In recognition of Earth Day, Tennessee American Water employees brought hands-on learning to 85 students at Thrasher Elementary. Through various activities, the first-graders learned about the importance of protecting water, one of our most important natural resources for sustaining all life.
“Everyone can play a role in protecting our water resources,” said Tennessee American Water External Affairs Manager Daphne Kirksey.
“By making learning fun, children know that they are empowered to make choices to conserve water and protect water resources.”
One activity involved using an enviroscape, which is a watershed model. Led by Water Quality specialist Logan Elmore who has a master’s in Watershed Science, the children learned how human and animal activity impacts a watershed in many different ways. Common household foods like chocolate syrup are used to demonstrate oil spilled on the roadway from a car accident, how it can be cleaned up and how it goes to the waterways when it rains.
Students also played a water wheel game, learning facts about water use and protection. They experimented with building their own water filters to understand this important step in the water treatment process in producing clean drinking water.