Irvine Ranch Water District
http://www.irwd.com/liquid-news/news-releases/archive/irvine-ranch-water-district-honors-discovery-science-center-as-a-key-partner.html
Irvine Ranch Water District Honors Discovery Science Center as a Key Partner
Published Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-5500
Education is September 50th Anniversary Theme
Irvine Ranch Water District honored Discovery Science Center at its September 26 Board of Directors meeting as a key partner in service. IRWD began a partnership with Discovery Science Center in 2008 to provide water science education to students throughout the District's service area.
"Discovery Science Center is a leader in developing engaging hands-on curriculum to align with grade-specific California Science Content Standards," said Interim General Manager Paul Cook.
The Discovery Science Center had its beginnings in 1984, when the boards of the Exploratory Learning Center and the Experience Center joined and formed the Discovery Museum of Orange County. The 59,000-square-foot Discovery Science Center opened at its present location in Santa Ana in 1998. The center is easy to locate with its unique 10-story high, 108-foot giant cube perched on one of its points on the top of the building.
Since 2008, Discovery Science Center has provided kindergarten through sixth grade water education programs and hands-on workshop-style middle school programs. Discovery Science Center has been able to weave in the IRWD educational message of Be Always Water Smart, including water recycling and natural treatment of urban runoff.
Through this partnership, Discovery provides grade-specific water science and conservation assembly programs to students in kindergarten through sixth grade. The topics for these assemblies include preventing water pollution and urban runoff , the water cycle, water recycling, the forms of water, and California’s water supplies.
DSC uses an interactive keypad system for the assembly programs which keeps students engaged and motivated through a game show-style format. The students use the keypads to demonstrate their knowledge as they answer such questions as, “Within the IRWD service area, how much of our water comes from groundwater wells?”
DSC also offers multi-day water science workshop programs for middle school students. Each workshop series concludes with a field trip to the IRWD San Joaquin Marsh. With an eye toward future careers, middle school participants conduct chemical water quality tests and simulated biological surveys, participate in a lab demonstration provided by IRWD scientists, and learn about water as a basic element and essential resource.
During the 2010-11 school year, 8,167 Kindergarten through sixth grade students participated in IRWD/DSC assembly program, while 1,605 students participated in the middle school program.
The Discovery Science Center has been an exceptional partner. Through the years, exceptional strides have been made in teaching students and families within the IRWD service area the value of water and the importance of protecting this vital resource.
IRWD thanks the Discovery Science Center for its commitment to water science education.
For more information on IRWD water education programs, please visit our education webpage.
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