Washtenaw County Government: New Rain Garden Lessons

Saline MI

01 May, 2022

5:36 PM

Description

Press release from Washtenaw County Government: April 29, 2022 New Rain Garden Lessons The Water Resources Commissioner's Office has been working with local schools to teach students about water quality, stormwater, and rain gardens since 2014. Schools throughout Washtenaw County have built rain gardens in their own schoolyards. Schoolyard rain gardens can become a teaching tool for lessons on plants, habitats, water, soils, and more. These little gardens also collect, store and slow stormwater, which filters the water clean and reduces puddling on the playground. Often, three classroom lessons are taught by our staff to explain: Students and volunteers can then build and/or plant a rain garden at their school!! If you have an existing rain garden at your school, these newly created lessons are a great way to engage your students in the rain garden. The lessons were created by a retired teacher and current Conservation Steward, Cathy Jaskiewicz. Cathy designed these lessons for her Conservation Steward capstone project and made sure to match curriculum standards. Although the lessons are geared for 2nd and 3rd graders, they can be adapted! Learn about the water cycle, how plants grow and how we can all help keep our rivers and creeks clean. Get your copy of the lessons below! If you are interested in volunteering or working with the Water Resources staff to bring the Schoolyard Rain Garden program to your school, contact Catie at [email protected] or call 734-222-6860. ACCE in Ypsilanti Ann Arbor STEAM at Northside Bach Elementary in Ann Arbor Bates Elementary in Dexter Clague Middle School in Ann Arbor Eberwhite Elementary in Ann Arbor Estabrook Elementary in Ypsilanti Holmes Elementary in Ypsilanti Huron High School in Ann Arbor King Elementary in Ann Arbor Lawton Elementary in Ann Arbor Mitchell Elementary in Ann Arbor Pattengill Elementary in Ann Arbor Summers Knoll in Ann Arbor Thurston Elementary in Ann Arbor Ypsilanti Community High School This press release was produced by Washtenaw County Government. The views expressed here are the author's own.