Who/where?

The Queensbridge Tech Lab is a branch of Queens library located within Queensbridge Houses with a mission around Digital Literacy and Free Access. The Queensbridge Tech Lab has received a grant to lead a Community Science Project in Summer 2019! We would love feedback on our curriculum / equipment choices / any resources or learning tools we can use as well as open invite to anyone in the NYC area who would like to participate in this 8 week hands-on Project! Internship opportunity for High-Schoolers who commit to participating in the full program will receive volunteer hours (possibly credit) and a free Go Pro (tentative).

What is it?

The Queensbridge Community Science Project is about observing the urban landscape that we live in, a little more closely. Specifically during the Project we will be leading hands-on activities for all ages that explore our local Queensbridge Air, Water, and Soil / Plant Life. While exploring these topics we will be learning how to use various Science & Technology tools while discussing solutions to indoor air quality, pathways for community advocacy, as well as next steps for community members who would like to continue monitoring. Even though the Project has a focus on using (Western) Scientific & Technology tools we want to ensure that we practice other ways of learning about and connecting with the urban environment & public health, as we are the library we try to speak to as many people as possible.

When is it?

Every Saturday in June/July starting June 1st, Times: TBD (2-3 hours), 8 Weeks Total, Summer 2019

**For the AIR or SOIL portion of this Program Documentation.**

JUNE 22nd Water:

• DISCUSSION: One of our Digital Literacy Instructors will lead a discussion around Water Pollution and how water flows in an Urban Environment (Location: Inside the QB Tech Lab)
  • Different water systems - tap water in apartments (issues with lead), East River Water, Canals, Rain water (where does it go)
  • Impact / cause of Water pollution
  • On a large scale: Flint, possibly talking about impact of Sandy, Litter that goes into the drains - where does it end up, Nycha Tap water.
  • (Resources: Common Contaminants, Water Quality Report on Hudson River, EPA Water Map, How water moves through cities)
• ALL AGES ACTIVITY (Location: Inside the QB Tech Lab)
  • Using DIY microscope kits (ie. Community Microscope Kit / foldscope) to look at Local Water Samples (river, street, tap - previously collected)
  • Building the microscopes / what is a microscope & different kinds / why are they useful
  • How to handle and prepare samples
  • What are we looking at / comparing and contrasting
  • Drawing / Coloring what you see under the Microscope
• ALL AGES ACTIVITY (Location: Right outside the QB Tech Lab)
  • TENTATIVE: BIOBUS will be parked outside of tech lab with Scientific Grade Microscopes and Local Water Samples (river, street, tap).

JUNE 29th Water:

• DISCUSSION: One of our Digital Literacy Instructors will lead a discussion around ways to learn about our water and keeping it clean (Location: Inside the QB Tech Lab)
  • Discussing Community Solutions. Solutions around making / keeping the river clean / tap water filtration - how to filter your own water instead of buying plastic water bottles.
  • Nycha housing residents can request a free Lead Testing Kit
• All AGES ACTIVITY (Location: Inside the QB Tech Lab)
  • Using Water Quality Science Kits to see what is in the water (river, street, tap - previously collected) - what does the data mean/ say, what should we be testing for? PH, minerals, lead (Resources: Water quality testing kit , EarthEco Kits, Lead Testing Kit, & prior workshop)
  • Kits that detect PCB?
  • Using Circuits (speakers and conductivity) and using sound to learn about water quality - discussing science (conductivity and water) & Tech behind the Circuit (Resources: Conductivity & Water, Coqui)
  • Leaf Chromatography with Tamykah Anthony-Marston from Xanthines Cafe