By Sarah Wilson
MWDOC has been educating Orange County students about the importance and value of water since 1973. Since the school program began over 45
years ago, more than 3 million Orange County students have learned about the state’s water resources and supply through one of the most effective and well-received water education programs in southern California.
After completing an extensive RFP process, the MWDOC Public Affairs team selected three contractors who will continue to provide innovative and valuable water education programs to students across the county. Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, the MWDOC Water Education School Programs will now serve Orange County students in Kindergarten all the way through High School!
Elementary School Programs
Grades K-2
Offered by Shows That Teach, “H2O, Where Did You Go?” is a fun, educational, and interactive assembly-style program that uses music, humor, and audience participation to engage students in water science topics such as the water cycle, water supply resources, and conservation. This exciting program provides fundamental water knowledge to students in grades K-2, building a solid foundation for all other future MWDOC Water Education School Programs students may participate in throughout their formal education period.
Grades 3-6
Through grade-specific assemblies, Discovery Cube Orange County offers an innovative approach to water education, providing students in grades 3-6 valuable instruction on local climate, water resources, and ways to be water efficient. Students are tested on their water awareness with a keypad device before an assembly program begins and at the conclusion of the program to measure how much knowledge they’ve gained through the experience.
Middle School Program
The MWDOC Water Education Middle School Program is also presented by Discovery Cube Orange County and consists of in-class water quality labs for students in grades 7-8. Through these interactive workshops, students discover how every day activities of individuals and families have a significant impact on the quality of surface waters. Students also learn about the importance of maintaining a reliable water supply for the residents of Orange County today, and for future generations.
High School Program
“Windows to Our Wetlands” (WOW), offered by the Bolsa Chica Conservancy (Conservancy), provides a hands-on, science-based learning station and interactive activities for students in grades 9-12. The program consists of three visits to each participating high school class. On the first visit, students learn about watersheds, California water supply and resources, as well as what it takes for purveyors of their drinking water to get it to their homes – clean, healthy, and ready to use from the tap. On the second visit, the Conservancy will bring the WOW mobile learning center to the school for a water quality lab comparison. Finally, on the third visit, students will present their findings to their peers through an in-class presentation.
Looking forward, MWDOC’s school program contractors have started reaching out to local schools on behalf of MWDOC member agencies to schedule visits for the 2019-2020 school year. As always, member agency representatives are invited to attend any of the K-12 school program visits. If you are interested in learning more about the MWDOC Water Education School Programs, please let us know: mwdoceducation@mwdoc.com!