Making Waves in NB Classrooms with the Water Watchers Program

Did you know that there are more than 2,500 lakes and 60,000 kilometers of flowing rivers and streams in New Brunswick? That’s a lot of water, and there are even more reasons to care about it! Our waterways, from the large Bay of Fundy and Chaleur Bay to every small backyard stream, shape our lives. It fuels our communities, nourishes our ecosystems, and carries deep cultural, emotional, and environmental meaning.

At the Gaia Project, we believe that protecting water starts with understanding it. That’s why we’re excited to launch Water Watchers, a brand-new, hands-on education program designed to help students explore the science, stories, and stewardship behind the water that surrounds them. 

Why Does Water Education Matter?

Water is everywhere: in the food we eat, the pipes in our homes, the lakes where we swim, and the soil that grows our gardens. In New Brunswick, it sustains communities, powers economies, and supports the natural systems we rely on. Every stream, river, and watershed is home to a wide variety of species, making water essential for all life. 

Teaching students about water means helping them recognize the invisible systems that support life all around them. Water education opens their eyes to how climate, land use, and human action all influence something as simple and as powerful as a drop of water. 

Introducing Water Watchers

Water shapes life in New Brunswick, so the real question is… How can we engage students to connect with and take care of it? That’s where our new Water Watchers program comes in!

Designed for grades 3-8, Water Watchers is a hands-on program that gives students the tools to become water scientists for a day and environment advocates for life. Through the program, students explore local water issues like pollution, climate change and freshwater health through engaging experiments.

Using the Water Rangers testing kits, students test samples, collect data, and think critically about how water moves through the environment, and how they can take action to protect it.

Wearing Different Thinking Hats

Water Watchers aligns with science, social studies, and environmental literacy curriculum objectives by exploring water quality, climate change, and Indigenous values, seamlessly integrating into your lesson plans.

When we explore the cycles and systems of water, we want students to think not just like scientists, but also as community members, future decision-makers, and caretakers of the planet. Through this program, students are invited to consider water from different perspectives: ecological, social, and cultural. We approach the topic of water so students can understand both the science behind it and the values and responsibility that come with protecting it.

Our Pilot Programs

To test the waters (literally!), we hit the road this past spring and brought Water Watchers to students at events like the ASD-S STEM Expo and middle schools in the Saint John area. These pilot sessions received positive feedback while offering students a sneak peek at activities like water quality analysis and outdoor data collection. Their enthusiasm, feedback, and curiosity helped shape the program into something truly unique, and we’re so excited to launch it across the province in the upcoming school year. 

Students at the ASD-S Stem Expo 2025 during one of the pilots of the program.

The Goal: Students Become Water Protectors

Water Watchers is about empowering students to become water stewards; young people who are curious, informed, and ready to take care of the environment around them. The program encourages students to ask: 

• What roles does water play in my community?
• What threatens its health? 
• What can I do to help? 

Our goal is for every student to recognize their vital connection to water, empowering them to protect it with confidence, both now and in the future. 

Ready to Dive In?

We’re inviting grades 3-8 educators across New Brunswick to launch Water Watchers with us. Request a program today to receive all the tools and resources you need to bring hands-on water education to your school, including a classroom kit to expand the experiments and interest your students even further. 

*Please note that program availability is limited 

Author: Léane Journault, Programs Coordinator (Francophone), The Gaia Project 

 

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