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Outreach & Programs
Our education team strives to educate student’s understanding about water through engaging and informative programs, supplemental materials, workshops, field trips, teacher in-services and classroom presentations geared from pre-K to college level.
“We need to education, inform and inspire young people to accept the challenge of making water solutions that are all around us work.”
—Metropolitan Board Chair Adàn Ortega, Jr.
What We Offer
School Presentations
The education team offers a custom water-education presentation or “H2O Show” for students from pre-K to college. These unique, interdisciplinary, hands-on learning opportunities cover California’s water sources, supply, distribution, quality, uses, conservation, and current water challenges. Concepts are taught through experiments, group activities, discussions, videos, games and songs.
Scout Programs Grades K-12
Workshops are offered for the Boy Scouts of America Soil and Water Conservation Merit Badge. The workshop mixes of discussion and hands-on learning to satisfy the seven required badge elements. For scouts who have not yet earned merit badges, our Education Team can create an in-person or online presentation about water conservation or other water topics. Our Girl Scout Protector Patch Program is currently paused.
Field Trips
Unique field trip opportunities are available for teachers and students within Metropolitan’s Southern California service area. field trips are offered at no cost and correlate to various California Content Standards, including Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
Teacher Workshops
Our education team is available to come to your faculty meeting to present grade-appropriate programs and materials. We will create an effective presentation with unique interdisciplinary, hands-on learning activities appropriate for all grade levels. Presentations include an overview of Metropolitan and our curriculum offerings and program activities. The amount of time required for in-service, workshop and staff development sessions vary, but will generally range from 30 minutes to about two hours.
Our Field Trips
Water Journeys: Pure Water Southern California
Students learn about water recycling at the Grace F. Napolitano Pure Water Southern California Innovation Center in Carson. After the workshop, students attend a tour of the Bixby Marshland and conduct science experiments on water quality. Click here to request a workshop.
Diamond Valley Lake
Take a trip out to Diamond Valley Lake, Southern California’s largest reservoir in southwest Riverside County near Hemet. The adventure allows students to experience a variety of standards-based, water-related presentations and hands-on science activities in this two-part field trip. The first portion of the trip involves an online 60-minute classroom presentation about the rich history of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the region’s water sources and our commitment to conservation.
The second part of the trip is an outdoor excursion to DVL’s Viewpoint. where students experience a virtual reality activity. This portion of the trip is only available on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Field trips are designed for 4-8 grade and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis as space is limited.
Virtual Tour of the Colorado River Aqueduct and State Water Project
Follow the journey of water to Southern California with two virtual reality opportunities. This experience allows you to follow the water as it moves along the Colorado River Aqueduct or the State Water Project. These tours are for Apple and Android mobile devices and a headset is required for optimal viewing. A 360-degree video also is available below.
Watch the Colorado River Aqueduct 360-degree video in English and Spanish. Download the CRA student worksheet.
Watch the State Water Project 360-degree video in English, Spanish and Mandarin. Download the SWP student worksheet.
Virtual Water Journeys: Grace F. Napolitano Pure Water Southern California Innovation Center
In partnership with the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, this is a virtual field trip of the Grace F. Napolitano Pure Water Southern California Innovation Center for grades 4 through college level of the Pure Water Southern California facility located in Carson. Students will learn about the climate zone, precipitation vs. population, water sources, conservation, climate change, recycling, the water cycle and water industry careers.
Virtual Diamond Valley Lake Presentation
This virtual presentation, designed for grades 3 through college level, includes information about our six-county service area, drinking water sources, climate change, water conservation the history of Diamond Valley Lake, including the discovery of Ice Age fossils during its construction.
Educators Inspection Trip – Coming Soon
This educational tour of the Colorado River Aqueduct -- offered to teachers and administrators only -- provides a close-up view of our complex water delivery system. This free three-day tour will be available in 2024 on a first-come, first-served basis, with preference to teachers who are currently using our education materials.
Being Waterwise Is:
Annual Student Art Calendar
This program curate’s student art submitted from grades K through 12 that illustrates a conservation message. Dozens of entries from Metropolitan’s member agencies across our six-country service area are judged and featured in the annual calendar, which is distributed to about 13,000 recipients.
Click here to see our 2023 Student Art Calendar.
Calendar Art Contest Rules for 2025
Please contact Brian Martz [email protected] at (213) 217-6855 for more information.
Contacts
Blanca Robles Baker
(951) 388-3035
Contact for Diamond Valley Lake field trips & tours
Contact for Water Journeys Water Engineering 4 Good
Contact for Boy Scouts Program Student Art Calendar Program