PLCS Outdoor Education has introduced a new environmental science module for sixth-grade students focused on understanding aquifer systems and water resource management. The hands-on curriculum helps students distinguish between surface and ground water sources while exploring the critical connections between these water systems and their impact on human communities.

Students engaged with the water cycle through multiple learning modalities, including the construction of aquifer models that demonstrate how underground water systems function. The models provided visual representation of how water moves through soil and rock layers, helping students grasp the complexity of groundwater systems. A key component of the lesson examined how pollution enters and affects water supplies, building student awareness of environmental stewardship and the importance of protecting natural water resources.

The aquifer study integrates seamlessly with sixth-grade literacy curriculum, connecting to themes students will encounter in the novel "A Long Walk to Water." This cross-curricular approach reinforces learning as students later read about wells and water-borne illnesses in communities lacking access to clean water. By establishing foundational knowledge about water systems during their Outdoor Education experience, students will bring deeper understanding to their analysis of global water challenges when they encounter them in literature and social studies contexts.

This new module demonstrates PLCS's commitment to interdisciplinary learning that connects environmental science, literacy, and global awareness. By helping students understand the science behind water access and contamination, the district prepares young people to think critically about environmental challenges and appreciate the essential role of clean water in public health and community development.