Agua Pura: Exploring Salmon and Steelhead in California Communities is a collection of activities designed to encourage exploration and action. This curriculum is very flexible. It meets the state-wide standards for 6th grade classroom education, or can be used as a non-formal education guide. It can be easily adapted to meet the needs of other age groups. All activities can be completed, or only those that fit your needs and available time.
Agua Pura is structured in a place-based learning framework. Place-based learning is using were we live to learn, explore, take action and to reflect. Critical thinking and meaningful projects intensify understanding about participants themselves and the geographical environment in which they live.
The goals of the curriculum are to:
- Help youth understand their relationship to their immediate environment and how their actions affect water quality.
- Develop critical thinking and scientific inquiry skills in youth.
- To encourage active participation, community service and commitment.
The project director for this fantastic resource is our Youth Development Advisor, A. Michael Marzolla. Agua Pura can be downloaded for free. The user guide is in English. Letters to parents/guardians and worksheets are in both English and Spanish.
- A. Michael Marzolla
- community service
- Initiative A Clean Water
- Initiative C Sharing Science
- Initiative D Sustaining Ecosystems
- Initiative F Families and Communities
- Initiative I Energy for the Future
- local research
- local watersheds
- natural resources
- science resources for youth
- Spanish language resource
- water quality
- youth development