Coastal resource managers in Massachusetts created a model interdisciplinary program where 5 th through 8 th grade students investigate an issue relating to coastal access and develop age-appropriate responses. The Classroom to Coast program was designed to engage students in real-world experiences and build critical thinking skills. Teachers participating in the program bring together science, social studies, and the arts to help students explore all facets of a coastal access-related issue. It recently won an Excellence in Environmental Education Award from the Secretary of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. Heather Clish, assistant North Shore regional coordinator for Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management, says the idea for the program developed out of a discussion between staffs of the coastal program and the Department of Environmental Management about developing ways to increase public awareness of coastal access.
Public access is a huge issue in Massachusetts.
Here, property owners own down to the low-tide line. The intertidal area is only in the public trust for fishing, fowling, and navigating. The departments contracted with Chandler to create the Classroom to Coast curriculum, which provides a basic format for a coastal access issue investigation that can be tailored to individual needs, interests, and time constraints. The program curriculum is consistent with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for Science and Technology, English Language Arts, History, and Social Science. To complement the curriculum, the coastal program developed a resource directory that contains contact information for federal, state, and local agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations that might assist students in their investigations.