Education and the Salton Sea

The Salton Sea Authority considers education of students at all levels to be very important for the restoration of the Sea.  And, for the educator, the Sea can be addressed from various disciplines of study.  History can come alive as students view the landscape and see the evidence of an ancient shoreline.  Science becomes an adventure as students conduct experiments on salinity.  Social Sciences come into play as students investigate legislation with respect to the Sea.  The opportunities for learning are many and varied.

The Salton Sea Authority has provided a grant to the University of Redlands to develop a web-based education program using the Salton Sea for grades 4-12 in the Imperial and Coachella Valleys.  Initial units are being developed on mapping, water, ecosystems, wildlife, and air quality.  The units will meet state standards.  The program will draw on the geographic information system developed by the Redlands Salton Sea Database Program and used in their environmental atlas.  Students will learn through seeking answers to inquiries they will be encouraged to ask.  Classroom presentations and field trips to the Sea will expand the core curriculum. 

Teachers from the Coachella and Imperial Valleys who would like to participate will be expected to attend several workshops for which they will be compensated.  Ongoing technical support will be provided throughout the school year, and teachers will be encouraged to include student partners.  Interested teachers should contact Carol Franklin in the University of Redlands Education School, carol_franklin@redlands.edu, for more information.  Future years will include training additional teachers and adding new educational units. 

The Salton Sea Authority is also producing a short form of its video on the Salton Sea for use in the classroom as well as a digitized version of the long video for student research.

Educational Links at Other Sites

Salton Sea State Recreation Area State of California Salton Sea Database Program University of Redlands The Salton Sea San Diego State University Salton Sea Restoration Project US Bureau of Reclamation Federal Resources for Educational Excellence Imperial Valley College Internet Resources at the ICOE Redlands Institute, University of Redlands New River Wetlands Project

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