The Water Rocks! Teacher Summit returned to the Iowa State University campus in June. Hosting 25 educators from three states in two intensive two-day seminars, June 16-17 and June 23-24, the Water Rocks team provided hands-on experiences and overviews of current research on conservation, water quality, climate change and other science-based topics. Participants were trained in several of the Water Rocks classroom modules and corresponding interactive activities. Participants also soaked up knowledge — and a bit of rainwater — during field trips to the Tedesco Environmental Learning Corridor and ISU Field Extension Education Laboratory nearby.

“We had a lot of demand for the teacher summit due to cancellations the past two years, but wanted to keep the groups to a size that ensured each participant had every opportunity to try things and experience learning and teaching in ways that will best meet their needs when they return to their schools,” said Ann Staudt, Water Rocks director.

Midwest attendees

Educators from Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska working in K-12 classrooms made up the rosters. Classroom disciplines represented included home school, special education, STEM, elementary and middle school science, agriculture and social studies. Water district, natural resources district and Extension educators also attended the program.

The summits help prepare teachers to incorporate the Water Rocks materials and activities into their curricula. Activities included being the students in Water Rocks hands-on sessions: We All Live in a Watershed, The Fabulous World of Wetlands, Biodiversity Bonanza, Dig Into Soil, and The Power of Pollinators. They also participated in games and activities to provide exposure to a comprehensive set of teaching materials and resources available from Water Rocks.

Chelsie Gibson, a sixth-grade science, social studies and special education teacher at Central Springs Middle School in Nora Springs, Iowa, said the summit was an excellent opportunity for teachers to learn as well as take away some great resources and ideas.

“Anytime you can get a kid up and moving while learning delivers great results,” Gibson said. “I brought the livestream Water Rocks virtual presentations to my school, but nothing compares with the energy and impact of having the team in person. I am hopeful that we will be able to bring Water Rocks to our school in the coming year.”

Gibson was also very proud that her class was a top finisher in the statewide Rock Your Watershed online game challenge in the spring this year.

A musical adventure

“Another fun and unique opportunity for this year’s participants was the chance to attend the first-ever performances of ‘Water Rocks: The Musical,’ a stage production created and staged by the Water Rocks team at the Ames City Auditorium,” Staudt said. “The musical was written to be approachable and producible by school and community theater groups. It tells the story of water through the experiences of four student-aged characters and is appropriate for all age groups.”

One teacher remarked that she immediately shared information about the musical with her middle school theater colleagues, and was brainstorming how to use it for a science and arts crossover learning opportunity.

Summit takeaways

Water Rocks Teacher Summit attendees go home with one teaching kit per school or organization. The kit contains an expansive set of teaching resources, games and activity materials that help them easily put what they’ve learned into practice.

Deb Springman, a non-formal educator with the East Dakota Water Development District, was very excited about the games and hands-on learning tools from Water Rocks.

“I work with teachers in multiple settings to provide lessons and materials about water conservation and water quality,” Springman said. “We prepare Education Trunks for the classrooms, and the games such as Biodiversity Jenga and Monarch Migration Madness, as well as Habitat Hopscotch — which I’m already using — are very beneficial in getting students to connect with these important scientific concepts.”

Reflecting on the 2022 summits, Staudt said, “Teachers who have attended past summits are among our most passionate promotors, and the enthusiasm and feedback we saw over these two weeks would indicate we’re continuing on that trend. At Water Rocks, we are passionate about filling the need to engage the next generation of thinkers and leaders with research- and science-based education that may inspire them to action.”

Stevenson is a visual outreach specialist and conservation educator with Iowa Learning Farms and Water Rocks at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.