This summer, I was an Extern for the City of Nampa in the Public Works Department. I had the opportunity to learn about some of the employment opportunities within the Public Works Department by shadowing and touring with different professionals. I rode on a chip sealing machine, saw the traffic center, and learned about storm drains. I was also able to spend some time at Nampa’s Water Renewal Facility. There, I met several plant operators, lab technicians, and learned about the bug team.

My extern project was centered around designing a curriculum for elementary teachers to use when they take their students on a tour of the Water Renewal Facility. Specifically, I created two mini-units that can be used in 4th- and 5th-grade classrooms. One is centered around geology and aquifers, and the other on ecosystems and decomposers.

At first, this seemed like a somewhat simple task. I knew that one of my biggest challenges would be to quickly learn enough about the complex process of water renewal to create lessons. The team I was working with was amazing! They were ready to help, send information, answer questions, and provide feedback. Learning about Water Renewal was exciting, and I gained a much deeper understanding of Nampa’s One Water Cycle. This year, when I teach our 4th-grade Idaho unit, I plan to use water as the connecting point for my students during our unit.

Throughout the summer, I loved seeing small parts of other professions. It is interesting to learn about other people’s everyday world. I would meet someone, learn about their job, and often think of a student whom I know would be interested. So many STEM job opportunities are located within our cities. I look forward to connecting students with STEM professionals and to providing more context and purpose for what we learn in the classroom.

Grade Level and Subject Taught: 4th Grade