Abstract
Water quality is a critical yet often abstract topic in middle school science. Students may encounter terms such as dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity in textbooks, but they rarely connect these concepts to local systems or to their own daily lives. This article describes the development and implementation of a four-day curriculum module, adapted from Project F.L.O.W. (Future Leaders on Water), that engages students in place-based investigations of stormwater runoff, pond ecosystems, and wetland restoration. Activities combine field exploration, laboratory measurement of water quality parameters, and civic-science extensions that position students as active participants in their community’s environmental decision-making. Students examined storm drain systems, collected data on dissolved oxygen and turbidity, built models of eutrophication, and communicated findings through creative assignments such as comic strips and policy letters. The curriculum culminated with students planting native vegetation on the littoral shelf of their school retention pond, reinforcing the principle that biology is both a scientific and stewardship practice. The unit aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and demonstrates how experiential, inquiry-driven learning can foster both scientific literacy and civic responsibility.