Water Works for Us

Roots & Shoots Report – 2018 Water Works For Us! Summary: This year’s Water Works for Us! Project has been a highlight of our school year. It has brought students together and imbued them with a sense of purpose as they took direct action to address a significant environmental problem in our community. Students began the project by getting a better understanding of their community. They worked in collaborative groups of three to create community maps. They used notes from walking and driving around the neighborhood with their families, as well as online resources for their creations. The process made them more aware of resources available in their local surroundings. They also gained an understanding of place and location by situating these items on a map. The Water Works For Us! Project built upon this awareness of community resources as 4th and 5th grade students participated in a special after school club: Project Citizen Science. This club combined a powerful civics program, Project Citizen, with scientific readings and experiments to focus student attention upon solving an environmental concern within, and beyond, their community. Students viewed episodes of a powerful new National Geographic Series, One Strange Rock, to broaden their understanding of the inter-connectivity of the many natural systems governing Earth’s resources. During the episode “Gasp”, for example, students learned that topsoil from Western Africa is blown to South America in giant dust storms. Much of this dust is deposited over South America, providing essential nutrients for plant growth. The dense Amazon Forest then provides water vapor for the near-constant rain in the area. Eroding sediment from this rainwater provides nutrients for diatom blooms, which in turn provide oxygen for the entire planet. Finally, layers of dead diatoms carpet the sea floor, and over millions of years, are uplifted to become topsoil providing nutrients for plant growth. This series does an excellent job showing students the ways in which Earth’s systems are interdependent. The interdependence of earth’s ecosystems extends to its people as well. Students read about the severe drought impacting South Africa in A Long Walk to Water. This powerful book tells two story lines separating the protagonists by a generation. But, these generations come together in an inspirational climax motivating students to become interested and involved in solving the water crisis. They felt empowered to take action by devising strategies to help our community forestall such drastic measures as are currently taking place in South Africa. Students initiated the project by addressing our community’s ongoing water concerns with having enough clean, fresh water. They identified various causes for our recurring water shortages. First and foremost, our community exists in a Mediterranean Biome. We do not receive nearly enough precipitation to support the growing population that resides in our area. In addition, student cited various ways in which water is wasted in our community: lawns that require large amounts of water, agricultural demand, and community members wasting water by taking long showers, washing small loads of dishes and clothes, and hosing down driveways. Students worked in groups to explore alternative strategies used to address the shortage of fresh water in different locations. They discovered a range of actions including incentives for replacing high-water usage grass lawns with drought tolerant shrubs and plants, planting shade trees, and providing incentives for reducing home and business water use. They used lessons from Rosie Revere's Big Project Book for Bold Engineers to design cities that utilized water resources effectively. They also incorporated energy-saving plans in their designs. Students evaluated the alternative strategies as well as their innovative designs to create a policy for conserving fresh water. Their policy including the use of incentives for people and businesses that conserve water, and penalties for those who waste water. They contacted a local environmental organization, Tree People, and acquired information about acquiring free shade trees. Finally, they wrote a list of Suggestions for Saving Water for distribution to students and families at our school. The final step of Project Citizen Science was creating an action plan to implement their policies. As part of this plan, students created a Power Point presentation to share water conservation information with other students. Student ambassadors shared this Power Point with students in other classes. Students also made water conservation stickers, buttons, and painted Project Citizen Science t-shirts. These student ambassadors circulated around the playground at recess and after school asking younger students for ideas about water conservation. The student respondents received water conservation stickers for their correct answers. Finally, students wrote an article for the school newspaper, the Toluca Times, providing information about the importance of their water conservation project. This article included a Water Conservation Challenge checklist. The first students to return the checklist received prizes for their efforts (earth squeeze balls and pencil top erasers). By working towards a greater goal in our community - spreading awareness of the importance of conserving water and energy resources - students felt that the power that comes with being part of a team worker towards a greater good. By taking their project to the younger students at our school, students felt a sense of pride and responsibility ... and all of it borne from their connection to the natural environment ... and to young people half a world away. Thank you for supporting this fantastic project! Budget: Amazon.com order number: 113-8013636-9906666 Order Total: $139.88 Supporting: Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. Items Ordered Price 1 of: Earth Squeeze Balls - 24 Pcs World Globe Relax Balls - 2 DOZEN Sold by: Amazon.com Services, Inc. Condition: New $8.49 1 of: Rosie Revere's Big Project Book for Bold Engineers, Beaty, Andrea Sold by: Amazon.com Services, Inc. Condition: New $10.26 2 of: Avery Sticker Project Paper, Matte White, Removable Adhesive, 8-1/2" x 11", Pack of 5 (53202) Sold by: Amazon.com Services, Inc. Condition: New $5.46 Total before tax: $29.17 Sales Tax: $2.76 ----- Total for This Shipment: $31.93 Items Ordered Price 1 of: Globe Earth Erasers (48 Pcs) - Basic School Supplies & Erasers & Pencil Toppers Sold by: AA Top Bargains (seller profile) Condition: New $9.99 4 of: 3D Fabric Paint, UnityStar 30 Colors Puffy Paint with 3 Bonus Brushes for Fabric & Acrylic with Permanent Vibrant Colors, Ideal for T-shirts Fabrics Painting Canvas Ceramic Wood, 30ml/1 oz Sold by: Oak Leaf LLC (seller profile) Condition: New $24.49 Item(s) Subtotal: $107.95 Total before tax: $107.95 Payment information Item(s) Subtotal: $137.62 Total before tax: $137.12 Estimated tax to be collected: $2.76 Grand Total: $139.88 Items Ordered Price 1 of: Roll of Water Dog Conservation Stickers Indoor Set of 9 Scenes | 126 Color Stickers Sold by: New Resources Group (seller profile) Condition: New All NRG Items are Brand New - We do Not sell Used, Rebuilt or Refurbished Products. NRGideas Quality Water & Energy Saving products. Items Ordered Price One Strange Rock Season 1[Prime Video] Quantity: 1 Sold By: Amazon Digital Services LLC $16.99 Item(s) Subtotal: $16.99 ---- Total Before Tax: $16.99 Tax Collected: $0.00 Total for this Order: $16.99 Read less