UC Science Connect

4-H Water Wizards

Guided Inquiry Water Education for Grades 4-6

4-H Water Wizards offers hands-on, minds-on activities designed not only to educate elementary school students about water and its importance, but to engage young learners as scientists themselves. The project balances the student’s need for critical information about water with discovery through the process of doing science.

4-H Water Wizards addresses two related issues: the need for high-quality science education programming both in and after school, and the desire to foster a citizenry that understands and can make informed decisions about water. Water is a valuable and limited natural resource that is critical to communities, agriculture, and the environment. It is often the center of policy debate as communities contend with floods, drought, pollution, loss of ecosystems and how to allot this sometimes-scarce commodity. Yet water issues are also personal ones as individuals ponder conservation and how to keep waterways clean. Education is the first step in helping children appreciate and understand water and its role in their community.

The University of California Cooperative Extension developed 4-H Water Wizards for implementation in afterschool programs where it was extensively piloted and refined. Classroom teachers have also implemented the curriculum, and the service-learning component makes it an especially adaptable as a project in 4-H Clubs. Whether delivered in formal (schools) or informal (afterschool or 4-H) learning settings, 4-H Water Wizards has proven easy to deliver and engaging for students.

Contents

  • Session 1: The Water Cycle—Nature’s Recycling System
  • Session 2: Watersheds: Where We Live
  • Session 3: My Community Watershed—Keeping Our Waterways Clean
  • Session 4: Water Use and Conservation
  • Session 5: Water Taste Test
  • Session 6: Exploring Salinity
  • Session 7: Discovering Water Density
  • Session 8: The Science of Soap Suds
  • Session 9: Exploring Service Learning
  • Session 10: Planning a Service-Learning Project
  • Session 11: Project Evaluation

Curriculum

Educator GuideEducator AidsStudent Lab Book
Water Wizards curriculum cover
Water Wizards educator aids cover
Water Wizards student lab cover

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4-H Water Wizards Curriculum

Download PDF

4-H Water Wizards Educator Aids

Download PDF

4-H Water Wizards Student Lab Book

Purchase print copies on Shop 4-H

 

Purchase print copies on Shop 4-H

   

Publications

  • 2024-2025 Report

  • Bird, M, and A Subramaniam. 2022. “4-H Water Wizards: Lessons Learned for Effective Afterschool Science Programming.” California Agriculture 76 (4): 112–20. https:/​/​doi.org/​10.3733/​ca.2022a0012.
    We evaluated the program over four years (2012–2016) utilizing a pretest-posttest study design and evaluation surveys.
    • Afterschool program staff gained competence in delivering hands-on and inquiry-based science programming.
    • Fourth- and fifth-grade students demonstrated small but significant knowledge gain about water. Students also demonstrated increased awareness about water issues and water conservation behavior.

Authors

  • Developed by Marianne Bird and Trisha Dixon
  • Adapted for virtual delivery by Marianne Bird, Nicole Marshall-Wheeler, and Steven Worker

Acknowledgements

  • Toyota 4-H2O Community Partner Project Grant through the National 4-H Council.
  • Sacramento START afterschool program
  • Sam Sandoval
  • UC ANR Water Program Team
  • Aarti Subramaniam
  • Carina Bell
  • Albert Chiem
  • Brandy Kloph
  • Claudia Diaz
  • Sue Kong
  • Montana Cariglio
  • Beryl Johnson
  • Amy Xiong