The Otay Water District is firmly committed to supporting water sustainability educational programs. The District provides field trips to the Water Conservation Garden, school assemblies, Splash Labs and water awareness poster contests for students.
Students can also challenge their knowledge of water-related topics online — while having fun! To download a list of free interactive activities for kids, click here.
The District has worked to analyze and integrate the NGSS standards used by educators to provide a comprehensive packet that contains lesson plans, activities and resources focused around water conservation that can be utilized independently by teachers in their classrooms whenever they need lesson ideas or help. These materials are intended to be a fun, hands-on way to get students to understand water as a resource and the role it plays in their lives—while remaining creative, affordable and easily integrated into the grade curriculum for teachers. For more information, click here.
Make every drop count with art! The District holds an annual student poster contest for kindergarten through sixth grade students attending schools located within the District’s service area. Participants are encouraged to create a poster that reflects the theme of “Water is Life” and demonstrates the importance of water-use efficiency inside and outside the home. The contest is a great opportunity for students to showcase their creativity while reflecting on their most precious resource – water – and the importance of using it as efficiently as possible in their daily lives. For more information, click here.
The District funds up to 35 school bus tours each school year. Funding includes reimbursement for the school bus to the Water Conservation Garden and a tour by Water Conservation Garden’s Ms. Smarty Plants. Watch the video below to learn more about Garden Tours. Contact pam@thegarden.org to inquire about available funding.
In a partnership with the Chula Vista Elementary School District and Sweetwater Authority, the Otay Water District has launched the Hydro Station, at Sweetwater Authority’s Richard A. Reynold Groundwater Desalination Facility, where fifth-grade students learn about the ecological cycle of water, water quality, and conservation. The program exposes students to careers in the water industry and helps encourage a new generation of water industry professionals. For more information, follow @CV_HydroSt on Twitter.
The Splash Science Lab provides students with the opportunity to learn about watershed issues. Students gain a better understanding of how water pollution affects the environment, humans, and wildlife by participating in three stations involving microscopes, water chemistry experiments, interactive watershed models, and more. For more information, click here.
Resources for Teachers
Water Resources
Watershed
California Water Supply
Weather & Climate
