Gowanus Blue Schools Curriculum

Using digital design and model building tools, middle and high school students propose green infrastructure designs for their school campuses that meet community needs, provide ecological benefits, and contribute to healthier waterways in New York City. Green infrastructure includes green roofs, rain gardens, permeable pavement and other natural systems to reduce stormwater runoff and climate impacts like urban heat island and increased precipitation.  Green infrastructure will reduce the runoff that causes Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) to pollute the Gowanus Canal and New York Harbor.

Download the Gowanus Blue Schools curriculum as a free PDF workbook or use in Google Classroom. To receive the curriculum, please fill out this quick survey.

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This curriculum includes these 10 missions:

  1. Site Analysis
  2. Stormwater Analysis
  3. Analyze + Brainstorm
  4. Define your Program
  5. Schematic Design
  6. Design Development
  7. Improve Your Design
  8. Design Refinement
  9. Final Design
  10. Get Ready To Present  

Watch the video to learn more!

M.S. 88, M.S. 447, Brooklyn Collaborative Studies and thread collective partnered with GCC to develop the Gowanus Blue Schools curriculum. 

Funding was provided by Con Edison, National Grid and from the NYS Environmental Protection Fund as administered by a grant from the New York State DEC Environmental Justice Community Impact grant program.