Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE)
MWEEs promote Bay stewardship and ensure that each student in the watershed has a valuable watershed experience before graduating from high school.
Recognizing the value of hands-on environmental education, the Chesapeake Executive Council adopted the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) initiative in 2000. MWEEs promote Bay stewardship and ensure that each student in the watershed has a valuable watershed experience before graduating from high school.
What is a MWEE?
A MWEE is an investigative or experimental project that engages students in thinking critically about the Bay watershed. MWEEs are not intended to be quick, one-day activities; rather, they are extensive projects that allow students to gain a deep understanding of the issue or topic being presented. Students participate in background research, hands-on activities and reflection periods that are appropriate for their ages and grade levels.
How are MWEEs related to Bay restoration?
As is true with anything in life, people take better care of things that are familiar to them. Giving students an opportunity to develop a strong understanding of the natural environment will help to foster within them an appreciation of the Bay. Children are especially important to reach because they will be able to carry their knowledge of the Bay and its streams and rivers with them for the rest of their lives, using it to make environmentally friendly decisions.
Teaching children the importance of taking care of the environment also impacts adults, because children often tell their parents about the values and lessons they learn in school. For example, if a child helps to build a Bay-friendly habitat at school, that child may encourage his or her parents to do the same in their home garden or backyard.
What are some examples of MWEEs?
A successful MWEE includes activities both within and outside of the classroom, often including full-day field experiences outside of school.
- In the classroom, students have learned about the anatomy and physiology of blue crabs by researching the species and examining live blue crabs. Students then accompany researchers on trawl boats to see blue crab habitat firsthand.
- Many teachers have worked with their students to build wildlife habitats on school grounds, strengthening the connection between students and their environment. These habitats are then used to study a variety of environmental topics.
State MWEE Initiatives