1-year $5,000 project grant

change is simple (cis), massachusettS

Science of Sustainability (SoS) Water Challenge

Woodard & Curran Foundation is pleased to support Change is Simple (CiS)'s Science of Sustainability (SoS) Water Challenge. CiS will “supercharge” 5th-grade classrooms (450 students, 40 teachers) in Woburn, MA, with a hands-on education program that
inspires students to become advocates for water conservation. The program will educate students about the source, importance, and
scarcity of water; teach them to design and build filtration systems; use green chemistry to create natural cleaners; start a community
water conservation challenge; and create a plan to save 5 gallons per day for every person in their homes.

during the PROJECT, students will:

  • Realize the source, importance, and scarcity of water
  • Design, build, and test filtration systems
  • Use green chemistry to create natural cleaners to use at school and home and learn about harmful chemicals to avoid
  • Use an interactive community water table to understand the watershed, the impact of impermeable versus permeable surfaces, and how water is impacted by waste, lawn care, runoff, etc.
  • Explore how much water is needed to create products they use daily (e.g., 700 gallons for the cotton t-shirt they are wearing)
  • Start a community water conservation challenge and create a plan to save 5 gallons per day for every person in their home (track and report their family’s progress)
A student experiments with creating environmentally friendly household cleaners in the Foundation-funded project.

A student experiments with creating environmentally friendly household cleaners in the Foundation-funded project.