Understanding the Relationship between Humans and Water

Situated in the cove of New Haven harbor on East Shore Park, Nathan Hale School is just a single block away from Long Island Sound. In fact, the water is visible from the outdoor classroom that Steff Smelser created with her students. When an extended conversation emerged one day from students’ concerns about bottle caps and plastic bags harming the wildlife in their ecosystem, Steff invited students to explore their own relationship, or friendship, with water. 

Through art experiences, mapping, and poetry, students explored the impact that water has on their lives, and in turn, how humans impact water ecosystems near and far. While Nathan Hale students explored their local waterways, the pen-pal correspondences they embarked on with students in South Carolina and Maine introduced them to the concept that we are all connected. As a culminating project intended to beautify the school’s campus and spark appreciation for our waterways, students utilized their artistic skills to transform electrical boxes and an unsightly dumpster into beautiful watery scenes.