Water, water everywhere, but what do we really know about it?
Most of the human body is made up of H2O. Nearly three quarters of the surface of our planet is covered by it, and it’s really deep in some places.
Doctors tell us to get at least a half-gallon of hydration every day (especially in the summer). To maintain personal hygiene, we need plenty of water for washing of all kinds.
Even the atmosphere around us contains a small percentage of water. On hot summer days when the humidity is spiking, the moisture in the air feels thick enough to drink. There is no better place to be on a steambath summer day than knee-deep (or waist-deep, or chest-deep) in a cool stream.
By the time it flows through our in-house taps, the water we drink has been thoroughly tested and treated to make it safe. For the volume that we use (and too often waste), the capacity of those facilities to provide water on demand is pretty remarkable.
As much as we rely on the availability and accessibility of water, so does every other life form we share the earth with. In creeks, ponds, rivers, lakes, and oceans, every drop is teeming with life or providing sustenance to species up the food chain.
An upcoming free program at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center in Kirkwood is offering educators an opportunity to learn how they can teach middle-school students about the importance of water and its conservation. Money to help cover the costs of equipment and field trips is available to those who complete the workshop.
Discover Nature Schools is a series of teacher training components presented by the state Department of Conservation. A workshop on the Nature Unhooked aquatic instructional unit for grades six through eight is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, at the nature center, 11715 Cragwold Road, near the intersection of I-270 and I-44.
“The Discover Nature Schools program is an excellent way to connect students of all ages with the benefits of outdoor learning and provides a place-based, experiential approach to science education focusing on Missouri plants, animals and natural systems,” said David Bruns, a conservation educator with the department.
According to a press release from the state, Nature Unhooked recognizes the Missouri Learning Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards. Emphasis is on student-centered and collaborative investigations of the properties of water, the water cycle, biodiversity and human impacts on aquatic ecosystems.
Teachers will leave the workshop with a project-based learning opportunity for their students, providing lessons, activities, and information to get students on-site for an outdoor water experience. Workshop participants who teach the unit to 20 or more students may apply for non-competitive grants for equipment and field trips that support the unit.
During the workshop teachers will be asked to get their hands wet outdoors, so dressing for the day’s weather conditions is a must. Participants also should bring a sack lunch or snacks for themselves during the six-hour program.
Discover Nature Schools offers Missouri educators no-cost curriculum units designed for students from preschool to 12th grade. The Nature Unhooked workshop is free, but space is limited. Advanced registration is required, and teachers must create an account with the state’s teacher portal at mdc.mo.gov.
For more information about the upcoming workshop and other local learning opportunities, email David.Bruns@mdc.mo.gov, or call 314-301-1506, ext. 4212.
John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and is the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine. If you have story ideas for the Leader outdoor news page, e-mail ogmjohnw@aol.com, and you can find more outdoor news and updates at johnjwink.com.