Science Teams in Rural Environments for Aquatic Management Studies (STREAMS) is an integrated interdisciplinary environment and ecology program that increases students' awareness and concern for the environment.  Students then go a step further and apply their knowledge to resolving local environmental problems.  STREAMS integrates environ-mental topics into hands-on learning in social studies, science, mathematics and language arts.  Every sixth grade student participates in the core of the program which is conducted over 60 hours at the beginning of each school year.  Thereafter, any student in grade six through eight who wants to pursue further voluntary independent study or environmental projects can do so by joining a student-organized environment club. 

            The program focuses on water related issues and integrates environmental topics into hands-on learning activities that can be used in social studies, science, mathematics, and language arts classes. 

            Topics include stormwater runoff, erosion and sedimentation, household pollutants, taking environmental action through letter writing, nutrient enrichment, water quality monitoring of local watersheds, limnological testing, studying water and waste water treatment facilities, studying a stream from its headwater to mouth, groundwater, wetlands, acidity/acid precipitation, and integrating computer technology.

            Student field studies include land management practices, types of pollution, water monitoring techniques, and using testing equipment.   

            The Muddy Run Watershed has environmental conditions and problems easily related to other larger watersheds.  Although a very small watershed, 2.4 square miles, many residential homes are within its borders.  Its proximity to the school creates ideal outdoor educational opportunities.  Students tour different housing developments documenting positive and negative management practices related to storm water run off, erosion and sedimentation, and pollutants.  Extensive water monitoring tests are conducted to ascertain water quality.

            Stone Creek, a residential and agricultural watershed with no industries, is examined from its headwater to mouth.  Students survey the stream's depth, width, speed, volume, and temperature at four locations and evaluate the water quality, giving particular attention to nutrient enrichment, e.g., nitrate and phosphate.

            At the Juniata River, limnological tests for water temperature, depth, speed, volume, turbidity, and plankton life are also conducted.  Students learn the processes for cleaning drinking water before domestic use and wastewater by touring the local water and wastewater treatment facilities.

            The negative impacts of coal mining are studied at the former Joller Mine located in the county, specifically the problems of acidity on a watershed. 

            By visiting wetlands at Raystown Lake students observe and examine first hand the vital need of these beneficial land areas.

            Touring a farm enable students to experience the significance of agriculture and to learn about best management practices and the impact of nutrient enrichment.

            Upon completing the program, students understand the interacting influences of a watershed, factors having a negative impact on a watershed, and methods for devising various solutions to resolving these problems.  The conditions and problems confronting local watersheds are interrelated to those of the Chesapeake Bay and total environment.

            Instrumental to the success of this educational endeavor has been the cooperation of people in this community, outside resources, and the team teaching approach that exists at the Huntingdon Area Middle School.  However, the key factor has been the students.  They have been extremely receptive to learning about the environment and have done an outstanding job with their field studies and action projects.  Their excitement and enthusiasm is affecting the environmental attitude of the adult population of this community. 

            By using the environment as the integrating context for their curricula, the team teachers provide more opportunities for hands-on learning and help students understand the interconnections of content that are too often missed in traditional subject-specific teaching.  Because lessons in one subject area are revisited and reinforced by activities in others, students are better able to comprehend, retain and assimilate concepts.  This combination of relevant, hands-on learning and consistency across disciplines creates enthusiastically engaged learners, reduces discipline problems, reaches students with different learning styles, and significantly increases learning.

            Since the program's inception, students have tackled major environmental problems in the county, and have become leaders in community improvement.  Community projects include: constructing a  wetland, a letter writing campaign that led to a $250,000 grant to replace Huntingdon Borough's broken sewage lines, planting borough street trees, public education on environmental issues, constructing a 550 feet swale and riparian buffer zones along a local stream, establishing a tree honorarium program for citizens who help improve the quality of life in their community, participating in a county water quality monitoring program and becoming the largest recyclers in their community.