Educators . Environmental Education
To create a better tomorrow, teach the children how to preserve the environment today. Adding environmental education to regular curricular activities helps children understand why their actions contribute to the condition of the world.
Resources
The following websites offer interactive games, ideas for classroom activities, and many other projects for teachers, parents, and kids.
- The Story of Drinking Water
www.fcwa.org/story_of_water/html/story.htmFairfax Water, Virginia's largest water utility, hosts a web page for kids about The Story of Drinking Water. The site discusses everything from the first records of drinking water treatment, how much water covers the earth, what water is made of, to why drinking water isn't free but it's a heck of a bargain. The site also includes fun facts, games, quizzes, and conservation tips. Teachers and educators can use the site to teach children about the importance of drinking water.
- Non-Point Source Pollution
protectingwater.comOriginally funded by a Clean Water Act grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Hawaii State Department of Health Clean Water Branch, and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services, the Non-point Source Pollution page is an interactive website that explains how non-point sources can pollute drinking water sources. The site includes projects for teachers and students, activities that demonstrate how kids can help keep pollution out of drinking water, and discussion about watersheds.
- Burt and Phil's Water Buster Game
www2.seattle.gov/util/waterbusters/Burt and Phil have a problem—high water bills. This interactive online game helps kids find areas around their own homes where they can save water, money, and the environment. The object of the game is to fix leaks and reduce water usage. The site includes instructions about how to play the game.
- Down the Drain
www.k12science.org/curriculum/drainproj/Down the Drain is an Internet-based collaborative project that allows students to share information about water usage with other students from around the country and the world. Based on data collected by their household members and their classmates, students will determine the average amount of water used by one person in a day. They will compare this to the average amount of water used per person per day in other parts of the world. The site includes student activities, teacher guides, and reference materials to name a few things.
- The Groundwater Foundation Kid's Corner
www.groundwater.org/kc/kc.htmlThe Groundwater Foundation Kid's Corner site offers lists of references for teachers and students to teach kids about the importance of groundwater. The references include sample activities for the classroom, games and puzzles, activities for kids to do at home, and much more.
- H2O University
www.h2ouniversity.orgThe Southern Nevada Water Authority hosts a web page for teachers and kids that includes science projects, conservation facts, a parent-teacher lounge, and a library. The site offers suggestions for field trips, games, and classroom assignments. The site offers teaching plans for grades K through 12 and is broken into grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-12.
- Kids in a Creek
www.bpa.gov/corporate/education/kidsinthecreek/Kids in the Creek is an award-winning environmental education program that allows kids to wade in the water and get their hands wet. Each year, the Bonneville Power Administration works with hundreds of elementary students, teaching them how to recognize a healthy stream. Kids learn biology, as they learn to identify macroinvertebrates. They learn chemistry, as they test the water's pH. They learn environmental science, as they scan stream banks for vegetation cover and other signs of healthy habitat. And they just have fun.
- Project Wet
projectwet.orgSince 1984, Project WET, an award-winning 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has developed and implemented water and environmental educational projects to teach children, parents, teachers and community members of the world about water. The organization's website offers water resources, project ideas, and publications to help them achieve their goals. It also includes information about upcoming water festivals and water forums.
Contact Us
The National Environmental Services Center (NESC) has an extensive holding of free or low-costs pamphlets, brochures, guidebooks, posters, DVDs and other similar materials. Download the complete list and order form on our Products Page.
For more information e-mail NESC at info@mail.nesc.wvu.edu or call us toll free at 1(800) 624-8301.
Also see our Public Health page for more free educational downloads.