VOORHEES, NJ — Just in time for Earth Day, New Jersey American Water and Scholastic are partnering to help teachers throughout the state through Water Works, a creative program that provides valuable, free, STEM-based curriculum focused on water and its importance to everyday life.
“This is the third year New Jersey American Water has partnered with Scholastic to bring water lessons to life for teachers and students throughout the state of New Jersey,” Denise Venuti Free, NJAW director of communications and external affairs, said in a press release. “The unique materials and creative experiments we’ve created focus on the value of water and the importance of water conservation, which is vitally important for sustaining our water security now and for generations to come.”
The Water Works curriculum is designed for children in grades three through eight, and includes a variety of classroom activities, worksheets and assignment ideas focusing on the importance of water and water conservation. Hands-on classroom experiments include a study of the effects of time on pipes, how public water systems work and the opportunity to build a model aquifer.
Created by Scholastic with the support of NJAW, the Water Works curriculum meets a variety of New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards with the hope of providing a useful, exciting supplement to teachers’ existing lesson plans.
In addition to the educational components of this program, participating teachers are invited to enter the Water Works Sweepstakes for a chance to win $500 and a rooftop rain barrel for their classroom. To participate, teachers are asked to share photos of their water-related class projects with NJAW. All entries need to be submitted by April 5 for consideration; photos can be submitted at www.scholastic.com/rainbarrel.
The Water Works program also includes a Family Guide for students to share with their parents in an effort to bring conservation tips into their homes. For more information about the Water Works program or to obtain this year’s curriculum, visit www.scholastic.com/njaw.
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