Hometown Waters

Purpose
Hometown Waters is designed to help students move from home and school grounds out into the
larger watershed unit. Hometown Waters brings in elements of watershed education and
assessment related to geography, hydrology, ecology, history, as well as community land use and
water use issues.

Hometown Waters works to create a watershed-as-home concept by placing students in a web of
awareness that will help them understand how water moves through their watershed, how the
actions of the citizens of the watershed affect the water, and how each student’s life is touched by
local waters.

Goals and Objectives
The goals and objectives are the driving force behind Hometown Waters. Lessons and activities
may vary from watershed to watershed based on local program providers and resources.
Hometown Waters is designed to draw on the expertise, experience and availability of teachers and
local partners in teaching students about their local watershed.

HWI seeks to serve as connector, uniting watershed education efforts through the following learning
objectives:
1) Students will be able to name the watershed (and sub-basin if appropriate) in which they
reside.
2) Students will be able to identify the headwaters and mouth of their home watershed.
3) Students will be able to list five major factors, which influence the nature of the water in
their watershed.
4) Students will be able to describe the eco-regions and/or primary plant associations in their
watershed.
5) Students will be able to describe places/purposes/uses of their personal water use and
where that water ultimately comes from and goes within their watershed system.
6) Students will be able to describe the historical condition of their watershed (pre-European
influence) and name ways the watershed has changed since those conditions existed.
7) Students will be able to list or draw wild and domestic creatures that live in their
watershed.
8) Students will be able to name the most important crops/products/services that are
produced in their watershed and describe how water is needed for that economy.
9) Students will be able to name organizations involved in
restoration/conservation/management of their watershed and know how they personally
can get involved to make a difference in their watershed.
Components of Hometown Waters that should be consistent from watershed to watershed include:
1) Virtual Watershed Tour – Power Point Presentation
2) Watershed Inventory
3) Regional information packet 6-8 activities (these activities may be regionally slanted)
4) Webquest
5) Service learning or independent projects
6) Venue to showcase student work

Please contact HWI if you are interested in bringing Hometown Waters to your watershed. We
would be happy to provide you with materials that can be adapted to reflect your region.

Online Activities

Click here for activities for students.

Curriculum Guide

Access and download the Hometown Waters Curriculum Guide here.