Environmental Education Resources

Project Learning Tree: Project Learning Tree is an award winning, multi-disciplinary environmental education program for educators and
students in PreK through grade 12. It is a program of the American Forest Foundation and is one of the most widely used environmental
education programs in the U.S. Web site: www.sdplt.org. Contact: Diane Miller, 10164 West Highway 14, Spearfish, SD 57783,
cmiller@mato.com

WOW! Wonders of Wetlands: WOW! Wonders of Wetlands is for educators. Classroom teachers, refuge managers, nature center
interpreters, parkk service educators, and others will find useful background materials and stimulating activities to fit their programs. Web site:
www.sd-discovery.com. Contact: Anne Lewis, South Dakota Discovery Center, 805 West Sioux Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501, anneclewis@aol.com.

Project WET: Project WET is a collection of innovative, water-related activities that are hands-on, easy to use, and fun for educators and
students in kindergarten - grade 12. Web site: www.sd-discovery.com. Contact: Anne Lewis, South Dakota Discover Center, 805 West Sioux
Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501, anneclewis@aol.com.

Roots and Shoots: Roots and Shoots is the Jane Goodall Institute's Community-based environmental and humanitarian program for youth.
Groups involved with this program plan and participate in service learning projects showing care and concern for animals, the environment, and the
human community. Web site: www.brambleparkzoo.com. Contact: Roots and Shoots Regional Coordinator, c/o Bramble Park Zoo, P.O. Box 910,
Watertown, SD 57201.

Project WILD: Project WILD is a collection of interdisciplinary, supplementary activities designed to be integrated into an educator's existing
curriculum. Web site: www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/Education/ProjWild.htm. Contact: Chad Tussing, Education Services Coordinator, South Dakota
Game, Fish, and Parks, 523 East Capitol, Pierre, SD 57501, Chad.Tussing@state.sd.us

Local Water Festivals: Water Festivals are held at five locations in the State. Water Festivals educate over 5,000 third and fourth grade
children each year since 1992. These events are hands-on, multi-station, water learning experiences. The overall water festival concept can be
adapted to the community level by having a booth or spot at a event. The following is individual festival contact information.

Big Sioux Water Festival: Web site: www.bigsiouxwaterfestival.org. Contact: Lisa Bretsch, 132B Airport Avenue, Brookings, SD 57006,
edwdd1@brookings.net

James River Water Festival: Contact: Judy Smoyer, P.O. Box 849, Huron, SD 57350, jrwdd@basec.net

Make A Splash Water Festival: Contact: Anne Lewis, South Dakota Discovery Center, 805 West Sioux Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501,
anneclewis@aol.com

Northern Prairie Water Festival: Contact: Mary Clawson, South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks, 5850 E. Highway 12, Aberdeen, SD 57401,
Mary.Clawson@state.sd.us

Sioux Empire Water Festival: Contact: Harley Shafer, 2408 East Benson Road, Sioux Falls, SD 57104, harley.shafer@sd.nacdnet.net

Local Nitrate Clinics: Nitrates are primarily pollutant concerns for those utilizing shallow wells in South Dakota. The East Dakota Water
Development District can conduct water testing clinics for groups and organizations as a screening tool. Contact: Jay Gilbertson, East Dakota
Water Development District, 132B Airport Avenue, Brookings, SD 57006, edwdd@brookings.net

Ag In The Classroom: Ag In The Classroom is a nationwide program designed to help students develop an awareness and understanding of
our food and fiber system, and how agriculture impacts our daily lives. Web site: www.sdagclassroom.org. Contact: Lisa Dorschner, 106 West
Capitol Avenue, Suite 4, Pierre, SD 57501, sdagclassroom@iw.net

Educational Trunks: A selection of environmental educational trunks are available for loan throughout the State. Most are available for a
nominal fee through the South Dakota Discovery Center in Pierre. Contact: Anne Lewis, South Dakota Discovery Center, 805 West Sioux Avenue,
Pierre, SD 57501, anneclewis@aol.com

Wetlands To Go Trunks: a variety of wetlands-related activities for grades 3 through 9. These trunks are interdisciplinary and designed to
supplement a water unit. Items include activities, games, experiments, books, posters, and audio/visuals that are hands-on anc can be used inside
a classroom or outside a wetland.

Lakes and Streams Trunks: a variety of freshwater related activities for grades 3 through 6. These trunks are interdisciplinary and designed to
supplement a water unit. Items include activities, games, experiments, posters, and audio/visuals that are hands-on and can be used inside a
classroom or outside along a river, stream or lake shore.

Water History Trunk: this trunk allows you to re-enact how a homesteading woman would have lived. Items such as a washboard, bucket with
dipper and a Sears Roebuck 1907 Catalog recall the days before homes had running water. The trunk provides an interactive script and has
water-related props.

Prairie Discovery Trunk: this multi-disciplinary educational trunk provides educators with a wide variety of exciting lessons and hands-on materials
for teaching elementary and middle school students about the prairies of North America. Contact: Jennifer Briggs, US FIsh and Wildlife Service,
Madison Wetland Management District, 23520 SD Highway 19, P.O. Box 47, Madison, SD 57042, jennifer_briggs@fws.gov

EnviroScape Models: EnvirScape Models are 3-dimensional landscapes that illustrate residential, recreational, agricultural, industrial and
trasportation areas - which all represent possible sources of water pollution. All ages can learn that by using chemicals and loose soil throughout a
typical community, their actions and those of others can affect water quality. These models can be used in the classroom, by soil and water
conservation districts, city governments, utility companies, consultants, civic and environmental groups. Contact: Anne Lewis, South Dakota
Discovery Center, 805 West Sioux Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501, anneclewis@aol.com

The Water Sourcebook: The Water Sourcebooks contain 324 activities for grades K-12 divided into four sections: K-2, 3-5, 5-8, and 9-12.
Each section is divided into five chapters: Introduction to Water, Drinking Water and Wastewater Treatment, Surface Water Resources, Ground
Water Resources, and Wetlands and Coastal Waters. This environmental education program explains the water management cycle using a
balanced approach showing how it affects all aspects of the environment.All activities contain hands-on investigations, fact sheets, reference
materials, and a glossary of terms. Activities are organized by objectives, materials needed, background information, advance preparation,
procedures, and resources. All parts of the program may be printed and copied. For more information, see the links below under "About Water
Sourcebooks". Web site: www.epa.gov/OGWDW/kids.wsb

The Natural Source: The Natural Source project is a broad-based collaboratio among research scientist, resource experts and educators to
produce environmental education materials for K-12 teachers that are accurate, science-based, up-to-date, and accessible. This book contains a
South Dakota Environmental Directory and fact sheets on our state's environments and natural resources. It is hoped that these materials will help
link the educational community to the diversity of resources available from government agencies, professional societies and citizen groups across
the state. Web site: www.northern.edu/natsource. Contact: Dr.Erika Tallman, tallmand@northern.edu

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