Teachers have a pivotal role in ensuring that students understand the connection between the choices they make and local water quality. You can help spread the word about storm water and other water quality issues by educating your students and helping them to be environmentally conscious citizens.
Remember that what you teach your students will impact people outside of your classroom. Students often share the information that they learn in school with friends and relatives, which ultimately will help to spread the word about storm water pollution prevention.
Below are links to information about water quality education workshops offered in Clermont County and some links to educational materials that will help you get started. You will find that students enjoy learning about local water quality issues, and the educational materials listed below are accessible to students of all ages.
Clermont County Water Quality Education Workshops
The Clermont Soil & Water District offers free programs and resources to any school or group located within Clermont County. Judy Krebs, Education Coordinator for the District, has put together several environmental education programs that meet some of the learning outcomes for the Proficiency Tests. She is available to present any of these programs to K-12 classes. Educational materials are also available on loan from the District. Click here to learn more about the programs, benchmarks and grade level indicators. For more information, contact Judy Krebs at (513) 732-7075, or send an email to judy.krebs@oh.nacdnet.net.
Rain Garden Lesson Guide - Under an Ohio Environmental Education Fund grant, the Clermont Soil and Water Conservation District worked with Greenacres Water Quality Project LLC to develop a Rain Garden Lesson Guide tied to Ohio Academic Content Standards. With this guide, schools can turn their rain gardens into outdoor learning labs. To download the entire guide or specific lessons, check out Clermont Rain Garden Central's Lesson Guide page.
U.S. EPA Educational Materials - "A Day in the Life of a Drop"
A Day in the Life of a Drop is a set of activities designed to help students in grades 3–5 understand the connections between the source of the water they use and the ways their water use habits affect the environment and human health. Students also learn how to reduce their impacts and engage family members. After completing the worksheets provided below, students and families take the Pledge to Filter Out Bad Water Habits to demonstrate their commitment to saving water for the future.
Freebies for Science Teachers - This site, developed by the National Science Teachers Association, offers numerous resources that address watersheds, water quality issues and water pollution sources. This tool would be useful for anyone seeking to engage children in science-related activities. A search box at the top of the page makes it easy to find what you need.
Clermont County Storm Drain Labeling Project
Help students get involved in the community by participating in a storm drain stenciling project. This project will help your students educate citizens in the community about preventing stormwater pollution.
Project WET!
Promote awareness and stewardship of water resources in your classroom with the help of Project Water Education for Teachers (WET). Through this site, you can find out about water festivals in your area, download activities for students, and order catalogs of water resources.
Storm Water Stickers for Kids
Print stickers for your students to remind them of the importance of storm water pollution using a file that the EPA has published. Simply print this file onto appropriate label paper using your own printer. Note: Adobe Acrobat Reader is required for viewing this document.