A Seventh Grade Interdisciplinary Curriculum

                  for the Rio Grande

Introduction to "The River" Curriculum:

"It begins at the Continental Divide, on the backbone of North America, and its nineteen-hundred mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico makes it second only the Missouri-Mississippi in length among the continent's rivers. It drains a quarter-million square miles of the Southern Rockies, the Southwest, and Mexico. Yet in certain places and in certain seasons one can walk across its bed and get nothing on his shoes but dust. Of all the world's great rivers only the water of the Ganges is more heavily used to irrigate crops."

       For New Mexicans, the Rio Grande is the artery of our land. Coursing the length of the state, it links our communities both literally and metaphorically; it is both a primary resource and a literal lifeline. We have chose to develop a river curriculum for our middle school students to involve them in overlapping studies of geology, geography water science, water issues, New Mexico history, New Mexico cultures, community civics, and expressive arts. The curriculum takes the form of a three-strand weave of science, social studies and humanities and lends itself to adaptation by teams of teachers.
        We want to bring our students to think about ways in which the wild river in the Rio Grande Gorge north of Taos is the same and is not the same as the water that reaches Las Cruces. We want them to consider both how collective uses of the river change the river and how the river changes us.
       This curriculum asks students to analyze data and to tackle social-environmental problems. At the same time, it encourages them to listen to the river from its banks and bridges and dams and to interpret, through the arts, what it tells them.

-Project Crossroads-

"The River" Curriculum:  How the Strands Interweave

Social Studies

GEOGRAPHY OF THE RIO GRANDE:  Where in the world is the Rio Grande?

DEMOGRAPHY OF THE RIO GRANDE BASIN:  Where is the population of New Mexico located? What are the trends for the future?

INTEREST GROUPS ROLE PLAY:  What are the present uses of the Rio Grande?  What are the conflicts over use?  What is the common good?

HYPOTHETICAL PROBLEM SOLVING:  How do we compromise and respect competing claims on water?  How can we assure sustainability of the Rio Grande system?

ACTION PLANS:  What are the watershed problems in our community?  What actions can individuals take to help sustain the Rio Grande?

Science

DISTRIBUTION, USE AND NATURE OF WATER:  Where is the water on Earth located?  What are the unique properties of water?  How does the hydrologic cycle work?  How does surface water interact with ground water?  How does water user differ in households and regions?

RIVER SYSTEMS:  What is a river system?  What is a watershed?  Why are wetlands important? 

ECOSYSTEMS AND FOOD CHAINS:  What is interdependency?  How is the Middle Rio Grande ecosystem unique?  What is meant by a managed river system?

PROBLEMS CONFRONTING THE RIO GRANDE:  What are the sources of contamination of the Rio Grande?  How can water be tested for contamination?  How can water be treated and cleaned?

SUSTAINABILITY:  What do we mean by sustainable use of the river?  What actions are being taken to insure sustainability?  What actions can we take to help protect the Rio Grande?

Language Arts

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