Water Quality Programs/Activities
of

GRAHAM COUNTY

Name of Program/Location/Point of Contact:

Graham County Cooperative Extension
Carol Willis, County Director
P.O. Box 127
Solomon, Arizona 85551-0127
(928) 428-2611
email: cwillis@ag.arizona.edu

Description of Programs:

Water Education Field Day: Each class participated in 4 activities at the Mt. Graham Golf Course and a nearby park. Through interactive activities, students explored wastewater treatment, groundwater flow, water's mportance to all lifeforms and the process of erosion.

Audience: Both Graham County events were for students and their teachers. Lafe Nelson Elementary School in Safford participated in the Water Education Field Day with 240 4th grade students and their teachers. Approximately 600 6th grade students and their teachers from Graham and Greenlee Counties attended the Cotton Field Days event.

Current Status: This was the first Water Education Field Day in Graham County. It is hoped that this event will become an annual event.

Impacts: The special session on water education at Cotton Field Days was a new addition this year.

Lessons Learned: Require teacher and parent volunteers involvement in the field trip. A lot of information is share in a very short time so keep them active and moving through activities.

For more information refer toWater Education Field Day.

Cotton Field Days - Water Education: At the annual Cotton Field Days at the Safford Agricultural Center, a session on water resource education is taught. In each session, the importance of water to all forms of life is stressed. The groundwater flow model was used to demonstrate how pollutants move into and through our groundwater. Potential sources of contamination were discussed, from common chemicals around the house, to animals and factories. Students left with a Water Wise Yard Audit containing many useful facts and tips on where water usage outside the home could be decreased.

Audience: The Cotton Field Day started as a program for the Safford School 6th grade, but quickly expanded to the other schools in the valley. It has grown to include schools from Bonita, Fort Thomas, Morenci, and a local charter school. The 2000 event was attended by approximately 600 students, and their teachers, from Graham and Greenlee Counties.

Current Status: Cotton Field Day began as Ag in the Classroom in 1985. It switched to a cotton emphasis in about 1989 and has been an annual event ever since. Since its inception, there has always been a water education component to the Cotton Field Day.

Impacts: Students learn about an important agricultural crop to the state of Arizona. They also learn how water resources affect and are affected by agriculture.

Lessons Learned: When conducting outdoor education it helps to be flexible enough to change course if one lesson doesn't seem to be working with a particular class.

Curriculum/supplies list: Contact Carol Willis

For more information refer to Cotton Field Days.
 

GRAHAM

Water Education Field Day
May 2, 2000

Fourth grade students from Lafe Nelson Elementary School in Safford were invited to a water education field day. Approximately 240 students and their teachers attended. Each class participated in 4 activities at the Mt. Graham Golf Course and a nearby park.

The students learned where the water goes after it disappears down the drain. An employee of the local water company gave a tour of the waste water facilities at the golf course. Wastewater is pumped from the main settling ponds to treatment ponds at the golf course. There treatment is completed and the final product is used to irrigate the golf course greens.

The groundwater flow model was set up and used to demonstrate the effects of pollution on our water supply. Different colors of dye were added to the model to show the movement of "pollution." They could also see how pumping too much water can effect nearby lakes, streams in the water cycle).

Each student learned how important water is to life. Each was instructed to draw a picture of a person, estimate what portion of our bodies is water and color in their picture. Most were amazed to find that they were composed of 65-70% water. They were given an equation for figuring out how many pounds of water each of them is composed of. An orange was used to demonstrate how the water is contained within the cells of their body. That's why they don't hear the water sloshing when they jump up and down! They were told that most living organisms contain at least 50% water and can only go for short periods of time without water.

The students also participated in an activity designed to illustrate water movement over ground. Some were asked to act out the role of water running down a slope. Other students acted out the role of vegetation or other physical obstructions, such as rocks or fallen logs. The time taken by the "water" to move down the slope without any obstructions was compared to the time taken on a slope with vegetation and rocks. The "vegetation" was unable to move around (they were "rooted") but could reach out and tag the "water." The "water" then had to circle the "vegetation" five times before continuing down the slope. The "water" had to go around or jump over the "rocks." The students learned that barren or cleared land allows water to run off swiftly with little soaking in and allowing the soil to wash away with it. Too much erosion causes loss of soil fertility and the build up of sediments in lakes and streams, which can be harmful to aquatic life. The addition of plants, rocks, and berms can slow the water movement, allowing it to soak in, and will hold the soil in place.

Water Education - Cotton Field Days

October, 2000

In conjunction with the annual 6th grade Cotton Field Days at the Safford Agricultural Center, we provided a session on water education for each group. Approximately 600 students and teachers from Graham and Greenlee Counties attended.

In each session, we stressed the importance of water to all forms of life. Questions were asked to make the point. We talked about the age of water and the quantity of drinking water available to us. Because of the limited amount of water we have available and because we cannot make more, it is imperative that we take care of the water we have. We used the groundwater flow model to demonstrate how pollutants move through our groundwater and can wind up in drinking water. We talked about all the kinds of things that can pollute our water, from common chemicals around the house to animals and factories. We wound up each session with a brainstorming session on how to conserve water at home. Based on the questions asked by the students and teachers, they seem to have a good grasp of the points being made and showed some good independent thinking. Students were sent home with a Water Wise Yard Audit to take home and fill out with their parents. The audit contains many useful facts and points out where water usage outside the home could be decreased.

Some of the questions posed and discussed:

  • How long can a human go without food?
  • How long can a human go without water?
  • How much of the water that was here when the earth began do we still have today?
  • Who can explain the water cycle?
  • How much of the water on earth is drinkable?

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