Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/587184
of water," she says. "We are struggling here, but not because we are careless with water." H e r s t u d e n t s h a v e b e c o m e m o r e e n v i r o n - mentally conscious. Some confide they have turned i n n e i g h b o r s f o r wa s h i n g t h e i r c a r s o r wa t e r i n g their lawns. TEACHABLE MOMENTS "Let's take a close read at this recent article about the drought," Jeff White says to sixth-graders in his enrich- ment class at El Monte Middle School in Orosi. "If you don't know a word, put a circle around it." The headline of the USA Today article they are read- ing is: "California drought cost 2.7 billion in 2015." The article cites a UC Davis study that finds the four- year drought has cost 21,000 jobs, with the biggest hit in agriculture, which will lose $1.84 billion this year. S t u d e n t s l e a r n w h a t a "ripple effect" means in the economy, that "fallow fields" happen when farmers don't plant crops, and that satellite images show groundwater is drying up in the Central Val- ley at an alarming rate. The drought has provided many excellent opportunities to teach youngsters about science, conservation and the environment, observes White, president of the Cutler-Orosi Unified Teachers Association. Most students in town have water, but in East Orosi, located two miles from the town center, there hasn't been water in two years. The school district is building a pipeline on district property that will bring water to East Orosi residents. Groundbreaking is scheduled in the near future for the project. T E A C H E R S • Designate at least one staff person to manage all conservation ideas contributed by staff and students, conservation discussions, and any meetings related to water conservation. • Educate students about water conservation such as turning off water while washing hands, brushing teeth and doing dishes. See water.ca.gov/education/wffcatalog.cfm for conservation and drought curriculum materials. S T U D E N T S • Create and post water conservation signs with school permission, in bathrooms, the cafeteria, classrooms and places where stu- dents congregate. • Plant an eco-friendly garden; ask your teacher if you can replace plants that need a lot of water with native plants adapted to local climate and rainfall. • Be on the lookout for wasted water; tell your teacher to speak to the custodian/building engineer if you see leaky faucets, drinking fountains or toilets. Jeff White leads a class discussion on the water table and drought at El Monte Middle School. White's class discussion shifts to lakes in the area, some of which have disappeared. The lakes were the result of dams built when there was too much water. "We don't have that problem anymore," White says. "But they say a storm is coming with a Spanish name that's El Niño." Coolcalifornia.org suggests ways educators and students can help conserve: WHAT YOU CAN DO "Our farmers are excellent and efficient users of water. We are struggling here, but not because we are careless with water." JULIE KENNEDY 28 cta.org F E A T U R E