Who: Southwest Florida Water Management District, United States Geological Survey, the American Ground Water Trust and middle and high school teachers from Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota and Sumter counties
What: The goal of this free, two-day workshop for teachers is to increase water awareness among teachers and their students so that they understand the role of science and technology in meeting water supply challenges and are empowered to play an active role in protecting resources.
When: Friday through Saturday, April 24–25. Media are encouraged to attend Saturday’s hands-on activities, which include:
At 10 a.m. the teachers will go on a field trip to one of Tampa Bay Water’s well fields. The trip will be led by members of the U.S. Geological Survey and Pinellas County Utilities. Teachers will learn about water management challenges and solutions, interactions between ground water, surface water and wetlands, and basic hydrogeology.
At 1:15 p.m. an American Ground Water Trust scientist will conduct a stormwater exercise. Teachers will have an opportunity to see where and how storm water flows (direction, speed and destination) and where it ends up. The teachers will then learn how to use this information in classroom presentations.
Where: Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, FL
District Contact: Mary Margaret Hull, 1-800-423-1476, ext. 4774, or (352) 279-3473
Ground Water Institute Fact Sheet
The Ground Water Institute for TeachersTM is a free, two-day workshop for teachers offered in conjunction with the United States Geological Survey and the American Ground Water Trust. The program is a significant component of the District’s overall watershed education efforts. The goal of this program is to increase knowledge about local water resources among teachers and students so that they are empowered to play an active role in protecting these resources.
The program is a content-focused training opportunity with applicability to many grades. The exciting and practical “science” of ground water can be applied to existing curriculum in many traditional subject areas. The program provides real-life examples of the science and technology behind water issues.
The following schools will be represented at the workshop:
Hernando County Environmental Education
Springs Coast Environmental Education Center
Hillsborough County Schools
John Quincy Adams Middle School, Sligh Middle Magnet School,Young Middle Magnet School, Bob Martinez Middle School, Jinks Jennings Middle School
School District of Manatee County
Pasco County Schools
Zephyrhills High School, Pine View Middle School, Paul R. Smith Middle School, Wilson Youth Academy/Moore-Mickens Education Center, Land O’ Lakes High School, Academy at the Lakes
Pinellas County Schools
Safety Harbor Middle School, John Hopkins Middle School, Bayside High School, Largo Middle School, Thurgood Marshall Fundamental, Azalea Middle School, Northeast High School, Osceola Middle School, Countryside High School, Meadowlawn Middle School, Palm Harbor University High School, Gibbs High School, Bay Point Middle School, St. Cecelia School
Sarasota County Schools
McIntosh Middle School, Sarasota School of Arts & Sciences
Sumter County School
Wildwood High School
The program’s agenda is available by visiting the American Ground Water Trust web site at www.agwt.org/teachers/institutehome.htm.