Please join us in an exciting journey to learn more about our world and about water quality.  This project began as a conversation between myself, Elaine Wrenn, Technology Coordinator at Echo Horizon School in Culver City, CA, USA, and Dr. Michael Searson, Executive Director Center for External Education and Development at Kean University in New Jersey, USA.  As Apple Distinguished Educators, we were fortunate to work with EF Tours and Apple, Inc. in the summer of 2006 to develop iStory Tours and to build projects that promote global awareness. 

Since then, Kean University has sponsored several iStory Tours.  Michael and I saw my participation in an iStory Tour of Peru as an opportunity to promote global awareness for the students at Echo Horizon as well as to model this process for pre-service teachers from Kean University. 

I am working with Cori Gafni, 6th Grade Science and Social Studies Teacher, to develop a unit on water quality.  Students will collect and analyze data from Los Angeles, CA, and Lake Arrowhead, CA, and will analyze data I collect in Peru.  They will explore similarities and differences in these environments as well as ways that humans are impacting water quality in these areas and what can be done to reduce this impact.  This project will also help students make connections to their study of ancient civilizations and geography in social studies.

If I am able to find reliable internet access during my trip, I will use this website to share my experiences, images, and data collected with our students and anyone else who is interested.