San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum (SDCDM) announces its newest permanent exhibit, Water Wise.
Water Wise is a relevant educational program because the Museum itself is located adjacent to the local watershed which has been the focus of public interest to return it to a natural habitat. Water Wise directly correlates with current events, local environmental issues, and science education in schools. Featured elements of the exhibit include two outdoor water tables with simulated Watershed, Aquaponics Garden, Solar Water Rump, Rainwater Harvesting System, and Weather Station.
WaterWise Exhibit at San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
Through Water Wise, children will be exposed to ideas such as water conservation, water cycle, solar power and renewable energy, science of natural watersheds, rainwater harvesting, hydrology, fluid dynamics, aquaculture, aquaponic gardening, and environmental science issues.
The interactive nature of the Water Wise exhibit allows children to gain experiential education through play-to-learn activities. Additionally, the Museum has put into place a variety of educational programing to teach about Water Conservation and natural water sheds. Some of these programs include Field Trip Workshops held in Fall 2014, Themed Storytime and crafts in March 2015, a KPBS Kids workshop in April 2015, group visits, and themed summer camps, as well as a “Be Water Wise Challenge” starting in April 2015.
The Watershed demonstrates the flow of water through the watershed from the mountains to the ocean and demonstrates how construction and alterations of the natural landscapes affect the natural watershed. Children will use interlocking building blocks to change the “landscape” of the water table and see its affects on the flow of water.
The Aquaponics Garden mimics nature with a living habitat, featuring live plants and fish. This working aquaponics station educates about how aquaponics can be used to farm fish and plants. The “rain” will show the natural watershed in an untouched landscape, demonstrating how our environment would appear without mankind’s alterations.
The Rainwater Harvesting System roof structure includes a rainwater catchment, with corresponding education about harvesting rain. The Weather Station educates about weather and climate and the Solar Water Pump will harvest solar energy to power both the Watershed and the Aquaponics Garden.
“Water Wise is important because of North San Diego County’s position on the natural watershed, which runs from the mountains to the ocean,” explains Executive Director Javier Guerrero. “Residents must learn how to protect this resource and everything in its path. By educating families about energy sources and the natural water systems people will learn to reduce consumption, ultimately minimizing negative impacts on our natural ecosystems/resources. The exhibit provides interactive play-to-learn options to support what many children are already learning in their science classes at schools.”
Water Wise was made possible thanks to funding from The Price Philanthropies Foundation, General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation, Escondido Rotary Foundation, John & Jill Gartman Foundation, ResMed Foundation, Stater Bros. Charities, SDG&E, and Union Bank Foundation. Additionally, the San Diego Women’s Foundation is funding supplemental outreach water tables and curriculum development for outreach.
For more information on Water Wise, visit www.sdcdm.org.
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ABOUT the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum (SDCDM)
San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum’s mission is to inspire children to learn about our world through exploration, imagination, and experimentation. The Museum serves local families, school and play groups, and visitors from across southern California and beyond. The new 6,000 square-foot facility located at 320 North Broadway, Escondido CA 92025 has an additional 7,500 square-foot outdoor space. The Museum’s hands-on educational exhibits focus on science, arts, and world cultures. SDCDM designs and fabricates their own exhibits with new exhibits added each month. New exhibits at the facility include Water Wise Interactive and Living Water Tables, Children’s Discovery Garden, Kids Global Village, Reading Book Nook, Toddler Tide Pool, Base Camp, Our Town: Careers & Community, and Magnification Station. The Museum is open Monday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
SDCDM was founded as a non-profit organization in 2001 as Escondido Children’s Museum, with the focus of learning through play and inspiring children from newborn to age 10 to learn about our world through exploration, imagination, and experimentation. Admission cost is $6 per person, $3 for military and disabled, and free for children 12 months and younger. Memberships, group discounts, birthday parties, and summer camps are available. San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum is affiliated with the Association of Children’s Museums.
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