WaterVentures visits Pine Island Elementary
WaterVentures’ 53-foot semi-trailer arrived at Pine Island Elementary School early Friday morning. WaterVentures is a mobile learning lab and traveling science center that teaches students about fresh water resources, water conservation and recycling.
WaterVentures is the mobile outreach for Crystal Springs Foundation, a 585-acre nature preserve that has been developed as Florida’s living laboratory in providing environmental education programs to Florida students.
Once at a location, customized stairs and science equipment are pulled out of permanent storage compartments built into the lower frame of the trailer. The vehicle features indoor and outdoor Learning Lab stations.
Courtney Eichenger is one of two instructors. Originally from Canada, Eichenger completed her master’s in education for sustainability at Griffith University in Brisbane Australia, and her undergraduate degree from Brock University in Ontario.
“This is a completely self-contained mobile learning center and we travel throughout the state from Pensacola to the Florida Keys,” Eichenger said. “At the outside displays we teach kids about the watershed. On these tables the students can build complete cities on the watershed and then we teach them how to clean up the watershed by planting trees.”
Inside the semi-trailer the students explore museum-quality learning activities through models, display, and exhibits. The exhibits focus on water education including water conservation, recycling, global issues and increasing awareness of how water moves through our lives.
Eichenger helped students understand the exhibits beginning with the model of an aquifer. At the front of the trailer there is a “sculpted” cross section of an aquifer made of limestone.
“When we introduce the kids to an aquifer many of them have never heard about them,” Eichenger said. “It’s an underground cave full of fresh water and it’s made up of limestone rock. We get water from the aquifer in two ways – from a spring or from a well.”
Next is a diorama where students can “choose their own” water drop adventure.
“Students can follow a water drop through a spring, river, and coastal ecosystem,” Eichenger said.
“Every Drop Counts” is a quiz-based learning station that challenges students to make intelligent choices about water conservation. The lessons also include recycling and how water issues are world-wide.
“Our target group is generally 4th and 5th grades but because Pine Island Elementary is a small school all of the students will participate,” Eichenger said.
“This is a great opportunity for our students to learn about the environment they live in and take care of in a fun and meaningful way,” Pine Island Elementary School Principal Steve Hook said.
WaterVentures’ mission statement is: “WaterVentures provides top quality environmental education that empowers students and citizens to be responsible stewards of Florida, and encourages them to make environmentally conscious decisions.”