The Creative Clean Water Stewards Project was created to give Minneapolis 5th grade students the opportunity to learn about local environmental issues through experiential learning and printmaking projects. The most important aspect of this was that students not only learn about, but experience rain gardens, waterways, art projects and pollution. We wanted students to touch and feel and smell places of natural beauty in their community.

Then, due to the pandemic, we were forced to reimagine all of this. How could we turn such a tactile project into something virtual? How could we apply the concept of experiential learning (which we had previously defined as going to a place and experiencing it) to an indoor, distanced setting?

Thankfully, Highpoint wasn’t alone in trying to answer these questions. Green Partners of Hennepin County, who awarded Highpoint a Youth Environmental Education Grant to fund this project, was immensely supportive, as were other grantees. Our teacher partners at Burroughs Elementary and Nellie Stone Johnson Elementary were having to learn completely new ways of teaching on the fly, and they learned invaluable lessons that helped in our planning. Our expert partners Sean Connaughty of the University of Minnesota and Erin Rupp of Pollinate MN also found ways to make their lessons work in this new format.

With this excellent team and support, we were able to create a curriculum we were proud of, and give students a high quality experience. To quote one of the students: “This was an awesome program! I loved learning more about the environment, how I can help and how I can express that through art.”

Each of the following activities were done over video throughout the winter and spring of 2021:

Water Bottle Printmaking Each student received an art kit with all materials, including a stainless steel water bottle. Students made a small stamp that they then printed with watercolor paints and adhered to their water bottles. This gave students a personalized and practical means to be an environmental steward by reusing a water bottle!
Trash Pollution in Lake Hiawatha - The next session was led by Sean Connaughty, an artist and environmental activist who teaches at the University of Minnesota. His work focuses on the trash pollution at Lake Hiawatha in Minneapolis. Students tuned in to learn about how Sean discovered that storm drains flow unfiltered into the lake, bringing trash and other pollutants with. Sean took students on a virtual walk around the lake with his dog, and had students help find and identify trash in a series of photos and videos. This gave students context for why reusing their water bottle was important, and how littering and pollution affects water and animals.
Pollinators with Pollinate MN - Next, students met with Erin Rupp of Pollinate MN. The goal was to further connect the health of our environment to student’s lives. The connection made here was between the health of bees and pollinators and our food system. Erin led a discussion about pollinators and gave a tour of one of her many bee hives. Students helped find the queen bee as they discussed beekeeping and what they can do to help.
Relief Printmaking - As a final project, students created prints using cardboard and watercolor based on something they had learned, or an animal that is affected by pollution. This gave students an opportunity to express themselves creatively. Art kits were again created for all 180 students. Many students were in person at this point, but to make the project equitable all lessons were still given virtually. The prints turned out fantastic!

Despite a difficult year, Highpoint and our partners were able to provide a fun, educational, and hands-on experience for 5th grade students at Burroughs Elementary and Nellie Stone Johnson Elementary. We learned so much this past year, and are looking forward to applying some of these lessons to future projects!