runoff—water that runs along the soil and goes into rivers and lakes
• Transpiration—the passage of watery vapor from a tree or plant through its leaves
• Water cycle—the ongoing movement of water from land to the atmosphere to the
land again
• Water evaporation—water as a gas in the air membranes
• Watershed – a land region that drains all the precipitation, from the upper portion,
such as a mountain, to the lower portion of the region, such as a lake, river or the
ocean.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Correlations
§113.6. Social Studies, Grade 4 (b) Knowledge and skills. (22) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and
use information acquired from a variety of sources including electronic technology.
The student is expected to:
(A) differentiate between, locate, and use primary and secondary sources
such as computer software; interviews; biographies; oral, print, and visual
material; and artifacts to acquire information about the United States and
Texas;
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§112.15. Science, Grade 4
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(8) Earth and space. The student knows that there are recognizable patterns in the
natural world and among the Sun, Earth, and Moon system. The student is expected
to:
(B) describe and illustrate the continuous movement of water above and on
the surface of Earth through the water cycle and explain the role of the Sun as
a major source of energy in this process;
§113.7. Social Studies, Grade 5.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(25) Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and
use information acquired from a variety of sources including electronic technology.
The student is expected to:
(A) differentiate between, locate, and use primary and secondary sources
such as computer software; interviews; biographies; oral, print, and visual
material; and artifacts to acquire information about the United States and
Texas;
(B) analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-andeffect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences
and conclusions;
§112.16. Science, Grade 5.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(7) Earth and space. The student knows Earth's surface is constantly changing and
consists of useful resources. The student is expected to:
(B) recognize how landforms such as deltas, canyons, and sand dunes are the
result of changes to Earth's surface by wind, water, and ice;
§113.22. Social Studies, Grade 6
None
§112.18. Science, Grade 6
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(3) Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses critical thinking,
scientific reasoning, and problem solving to make informed decisions and knows the
contributions of relevant scientists. The student is expected to:
(B) use models to represent aspects of the natural world such as a model of
Earth's layers;
(C) identify advantages and limitations of models such as size, scale,
properties, and materials
§113.23. Social Studies, Grade 7
None
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§112.19. Science, Grade 7
None
§113.24. Social Studies, Grade 8
None
§112.20. Science, Grade 8
None
Discussion Questions
Water Cycle:
• What are the two main sources of water in the Trinity River watershed?
• What is the role of the sun in the water cycle?
• Can you explain what is happening when water evaporates?
• What would happen if one part of the water cycle stopped working normally?
• What is the relationship between surface water and aquifers?
• How would you test whether plants are transpiring water?
• Which is more important- surface water or groundwater?
Watershed:
• What is a large watershed area called?
• Can you explain what is happening in the process called percolation?
• What would happen if the height of land in a watershed were changed?
• Can you list the important parts of a watershed system?
• Predict how a river would change if rainfall in a watershed doubled one year.
• What is the best way to protect a watershed system? Why do you think your plan is
the best one?
Extension Activities
1. Hometown Rainfall: Research how many inches of rain fall each year in your
hometown. Wherever you live, investigate what role does the roof, driveway or lawn
play in the water cycle.
2. Your Watershed’s Health: Find out what watershed you live in, and investigate the
overall health of your watershed. Identify the factors scientists measure when they
measure the health of a watershed system.
3. Humans and Watersheds: How do human-made conditions—e.g., pollution,
development, deforestation- affect water quality in a watershed?
BACK TO MAIN TABLE OF CONTENTS
“OUR WATER, OUR HOME” Video
This 4-minute video produced by KERA is the introduction to the Water Quality Lab
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Tutorial in the full Waters to the Sea: Trinity River program. A young girl tries to find a
healthy home for a rescued frog, and she learns about water quality along the way.
BACK TO MAIN TABLE OF CONTENTS
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URBAN WATER CYCLE
Storm Water: Storm Water Pipes (“The Journey of a Raindrop”)
This interactive element within the Urban Water
Cycle module includes:
• A video (1 min) of the “Journey of a
Raindrop” from a house roof to a river.
• An interactive element in which
participants clean up sources of nonpoint-source pollution around the urban
residence.
Big Idea
The storm water system, which drains water from urban yards and streets, can carry pollution
to nearby waterways.
Background Information
When it rains, the stormwater flows down streets into nearby storm drains, which lead to
nearby rivers and the ocean. As stormwater travels down the streets, it picks up litter, pet
waste, oil, and other non-point source pollution (NPS) with it. The NPS causes problems for
aquatic life in the rivers and ocean and increases bacteria levels in these bodies of water,
causing beach closures.
Non-point source (NPS) pollution comes from many sources in urban areas. Unlike point
source pollution from industrial facilities and wastewater treatment plants, NPS is caused by
all of us. We all share in the causes of this type of water pollution, and we can all be part of
the solution to pollution.
The primary cause of NPS pollution is runoff from rainfall or snowmelt that picks up natural
and human-made pollutants from land surfaces and carries them into groundwater, streams,
rivers, lakes, wetlands and the oceans. Impervious surfaces and construction sites in urban
areas also contribute to NPS.
The four major types of NPS pollution are:
• Sediments—Soil particles washed off the land
• Nutrients—Fertilizers and animal waste
• Toxic Substances—Pesticides, motor oil, etc.
• Pathogens—Such as bacteria from pet waste.
In general, NPS comes from:
• Roads and streets (stormwater runoff)
• Agriculture
• Logging
• Mining
Waters to the Sea: Trinity River
•
•
•
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Construction and land development sites
Lawns, parks and golf courses
Boating and marine activities
There are many things we can do to prevent non-point source pollution. We can clean up
after ourselves, picking up litter, pet waste, and using only the fertilizer we need. We also can
prevent as much water as possible from traveling down the storm drain, by among other
ways—sweeping our driveways instead of hosing them down and redirecting the gutters on
our homes to pervious surfaces (where water can soak in).
Essential Questions
• How have people changed the natural water cycle to meet our needs?
• Why do people need to manage stormwater?
• What is the relationship between human activities that affect water and the natural
water cycle?
Learning Objectives
After completing this section, students will understand that:
• Stormwater flows through storm drains out into the rivers and ocean
• Stormwater carries pollutants from our neighborhoods to the ocean, where it
impacts the aquatic life
• People can prevent non-point source pollution by picking up pet waste, litter, and
more.
Vocabulary
• Fertilizer—substance, such as manure or a chemical mixture, used to make soil more
fertile
• Herbicide—an agent used to destroy or inhibit plant growth
• Pesticide—an agent used to destroy bugs, insects, pests
• Storm drain—catchment system along the street to capture excess stormwater
• Stormwater—commonly refers to the excess water that runs off roofs, driveway,
sidewalks and streets; may or may not be treated before dumping into a local or
regional waterway, lake or the ocean
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Correlations
§113.6. Social Studies, Grade 4 (b) Knowledge and skills. (9) Geography. The student understands how people adapt to and modify their
environment. The student is expected to:
(A) describe ways people have adapted to and modified their environment in
Texas, past and present;
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(B) identify reasons why people have adapted to and modified their
environment in Texas, past and present, such as the use of natural resources to
meet basic needs; and
(C) analyze the consequences of human modification of the environment in
Texas, past and present.
§112.15. Science, Grade 4
None
§113.7. Social Studies, Grade 5.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(9) Geography. The student understands how people adapt to and modify their
environment. The student is expected to:
(A) describe ways people have adapted to and modified their environment in
the United States, past and present;
(B) identify reasons why people have adapted to and modified their
environment in the United States, past and present, such as the use of human
resources to meet basic needs; and
(C) analyze the consequences of human modification of the environment in
the United States, past and present.
§112.16. Science, Grade 5.
None
§113.22. Social Studies, Grade 6
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(7) Geography. The student understands the impact of interactions between people
and the physical environment on the development of places and regions. The student
is expected to:
(A) identify and analyze ways people have adapted to the physical
environment in selected places and regions;
(B) identify and analyze ways people have modified the physical
environment; and
(C) describe ways in which technology influences human capacity to modify
the physical environment.
§112.18. Science, Grade 6
None
§113.23. Social Studies, Grade 7
(b) Knowledge and skills. (10) Geography. The student understands the effects of the interaction between
humans and the environment in Texas during the 19th and 20th centuries. The student
is expected to:
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(A) identify ways in which Texans have adapted to and modified the
environment and analyze the consequences of the modifications; and
(B) explain ways in which geographic factors have affected the political,
economic, and social development of Texas.
§112.19. Science, Grade 7
None
§113.24. Social Studies, Grade 8
None
§112.20. Science, Grade 8
None
Discussion Questions
• What is stormwater runoff?
• What happens to rainwater at our school and in our neighborhoods after it fall to the
ground?
• What happens to rivers when stormwater flows into them?
• Can you list the parts of a stormwater system?
• How would community life improve change if there was no more litter on the streets
of any kind?
• What strategies would you recommend if we wanted to eliminate non-point source
pollution?
Extension Activities
1. Observations: Ask students to work in pairs for this activity. Outside on the school
grounds, have students make observations of pollutants they see that will end up in
the waterways during a rain. Challenge them to make far more observations than
they think possible- no fewer than 20! Not only should students note the kind of
pollutant, but the source of that pollutant, if they can. Once you return to the
classroom, discuss their observations. Identify the single most prevalent form of
pollution present on school grounds, or in the surrounding neighborhood. Create a
series of pamphlets to educate neighbors on how to reduce urban run-off.
2. Poster Creation: Create a series of posters to hang around the school, teaching other
students how to reduce run-off into the waterways.
BACK TO MAIN TABLE OF CONTENTS
Waters to the Sea: Trinity River
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APPENDIX
LIST OF WATERS TO THE SEA: TRINITY RIVER
PROJECT PARTNERS
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Project Supporters
PRESENTING SPONSORS
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport As the region’s premiere transportation hub,
DFW is committed to balancing nature with global technology through state-of-the-art
environmental management practices.
North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) A conservation and reclamation district
of the state of Texas. Its mission is to provide safe drinking water, solid waste disposal and
wastewater treatment in its service area as well to serve as a regional water wholesaler.
Tarrant Regional Water District A major water supplier in the Fort Worth area engaged in
public education regarding the use and reuse of water resources throughout the agency’s
service area.
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
American Water Works Association (AWWA), Texas Section An industry group that
represents water companies, engineering firms, and public agencies involved with the water
industry. It also has a strong commitment to watershed and water resource education.
City of Dallas The City of Dallas is one of the major cities on the Trinity River. The City is
dependent on the Trinity for fresh water and is the site of significant redevelopment along the
River.
City of Fort Worth Fort Worth is another major city on the Trinity River supporting the
initiative and is also dependant on the Trinity and its reservoirs for fresh water resources.
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6 The Water Quality Protection Division of
EPA Region 6 focuses its resources on protecting and preserving the aquatic ecosystems and
water resources of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, as well as the
Tribal lands located within the region. Their vision is to provide leadership and assistance to
support protection and restoration efforts so that all waters in Region 6 meet all designated
uses, and all citizens have access to safe drinking water.
Trinity River Authority (TRA) A political subdivision of Texas. It is responsible for
maintaining a basin-wide master plan, serving as a local sponsor for federal water projects,
and providing water services within the Trinity River Basin. Services include water and
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wastewater treatment, recreation, reservoir facilities, as well as air and water pollution
control facilities for industry.
University of North Texas Contact: Runs the Elm Fork Education Center, which is the
public education branch of the University of North Texas’s environmental programs. The
Center develops and implements premier environmental education programs.
Upper Trinity Regional Water District (UTRWD) A conservation district, created by the
State of Texas in 1989 to provide towns, cities and utilities in Denton County, plus limited
portions of Collin and Dallas Counties, with water, wastewater, solid waste, and storm water
(watershed protection) services on a wholesale basis.
SUPPORTERS
Alan Plummer Associates A leading provider of environmental engineering services in the
Upper Trinity region.
City of Irving Irving is still another city on the Trinity River supporting the initiative.
Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau (FWCVB)
Freese and Nichols, Inc. A leader in providing engineering services to the Texas water
industry.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) Serves a 16-county region
of North Central Texas centered on the urban centers of Dallas and Fort Worth and including
over 230 member governments. Through its standing committees NCTCOG has an extensive
network of public and private stakeholders that help coordinate and implement various
regional environmental programs, including several that address the Trinity River watershed;
Trinity River COMMON Vision Program, Regional Storm Water Education & Outreach
Program and Safe Clean Green Regional Environmental Corridors Program.
River Legacy Foundation Has an interpretive center along the banks of the Trinity in
Arlington and provides educational programs to regional schools.
Water Education Association of Texas (WEAT) A regional member organization of the
Water Environment Federation.
BACK TO MAIN TABLE OF CONTENTS
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CONTACT INFORMATION
The Center for Global Environmental Education
Hamline University
1536 Hewitt Avenue, MS-A1760
St. Paul, Minnesota 55104
Phone: 651-523-2480
Website: http://cgee.hamline.edu