Watershed Explorers Program
In Watershed Explorers, all participating third grade students obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about how drought and runoff pollution impacts living things in a watershed. Students learn by exploring and being scientists! Specifically, the program supports Next Generation Science Standards in the following ways:
- Performance Expectation: (3-LS4-4) Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.
- Disciplinary Core Idea: (3-LS4.D) Populations live in a variety of habitats, and changes in those habitats affect the organisms living there.
- Cross Cutting Concept: Cause and effect, patterns, systems and system models, stability and change.
- Scientific and Engineering Practice: All eight SEP’s are utilized in this program.
Participants leave our program understanding:
- the path water takes through their local watershed;
- the sources of storm water pollution with an emphasis on the effects of motor oil and human debris;
- the impact increasing global temperatures and drought has on the natural cycles of plants and animals;
- how to implement the ‘Triple R’ reduce, reuse, recycle messaging in their daily lives, including how to participate in the California Redemption Value (CRV) program;
- how to improve their impact on water quality and to inspire their family to make behavioral changes to safeguard our natural resources.
The Watershed Explorers Program runs annually from January through May and includes a pre-trip presentation and a field trip to a local park or outdoor space. A limited number of classes are welcome to participate in both a fall and a spring Watershed Explorers field trip as part of a climate change study on local flora and fauna. Registration and scheduling is limited.
For more information on this program or to express interest in enrollment, please email the education department.
Watershed Explorers is funded by Solano County and all its City Jurisdictions, Solano County Water Agency, Vallejo Water Conservation Program, Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District, Vallejo Flood and Wastewater District, and the Potrero Hills Landfill. The fall component is paid through a partnership with the Greater Vallejo Recreation District with funding through the California State Parks Habitat Conservation Fund.
