Kare 11 Meteorologist Belinda Jensen visits Matoska
How did you celebrate Earth Day? Matoska IB International School, White Bear Lake, MN, invited local Kare 11 Meteorologist Belinda Jensen to talk about water and the weather and to visit classrooms to read books from her new series. Ms. Jensen has recently written six children’s books, Bel the Weather Girl, for 2nd grade students to educate youth about the weather. She shared how water is important and that we all must be advocates and activists to protect our water resources for today and future generations.
Ms. Jensen was the speaker for an all school assembly to kick off Matoska’s participation in H2O for Life’ service learning program with a focus to provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene education for schools around the world.
Matoska students participated in a game: Are you Smarter than a BEAR? (The Bear is the White Bear Lake Area Schools Mascot- and was a big hit with the elementary students) In head to head competition, students answered questions about WATER! Mr. Bear needs to study about water! Better Luck next time Mr. Bear!
On May 2, 3, and 4th– each class at Matoska will fill a water container with water collected from their roof-top rain catchment system. Students will then walk over 1 mile- rain or shine-carrying their water to White Bear Lake. The water will be poured into White Bear Lake to remind students that the lake is low due to over pumping of the aquifer. Students are learning to adopt practices that will lower their personal water consumption, and encourage their families to do the same. Each student was given a water bottle with a message in the bottle. The message was the need to help provide clean water to hundreds of students at a school in South Sudan. Students will bring back the water bottles prior to their walk filled with $$$$$. Students were told they could fill them with coins, paper money and checks! Each student will paste a water drop on their classroom cloud with a comment of what they learned through the study of water. Thanks Matoska for learning about the water crisis and finding ways to provide local impact through your actions as well as provide funds that will change the lives for students in South Sudan! Go BEARS!
