Teacher testimonials
The activities were fun and engaging, and they learned a lot! They can all still repeat the [watershed] definition—they learned it very well during the Water Rocks! visit. Thank you for coming! We loved having you at our school!
- 5th Grade Teacher, Prince of Peace Catholic School, Clinton
I loved how aligned it was with 5th grade science standards and how it reinforced those ideas. The Jenga game was a wonderful hands-on approach and visual for them to understand the balance that ecosystems need. They asked tons of questions about their role in the balance of our ecosystem, how climate change is impacting things, and what the ecosystem would be like without humans.
- 5th Grade Teacher, North Polk Community School District
This has been a great day! Thanks so much for having great materials and smooth flowing lessons/videos! This was a WONDERFUL event! Thanks again from Mrs. Schulte and Ed-Co 5th and 6th grade Science!
- Kattie Schulte, Edgewood-Colesburg Community Schools, 5th and 6th Grade Teacher
Thank you for the wonderful and well-delivered virtual day of learning. I was nervous as I was not sure how a virtual field trip would work and how engaged students would be. It was wonderful. The program did a great job of making sure students were engaged while also continually moving through the process. My students really enjoyed the small details about our school, and it was funny to watch their realization that our notes were being relayed and looked at in real time. Thank you!
- Middle School Science Teacher, Fairfield Community School District
We had the best time ever! We participated in School of the Wild earlier this year and so much of what you talked about reinforced what they learned earlier in the year. You did provide new information as well. What a great experience we had, next time I hope we get to see you in person!
- Pennie Klepper, Graettinger-Terril 4th Grade Teacher
My class really enjoyed the format of the Water Rocks! virtual presentation today. They especially enjoyed how the commentator talked directly to them and read back their answers. Thank you for providing this assembly for the third graders. We had a recess directly after the assembly and I heard the kids excitedly discussing the different things they learned. Once back inside, I even had a student ask to do some research on the number of wetlands still around in Iowa. Great program!
- Todd Crow, Colo-NESCO Elementary, 3rd Grade Teacher
If you are thinking about booking with Water Rocks!, do it now! They are in huge demand across the state, so don’t delay! The students and teachers in your school will thank you for providing them with an awesome experience that promotes natural resources and conservation in an entertaining and engaging way.
- Sandra Day, 21st Century Community Learning Center Program Director, Council Bluffs Community School District
It is so important that we educate our students about taking care of our water. Water Rocks! is a program that does that! This engaging and outstanding educational program left a lasting impression and message on students and staff that we must all work together to take care of this valuable resource used and needed by all living things.
- Don Ortman, Rock Valley Elementary Principal
Water Rocks! was an excellent program for our Kindergartners through 8th grade students. Our kids had a phenomenal time singing, dancing, and learning different science concepts.
- Chad Harder, Tri-Center Community Schools Secondary Principal
Thank you so much (again) for making the trip to Decorah yesterday. The lesson was great and fit perfectly into what we are doing in my classes and with our field trip. ... The kids enjoyed the activity AND learned AND applied concepts AND talked about it outside of class (always a good sign). I hope we can involve you again in either a field trip or a class presentation.
- Meg Storkamp, Decorah Middle School, 7th grade science
The students were very attentive and actively involved in the demonstrations. They continued to talk about the things they learned after the team left. This is something we will review and re-visit in both science and social studies.
- Fellows Elementary, Ames, 4th grade teacher
It was the BEST presentation I have seen in 20 years of teaching. The presenters were exciting and talked to the 10 year olds, not above them.
- Jones Co. 3rd Grade Teacher
This was an awesome presentation! My students loved it too. You did a great job of engaging students and keeping them involved. Your visual aids (posters) were great for helping them learn vocabulary and build deeper understanding of biodiversity. Excellent job using games to teach and keep them engaged. Love the program and hope you can visit again!
- Brookview Elementary teacher, Waukee
The resources left with us after the program were packed full of pertinent lessons aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. I was shocked at how many ideas for hands-on learning were shared in the CD.
- Deb Easter, 3rd grade teacher, Lawson Elementary (Johnston Community School District)
Thank you for the learning opportunities you and your team provided the AHS Earth & Space Science students! The other ESS teachers and I were very impressed with both the content and the staff during the day-long event. What impressed us the most is your team’s knowledge and enthusiasm about the content. With each group rotation, your staff greeted each group of ninth graders as if it was the first group they were working with. They made it exciting and interesting each and every time! The ninth graders are not always an “easy” group to work with. Your team did a fantastic job working with the teenagers and keeping their interest level high! Last year the Conservation Station was really well done and matched our classroom content. This year, wow! The additions you made really ramped up the participation and content connections! The hands-on aspects of the watershed mapping activity really increased the value of the trailer activity. The addition of the water testing and of the crop residue percentage activities really made the event meaningful for the students. It’s one thing to stand and listen to the content relationships, and quite another to actually think through and work through the content with the activities. I really appreciate these additions! You caused my students to be active and not passive learners! I also wanted to let you know that the additions you and your team have made to the Conservation Station more closely tie-in to our Course Level Expectations for AHS.
- DeAnna Tibben, Ames High School Earth & Space Science
You three did an excellent job with the 4th graders here in Orange City. Your presentation was active and engaging and the kids talked about it for the rest of the week. The visuals you used were great and the hopscotch game was a very effective way of communicating that migration is a challenging part of life for some animals.
- Orange City 4th Grade Teacher