Less Middle and high school students have an opportunity not only to learn about water, energy and the environment, but also to conduct a survey of their homes or apartments. The program, developed with the Metropolitan Water District, provides a report from the students' surveys. The report outlines ways that students' families can save at home. EcoBus DWP is developing a major new environmental program for middle schools involving an ecobus that will include exhibits and hands-on lessons in a variety of subjects ranging from air quality and electric transportation to solar photovoltaics, tree planting and water issues. The EcoBus will be a traveling roadshow providing programs at schools throughout the city.
Workshops cover science and technology subjects related to water, energy and environmental issues.
About 30 classroom lesson materials are available to teachers in the city, active in DWP programs, via catalogue orders. A specific DWP business unit, office or facility adopts each school. Each invited school receives a sample of four lesson materials on safety and basic electricity. Schools that have previously participated will be able to order additional lesson materials and a new CD-ROM without attending the workshops. A key component of these programs is the use of the Los Angeles Times newspaper in classrooms that enhance the real world application of the lesson materials to current events and issues.