Roof Runoff Project
Toyota
TAPESTRY Grants for Teachers-2000 &
Toshiba America Foundation
Project Director: Jewel
J. Reuter
Description of Project
Visual Description of Project
Could the
source of dangerous heavy metal contamination in the Lake
Pontchartrain Basin be in something as familiar as the
water running off our roofs and walls? Five project
teachers and 585 students from Archbishop Rummel High
School and Christian Brothers School team with Tulane
University students and professors to conduct studies of
roof and wall water runoff and water in their local area
network drainage system. Using sensors and computers,
students quantitatively collect data on heavy metals and
determine the pH, nitrate levels, dissolved oxygen and
flow rates of surrounding waters. Also, Zebrafish embryos
are cultured in water samples to determine the possible
developmental effects caused by the pollution. A water
quality profile is constructed and data is posted on the
project’s Web page, http://www.classtech2000.com.
The Roof Runoff Project is a multi-disciplined project
that allows a total of twenty teachers to help a total of
1335 students integrate science, mathematics, English and
art, participate in vertical learning with students from
middle school through college, and learn to take an
active role in the care of their environment.
Pictures of the pilot project will show some of the
procedures.
Who:
Students:
585 student in the core of the project and
1335 auxiliary students from Archbishop Rummel High
School and Christian Brothers School
Faculty:
Ms. Jewel J. Reuter- Project
Director, Biology AP / Environmental Science / Chemistry
Teacher at
Archbishop Rummel High School
Ms. Lennie Wholer- Biology / Environmental Science
Teacher at Archbishop Rummel High School
Mr. Walter LeBon, Jr.- Chemistry / Physics Teacher
at Archbishop Rummel High School
Mr. Mark Firmin- Statistics AP / Calculus/Algebra
Teacher at Archbishop Rummel High School
Mr. Laurence Konersmann- Life Science and Math
Teacher at Christian Brothers School
Dr. Joan Bennett- Co-Director of Environmental
Studies and Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology
at Tulane University
Dr. Laura Steinberg- Professor of Civil
Engineering at Tulane University
At least 15 auxiliary science,
math, English, Head Start and art teachers from
Archbishop Rummel
Auxiliary Faculty:
Science Teachers
Mr. Michael Corn
Ms. Suzanne Fitzpatrick
Mr. Steven Guitterrez
Ms. Rusty Jones
Ms. Dona Manning
Mr. Milton Vigo
Ms. Charlene Wetzel
Math Teachers
Ms. Donna Elmore
Ms. Anne Guajardo
Ms. Ms. Linda New
Mr. David Rodriguez
Ms. Ann Roth
English Teachers
Ms. Denise Otillio
Ms. Lynn Silbernagel
Art Teachers
Ms. Gana Jones
Ms. Ana Marie Russo
Head Start Teachers
Mr. Mark Firmin
Ms. Lennie Wholer
Where:
Archbishop Rummel High School, Christian Brothers
School, the Greater New Orleans area roofs and walls and
the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Why:
To determine if the source of dangerous heavy metal
contamination in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin could be in
something as familiar as the water running off our roofs
and walls, and to afford 585 students a real-world,
hands-on science project that will help their community.
What will your students learn
from this project?
Students will learn:
- how to make inquiries about water quality
problems.
- how to apply technology for data collection and
analysis.
- how to construct a water quality profile with a
hands-on real world project.
- how to collaborate with others about their
project with technology.
- how to integrate science, math, English and art.
- how to take responsibility for their environment.
Collaborators on the
project were:
Vernier Software for loaning
water quality sensors, software and equipment for the
development of the project, and for consulting on the
project’s procedure.
Toshiba America Foundation for supporting and
publishing the introductory field project.
Presentation
The Roof Runoff Project Allows
Tulane University to Forge A Link With Archbishop Rummel
High School
Pictures of The Roof Runoff Project
Pilot
National Science
Foundation’s Project Called Forging A Link,
which is directed by Dr. Donald Cronkite of Hope College
for encouraging and supporting high school-college
collaborations.
Tulane University Professors, Dr. Joan Bennett and Dr.
Laura Steinberg, for collaborating with Jewel Reuter
on the development of The Roof Runoff Project and the
vertical learning involving the students of the Tulane
University Green Club. Together the teachers
and students will work to gather and analyze data.
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation for advising
and supporting the project.
Radiophone and Bellsouth Cellular Phone Companies
for their help and free phone service in developing the
technology for the field communications with the cellular
modems and the Internet.
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