We are delighted to introduce Go With the Flow, part of HabitatMap’s MapThink Toolkit series. Go With the Flow is a short-term group research project that empowers high school students to investigate their water system through real-world learning and document their research findings using interactive web-based media.

Go With the Flow combines reading, writing, mapping, interviewing and local site visits. It blends traditional research techniques with innovative visual brainstorming exercises and uses maps for research, reflection and sharing. Our project gets students thinking about how they relate to the community around them and encourages them to examine how their water system and water use impacts the environment. This project aligns with the Common Core Standards, teaches effective research and communication techniques, and examines critical water issues from a geographical perspective.

Connecting Students to Community Through Research
MapThink positions students as democratic citizens who are active participants in their community and advocates for just and sustainable cities. Go With The Flow will guide students in investigating how homes and businesses are connected to water sources, how the facilities that provide clean water and dispose of dirty water are integrated into material flows and institutional networks that extend throughout and beyond the city, and how these flows and networks impact the geographic distribution of environmental burdens and benefits.

Why MapThink?
At the conclusion of the project, students will walk away with an understanding of:

• Real-world and Inquiry-based Learning
• The Value of Teamwork, Group Problem Solving & Brainstorming
• Innovative Research Techniques & How to Write Effective Narrative
• Professional Communication Skills & Presentation Techniques
• Technology & New Media Platforms + Best Practices
• How We Relate to and Can Connect With the Community Around Us
• The Importance of Water

Funding for the Go With the Flow toolkit was provided by the NYCEF Newtown Creek Fund of the Hudson River Foundation and HabitatMap donors.