WV Outdoor Learning Center Aquifer Education

/

The Spokane Aquifer Joint Board partnered with the West Valley Outdoor Learning Center from 2009 through 2013 to fund aquifer education and awareness for student, teachers and community members.  View photos.

In 2009, under the leadership of WVOLC Director Jami Otsby March,  local teachers and regional experts created a 25 lesson Aquifer Curriculum

WVOLC conducted other Aquifer education and awareness programs with funding from SAJB.  What follows is a partial list of the outreach activities and Program Reports for 2010 through 2013.

  • AQUIFER TEACHER SUMMIT FOR NEW TEACHERS
  • AQUIFER LESSONS FOR STUDENTS K-12
  • STORMWATER LESSONS FOR STUDENTS K-12
  • SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY WATER FESTIVALS
  • AQUIFER CURRICULUM TEACHING TUBS
  • SPOKANE WATER QUALITY SYMPOSIUM FOR TEACHERS
  • PILOT PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL “BACKPACK CONTAMINANTS”
  • MAINTAIN THE AQUIFER AND ENVIROSCAPE MODELS

WVOLC   Aquifer Outreach Progress Reports

2010- 2011 WVOLC Aquifer Outreach Report

2012 Jan-Sept WVOLC Aquifer Outreach Report

2012-2013 WVOLC Aquifer Outreach Report

 Aquifer Education and Outreach Program Themes

Enviroscape

By using this model students will see that we all live in a watershed and gain understanding that water pollution comes from many sources. Nonpoint sources contribute a great deal to the pollution in our water bodies. The combined effect of pollution from many small sources can have a real impact on the quality of our shared water resources.

H2O Quality

Students participating in these lessons will understand how sources of contaminants can enter the aquifer and describe ways the aquifer is tested for these contaminants and how it is treated if they are found. Students will participate in testing water in rivers and streams and build connections to our drinking water.

 SEAM

The Science Education Achievement Mentorship (SEAM) Project is a hands-on learning program in which students perform water quality monitoring and ecological study at two nearby natural areas.  High school students learn the principles of ecology, riparian habitats and water quality. After practice and developing lesson plans they teach this material to elementary students.  Through this project high school and 5th grade students develop science field work, research, and mentorship skills while working with teachers, community members, and scientists.  Participants will walk away with connections to local ecosystems and wildlife.  Partners in the project will have valuable information collected by student volunteers.

Watershed

The watershed theme includes lessons about water movement within the water cycle.  Students will be able to identify the states of water as it moves through the water cycle. Students will be able to identify local bodies of water and how they are connected to them.

Aquifer Formation

In these investigation students focus on observing and recording the properties of three different Earth Materials; soil, sand and gravel. This lesson is a pre-lesson to further investigations that model a part of the system that we call the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer.  Students observe, make predictions, and develop conclusions.  Students will also learn about formation of the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer and what happens when pollution is introduced to the aquifer.