Resources for Teachers and Schools

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In this section you'll find some fun and exciting ways for your students to learn about water and what can be done to prevent pollution in our waterways.

Community Service Project: Teachers, with litter being a major source of marine debris, registering your school or classroom for Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD) is an ideal way to teach young people about the problem of litter in their local environment. If you can’t participate on Saturday, September 25, 2010, the official day of CCD, participate on Friday by having a cleanup at your school. Click for more details: School Participation Needed for CA Coastal Cleanup Day

Lesson Plans:

Free "Pest or Pal" Curriculum Binder for Grade level 2-5
Curriculum and activities are to teach elementary school level Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Studying insects provides students with solid scientific information about one of the most numerous creatures on earth. The deciscion making process involved in IPM develops science literacy, critical thinking skills, and actively involves students in solving real world problems.
San Mateo County educators: To get your free 250 page binder, email PollutionPrevention@co.sanmateo.ca.us with your name, school, and mailing address.

Grades 3-5 Understanding the Water Cycle
Grades 7-12 Routes to the Environment
Grades 9-12 Plastic Trash and Wildlife and No Impact Project (5 lessons on consumption, energy, food, transportation, and water)
High School Curriculum from Contra Costa Clean Water Program
Yes Magazine Middle School and High School Teachers can get a free one-year subscription. Website has great lesssons on green schools and low impact living.
Estuaries 101 Curriculum
World in Our Backyard Wetland Lesson Plans
Proper Disposal of Household Hazardous Waste
Facing the Future

Resources:
Water Science for Schools: USGS
Kids for the Bay
North American Association for Environmental Education
Kids For Saving Earth
Stormwater Coalition
Go Green For Teachers
Environmental Education
The Great Sunflower Project for School Gardens

CalMAX supports educators by offering free materials that support the implementation of curriculum instruction or art projects!

Community Action Grant: $3000 is available for teachers that are interested in implementing projects with their students that improve the quality of local creeks, the Bay or the Pacific Ocean within San Mateo County.

Participating in California Coastal (and Creek) Cleanup Day fulfills students community service requirements.

Grants for School Gardens: National Gardening Association and Sloat’s Adopt a Garden Grant.

Request Free Program Materials
The following materials can be used in the classroom to teach about pollution prevention:

You are the Solution to Water Pollution brochure
Newsletter: Pollution Prevention Post (7th grade -12th grade)
Coastal Cleanup Day Posters
Pest Control Fact Sheets for Less- and Non- Toxic Control
Bay Friendly Gardening Guide
Bookmarks, Erasers, Pencils, and Pens
Kids Activity Guides

Go to this page to request materials.

Healthy Schools Act of 2000
Assembly Bill 2260 This law puts into code the California Department of Pesticide Regulation's existing voluntary school IPM program and adds some requirements for schools, such as parental notification of pesticide application, warning signs, record keeping at schools and pesticide use reporting by licensed pest control businesses which apply pesticides at schools.
For more information on IPM in Schools visit: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ipm/

List of Pesticide Products Prohibited from Use in Schools and Child Care Facilites
Parents" right to know: State regulations require schools and child care centers to give parents a list of pesticides that will be used throughout the year. Parents can also ask to be notified each time a pesticide is used, and parent notification of pesticide fog and spray use is required.

School Janitorial Less Toxic Cleaning Products Brochure
Safety was cited as the #1 concern among many janitors and building maintenance workers. This brochure will help in choosing less toxic cleaning products for school maintenance.

Schools Chemical Cleanout Program

Tips for a Cleaner Bay: How Your School Can Prevent Stormwater Pollution
This booklet is a step-by-step, easy to understand guide on how to comply with the stormwater laws that protect the environment. It's useful for school Maintenance Supervisors and staff, as well as Superintendent's and Teachers. Available in English and Spanish, covering the following topics:

Tips for a Cleaner Bay and Sugerencias para una Bahia mas Limpia

• General Stormwater Pollution Prevention Practices
• Equipment and Surface Washing
• Floor and Carpet Cleaning
• Landscape Maintenance
• Outdoor Storage
• Construction and Remodeling
• Local Agency Contacts

Bay Friendly School Garden Registration
9 schools in San Mateo County are registered as "Bay Friendly"gardens. Bay-Friendly gardeners:

• Build healthy soil
• Reduce waste in the garden
• Conserve water
• Create wildlife habitat
• Protect local watersheds and the Bay
• Contribute to a healthy community
• Save energy

Registered Bay-Friendly gardeners provide neighborhood models of what a Bay-Friendly garden can offer-from an edible kitchen garden to a native wildlife habitat to a Mediterranean retreat.

1. Community School South, East Palo Alto
2. East Palo Alto Charter School, East Palo Alto
3. Encinal School, Atherton
4. Oak Knoll Elementary, Menlo Park
5. Willow Oaks Elementary, Menlo Park
6. Franklin Elementary, Burlingame
7. Lincoln Elementary, Burlingame
8. Park Way Heights Middle School, South San Francisco
9. Robertson School, Daly City