At School

Bellingham Water School 

The City of Bellingham’s Public Works Department is proud to offer “Bellingham Water School,” an engaging and comprehensive water education program specifically designed for fifth grade students. This program delves into the journey of water from Mt. Baker all the way to Bellingham Bay, exploring watersheds, the impacts of stormwater pollution, and the process of drinking water treatment and distribution.  

Water School provides students with an understanding of: 

• Lake Whatcom and its watershed 

• The sources and effects of stormwater pollution 

• How our drinking water is treated and delivered to homes 

The program is structured into four distinct parts, blending in-class learning with an exciting field trip experience.  

Part 1- Watershed Classroom Visit (1 hour) 

The program begins with an in-classroom visit. Students receive a Water School Journal and are introduced to the fundamental concepts of watersheds and their own personal connections to the water cycle. Through a hands-on model, students work in small groups to discover how watersheds function and how pollution can move within these systems.

Part 2- Video and Map Activities (1 hour) 

Prior to the field trip, students watch “Go With the Flow.” This video introduces them to Bellingham’s complete water system and offers a preview of what they will experience during their field trip. To further solidify their learning, students also complete a Lake Whatcom mapping activity, where they gain a deeper understanding of the location, size, tributaries, and topography of the Lake Whatcom Watershed. 

Part 3- Field Trip Experience (5 hours) 

Students meet City educators at Bloedel Donovan park to collect water samples from Bellingham’s source of drinking water, Lake Whatcom. Students then embark on a scenic walk from Bloedel Donovan to Whatcom Falls Park, following the path of the City’s drinking water. Along the way, they learn about potential pollutants that can enter the lake through stormwater runoff- substances the City must filter out before distributing drinking water to residents. Students discuss actionable steps they can take, as fifth graders, to minimize these pollutants entering our water bodies. 

Next, students engage in a practical engineering challenge. Working in small groups, they design and build a water filtration system to remove as much modeled pollution as possible from their water sample, applying the Next Generation Science Standards’ Engineering Practices model.  

The experience culminates with a tour of the Water Treatment Plant. Students get a behind-the-scenes look at how Bellingham’s drinking water is filtered and treated.  

Part 4- Stormwater Classroom Visit (1 hour) 

A City educator conducts one final classroom visit to review Bellingham’s three interconnected water systems: drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater. The class participates in a hands-on scientific investigation focused on stormwater runoff on their school grounds.  

Lost in Puget Sound  

Lake Whatcom Map  

Materials 

Tour the Water Treatment Plant