H2O Educational Presentations

To better serve the students and teachers in our community the Water Conservation Program provides school site classroom presentations. Examples of the grade level appropriate presentations are listed below. The Education Coordinator will also custom design presentations that augment and enhance any thematic units or special areas of focus that a teacher might wish to include in lessons or activities. Custom designed presentations are also available for school-wide assemblies and special half- or full-day events.

Call: 621-5312 or 621-5480, or email: Dave.Williams@fresno.gov

Presentations Appropriate to Grade Level

Grades K-3

Presentations are 20-25 minutes in length and begin with thinking about where our water comes from and an introduction to the water cycle. A short video (@ 7 min.) shows how people waste water and is followed by student generated ideas on how each could have been prevented. Presentations are interactive requiring the students to think and respond. Depending on the availability each student receives an official Water Conservation sticker, coloring book, Story of Water comic book and plastic ruler. Each teacher receives a copy of the All About Water: K-3 Activities book.

Grades 4-6

Grades 4-6 presentations are basically the same as the K-3. Students may receive brochures on water-saving tips rather than the coloring books. Custom designed presentations are also available at these grade levels that will fit in with the teachers' science curriculum or area of emphasis.

Middle School (Grades 6-9)

Presentations are usually 30-50 minutes long and designed to fit the needs of the teachers and students. More in-depth information regarding the extraction of water, annual and per capita consumption and water quality issues are covered. If a full class period can be made available the Groundwater Flow Model demonstration and Serial Dilution: Parts per million/billion/trillion activity can be used. (see High School level for details)

High School (Grades 9-12)

Presentations require a full class period in which the availability, consumption, waste, contaminants that can cause problems, and the future of our water supply are examined in detail. The Groundwater Flow Model is used to demonstrate how water and contaminant plumes can spread from pumping action and how ground and surface water are related. A Serial Dilution: Parts per million/billion/trillion hands-on activity that explores the concept of concentrations and comparison of the Maximum Contaminant Levels of various pollutants can either follow the demonstration, be provided at a subsequent presentation, or conducted by the teacher when convenient.

Classroom Presentation Flyer

College level or Preservice Teacher

Presentations are designed according to specifications of the instructor.

Teacher Inservices, Workshops and Institutes

A two-hour inservice is available for groups of teachers interested in becoming familiar with the Groundwater Flow Model and Serial Dilution: Parts per million/billion/trillion activity.

Workshops for teachers on water-related issues are available for local environmental and educational programs and events.

The Education Coordinator works with the school districts' Science Coordinators and Teachers on Special Assignment to provide sessions on water issues for summer teacher institutes and symposia throughout the year.

Student Projects and Community Involvement

The Water Conservation Education Program supports and encourages student investigation and involvement in promoting water awareness and protection. Some possible ideas for student-developed projects include:

Creating original materials for elementary students such as outline drawing for coloring and comic strips with a conservation message. Short animations or videos with students delivering age appropriate messages to a variety of audiences. PSAs for TV/radio broadcast. Projects designed to decrease water use and encourage conservation.

Water quality investigations of local ponding and recharge basins.

Eligible Schools

All Fresno Unified School District schools Central, Clovis and Sanger USDs: All schools with a Fresno mailing address.

Private and Secular: All schools with a Fresno mailing address.

Resources

The Education Coordinator has a wide variety of educational curriculum, testing kits, videos and references available on a loan basis for teachers and students involved in school projects and activities. Water Related Resources is an online portal to a wide variety of information and materials.

For additional resources, click : http://www.creec.org/region7/stories/storyReader$372