Educational activities
In addition to EWEB's education grants, the utility also directly supports and partners
with other organizations to provide energy and water education in our community.
From student writing projects to all-school assemblies, these activities help our
youth learn about these valuable resources.
The Honoring Our River Student Anthology is a compilation of literary work selected
from student entries submitted from throughout the Willamette River Watershed. Entries
are accepted from students from kindergarten through university level. The anthology
also features selections from renowned Northwest authors. We provide students the
rare opportunity to have their writing showcased with professionals.
Student entries focus on the relationship between people and our watershed – the
waters, weather, land, plants, animals and habitats that make up this beautiful
and fragile river system. "Literature" is broadly defined to include fiction,
poetry and essays in any area of study, including history, science, philosophy or
the arts.
EWEB developed the Exploring Planet Water Curriculum to help students in grades
3-8 understand their local drinking water resources and to increase their awareness
of local water issues. Lessons range from the properties of water to how storage
reservoirs keep water pressure in our household plumbing.
EWEB sponsors workshops to train teachers to use the new Exploring Planet Water
Curriculum. Over 100 teachers have attended EPW workshops, and the Bethel school
district now uses the EPW curriculum in all 6th grade classrooms.
All school assemblies, such as "You Ooze, You Lose," can energize your
classroom's study of energy and water topics.
We all learn in different ways and all-school assemblies are a great way to reinforce
concepts learned in the classroom. EWEB continues to bring creative and fun assemblies
about energy and water resources to the Eugene, Bethel, Springfield and McKenzie
school districts. One of the highly acclaimed assemblies is
The EWEB Solar Challenge is a culminating race and judging event for students in
grades 6 through 8 who have built model solar-powered electric cars. Classrooms
develop science and math skills as they creatively construct these cars and prepare
them for design and race competitions. The annual competition is held at Monroe
Middle School in early June with hopes of a sunny Saturday to power the photovoltaic
powered cars.
The "Solar Challenge" puts students' skills and know-how to the test racing
their solar powered cars.
Currently over 90 teams of 2-5 middle school students from Bethel, Eugene and Springfield
schools represent their classrooms as they compete in both the race and design events.
EWEB Education Grants furnish materials, training and curricula for this popular
and exciting program.
Since 1993, Oregon Trout's award-winning has
been an effective environmental education program serving middle and high school
students in Oregon. Enabling students to witness spawning salmon one of nature's
great spectacles coupled with classroom instruction and service learning projects,
the program is designed to instill a deeper appreciation and understanding of the
value of native wild fish, watershed conservation and environmental stewardship.
Whether it is studying a mayfly larva or the parts of a salmon, Salmon Watch field
trips are filled with excitement and learning.)
EWEB continues to partner with Oregon Trout and other public and private organizations
to bring this engaging program to the Eugene-Springfield area. Hundreds of students
on Salmon Watch field trips visit EWEB's spawning channel below Trail Bridge Dam
every September to see the amazing salmon life cycle in action.
Contact Oregon Trout directly at 503-222-9091 for information on how to participate
(For secondary education classrooms, participation is limited.)