Water Works: 4th Grade Students Think Like Scientists and Engineers at Gilbert Water Festival
Water Works: 4th Grade Students Think Like Scientists and Engineers at Gilbert Water Festival
Tristan Chavez
Gilbert Public Schools 4th-grade students recently participated in the annual Gilbert Water Festival, held at the Gilbert Civic Center on February 24th and 25th, 2025. This educational initiative, prepared by the University of Arizona’s Project WET, provided students with a fun and interactive learning experience that focused on water conservation while teaching students to think like scientists and engineers.
Project WET provides interactive water education through its Water Festival and enhances it further with teacher training, student outreach, and community connections. To achieve this interactive experience, the festival features hands-on activities designed to enhance students' understanding of water-related concepts, including a water conservation relay race, groundwater extraction simulations, watershed modeling, and a water cycle bracelet-making exercise.
"Students gain a deeper understanding of the material when they can physically interact with it and see the concepts in action," said Barbara Torrey, the K-12 Science Coordinator at Gilbert Public Schools. “Our goal is to get our students to think like scientists and engineers. We want them to be excited about science and water conservation, especially here in Arizona where water plays such an important role in our everyday lives.”
The Water Festival is more than just fun, engaging activities for students. Each activity is designed to enhance student learning as they work through specific Arizona state academic science standards. Prior to the event, students are introduced to lessons about heat and its impact on water molecules, how water moves through Earth's materials like gravel, sand, and plants, and watershed’s impact on city planning. After the Water Festival, students continue to learn more about water, diving deeper into topics such as water pollution, groundwater extraction techniques, and the impact of water on daily life. Students are also encouraged to reflect on their own water footprints, fostering a sense of personal responsibility for water conservation.
“Academic standards are the foundation of everything we do. Every activity we offer our students supports their learning as they work through our Science standards. We want to make their education experience as engaging and enjoyable as possible,” added Barbara Torrey.
The Gilbert Water Festival was made possible through the Town of Gilbert, which helped fund transportation for students and food and water for volunteers during the event. Around 50 members of Campo Verde High School’s Link Crew volunteered each day, ensuring the 4th-grade participants had a stimulating and interactive experience. Thirty volunteers from the Town of Gilbert, along with support from Master Gardeners, contributed to the success of the Gilbert Water Festival. To read more about the hands-on, real-world educational opportunities available to students at Gilbert Public Schools, visit GilbertSchools.net/Teaching-Learning/Core-Academics.