Educational Materials Lending Library
Since 2014, the Drinking Water & Watershed Protection Program (DWWP) has offered educational initiatives throughout the region to promote youth water and watershed understanding and awareness. We have curated a large collection of water education tools, activities, and resources to support in-class and in-field learning for elementary level teaching.Â
Water and watershed Educational Materials are available to Regional District of Nanaimo teachers, educators, and organizations for temporary loan to support local education initiatives and hands-on learning. For more details and to request the loan of any of the materials outlined below, email watersmart [at] rdn.bc.ca (watersmart[at]rdn[dot]bc[dot]ca) with the requested material(s), lending timeframe, and affiliated school or organization.Â
Please note materials are limited and available on a first come, first served basis.Â
Educational Materials:
Games
The Incredible Journey Game Â
Water makes an incredible journey through the environment! This hands-on learning experience involves movement, interaction, and the creation of 'take-home' beaded bracelets.Â
Drop in the Bucket Game Â
Freshwater is a finite resource. How much freshwater is available on Planet Earth? Discover how precious our water resource really is in this hands-on lesson.Â
Water Mystery Bag Game Â
In what ways do we use water daily? The Mystery Bag contains items that symbolize the activities we do every day that use water, including brushing our teeth, cleaning our dishes, and watering our garden. Â
Construct a Watershed Parachute Game Â
How is a watershed shaped? Students are asked to work together to create mountains and valleys out a large parachute to construct a watershed. Wiffle balls represent precipitation and show how water moves from mountain peaks to collect in waterways within a valley.Â
Water Cycle Race GameÂ
This relay style race game includes buckets of water and water squirters, students race to take water from one bucket to the next while demonstrating the water cycles stages of evaporation, condensation and precipitation.  Â
Activities
Macro-Invertebrate Mayhem Activity Â
Small insects and critters within a stream can tell us a lot about water quality and stream health! Learn to collect and identify macro-invertebrate species. This in-field activity requires access to a waterway.Â
Water Web Activity Â
Water connects us all - individuals, communities, and the environment - in an intricate balance. Students weave the needs of communities and the environment to discover how we all depend on surface and groundwater. Â
Tree Cookie – Water Connectedness ActivityÂ
This activity explores the intricate ecological relationships between wildlife, insects and invertebrates, fungi, trees and plants, and water. Â
Journey Though a Watershed Puzzle Activity Â
Drinking water makes an incredible journey - through the water cycle, watersheds, and infrastructure - to get to your tap! Recreate the steps water takes from the environment to your home or school with this puzzle activity.Â
Resources
Watershed Field Trip Kit – Teachers Guide, Map and ActivitiesÂ
A complete teachers kit to accompany Team WaterSmart Watershed Field Trips or as a stand-alone educational suite. Includes a Teachers Manual with activity description and instructions, an activity kit with all necessary materials, and SD68 or SD69 full watershed map. Please indicate if you are applying from SD68 or SD69 upon requesting the loan.Â
Project WET Educational Resource Â
The Project WET Activity and Curriculum Guide is full of water-related games and activities! Activities such as The Incredible Journey, Drop in the Bucket, Macro-invertebrate Mayhem, Water Web and more are fully detailed within this comprehensive book. Â
Solomon the Salmon PuppetÂ
Solomon the Salmon is an ambassador for clean and healthy watersheds! Who better to deliver water-related lessons to students in a fun and engaging way?!  Â
Watershed Model Â
What is a watershed? How does water move in a watershed? How do human activities impact healthy watersheds? Explore these concepts with an interactive watershed model!Â
Watch Team WaterSmart's Capri demonstrate the Watershed Model.Â
Ground Water Model Â
How does freshwater infiltrate the layers rock, sand, and gravel deep below our feet? What do aquifers look like and how do wells work? This cross-sectional model shows how groundwater is stored and moves beneath the surface!Â
Contact us at watersmart [at] rdn.bc.ca (watersmart[at]rdn[dot]bc[dot]ca) with any questions and register on GetInvolved to keep up to date on Team WaterSmart initiatives and events!Â