Madison Water Makers: Service in Action

Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

Students will be able to analyze Madison freshwater problems such as stormwater runoff, flooding, and algae blooms using evidence from field observations, maps, and expert sources to explain cause and effect.

Students will be able to make a claim about which solution best reduces a local water hazard and support that claim with relevant evidence from texts, observations, and expert interviews.

Students will be able to explain how human actions such as road salt use, littering, and draining stormwater into streets affect freshwater habitats and living things in Madison.

Students will be able to collaborate in a partner team to revise a persuasive PSA script and presentation using peer and teacher feedback so the message is clear and evidence-based.

Students will be able to reflect on their teamwork and responsible action by describing how their PSA can help families protect freshwater in Madison.

Products

individual

Madison Water Evidence Booklet and Claim Paragraph

Each student creates a short evidence booklet with observations, notes from sources, and a final claim paragraph about one Madison water problem and the best solution. The booklet shows independent understanding of the issue and the reasoning behind the student’s position.

team

2-Minute Madison Water PSA Video and Family Action Presentation

Partners produce a short PSA video and give a live explanation to families that persuades viewers to take one realistic water-protecting action. The team must combine each student’s research and revision work into one clear public defense of their solution.

Rubric

Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric

Category	Learning Goal	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4
New York Portrait of a Graduate	Global Citizen	I can describe how my choices affect local water in Madison and practice respectful group participation during discussions and PSA planning.	I can explain how a water problem in Madison affects people, plants, and animals, and I can take responsible steps in my team to gather and share accurate information.	I can make a clear, evidence-based claim about a solution that reduces harm to freshwater in my community and collaborate respectfully by building on my partner’s ideas during research and PSA creation.	I can support my solution with relevant evidence and explain how it helps protect habitats and reduce weather-related hazards, while I act responsibly and ethically with my team and with a community audience (e.g., families) through my PSA and live presentation.
New York Portrait of a Graduate	Academically Prepared	I can use my science notebook observations and notes from class to make a simple claim about a Madison freshwater problem and name one solution or design idea that could help I can explain my thinking using a few facts I remember from field study or an expert talk.	I can make a claim about the merit of a solution/design to reduce a water problem by linking it to how plants and animals may be affected in a changing environment I can support my claim with relevant evidence from my research notes (observations, pictures/video, or interview quotes) and explain why it matches the problem.	I can make a clear claim about the merit of a solution/design by stating the problem, the criteria (what the solution should do), and how my solution meets those criteria I can use multiple pieces of evidence from field observations, texts, and expert interviews to justify the reasons for my choice and revise my claim when new evidence appears.	I can independently make and defend a strong, evidence-based claim about the merit of a solution/design for a specific weather-related hazard or environmental change in Madison I can use accurate, relevant evidence and explain how it fits constraints/criteria, anticipate why someone might disagree, and update my plan or PSA script based on feedback from my partner and teacher.
New York Portrait of a Graduate	Effective Communicator	I can speak and listen with my partner during group discussions about Madison water issues, building on others’ ideas and sharing mine clearly with help from prompts I can share one simple detail from my photos, field notes, or expert quotes in our PSA plan or presentation.	I can work with my partner to discuss our Madison water issue respectfully and clearly, responding to others and asking/answering simple questions I can present a short explanation in our PSA (or storyboard/script) that includes a basic claim and at least one piece of evidence from observations, research, or an expert interview.	I can collaborate to plan, draft, and revise a 1–2 minute video PSA by communicating my ideas clearly and using feedback from peers and my teacher I can explain why our proposed solution helps reduce a water problem (flooding, runoff, habitat change) by linking our claim to multiple relevant facts from our notes, data, and interviews.	I can independently deliver a persuasive PSA and live introduction to families, clearly organizing my message with a strong beginning, evidence, and next-step action I can engage effectively in audience-facing Q&A by listening carefully and adjusting my explanation, using research-based evidence to support the merit of our solution and connect it to environmental changes for plants, animals, and people.
New York Portrait of a Graduate	Reflective and Future Focused	I can reflect on what I noticed during the Madison water activities and name one strength and one thing I want to try next time (for example, asking better questions at a station).	I can use my notes from field observations, texts, or an expert interview to explain what I learned about the water problem and what I will do differently to improve my PSA with my partner.	I can set a clear goal for my learning or teamwork, track how my ideas change after feedback or new evidence, and explain why my updated plan is better for our solution or message.	I can reflect on my role in the team and on my evidence-based choices by comparing drafts and reasons for revisions, then make a future-focused plan that helps our PSA persuade others and supports responsible action for protecting freshwater.
New York Portrait of a Graduate	Critical Thinker	I can ask questions and sort observations (from photos, field notes, and station activities) to identify a water problem in Madison (like flooding or runoff) and notice at least one way it changes habitats or people.	I can use evidence from my research (field observations, expert interview notes, and short texts) to connect causes to effects and explain how the problem affects plants, animals, and people, while using “because” to show my reasoning.	I can make a clear claim about which solution/PSA message would work best for a specific water problem and support it with relevant evidence, explaining how it meets simple criteria (for example: reduces runoff or helps habitats).	I can evaluate multiple solution ideas using evidence and explain why my chosen solution is better or more realistic, identifying patterns across sources and revising my claim when new evidence suggests an improved approach.