Introduction
Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) U.S.A., with support from Perrier
Group of America, is sponsoring Make a Splash with Project WET, simultaneous
water festivals for students across the U.S. on National Project WET Water
Education Day - September 21, 2001. These water festivals will be held
in state parks, museums, urban riverfronts, fairgrounds, schools, nature
centers and even on islands. More than 50,000 students, teachers and interested
citizens are expected to participate in Make a Splash with Project WET
Water Festivals from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
What
is a Water Festival?
Water festivals are educational, fun and interactive water celebrations
where students explore a diversity of water-related topics. Water festivals
typically consist of structured learning stations and exhibits where students
actively engage in hands-on water activities and investigations. Station
topics can include the hydrologic cycle, ground water, spring water, water
quality, wetlands, water management, water conservation, properties of
water, soils, living history, and much more. Many events promote the festival
atmosphere with musical entertainment, water mazes, interpretive dancers,
skits, trivia contests, water demonstrations, and other educational activities.
The Water Festival as an Educational
Tool
Make a Splash with Project WET Water Festivals are designed to emphasize
water education principles within a fun, interactive environment. While
grounded in solid water principles, water festivals also promote multidisciplinary
approaches to learning by incorporating social studies, geography, math,
language arts, art and journaling. Water festivals are effective at promoting
awareness and increasing knowledge of water resources
and have been widely used to deliver factual, up-to-date information on
a variety of water-related topics to both students and adults.