Champions of Groundwater
Grade: 2nd
Duration: Four 1-hour CWC led campus visits and 3 short teacher-led activities (an optional field trip can replace one of the CWC led campus visits)
Location: Classroom and San Lorenzo River/local tributary
Materials and teaching provided free by the Coastal Watershed Council
Supported by generous funding from the County of Santa Cruz Green Schools Program, City of Santa Cruz, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Supports Next Generation Science Standards:
2-PS1-2: Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.
2-ESS2-3: Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be solid or liquid.
Complements FOSS Kit
Grade 2: Pebbles, Sand, and Silt
Lesson Series Overview
Focus Question: How can we get water into the ground?
Through hands-on activities, discussions and reflections, students will discover the answer to this focus question. Students will examine how we can help get us out of a drought by helping water enter the ground. Students will compare permeable and impermeable to determine which is best at helping water enter the ground. The program culminates with a student-led action project to help water enter the ground.
Week 1
CWC led activity: Investigate the problem of drought and how getting water into an aquifer can help us store and save water.
Supplemental teacher led activity: Investigate what happens when you dig a hole and it rains.
Week 2:
CWC led activity on school campus or field trip: Investigate what surfaces allow water to go into the ground.
Supplemental teacher led activity: Identify permeable and impermeable surfaces on the school campus.
Week 3:
CWC led activity on school campus: Examine examples of permeable designs that help water enter the ground and begin preparing for action project.
Supplemental teacher led activity: continue preparation for action project
Week 4:
CWC led activity on school campus: Begin action project and celebrate accomplishments by being sworn in as Watershed Rangers
Supplemental teacher led activity: complete action project if additional time is needed
Click here to view full curriculum guide
Click here to view the student journal
Click here for a printable student journal
Coastal Watershed Council Commitment to Education Equity
CWC is committed that every youth is supported, welcomed, included and championed as part of their education program. As such, CWC is seeking to incorporate culturally and linguistically responsive teaching and learning practices, principles of Universal Design for Learning, support mechanism for multi-lingual learners and wellness and mindfulness practices into each lesson. A number of activities are intentionally designed and set-up to validate, affirm and include all youth. We will also include some questions related to how we supported education equity into our teacher surveys. We welcome ideas, feedback, considerations as we continue to build more education equity.