Education
Learn More About Water Resources
This section is geared towards students and teachers (K-12) as well as citizens. If you are a student, use the links below to access websites and documents that can help you better understand water resources. If you're a teacher, use the links below to view Atlas-related lesson plans and links to educational resources related to education about water. If you're a citizen, use the links below to better understand the data on the Atlas and learn about maintaining the health of area water resources.
Creek Conditions
Sarasota County has 17 tidally-influenced creeks that connect to its coastal bay systems. Learn about water quality conditions in their freshwater and marine components
Water Quality Concerns
How water quality afffects fishing, shellfish harvesting, and recreation
Bay Conditions
How healthy are our coastal waterways? View reports on the conditions of Sarasota's six major bay systems.
Watershed Management Plans
A watershed management plan defines and addresses existing or future water quality problems. Experience has shown that effective watershed management includes active participation from stakeholders, analysis of the specific causes and sources of water quality problems, identification of measurable water quality goals, and implementation of specific actions needed to solve those problems.
Beach Action Plan
Find information about Sarasota County beaches, and about what steps the County and its partners are taking to protect beachgoers from bacteria exposure and avert "No-Swim Advisories".
Coastal Watershed Wiki
The Sarasota County Water Atlas has a new Wiki page to gather and discuss coastal watershed issues. Explore the wiki either by finding a topic or a geographic region of interest.
Community Resources
Improve water quality in your community waterways so you can have more birds, more fish – and more fun!
Historical Narratives
Oral histories created by students at New College for Sarasota County.
Low Impact Design / Stormwater BMPs
Commercial Low Impact Design (LID), sometimes called Green Infrastructure, treats rainwater as an asset rather than a liability, encouraging the capture and use of rainwater on site.
NPDES Stormwater Program
The Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) is a federal program designed ot reduce stormwater pollutant discharges to receiving waters of the United States.
Oysters
Learn more about the eastern oyster, Crassotrea virginica, a commercially and ecologically important mollusk that is also a good bioindicator of water quality in estuarine habitats.
Student / Teacher Resources
Formal and informal educators and their students will find sources of interesting and useful information on these pages to help them better understand Sarasota County's watery habitats.
Related Educational Documents and Links
- Project Wet - Nonprofit organization dedicated to water education children, parents, teachers and community members
- Florida Marine Science Educators Association - Regional chapter of the National Marine Educators Association (www.marine-ed.org)
- UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education (PIE Center) - UF/IFAS research center that collects and disseminates information related to Florida agricultural and natural resources issues
- “Snook Creek” Discussed at Mote Workshop
- Adventures in the Charlotte Harbor Watershed: A Story of Four Friends and Their Neighbors 10 of 16 - Tatum Sawgrass Marsh, Upper Myakka Lake, Lower Myakka Lake, Myakka Island
- Adventures in the Charlotte Harbor Watershed: A Story of Four Friends and Their Neighbors 5 of 16
- Adventures in the Charlotte Harbor Watershed: A Story of Four Friends and Their Neighbors 7 of 16
- Carefree Learner
- Celery Fields Regional Stormwater Facility Educational Signs - 12 messages about the CFRSF's purpose, history, and restoration efforts
- Classroom Activities from GetWise - In English and Spanish, with answer keys
- Climate Witness Oral History Project (Lesson Fifteen)
- Community Heritage Awareness and Management Program (CHAMP) at Phillippi Estate Park 2014-2016
- Creating a Contour Map of Your School Playground - Hands-on activity to help kids learn about the concept of elevation
- Education Resources from the Southwest Florida Water Management District - Publications, podcasts, virtual excursions, hands-on activities, classes, grants, software
- Educational Resources from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission - Educational resources for adults and families, youth and students, and educators, including outdoors skills classes, camping, fishing, wildlife, and hunting programs.
- Educational Resources from the Groundwater Foundation
- Educational Resources from the St. Johns River Water Management District - STEM information, publications, lesson plants, grant information, virtual water plant tour, games, science fair info, and more
- EnviroScape Model: Exploring Watersheds and Riparian Forests
- Estuary Neighborhood Coloring Book
- Exotic plant lesson plans (elementary & middle schools)
- Fish and Wildlife Brochures & Videos from FWRI
- Fish Invaders at Gypsy Point: Storybook and Lesson Plan
- Fishing Cultures of Southwest Florida
- Florida Aquifer Geology
- Florida Environments Online - Digital full text materials and research bibliographies
- Florida Envirothon Study Guide: Introduction to Forestry in Florida
- Florida Envirothon Study Packet -- Soils Section
- Florida Envirothon Study Packet -- Wildlife Section
- Florida Field Journal - Myakka River State Park - This Florida Field Journal video is a virtual visit to Myakka River State Park.
- Florida Green School Designation
- Florida Springs: A Florida Springs Institute Educational Resource
- Florida Waters: A Water Resources Manual from Florida's Water Management Districts
- Glossary of Water Related Environmental Resource Terms
- Greater Charlotte Harbor Watershed Guide - An Educational Guide to Ecological Explorations...
- Growing Greener Minds: An Environmental Approach to Teaching - Newsletter on environmental education in the classroom
- Gulf of Mexico Offshore Oases
- Historical Signs at Phillippi Estate Park
- Hydrologic Cycle Activity Sheet
- Kids' Corner--Frogs & Snakes
- Learning and Teaching about the Environment - US EPA - Content, curricula, grants, awards, training opportunities, links to programs and resources.
- Macroinvertebrate Coloring Book
- Manatees, Florida's Gentle Giants - Coloring/Activity Book
- Mangrove Maniacs
- Mote Marine Lab Education Programs
- Nonpoint Source Educational Materials for Students (EPA)
- NWS JetStream -- Online School for Weather
- Ocean Literacy: The Essential Principles of Ocean Sciences K-12
- Primer on Harmful Algal Blooms in the Gulf of Mexico, A - Common questions and answers for stakeholders, decision makers, coastal managers and the education community.
- Primer on Invasive Species in Coastal and Marine Waters, A
- Primer on Water Quality, A
- Sarasota Bay Children's Activity Book
- Solving Florida’s Water Puzzle Activity Book
- Solving Florida's Water Puzzle Teacher's Guide
- Springs Eternal: “Florida’s Fountain of Youth - Springs of Life” Lesson Plan
- Springs of Life: PBS Nature Program Videos and Associated Lesson Plan
- State of Florida Environmental Primer 2008 - A glossary of commonly-employed environmental terminology
- Stormwater Consequences Game
- Stormwater Runoff Crossword Puzzle
- Teacher Resources from the Fish & Wildlife Research Institute
- Teacher's Companion: Chemistry in the Gulf of Mexico
- Teacher's Guide Peace River Watershed Excursion
- Teacher's Guide Springs Coast Watershed Excursion - This is a teachers' guide for the Springs Coast Watershed Excursion interactive with various activities to be done in the classroom. It includes benchmarks to be discussed in class, vocabulary, worksheets, as well as a pre and a post test.
- Teachers at Sea Program
- Teachers' Resources from the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program
- Teaching Materials: Manatees - Resources from the Save the Manatee Club
- Teachnology Lesson Plans: Earth Science - Lesson plans and step-by-step activities
- Teachnology Lesson Plans: Ecology - Lesson plans and step-by-step activities
- The Great Florida Water Adventure
- The Nitrogen Cycle: Of Microbes and Men - An earth science learning module
- Turtle Talks Activity Book
- USGS Water Science School - Interactive educational site from US Geological Survey.
- Water Conservation Activity Sheet - Coloring page and word puzzles for kids
- Water Conservation Coloring Book
- Water on the Web Curricula
- Watershed Academy
- Watershed Excursion Teacher's Guide
- Watershed Patch Project - Collection of educational activities from the EPA.
- What are tides?
- What's An Estuary? Now You Know (Video)
- Whatzzzzup-Stream? Additional Activities - Grades 6–8
- Whatzzzzup-stream? Student Activity Handout - Grades 6–8
- Who Lives in a Wetland?