A curriculum is not just a plan;
it is an expression of values.
The Watershed Schoolhouse curriculum is currently under development. The ultimate goal is to make this curriculum (upon which Watershed Schoolhouse is based) available as a resource to parents, educators, and communities.
8 Units of Study
Watershed Schoolhouse’s curriculum is not about content coverage. The entirety of the curriculum is guided by the question:
In the face of massive global inequality, climate change, and failing schools, how can we reimagine education for whole communities and a healthy planet?
From this question arise the eight Units of Study. The Units of Study make up the arc of Watershed Schoolhouse's TK-12 curriculum: Within each of these eight, enduring, and essential areas of study are innumerable questions, lessons, and opportunities to explore.
The Watershed Curriculum spirals outward from the local to the global: from one local watershed, to the recognition that there is only one global watershed. At the same time, the curriculum supports a parallel journey, from the outer, physical world, to the inner world, thereby creating room for the wholeness of our humanity.
8 Essential Questions
From the Units of Study arise the eight essential questions. Designed as authentic launching off points, these questions, explored by teachers and students alike, lead to enduring understandings and a meaningful education.
How do we grow and gather food in a way that is healthy for people and the planet?
How do we build in a way that is healthy for people and the planet?
How do we tend the waters of this blue planet?
How do we participate in ecosystems and life cycles in a healthy, respectful way?
How do we help co-create a just, peaceful, and equitable world?
How do we meaningfully connect across different cultures?
How do we transition into adulthood in a healthy way?
How do we offer our unique gifts to the world?
