April 22, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Bay Foundation Offers 6th-8th Graders, Teachers Free Tools to Check and Change Conservation Habits

The Bay Foundation (TBF) has launched a website open to all educators who work with 6th, 7th and 8th graders, providing a complete activity packet of tools to help students first identify their water and energy use, and then educate them to effect a conservation-focused change in their habits.  This behavior-impacting program with its accompanying materials is funded by a grant from LADWP’s Community Partnership Program, and is the second such partnership grant through which TBF has created conservation-education tools free to the public.

The new website is the final phase of the grant’s objective to promote energy, water, and natural gas conservation throughout L.A. Unified School District (LAUSD) by implementing innovative educational opportunities and outreach strategies that can change habits at a community level.  Teachers can use the online Activity Packet—as it fits into their class plan—to track progress or offer incentives for changing habits, or students can complete them without supervision and in conjunction with LAUSD curriculum (as a supplemental activity).

“I’m very pleased with the structure and execution of this project.  The curriculum and supporting materials clearly convey where our water and electricity come from, along with infrastructure environmental impacts, while empowering the students to evaluate and determine how they can conserve both at home and in their daily activities,” states TBF Executive Director Tom Ford.  “This project creatively delivers the application and knowledge that we should conserve, that we can conserve, and that we each make a difference when we take steps to do so.”

Prior to the website launch, TBF’s Watershed Program staff Melodie Grubbs and Rod Abbott worked with classes in person.  They visited select middle schools, and talked about conservation needs and solutions using tools now on the website:

  • engaging infographics about water, energy, native CA plants, and climate change
  • interactive story maps, including about L.A.’s water history
  • videos, including “Water and Energy Conservation for LA Kids”; funny, educational videos created during TBF’s aforementioned LADWP grant (i.e. “Power Spinning”); and a Rain Garden How-To
  • links to LADWP’s conservation pages, LAUSD eco-friendly sites, NASA links, etc

“The classroom lessons exceeded my expectations.  The quality materials provided, the hands-on projects, and the enthusiasm of the instructors created a very engaging learning environment for the students,” stated Vanessa Garza, Principal, Girls Athletic Leadership School (GALS LA) in Van Nuys.  “In this era of [LAUSD] transitioning to Next Generation Science Standards (NGGS), it’s critical to share real-life connections and provide students with the application of science beyond the classroom.  Collaborating with the Bay Foundation enhanced my students’ learning experiences.”

Prior to the first of two visits to each class, students took a short online survey about their attitudes and behavior concerning water and energy conservation, and they were provided with conservation devices from LADWP such as bath & kitchen aerators and low-flow shower heads if needed.

Teachers then integrated the packet’s activities into their curriculum over about 4 weeks, offering students the opportunity to earn up to 10 badges (i.e. Water Footprint Badge).  When Grubbs and Abbott returned, they followed up on water and energy conservation efforts, reviewed why it’s important to conserve water and energy in Los Angeles, and had the students re-take the survey to measure any change in attitude and behavior.  They collected the students’ activity packets and those who completed activities and earned badges were entered in a prize drawing. Prizes included solar rover and salt-water powered robot kits.

At the second visit to GALS LA, Earth Day was also discussed, and time was spent on group activities where the students created terrariums, built a windmill that generated light when the propellers spun, and built a light that was powered by a hand crank.

The resulting website offers educators all the tools, to use anytime throughout the year.  “The Bay Foundation provided a very engaging and educational classroom experience for our middle school students, as well as amazing curriculum to support student learning after their visit.  I highly recommend these materials, which are now online, for free to download, for any of my colleagues and students,” stated David DeFrenza, Athletic Director / Science Teacher at Los Angeles Academy of Arts & Enterprise.

To visit the website: http://www.santamonicabay.org/energy-and-water-conservation/.  For any questions about the program, contact Rod Abbott at rabbott@santamonicabay.org.

Related Posts

Pepper Spray and Panic: LA Homeowners Targeted in Nighttime Burglaries

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

LAPD Hunts Suspects After One Resident Attacked in Beverly Grove Two separate home invasions late Friday night in Beverly Grove...

“We’re Better Than This”: Tour Business Owner Pleads for Protection After Third Burglary

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Thieves hit Again, Stealing E-Bikes and Leaving a Wake of Damage in South La Cienega The frustrated owner of a...

Lawsuits Allege Insurance Giants Conspired to Undercut California Fire Victims

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Two Lawsuits Accuse Top Carriers of Price-Fixing and Violating Antitrust Laws Attorneys representing homeowners impacted by California’s January wildfires have...

Cali Camp Welcomes Los Angeles Campers

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

By Susan Payne Roam streams, meadows and oak trees in the heart of rock-lined Topanga Canyon this summer at Cali...

Culver City Closes Streets for Earth Day to Encourage Green School Commutes

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Pedal, Walk, or Roll: Culver City Schools Go Car-Free for Earth Day Culver City is taking its Earth Day celebration...

Mayor Karen Bass’ Budget Plan Proposes 1,647 Layoffs Amid $300M Liability Surge

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Civilian LAPD Staff, Transportation, and Sanitation Departments Among Hardest Hit Mayor Karen Bass’ proposed city budget for the upcoming fiscal...

Santa Monica PD Makes Arrest in Ocean Front Walk Stabbing; Second Suspect Sought

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Late-Night Stabbing in Santa Monica Prompts Manhunt After a shocking incident of violence in Santa Monica, a man has been...

ALPR Alerts Lead Culver City Police to Two Stolen Vehicles in Two Hours

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

Rapid-Response Tech Aids in Back-To-Back Arrests on Sepulveda Culver City police officers recovered two stolen vehicles within a two-hour period...

Registration is Open for Harvard-Westlake Summer Programs

April 21, 2025

April 21, 2025

By Susan Payne Summer programs at Harvard-Westlake are open for registration.  Participants can experience renowned programs in academics, visual arts,...

Los Angeles City Attorney Sues Over Illegal Rentals, Wildfire Price Gouging

April 20, 2025

April 20, 2025

City Attorney Seeks Permanent Ban and Millions in Penalties for Operators City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto has filed a civil...

Culver City Moves the Needle on Housing and Growth in Monthly Pipeline Update

April 20, 2025

April 20, 2025

Monthly Development Report Shows Increase in Affordable Housing Culver City officials have released the latest updates to their Residential and...

Multi-Concept Asian Restaurant Coming to Prime Sunset Strip Corner

April 20, 2025

April 20, 2025

Round 1 Delicious Inks Lease for Asian Dining Concept in WeHo West Hollywood will be the location for a high-end...

Hollywood Legend Raquel Welch’s Former Home Changes Hands in Beverly Glen

April 20, 2025

April 20, 2025

The Late Actress’s Longtime Residence Sold for $3.1 Million More than two years after Raquel Welch’s passing, the late actress’s...

Heads-Up, Westside: Downtown Santa Monica Traffic to Increase with Pali High Move

April 20, 2025

April 20, 2025

Santa Monica Braces for School Traffic Surge Following Wildfire Displacement Drivers throughout Westside communities, from Brentwood to Pacific Palisades, should...

Rents Stay Stable, but Economic Shifts Threaten the Balance

April 20, 2025

April 20, 2025

Tariffs and Tight Supply Could End Flat Rent Streak After more than a year of minimal fluctuation, asking rents, or...