Doan Brook Watershed Partnership (DBWP) runs dynamic, place-based education programs that connect their community to the science of local watersheds. Lupine Studios partnered with their team to design a series of engaging, classroom-ready workbooks that support hands-on learning in watershed science, environmental stewardship, and citizen science.
Supporting Community-Based Watershed Education
DBWP offers educational programs for both children and adults, introducing learners to watershed systems, soil, livestock impacts, nature journaling, and environmental responsibility. Their programming blends science, observation, and real-world application, encouraging students to see themselves as stewards of their local environment.
Lupine Studios worked closely with their educators to translate this mission into thoughtfully designed curriculum booklets that are accessible, visually engaging, and pedagogically strong. Each workbook was developed to align with specific grade bands and learning goals while maintaining consistency across the full program suite.
Topics we created booklets for include:
Introduction to Watersheds (Grades K–4 & 5–8)
Students investigate how daily activities affect streams using interactive models. Through guided activities, they discover practical ways to help protect watershed health in their own communities.
Watershed Exploration (Grades K–5)
Students practice observation and citizen science through journaling, data collection, and peer presentations, building foundational scientific literacy skills.
Water Quality Science (Grades 5 and up)
Students compare water samples, test parameters such as pH and dissolved oxygen, and learn how these measurements reflect the health of the brook ecosystem.
Designing for Engagement, Clarity, and Classroom Practicality
Each booklet ranges from 10–12 pages and was carefully structured to guide learners through hands-on investigation. Our role extended beyond layout. We collaborated on content flow, activity pacing, visual hierarchy, and the integration of scientific illustration to support comprehension.
Key design choices included:
- Custom Graphics and Scientific Illustrations: Select booklets feature custom diagrams and visual aids to clarify watershed processes, water testing methods, and ecological relationships. These visuals were designed to be both accurate and approachable for their intended age groups.
- Printer-Friendly Interiors: While each booklet features a full-color cover for visual impact and easy identification, interior pages were designed in black and white to reduce printing costs for educators and increase accessibility in classroom settings.
- Grade-Appropriate Structure: Layout, typography, and activity formatting were tailored to developmental levels, ensuring younger students could follow along visually, while older learners engaged more deeply with data and analysis.
Through this collaboration, Lupine Studios helped transform environmental science programming into tangible, beautifully designed educational tools that empower students to observe, question, and care for their local watershed.
Impact
These workbooks now serve as practical, reusable teaching tools that support experiential learning in classrooms and outdoor settings alike. By combining scientific accuracy with thoughtful design, Lupine Studios helped strengthen the educational reach of the Doan Brook Watershed Partnership, advancing environmental literacy one page at a time.
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