The Water Center offers a variety of hands-on activities. Each
year the topics change and teachers may choose from the current
year’s offerings or those from past years. Some of these
options includes:
SMART COMMUNITY: WHAT IS A WATERSHED?
In which watershed is your school? What do you do in your watershed,
and can you help your watershed? Through hands-on activities students
are introduced to simple choices that will help their community
to be more environmentally friendly.
To learn more
click here.
PLANTS AND WATER
Do all plants need the same amount of water? Are all plants the
same? Through hands-on activities and a scavenger hunt students
explore the different plants and their native environments.
To learn more click
here.
WHAT MIGHT LEWIS AND CLARK HAVE SEEN IN SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON
ON THEIR JOURNEY? (Grade 4 ONLY)
Test your skills and try to determine what Lewis and Clark might
have seen as they explored this area.
To learn more click
here.
The Water Center offers activities that compliment some of the
FOSS kits:
Environments — Earth Science Kit
Dams, Fish Hooks, Bears, Oh My! – A gross motor skill activity
where students will learn the many different habitats salmon need
in order to be successful throughout their lifecycle.
To learn
more click here.
Liquids and Solids — Physical Science Kit
How Water Works – A station activity where students interact
with the properties of water.
To learn more
click here.
Pebbles, Sand, Silt — Earth Science Kit
Why Is Groundwater Important? – Students make an aquifer
in a jar.
To learn more
click here.
Water — Earth Science Kit
The Wonderful Water Cycle – Students discover some of the
many parts of the water cycle.
To learn more click
here.
How Do We Use Water? – A hands-on water conservation activity.
To learn more click
here.
Exhibit Hall Tour (Grades K-12)
What Columbia River fish is believed to have been alive when the
dinosaurs roamed the earth? Discuss the many different stages
of the salmon lifecycle. The Water Center has exhibits that demonstrate
where water comes from in Vancouver, how to be a Smart Shopper,
the importance of wetlands, and more.
To learn more
click here.
Nature/Wetlands Walk (Grades K-12)
Students are introduced to and/or reminded about the values and
characteristics of wetlands through metaphors and given a short
overview of the past Columbia River floods.
To learn more click
here.
Water Reclamation Facility Tour (Grades 4 and above)
Do you know where the water goes after it goes down the drain?
What happens to it? See how the City reclaims water from wastewater.
This facility was designed to be a good neighbor. It uses air
scrubbers to eliminate odors and ultraviolet light, not chlorine,
as a disinfectant. NOTE: Areas of the facility are not wheelchair
accessible.
Let Us Come To You
The Water Resources Education Center can bring exciting K-12 education
programs to your classroom. Our hands-on outreach programs are
a great way to prepare your students for a visit to the Water
Center, or to extend a unit. For more information, please call
360-487-7115.
Join The Watershed Monitoring Network
By participating in the Watershed Monitoring Network, a City of
Vancouver and Clark County partnership, you and your students
can monitor a nearby stream, wetland or lake throughout the school
year. Your class will learn how to monitor water quality and macroinvertebrates
(aquatic bugs) and ask meaningful questions about a local ecosystem.
Selected students participate in the annual Watershed Congress
that connects your students’ data with the Clark County
community. For more information about the Water Monitoring Network,
please call 360-487-7112.
Grade Level: K–8
Length: 45–60 Minutes
Key Concepts
Do you know what a watershed is? Do you know what you do can effect
your watershed? What things can you do around your house to help
your neighborhood and community?
Description of Experience
Students will engage in activities to observe the interconnectiveness
of their lives and their communities. The first component will
use a watershed model to help students understand their watershed
and parts of their communities. The second engages students to
make choices to share with their families to help our communities
to become more environmentally-friendly.
Goals
As a result of this experience, students will be able to:
- To understand what is a watershed and that small actions can help
their community as a whole.
Objectives
During the experience, students will:
- Observe the components of a watershed
- Relate items to plant anatomy through metaphors.
- Categorize and classify items based on their efficiency and
usefulness.
Learning Standards
Washington State Essential Academic Learning
Requirements
Social Studies: Economics 2.1; Math 1.1; Science 1.1, 1.2
Oregon State Common Curricular Goals
Science SC.03.SI.03; Math
Grade Level: K–8
Length: 45–60 Minutes
Key Concepts
Why are plants different? Why do plants live in different areas?
How do plants transport water? What are differences between native
and introduced plants?
Description of Experience
Students will engage in three activities to observe and record
different plant life and water availability. The first component
uses metaphors to further enhance students’ understanding
of the parts of a plant. The second engages students to think
about where a plant is found in Washington State, and whether
a plant is native or introduced to an area. The last is a scavenger
hunt.
Goals
As a result of this experience, students will be able to:
- To experience the diversity of plants in the Backyard Wildlife
Garden and Washington State, and the effect of water on plant
diversity.
Objectives
During the experience, students will:
- Students will relate items to plant anatomy through metaphors.
- Students will categorize and classify plants based on the specific
water requirements in which they live.
Learning Standards
Washington State Essential Academic Learning
Requirements
Social Studies: Geography 2.1; Social Studies: History 1.2; Math
1.2; Science 1.1, 1.2
Oregon State Common Curricular Goals
Social Sciences: Geography; Science SC.03.SI.03; Math MA.03.SP.02
Grade Level: 4
Length: 60 Minutes
Key Concepts
Interactions of people, plants, and animals in a system.
Description of Experience
Through this station activity, students will experience aspects
of the Lewis and Clark journey through Southwest Washington using
activities with plants, animals, and artifacts from that era.
Goals
As a result of this experience, students will be able to:
- To identify, describe, and categorize materials, objects, and
living things, and to understand how interconnections describe
systems.
Objectives
During the experience, students will:
- Students will be able to classify plants and animals.
- Students will be able to identify plants and animals not native
to Southwest Washington.
- Students will discuss why a water route to the Pacific was not
possible because of the Continental Divide.
Learning Standards
Washington State Essential Academic Learning
Requirements
Social Studies: Geography 2.1, 3.1; Science 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
Oregon State Common Curricular Goals
Social Sciences: Geography, History; Science C.05.SI.03; Math
The Water Center offers activities that complement the following
FOSS kits:
DAMS, FISH HOOKS, BEARS, OH MY!
Length: 60 Minutes
Students will role play as salmon in their various life stages.
They will encounter many natural and human-made challenges as
they try to make it from a hatchling to a returning spawning adult.
Learning Standards:
Washington State Essential Academic Learning
Requirements
Social Studies: Geography 3.1; Social Studies: History 2.2; Math
3.2; Science 1.2, 2.2
Oregon State Common Curricular Goals
Social Sciences: Geography; Science; Math
HOW WATER WORKS
Length: 45 Minutes
The hands-on activities will demonstrate such properties as cohesion
- water likes itself - and capillary action - why water will move
up a sheet of paper towel.
Learning Standards:
Washington State Essential Academic Learning
Requirements
Science 1.1, 1.2, 2.1
Oregon State Common Curricular Goals
Science
WHY IS GROUNDWATER IMPORTANT?
Length: 45 Minutes
Where does Vancouver’s drinking water come from? Students
make an aquifer in a jar to answer this question.
Learning Standards:
Washington State Essential Academic Learning
Requirements
Social Studies: Geography 2.1; Science 1.1, 1.2
Oregon State Common Curricular Goals
Social Sciences: Geography; Science
THE WONDERFUL WATER CYCLE
Length: 60 Minutes
Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Transpiration and much
more. Why do different parts of Washington State get different
amounts of precipitation? Through hands-on activities students
will explore the water cycle.
Learning Standards:
Washington State Essential Academic Learning
Requirements
Social Studies: Geography 3.1; Math 1.1; Science 1.1, 1.2
Oregon State Common Curricular Goals
Social Sciences: Geography; Science; Math
HOW DO WE USE WATER?
Length: 60 Minutes
These activities will help your students understand the importance
of conserving water for drinking. Students will perform activities
to learn about how much water they use around the house –
a hands-on water conservation activity.
Learning Standards:
Washington State Essential Academic Learning
Requirements
Social Studies: Geography 3.1; Social Studies: History 2.2; Math
1.2, 3.2; Science 1.2, 2.2
Oregon State Common Curricular Goals
Social Sciences: Geography; Science; Math
Grades: K–3
Length: 45 Minutes
Key Concepts
Classifying living organisms and understanding systems.
Description of Experience
Students will participate in activities to learn about fish, plants,
animals and their habitats, and interact with exhibits to make
observations about different aspects of the environment: wetlands
and recycling.
Goals
- To understand the characteristics of living organisms.
- To understand interdependent systems.
- To design a solution to water waste in their own homes.
Objectives
- To introduce students to some of the native fish of the
Columbia River.
- To give students time to explore exhibits like Shop Smart
– to help them become “Eco-Shoppers”.
- Learn wetlands metaphors.
- To be introduced the water cycle.
Learning Standards
Washington State Essential Academic Learning
Requirements
Social Studies: Geography 3.1, 3.2; SCIENCE 1.1
Oregon State Common Curricular Goals
Science SC.03.LS.04, SC.03.SI.01; Math
Grades: 4–12
Length: 60 Minutes
Key Concepts
Understanding systems and designing solutions.
Description of Experience
Students will participate in a discussion about the lifecycles
of the white sturgeon and Coho salmon; experience the importance
of wetlands; interact with exhibits like Shop Smart—to help
them become “Eco- Shoppers”; and Water Tower Challenge—to
them understand how the City meets the demand for water throughout
the day.
Goals
To understand interdependent systems and to understand the use
of models.
Objectives
Students will focus on the lifecycles of two native species of
the Columbia River. This will be enhanced either through the making
of a lifecycle bracelet or head band. Students will have time
for self exploration on the exhibit floor.
Learning Standards
Washington State Essential Academic Learning
Requirements
Social Studies: Geography 3.1, 3.2; Science 1.1
Oregon State Common Curricular Goals
Science SC.03.SI.01, SC.08.ES.02; Math
Grade Level: K–12
Length: 45–60 Minutes
Key Concepts
Understanding systems and the interactions of people, plants and
animals in a system.
Description of Experience
Students are introduced to and/or reminded about the values and
characteristics of wetlands through metaphors and given a short
overview of the past Columbia River floods.
Goals
Goals will vary program to program because of the always changing
dynamics of nature and the wetlands.
Objectives
During the experience, students will:
- Be introduced or review the importance of wetlands through metaphor.
- Given an overview of wetlands in this area.
- The environmental and human impacts on the riparian area.
Learning Standards
Washington State Essential Academic Learning
Requirements
Social Studies: Geography 2.1, 2.2, 3.1; Science 1.2, 1.3
Oregon State Common Curricular Goals
Social Sciences: Geography; Science SC.CM.LS.03, SC.08.ES.02,
SC.08.ES.03, SC.CM.ES.01; Math MA.01.SP.04
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