By Mr. Kennie Palmer
Drip, drip, drip.
That's not the sound you want to hear.
Fifth-grade students at The Varnett School Southwest had a special guest Nov. 26 to preach the importance of water conservation.
Ms. Jennifer Welch, water conservation coordinator for the Fort Bend Subsidence District, discussed the process of subsidence and how water plants process water in Houston. One important fact our students learned was how the Earth's surface is sinking (subsidence) because of groundwater withdrawal. Drought significantly increases the rate of subsidence because we pull out more groundwater during those times, she said.
The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District Water Detective Program is an interactive curriculum that teaches fourth- and fifth-grade students the importance of water. The need for educating our children about water conservation is a critical component to ensuring the future of our water supply.
Check out this water conservation experiment (Video)
Educating our students about water will influence them on how water can be used and conserved and how to save their parents some money.
Ms. Welch also elaborated on the percentage of Earth covered by water (about 71 percent), the amount of water used daily and devices used to conserve water. The WaterWise program provides students with a kit with implementable water conservation items/devices that can lower a home's monthly water use.
The Water Detective Program is aligned with the Science, Math, and ELAR/Reading curriculum and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). The program is a great way to elaborate on the water cycle, climate change, and the Earth’s surface while promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.
Ms. Welch will visit The Varnett Southeast on Thursday, Dec. 6 and The Varnett School East on March 28, 2019. A visit to The Varnett School Northeast is to be determined.
Mr. Palmer is the fifth-grade science teacher at The Varnett School Southwest.
Photos and video by Mr. Peter McConnell, director of communications, The Varnett Public School