🌊The Watershed Team

A Secondary Elementary Stormwater Education Program


For Grades 3-5 | A Gateway to STEM, Environmental Literacy & MS4 Community Engagement


Central Focus:

Water is a powerful connector. Through this mission, students explore the hydrologic cycle, pollution sources, surface types, and Best Management Practices (BMPs) that protect our watersheds.


The Story Continues:

Overview:

The Watershed Team  is an immersive, action-driven stormwater education program designed for grades 3-5. This engaging mission empowers students to step into the shoes of real-world environmental heroes by empowering how water moves across our landscapes, how pollution forms, and how communities can protect clean water through stormwater management solutions.


Through a captivating story featuring the Stormwater Defenders, students are drawn into the world of watersheds, Best Management Practices (BMPs), and pollution prevention in a way that is interactive, relatable, and deeply impactful. Each lesson connects fundamental science concepts with real-world problem solving, giving students the opportunity to see themselves as part of the solution to a global environmental challenge.


By the end of the mission, students will not only understand the importance of watersheds and stormwater management - they will be ready to take action as the next generation of watershed defenders.


The Watershed Team gives educators a full toolkit to spark curiosity, teach critical environmental concepts, and inspire students to become lifelong stewards of clean water.

Educational Value:

The Watershed Team mission pack was carefully designed to align with educational standards, particularly Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), while providing a rich opportunity for STEM integration.

Common Core and NGSS Alignment


Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):


  • 3-ESS3-1: Students learn how natural hazards (e.g., stormwater runoff) can impact communities and explore ways to reduce their effects (through BMPs).


  • 4-ESS2-1 & 4-ESS3-2: Students investigate how water shapes the landscape and how human activities can influence Earth systems.



  • 5-ESS2-1: Students model the hydrologic cycle and explore human impacts, linking directly to "Make it Rain" and watershed investigations.

Common Core State Standards (CCSS):


  • Language Arts (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY): 
  • Students read character stories and activity instructions, building literacy and interpretation skills.
  • Activities like "Stormwater Superheroes" and "Only Rain Down the Drain Pledge" encourage writing with purpose, while vocabulary sheets build domain-specific language.


  • Math (CSS.MATH.CONTENT):
  • Classifying surfaces ("Hard or Soft?"), sorting BMPs, and matching activities reinforce categorization, problem-solving, and analytical thinking.

STEM Integration:

Science -  through water cycle exploration and pollution source investigation.


Technology -  via the digital drag-and-drop BMP games and Headquarters virtual tours.


Engineering -  concepts through understanding of green infrastructure (e.g., bioretention, permeable pavers).


Math - via matching, sorting, classifying, and problem-solving activities.


Students move beyond simply learning - they engage in engineering practices and critical thinking around real-world environmental challenges.

MS4 Compliance Support:

The Watershed Team program is designed to directly support MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) public outreach and education minimum control measures by:


  • Teaching students how runoff affects water quality.
  • Demonstrating the impact of everyday activities on stormwater pollution.
  • Promoting behavioral changes such as proper waste disposal and storm system awareness.
  • Providing "Only Rain Down the Drain" pledges and take-home family tip sheets to expand outreach into households.
  • Introducing Best Management Practices (BMPs) to a younger audience, aligning with community education efforts required under MS4 permits.

What's Included in the Mission Pack:

Category Item Description
Teacher Tools Teacher's Guide Easy-to-follow lesson plans, discussion prompts, supplies and implementation tips.
Vocabulary & Glossary Core stormwater concepts and pollutant-related terms.
Assessment Ideas Informal methods to gauge comprehension through drawing, discussion, and activity completion.
Stormwater Defenders Headquarters Passport A suggested guided path through Stormwater Defender's virtual Headquarters.
Student Activities Color Me Clean Water Coloring Page and Short Story
"Make it Rain" Build-your-own-watershed lab
"Hard or Soft?" Surface classification match game
Stormwater Scavenger Hunt Field-trip style activity with drawing prompts
Commingled Vocab Vocabulary Word Searches
"Stormwater Superheroes" Creative drawing and writing
"VAX's Truckin' School" Equipment matching game
"Be a BMP Hero" Digital and printable sorting activity
"Hole in the Bucket" Crossword puzzle
"BMPs are Us" Word Scramble and search
"Watershed Safe Investigation" Home conservation projects
Family Involvement Take-home Family Tip Sheet Extending learning beyond the classroom

Your Gateway to Adventure: Interactive Digital Headquarters Access!

By joining The Watershed Team, students gain exclusive access to the Stormwater Defenders Headquarters — a vibrant digital world where they’ll discover, explore, and train to protect the water that connects us all.


Inside this interactive experience, students embark on a journey across key stations, learning critical lessons about water, pollution prevention, and stormwater solutions — while being guided by their favorite Defenders.

Here's the Journey Your Students will Embark on:

🎥 Briefing Room: Importance of Water Video
Begin your journey with a special message from RH, highlighting why water matters and how every action impacts the environment we all share.


🎶 Anthem Hall: Stormwater Defenders Theme Song
Get energized and ready for action with the Defenders’ anthem — a rally song that unites new recruits into one unstoppable team.


🦸‍♂️ Identity Center: Which Defender Are You? Quiz
Every hero has a role! Students take a fun quiz to find out which Defender matches their strengths, sparking personal connection to the mission.


🏡 Sarge’s Training Ground:
Explore how Bioretention Systems and Permeable Pavers help clean water naturally — and why designing with nature makes Sarge’s strategies so powerful.


🌿 TARP’s Erosion Exploration Zone:
Learn how landscapes change and how erosion can carry pollutants into our water — plus what tools and Best Management Practices (BMPs) we can use to stop it.


🧪 Super Sampler’s Discovery Lab:
Dive into pollution detection! Students uncover what pollutants are hiding in everyday life and how simple choices can keep our water clean.