Education & Outreach

Just for Educators

The goal of the Stormwater Quality Outreach Program is to raise awareness of stormwater runoff, offer solutions to runoff pollution, and to protect our drinking and recreational water.

Let Us Come to You

Our outreach staff are available to deliver stormwater quality programs directly to your school or event within Maricopa County.

Overview

• We offer FREE standards based, hands on programs for Kindergarten through 8th grade students within Maricopa County.• Programs must be scheduled two weeks in advance and are based on availability.

• Guest Speaker programs are scheduled in 1 hour blocks to allow for set-up and breakdown. A teacher or adult staff member from the school site must be present at all times.

What We Offer

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Poster Contest Packet

Have your 3rd – 6th grade students gather their artists tools to create a stormwater pollution poster with the message “We’re Here to Keep Our Water Clear!” A member of the Maricopa County Stormwater Quality Program will drop off a packet with everything you need to create a poster for the 2024 Poster Contest, and it even has a return envelope so when your students are done, you can just drop them off at a mailbox. There will be prizes for the 1st-3rd place winners in the 3rd/4th grade category as well as a 5th/6th grade category. The winners will receive awards (presented by Maricopa County Board of Supervisors), prizes, and get their artwork printed in our annual calendar. All return envelopes must be postmarked by March 11, 2024! Packet includes enough materials for a class of 30 students. For more information, please click here.

STORM & GO Maricopa County Stormwater Activity Packet

We know that for educator life can get busy so let the Maricopa County Stormwater Quality Program create the lesson for you. We will drop off a free lesson plan at your school with everything you need, and it is yours to keep. Packet includes enough for a class of 30 students.

K-2nd Grade STORM & GO activity - Students will travel with Larry the Longfin Dace fish and learn what happens to stormwater when it rains in our neighborhoods. They will discover some common stormwater pollutants and then build a triarama of a habitat without any pollutants for our lead character Larry. To preview the lesson plan, please click here. For goals, science objectives, essential questions, key vocabulary, and state standards, please click here.

3rd-6th Grade STORM & GO activity - Students will build a model of their city and learn about why we need storm drains in an urban (city) environment. In the second part, they’ll discover some common stormwater pollutants. Finally, they’ll design a green stormwater solution to help address stormwater pollution and flooding issues. To preview the lesson plan, please click here. For goals, science objectives, essential questions, key vocabulary, and state standards, please click here.

7th-8th Grade STORM & GO activity - Students will explore the water cycle, learn about impervious surfaces, calculate runoff, and learn about ways to prevent stormwater pollution. To preview the lesson plan, please click here. For goals, science objectives, essential questions, key vocabulary, and state standards, please click here.

Become a Stormwater Inspector - Guest Speaker Presentation Grade K-8th

Maricopa County Stormwater Quality Outreach Program will come to your classroom for FREE to teach students about stormwater, stormwater runoff, and stormwater runoff pollutants. After the in-class lesson, students will put on their safety vests and grab a clipboard to become stormwater inspectors. They will identify stormwater structures at their school, map out where they go, and be on the lookout for any potential stormwater runoff pollution. Programs are about an hour with a maximum of 35 students.

STEM/Science Night Events

Have Maricopa County Stormwater Quality Program come to your STEM/Science event for FREE with an interactive stormwater display. Choose between:

From Above – Participants will discover what stormwater is and investigate where stormwater runoff goes in our interactive Enviroscape model. They will also learn about common stormwater pollutants and how to prevent them from entering our parks, washes, rivers, and lakes.

Below Our Feet - Participants will learn what stormwater is and where it goes once it enters a storm drain. Participants will use a camera to explore what some common pollutants are in our model of storm drainpipes and learn where the pipes lead to in our urban neighborhoods and cities.

Career Days

Maricopa County Stormwater Outreach Coordinator will introduce students to what like is like as a Maricopa County Stormwater Inspector. Learn about the other Maricopa County Environmental Services Department programs like Food Quality, Aquatic Health and Safety, Drinking Water, Onsite, and Solid Waste.