This past June, educators from around the Phoenix area gathered for four sessions of the “PHX Water Smart Teaching” program. The program consists of interactive workshops designed by the City of Phoenix Water Services Department’s Water Conservation Office to help Phoenix educators bring water conservation education into their classrooms.
What is Water Smart Teaching?
Water Smart Teaching is not only a series of educational workshops, but also an opportunity to equip teachers with essential knowledge and engaging lesson plans and activities that explore how we can save water and protect our environment. The workshops were held both online and in-person at Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix. Each session offered diverse insights, hands-on learning, and the chance to connect with fellow educators over delicious food!
By giving educators the necessary resources and goals to lead water conservation initiatives in their classrooms, the Water Smart Teaching program plays a key role in further advancing Arizona’s sustainability goals and efforts to preserve water, especially with ongoing concerns about drought and climate change.
Why Teachers Signed Up (and Why You Should Too!)
- Practical Tools: Teachers were provided with knowledge, lesson plans, and classroom-ready activities focused on water conservation.
- Real Impact: Participants earned Continuing Education Units (CEUs), received a certificate of completion, and were entered into a drawing for a free water treatment plant tour for their class.
- Community Building: Participants had the opportunity to collaborate, network, and form connections while working on water footprint calculators, drought simulations, and other activities.
- Future Opportunities: After completing the program, participants are invited to join a new teacher cohort. Keep reading for more info!
Highlights from the Workshop Series
Each workshop brought something unique:
- Session 1 explored the history of water in the West and Arizona and included a dynamic decision-making simulation about water supplies.
- Session 2 focused on Phoenix’s water conservation strategies and how they are implemented throughout the city and included an interactive drought-simulation game.
- Session 3 gave teachers the resources to lead conservation initiatives in their own schools using a water footprint calculator and tools to initiate their own water conservation plan.
- Session 4 brought it all together with an example xeriscaping activity and collaborative lesson planning in adherence to state standards.
The open discussion segments and Q&A were particularly insightful, as educators from different backgrounds and subject matters shared thoughtful perspectives, asked essential questions, came up with creative strategies for complex issues, and included personal experiences that complemented every session.
Looking Ahead
If you missed this opportunity but are looking for other ways to learn about water conservation, be on the lookout for our new Educator Cohort kicking off soon! Cohort members will meet infrequently throughout the year to explore new ideas, deepen their water knowledge, and celebrate their successes together.
If you are interested in attending next time, the next Water Smart Teaching workshops are tentatively planned for summer 2026. If you would like to get involved sooner, the cohort will be open to join soon! So, WATER you waiting for? Fill out this form if you are a PHX educator interested in joining the Educator Cohort and want to stay in the know about next year’s Water Smart Teaching workshops.
For more information about the Phoenix Water Conservation Office’s Youth Education Program, including the Water Smart Teaching Program, click here. You can also email conservation@phoenix.gov if you are interested in signing up for the Water Smart Teaching Program next summer, or for any other questions or concerns about water conservation in Phoenix.
For more youth programming, check out Water – Use It Wisely’s resources for kids and teachers here.
Juliette Uncovsky is a Business Operations Intern for the City of Phoenix Water Services Department, one of 22 Water – Use It Wisely partners dedicated to offering water-saving advice and programs. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Sustainability Solutions at Arizona State University. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, scrapbooking, and cooking.