The Texas Aquatic Science Project is a cooperative education effort sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife, The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University. Texas Aquatic Science was modeled after the Missouri Department of Conservation‘s (MDC) curriculum, Conserving Missouri’s Aquatic Ecosystems. The curriculum is comprehensive, was open to review by all Texas science teachers while being developed and has been the subject of research studies involving over 167 teachers and 4,500 students in school districts in Austin, Dallas, East Texas, Houston, Rio Grande Valley, and San Antonio. The curriculum has received international recognition, has been the subject of publications in peer reviewed journals and was featured at the 2017 World Water Congress.”(Rudolph Rosen, Ph.D., 2012, texasaquaticsscience.org)

Welcome to Aquatic Science Headquarters at Wagner High School!

My name is Melissa Eastham and I am very excited to be connecting students to the worlds of conservation biology, ecology, geography, marine biology as outlined by the award-winning curriculum developed by Dr. Rudolph Rosen.  My background is in teaching students at Louisiana State University and Texas A&M Corpus Christi in the fields of biology, chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry.  I am very excited to be making the jump from university level education to high school.  The most important thing that my students and I will be working on this year is maintaining a positive and safe learning environment so that everyone has the opportunity to get the most out of our class time. 

My objectives for my students are that while we learn about the ways aquatic systems are impacted by natural and human forces we will practice learning techniques that they will take with them to college,  develop our reading and writing skills, and practice professional courtesy, teamwork and communication skills which will empower them to get the most out of their lives beyond Karen Wagner High School. 

My class policies are as follows: 

Come prepared and on time! After 15 minutes you will be marked absent. (Bring notebook and Chromebook or else classroom work will be assigned as homework and you will be given reading/ writing assignment for class period)

               -Chromebook, notebook, nameplate, charger chord, journal, writing utensil

               -Lab Days: 1) Closed-toes shoes, 2) Hair pulled back, 3) Long pants *NO LEGGINGS*

If you do not come prepared for lab, you will not be able to participate and will have to do alternate work.

Respect EVERYONE! Do your part to contribute to this safe space. Practice professional courtesy.

Sign out hall pass, every time. Only one student can leave at a time. Respect other students’ bladders.

Chromebook use will be relevant and on task, if you repeatedly misuse technology your privileges will be revoked.

Always clean up after use of work station or lab equipment.

Zero tolerance cell phone policy. Unless instructed to use for class, cell phones are to be silent and stowed away. Unauthorized cell phone use will result in immediate pickup and a parent/guardian will need to pick it up from main office at end of day and will incur a 15$ fee.

Late work will lose 10% per day up to 5 days.

Work misse ddue to absence can be completed upon return to class.