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Water is part of young students’ curriculum in Miami
Four classes, from first to fourth grades, of about 70 children filled five rows of the Cosford Cinema to watch and discuss scenes from "One Water," a documentary filmed in 15 countries about ways people use and misuse water around the globe.
"From my experience, it seems young people are very perceptive of the visual sequences in the film," said Knight Center for International Media Executive Director and "One Water" producer and director, Sanjeev Chatterjee. "They always come up with very insightful and surprising questions," said Chatterjee, who held Q&A sessions with the young audience afterwards.
The hands were up at every opportunity, and students, as young as 6 years old, wanted to know how they, too, could make a difference.
"I learned you should not use that much water inside the shower," 10-year-old Lucas Rego said, adding he would reduce his time under the water to three to four minutes from now on.
Principal Stephanie Jackson said this year's theme at her school is "going green."
"We have been working on different issues, like conservation, recycling, and since I knew about Mr. Chatterjee's project from last year, I though it would be a really good time [to visit]," she said. "I just contacted him, and he was very willing."
Kathy Dunberg, science and arts teacher, said Gulliver schools curriculum emphasizes "hands-on discovery and research." Students learn not just that water is necessary but also about conservation and political awareness, she said.
"We really emphasize the life skills, being members not only of the school community, of our classroom community, but being members of the whole world community," Dunberg said. "Acting responsibly is a very important life skill."
Fourth-grader Matthew Kirsner, 9, said he did not realize the extent of pollution's impact in the world before he came to the discussion at UM. "I thought it just damaged the air but damaged the ocean, the air and us," he said.
After the screening of "One Water," which focuses on fresh water, recent UM marine-biology graduate Danni Washington discussed salt water and its relation to people, animals and the world.
Washington has recently started a foundation, The Big Blue and You, and is producing a children's TV show about the ocean to "inspire kids to love and appreciate the ocean."
Third-grader Emma Gerlach said Washington's presentation motivated her to help sea animals. "A lot of them are in danger," she said. "I want to help our planet and the ocean."
Chatterjee gave members of the audience a signed poster of "One Water" for "good questions" during Q&A sessions. Most went to the kids, but one ended up with the principal.
"Can you imagine your life without water?" Jackson asked her students, who answered with a long, loud and collective answer: "Noooooooo."
Posted on October 30, 2008
