Education and Outreach – Overview
The Santa Fe Watershed Association’s education programs provide opportunities for Santa Feans to experience the Santa Fe River and its watershed through both school and public programs. Programs are designed to highlight a variety of ecosystems and explore ways that humans impact water and water impacts humans.
School Programs
My Water, My Watershed is an experiential, inquiry-based program for fifth grade Santa Fe Public School students to study and explore their watershed, learning about the complex relationships between living things and their environment. This program is been aligned with New Mexico STEM Ready! science standards to compliment classroom education.
Mi Arroyo, Mi Tierra was developed to support place-based outdoor education using local arroyos that are readily accessible to most schools. Each mini unit begins with a walk to observe different phenomena taking place in the arroyo. Through the lens of stormwater, students explore erosion, infiltration, and pollution while using hands-on activities that are aligned with 6th grade and middle school NM STEM Ready! Science Standards. Students will make connections between the history of the local arroyo system, how water moving through impacts the system, best management practices, and the role arroyos have played in local cultures over time.
Teaching students about measuring water quality and quantity is important to their understanding of the watershed. SFWA educators are available to go into classrooms or meet students at the river to explore what we are measuring and why we are measuring it. If you are a teacher and interested in student monitoring education, please reach out to us.
E-mail julie@santafewatershed.org or call (505) 820-1696.
Professional development for teachers can help improve knowledge, skills, and practices, ensuring teachers can support student learning. SFWA will be offering teacher workshops throughout the school year to equip teachers with new tools and instructional materials on topics such as water conservation, water monitoring, and connections to watershed management.
