Earth Day Festival 2017

Transcription

1 Earth Day Festival 2017 DATE: January 17, 2017 TO: FROM: RE: Superintendent Eunice Ulloa, Executive Director Becky Rittenburg, Community Programs Manager Chino Basin Water Conservation District Earth Day 2017 Field Trip (FREE EVENT) Chino Basin Water Conservation District s 25th Annual Earth Day Event takes place on Friday, April 7th. This FREE STEM educational opportunity is available to fifth-grade classes from your elementary schools. Students will participate in two interactive, environmental learning stations where they will be immersed in science and engineering practices and building environmental literacy. They will also explore educational exhibits provided by local environmental and city agencies to learn more about careers in water and conservation. Several fifth-grade California State Science Standards (Earth, Life and Environmental) are included in the content of the Earth Day Event activities, and this year, stations also highlight NGSS Science & Engineering Practices and Crosscutting Concepts. The enclosed event details are being shared through the district office with the principals of the elementary schools in your district. The event is limited to 30 fifth-grade classes and registration will be on a first-come first-served basis. The registration deadline is Friday, March 4, Please also note that the participating teachers must attend the Pre-Event workshop on March 7 from 3:15 p.m. 4:40 p.m. in preparation for the Earth Day Event. This event is offered completely free of charge, including transportation costs, as part of the Chino Basin Water Conservation District s Community Programs. We thank you for your district s continued participation in our programs, as educating our elementary students is truly the way to create a new normal of water conservation. If you have any questions about the event or other programs, please contact me at or rrittenburg@cbwcd.org. Attached are event details and a link to our onlineregistration form. Please submit the registration form by Friday, March 4th, Becky Rittenburg Community Programs Manager

2 Earth Day Festival 2017 DATE: January 17, 2017 TO: FROM: RE: Principal Eunice Ulloa, Executive Director Becky Rittenburg, Community Programs Manager Chino Basin Water Conservation District Earth Day 2017 Field Trip (FREE EVENT) Chino Basin Water Conservation District invites up to four fifth grade classes from your school to participate in our 25th Annual Earth Day Festival on Friday, April 7, 2017 at our Water Conservation Campus in Montclair. We will arrange and provide free bus transportation making this exciting day of hands-on science education completely free. Students will participate in two interactive, environmental learning stations where students will be immersed in science and engineering practices while building environmental literacy. Students will be able to visit local environmental and city agencies educational exhibits. Several fifth-grade California State Science Standards (Earth, Life and Environmental) are included in the content of the Earth Day Event activities and this year we will also highlight NGSS Science & Engineering Practices and Crosscutting Concepts. The learning stations will be taught by experienced classroom and environmental professionals who have expertise in water conservation and environmental issues including NASA s Jet Propulsion Lab scientists and the Wyland Foundation s Muralist team. Exhibitor s booths will introduce students to a variety of environmental organizations in the region and expose them to STEM careers. Participating teachers are required to attend a Pre-Event Teacher Workshop at the CBWCD s Water Conservation Center on March 7, Please see the attached event details with more information on the event. If you would like a hard copy of these materials mailed, please let us know. Registration closes Friday, March 4th, 2017 but due to limited space, enrollment is on a first-come, firstserve basis so we recommend registering ASAP. Please distribute the attached event information to all 5 th grade teachers as well as 4 th /5 th and 5 th /6 th combination classes. We look forward to the participation of your 5th grade classes and hope that they will share their experiences and information with other students at your school. CBWCD s Earth Day Festival promises to be an enriching and unique educational event for students, teachers, and parent volunteers. If you have any questions, please contact Community Programs Manager Becky Rittenburg at or rrittenburg@cbwcd.org. Space Is Limited Please Register ASAP

3 Who can participate? Join us for the 25th Annual Earth Day Festival! Up to four 5th grade classes (maximum of 35 students per class) from a school can attend. The day is designed for 5 th grade students but combination classes (4 th /5 th or 5 th /6 th ) are welcome. At least 2 parent volunteers per class are required to attend. Participating teachers are required to attend a Pre-Event Teacher Workshop at the CBWCD on March 7 from 3:15 4:30pm to learn about station activities, how they align with NGSS Science & Engineering Practices, pre- and post- festival lesson ideas, and tips for how to have an awesome Earth Day field trip with your class. If you cannot attend the workshop, notify us and arrange for an alternate school representative to attend. If you do not, your reservation WILL BE CANCELLED! Parent volunteers are encouraged to attend. How long is the festival? What time will we be there? Your classes will be participating in learning activities and eating lunch at CBWCD for about 3 hours in either the Early or Late Group. Indicate your Group preference when you register. Bus transportation (free of charge) will be arranged by CBWCD. Specific bus times and agendas will be provided at the Pre-Event Workshop. Bus pickup from your school Early Group Between 8:00 and 8:45am Late Group Between 10:00 and 10:45am At CBWCD 9:00am to 12:00pm 11:00am to 2:00pm Back to school By 12:30pm By 2:30pm What will we do at the festival? See more details at cbwcd.org/earthday. Each class will participate in ONE STRAND that includes TWO 50-minute STATIONS. Rank your preference for which STRAND your class will participate in when you register online! We encourage schools to vary the stations chosen by classes and then have students share their experiences with their peers. Each student will leave with materials to share at home and with other students at schools. How do I Register? Registration closes Friday, March 4th at 5pm. Space is limited and will be filled on a first-come first-served basis. Register online at cbwcd.org/earthday Please contact education@cbwcd.org or (909) with any questions.

4 25th Annual Earth Day Festival Station Descriptions STRAND AND STATION DESCRIPTIONS Hands-on Science and Engineering Learning Stations Each class will register for ONE STRAND. Each strand consists of two 50-minute stations, described below. All stations will actively involve students in hands-on projects. Students will use a variety of scientific inquiry skills including using observations, developing hypotheses, collecting and analyzing data, and communicating their findings. In some stations, students will also use engineering principles to design and test models. Instructors are experienced classroom teachers or professionals with environmental education expertise. Each student will leave with materials to share at home and with other students at school. Teachers will be provided with curriculum handbook at the Pre- Event Teacher Workshop that includes all stations, as well as pre and post lessons. Station Descriptions Seeing Water from Space: This station will feature scientists and educators from NASA s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. How much water is there on planet earth? Where is that water distributed? How did water shape our planet s landscapes? And what about on Mars? Students will seek answers to these questions by building models that replicate satellite images of Earth and Mars, while gaining a better understanding of how satellites work and their significance in understanding the global water cycle. Capture that Rain!: When it rains, it pours, creating storm water runoff and water quality problems in our region. Students will assist the City of Ontario's Water Resources Coordinator in developing rainwater harvesting designs to reduce runoff. Working as environmental engineers, they will design and test a system to capture rain to irrigate a garden. In small teams, they will be given a set of materials, guidelines, and a time limit to construct a model. Each group will test their design to see which best maximizes rain capture. They will then explore examples of rain harvesting designs on our campus. Wyland Foundation Watershed Mural: A healthy watershed requires a thriving ecosystem. Students will turn their scientific observations of local plants, animals, soils, and water cycle components of our local ecosystem into art. Working with a Wyland Foundation muralist and her team, each student will design and paint a component of the Chino Basin ecosystem on two prepainted 5 x10 canvas murals that include a view of Mt. Baldy from our campus with a cutaway of our groundwater basin. There will be an opportunity for two classes to take the murals back to their school! River Action: Environmental engineers play a large role in California s water infrastructure. Students become engineers in this station, building river models, charting river courses, and constructing a dam on the river. The focus is on scientific concepts, such as erosion and local environmental concerns. The station concludes with a demonstration of the environmental impact of toxic waste dumps. Common Water: Water is a limited resource with unlimited demands upon it. Students step into the shoes of water users, past and present, to show how the demands of multiple users can affect water quality and quantity over time. Students will journey through different eras, simulating the smaller water demands of the past and arriving at today s complex water supply system. This station brings in science and social studies to help students understand how they fit into larger contexts, so they can learn to better share and manage this finite resource. Water, Water Underground: Students will explore the concept of groundwater: What it is, where it comes from, why it is important to us, and what happens when it becomes polluted. Students will construct a model of the earth in an aquarium. By experimenting with the flow of water, students will observe how water accumulates below the earth s surface and becomes groundwater. A pollution source will then be introduced so that students can visualize how groundwater can become polluted.

5 25th Annual Earth Day Festival Station Descriptions Composting: Worm Power!: Students will learn about the benefits of composting and will help construct a worm bin so they can observe the power of worms up close. Worms play a major role in decomposing plant material and creating fertile soil. Worms consume millions of leaves and deposit droppings or castings that fertilize the soil. Their tunneling contributes to the aeration and turning over of the soil, allowing water to reach plant roots more easily. The average American family throws away 500 pounds of food scraps (i.e. green waste) per year. Composting can help us all! Each class will work together to build a worm bin to take back to class. Water Planet Magic Show by Paul Cash, Magician: The Paul Cash Environmental Magic Show was developed in partnership with the Network for Environmental Science Teaching. Watch Wanda, the rapping water drop, come to life to sing the Water Cycle Boogie! Students learn about environmental behaviors that protect water quality and about personal water conservation. Drought Tolerant Plants 101: The hands-on experience of planting drought tolerant plants is the highlight of this informative station. Students will first receive an overview of California native plants, then will learn how to tell the difference between drought tolerant plants and water thirsty plants. They then compare models of different irrigation systems and learn how each is selected for different plant types. Finally, students will become water wise gardeners by planting a drought tolerant plant to take home and enjoy! Storm Water: How does storm water move through an environment? Students will compare pervious materials with impervious materials to show the path of water through an urban setting. The discussion will also cover best management practices of how to retain water instead of letting it run off during a storm. This station ties in a demonstration of CBWCD s very own low impact development strategies with permeable pavements, bioswales, and water catchment areas. Water Wise Demonstration Garden Tour: The 1.75 acre demonstration garden models various environments through the use of selected drought tolerant plants and a water management system. Students will take a fun and interactive guided tour of the garden. On the way they will participate in learning stations that focus on aspects of the ecosystem such as native and adapted plants, differences between soils and what that means for plants, and compost nature s form of recycling. Blue River: Students become components of a watershed to simulate the movement of water through a river and its surrounding area. They will learn what makes up a watershed and how its drainage affects more than just the immediate vicinity, using our own geography as an example. Students will talk about why watershed health is so important and how they can help manage our watershed. This station also ties in weather to understand seasonal differences of water flowing through an area. Air Quality Extraordinare: Water use and energy use are inherently linked. Working with regional green building architects, students will investigate air quality issues in our watershed and learn more about how they can take action to reduce our water and energy use to improve air quality. Through science and engineering practices, students will investigate smog in a jar and will track their own emissions Earth Day 2017 Exhibits In addition to the student stations, classes will have the opportunity to view environmental exhibits from community agencies and businesses. Earth Day exhibitors are making a special effort to create interactive educational displays.