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The Geneva Lake Conservancy
brought its groundwater education models to the "outdoor"
classroom today, joining the fifth graders from Fontana
Elementary School at the George Williams campus for their
weeklong outdoor education program. As guest presenters
to the outdoor education "water group" students,
GLC Board Member Sharon O'Brien and staff Katie Sullivan
offered a short educational video and had a hands-on discussion
with the students using one of the Conservancy's Groundwater
Sand Tank Models.
Using food-color, paper
towel and water, the students were able to see on a small
scale what goes on beneath their feet, and how human activity
can affect groundwater and waterways such as Geneva Lake.
"One of the great draws of this model in particular
is that it is so hands-on and interactive," said
Sullivan. "The children can get it as dirty with
'pollution' as they want, and all it takes is a little
water to flush it through. Even clean-up becomes a teaching
point, because in real life, it isn't always that easy
to restore resources such as groundwater and water quality."
The students, having
had the opportunity to use the model themselves, will
present what they have learned to their fellow classmates
later in the week. Also in the program, the "water
group" students will be visiting area wellheads and
an artesian well to test water quality.
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Fontana
Elementary 5th Graders get their hands dirty with the
Geneva Lake Conservancy's groundwater model while GLC
staffer Katie Sullivan looks on.
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