Quick Links              --------------------- Airport/Sky Harbor City Jobs Departments A-Z Garbage/Recycling Mayor/City Council Online Services Public Meetings Public Safety What's New Mailing Lists Calendar

	Discover Phoenix	Residents	Businesses	City Government	Employment	Youth & Seniors	e-Services	Home

The city of Phoenix Water Services Department, Water Conservation Office offers many educational tools for classroom teachers.

We live in a Desert...
we need to know how to preserve precious water.

We cannot live without water. And yet, most of us take it for granted. As long as water comes from our faucets clean and ready for us to use, we don't even think about it or its importance. As our valley grows, and water needs change, we must be aware of this precious resource. It is important that our children grow into responsible adults who can make logical decisions that will result in a sustainable water supply for the future.
Water education is one of the most important lessons we can teach. The City of Phoenix is making classroom materials available to you, free of charge to schools within its water service area, to assist you in teaching your students about water.

Water conservation education is made available to you in a number of ways:

1. Our websites:
   For Children
   

   For Teachers
   
   Our Suggested Reading Lists

2. Project WET (see description below)

3. Curriculum material for students and teachers. See the list and descriptions below and mail/fax us the handy order form.

4. Additional programs such as performances by the Great Arizona Puppet Theatre MAY become available in the future. Let us know if you are interested.

Project WET Water Education For Teachers K-12

The Project WET workshop is presented in cooperation with The Water Resources Research Center of the University of Arizona and is an interdisciplinary, supplementary water education program. Teachers attend a 16-hour workshop and receive the following materials:

1. National Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide;
   
2. Arizona WET Teacher's Guide and Student Activities (Arizona specific water topics);
   
3. Arizona WET K-6 Curriculum on Non-point Source Water Pollution;
   
4. The Arizona Water Map;
   
5. Water In Our Desert Community 6-9 Curriculum;
   
6. City of Phoenix specific water topics; and,
   
7. History of Phoenix Water. Additional materials also may be provided.

The goal of WET is to facilitate educators and promote the awareness, appreciation, and knowledge of Arizona's water resources. WET emphasizes water's relationship to other natural resources and its importance to all living things. WET's resources assist educators in integrating environmental education across curricula.

The workshops are usually scheduled by the school district on a first come basis. A maximum of 30 teachers may attend each workshop, and they will be presented at a site convenient to the participants. The Arizona Department of Education accepts these workshops for re-certification credit. Most school districts accept this course for professional growth credits. Teachers will receive a certificate of completion that will verify their attendance.

Not every teacher can attend a workshop, so classroom materials also are available. Order any of the items listed below.

CONSUMABLE MATERIALS FOR STUDENTS: (one per child)

Grades Pre-K: "My Book About Water" Activity booklet for the youngest students. The B&W color book allows children to be creative while learning the basic concepts of water conservation. (Available in both English and Spanish)

Grades K-1: "Let's Learn About Water" For the beginning reader, this 8-page activity booklet covers basic water facts.

Grades 1-3: "About Our Environment" Teaches respect, enjoyment, and protection of our environment and natural resources.

Grade 2: "Water Conservation" Puzzles and activities that encourage children to think about the ways in which they use water.

Grades 2-3: "Protecting Our Water Supply" Teaches children that water is valuable resource and should be used wisely.

Grade 3: "Save Water and Enjoy It" Mazes, word games and puzzles help children appreciate the need for clean, abundant supplies of water. Also explains the important role water companies play in meeting that need.

Grades 3-6: "KIDS: Ground Water and Springs" Interactive lessons, principles related to water flow, watershed animals and springs.

Grades 3-6: "KIDS: Discover the Waters of Arizona" From rivers to wetlands to groundwater to monsoons, students learn all about water and water management in this diverse state..

Grades 3-6: "KIDS: Discovering Drought " How can there be drought in a rainforest or in the desert? What exactly is a drought? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this activity packed book..

Grades 3-6: "KIDS: Healthy Water, Healthy People" Water quality monitoring, watershed restoration, and pollution prevention. Also how the body uses water in sports, digestion, breathing, and thinking.

Grades 3-6: "KIDS: Conserve Water" Match plants and animals with their water content, learn 'catchment' and think about their own homes and neighborhoods in the 'Water Detective'.

Grades 3-6: "KIDS: Discover the Colorado River" Follows the river, tributaries and watersheds. Explains the various demands made upon the river, wildlife, uses, and influences on cultures.

Grades 4-6: "Let's Learn About Using Water Wisely" Puzzles and games teach preteens about water's importance to life on earth, the water cycle, and how families use water in and around the home.

Grades 4-6: "Let's Get To Know Our Environment" Information, activities, and experiments teach readers what an ecosystem is.

Grades 4-6: "Let's Learn About Wastewater Treatment" Information and activities expains wastewater treatment processes.

Grades 4-9: Card from Central Arizona Project. Colorful graphic depiction of desert aquifer.

Grades 7-Adult: "Ground Water - Protecting Our Supplies" All about groundwater and the threats to this precious resource.

TEACHER MATERIALS: (one per teacher) Order Form for Teaching Materials

Grades Pre-K & 1: One package of stickers/10 sheets per class of 35 (7 per sheet)

Grade 2: One package of stickers/10 sheets per class of 35 (9 per sheet)

Grade 3: One package of stickers/10 sheets per class of 35 (7 per sheet)

Grades K-3: Poster: "Use Water Wisely" - Shows cartoon animals using water wisely.

Grades 2-6: "Water, Precious Water" Book of hands-on student activities on a variety of water topics. The lessons are reproducible, allowing the teacher to use and reuse the materials as needed.

Grades 4-9: Poster: Informational poster showing colorful depiction of an aquifer.

Grades 4-12: "Arizona Water Map" A large, beautiful map of Arizona that can fulfill a variety of classroom needs. This map features the water resources in the state, allowing viewers to gain an understanding of water supply in AZ.

Grades 6-9: "Water in Our Desert Community" A student activity book produced by a consortium of water agencies (Arizona Municipal Water Users Association). The lessons relate to water issues that Phoenix citizens face.

Grades 6-Adult: Poster: "Water. Use it Wisely."

Grades 6-Adult: "Where Land Meets Water" Brochure on the riparian areas in the Southwest. (USDA Forest Service)

Grades 7-Adult: "Central Arizona Project" Resource Guide and Map

Grades 9-Adult: "Phoenix Water: Past to Present" A booklet outlining the history of water supply to the City of Phoenix.

Grades 9-Adult: "Ground Water and Surface Water: A Single Resource" USGS. Seminal water resources guide.

Grades 9-Adult: "Desert Waters: From Ancient Aquifers to Modern Demands" A beautiful booklet on Arizona's desert and its water.

Adult: Xeriscape landscaping information package.

Order Form for Teaching Materials

There are other sources of water education materials available to teachers.

Access to Other Agencies

The following links will take you to sites over which the city of Phoenix has no control. The city assumes no responsibility for the content of the material contained at those sites or for the accuracy of any information that is found there. The contents of any site or link not maintained by the city does not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of the city of Phoenix, its officials, agents or employees.

EPA Explorers' Club (elementary school level)

EPA Student Center (middle and high-school level)

EPA Teacher's Environmental Education Center

USGS Water Resources Education Initiative

The Water Resources Research Center, College of Agriculture, The University of Arizona provides educational materials to teachers.

The United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) Homepage contains information for teachers about the conservation policy of the Bureau, as well as links to other agencies for information.

Tap Into Quality - This is an ongoing campaign to raise public awareness about the quality, convenience and safety of drinking water.

ASSET (Arizona School Services through Educational Technology) strives to strengthen the teaching/learning process through the use of technology. This is a part of the know99 Television in Phoenix. ASSET provides a wealth of educational services for teachers.

Central Arizona Water Conservation District - This homepage explains the Central Arizona Water Conservation District and how it affects water supply in the state.

Give Water a Hand for young people taking action in their community. Young people team up with educators, natural resource experts and committed community members to study water issues. You'll learn how to launch a communitywide water education program.

Water Wiser is a water conservation homepage for water conservation professionals with information from all over the world.

DiscoverySchool.com is filled with ideas for students, teachers and families about learning.

The Earth Science Educator - NASA links to dozens of science education sites.

The Groundwater Foundation describes what an aquifer is and makes learning about groundwater fun.

NAAEE North American Association for Environmental Educators is a network of students and professionals working throughout North America and in more than 55 countries around the world.

Project WET Water Education for Teachers - additional information on this national program.

Science Learning Network

U.S. EPA Cleaner Water Through Conservation - explains the relationship between the quantity of water and its quality.

U.S. EPA Kids' Stuff has games and activities, kid's health, experiments (in English and Spanish) for kids.

Water Education Foundation is an information site about water resource issues.

WaterShare the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's virtual water conservation center provides information for all ages and interests ranging from local water conservation programs to a series of interactive kids' activities.