| Title: |
Children’s Water School at the Global Water Education Village |
| Date: |
March 17 – 21, 2006 |
| Time: |
10:00 am – 7:00 pm |
| Location: |
Water Fair, 4th World Water Forum, Banamex Center, Mexico City |
| Led by: |
Mexican Institute for Water Technology |
Co-convened by:
The Mexican Institute for Water Technology and the Project WET International Foundation
Purpose:
The Water School is designed to emphasize water education principles for students within a fun, interactive environment. Unlike traditional lectures or "look and leave" field trips, the Water School will provide a solid educational framework for teachers and students within the larger context of the Fourth World Water Forum. While grounded in water science principles, the Water School also promotes multidisciplinary approaches to learning by incorporating science, math, social studies, geography, language arts, art and journaling.
Keys to Success:
The children’s Water School format has proven to be an effective method of promoting awareness and increasing knowledge of water resources in communities and is recommended as a powerful local action tool. The keys to making the Children’s Water School relevant and effective with teachers and students are having a meaningful and exciting experience for children and teachers, and also having a solid water education message and take home materials for use at home or at school. Project WET and IMTA will provide every teacher and student at the Water School with Watershed Protection and Healthy Water, Healthy People Kids In Discovery Series activity booklets and opportunities for further study through attending Project WET workshops for teachers in Mexico City schools.
Water Schools or festivals, as they are sometimes called, have been widely used to deliver factual, up-to-date information on a variety of water-related topics to both students and adults.
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One example of a major national festival is the Make A Splash with Project WET National Water Education Day held in the USA every September since 2000. More than 250,000 students have participated in these Make a Splash with Project WET Water Festivals. The hands-on, interactive learning stations are designed to reach students with diverse learning styles, including those who may struggle in a traditional classroom setting.
Structure:
Water festivals consist of multiple structured learning stations where students actively engage in hands-on water activities and investigations. Station topics include the hydrologic cycle, ground water, spring water, water quality, wetlands, water management, water conservation, soils, and the properties of water. Each activity station is an opportunity for a local water agency or organization to contribute staff, materials, and expertise.
