Water Festival Held at Grove Valley Elementary

October 20, 2009

**Students competing in *The H20 Water Olympics*.**

Students at Deer Creek’s Grove Valley Elementary participated in a ‘Water Festival’ held at Grove Valley on Oct. 13 sponsored by the Oklahoma County Conservation District. The event, scheduled to be held outside, was moved indoors to the gymnasium due to rainy weather.

During the Water Festival, students rotated through four Project WET activities,The Incredible Journey, The Rainstick, H20 Water Olympics and Macroinvertebrate Mayhem. Project WET activities promote critical thinking and problem solving skills using a collection of innovative and practical water related activities.

During The Incredible Journey, students pretended to be water molecules to simulate the movement of water within the water cycle. As they traveled, students made a bracelet to illustrate their journey.

**Volunteer John Samuel interacting with students during *The Incredible Journey*.**

In Macroinvertebrate Mayhem, students played a game of tag to simulate the effects of environmental stresses on macroinvertebrate populations. The game helps students see how tolerance to water quality conditions varies among macroinvertebrate species.

In The Rainstick activity, students built their own rainstick out of materials found in the environment. Students were able to imitate the sound of rain like people of ancient cultures.

During the H20 Water Olympics, students competed in three different events that investigate the two properties of water, adhesion and cohesion. Students learned how the unique properties of water are related to their daily activities.

Each student received a Project WET activity booklet, The Water Story, and an official “Water Warrior” pledge card for participating in the event.

**Karla Beatty leading students in constructing rainsticks.**

“By using Project WET activities, we can engage the students in a learning experience that is fun, hands on, and encourages creative thinking,” said Becky Inmon, Oklahoma County Conservation District secretary. Assisting Inmon with the activities were Oklahoma Conservation Commission employees Candace Cunningham and Karla Beatty, NRCS district conservationist Rod Shaw, and volunteers John Samuel and Southeast High School (Oklahoma City) students Vy Ha and Vy Lee.