From Ridges To Rivers:

Watershed Explorations

"From Ridges to Rivers: Watershed Explorations" are a set of hands-of activities designed to teach young people about watershed concepts. Each curriculum features activities that develop an awareness of land as a watershed and encourage exploration of erosion, surface water pollution, movement and contamination of groundwater, and what kids can do to help.

        And they are fun!

  • Elementary Curriculum - For ages 9-11. Hands-on activities on erosion, making soil, life underground, aquifer in a cup, and creek bugs!
  • Jr. High Curriculum - For ages 12-15. Hands-on activities on erosion, topographic maps, groundwater models, and creek creatures!
  • Sr. High Curriculum - a guide to developing an independent science project around watershed water quality issuses. Ideas for investigating surface waterm creek chemistry, creek habitat, groundwater, and sustainable land use.
  • Watershed Model Construction Manual - Not to be missed! Learn how to build large, scale-model, concrete relief maps of your own local watershed that you can jump around on! Use them to teach about local geography and water pollution. Kids love them ... and kids build them!
    A package containing the Watershed Model Construction Manual plus 2 videos is available for $35 from the 4-H Office.

The first video, by Davidson Films, Inc, is an 8.5 minute professionally produced video telling the story of 10 at-risk high school students who decided to build a watershed model at their school. This video shows all steps of the construction process.

The second video, 40 minutes long, was produced by the local access TV and shows four elementary youth using the model to demonstrate runoff pollution.

     

Contact:

San Luis Obispo County 4-H Office

2156 Sierra Way, Suite C

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

email: rpenfield@ucdavis.edu