Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds is a classroom and community activity guide for teachers that addresses issues such as endangered species, marine debris, coastal geology, water use, and much more. The guide is available to California educators for free from the California Coastal Commission, or it can be downloaded as a PDF.

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After using Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds with students, please let us know what you think! Please submit an online evaluation, or download a PDF to print and mail back to us.

 

DOWNLOAD WAVES, WETLANDS, AND WATERSHEDS:

Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds is available in a printable PDF format. You may download the entire document, or download it by chapter. (Please note: Due to copyright agreements, three activities are not available in PDF format.) Download Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds as a PDF.

 

STANDARDS ALIGNMENT:

Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds was designed to align with California's previous State Content Standards in science for grades 3 through 8, which are noted within each activity. The activities can also support student aquisition of the Next Generation Science Standards.

• Download a matrix of Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds connections to Common Core Standards for all grades.
• Download a matrix of Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds connections to Next Generation Science Standards for all grades.

The State of California's Education and the Environment Initiative has developed a set of Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&Cs) for elementary and secondary schools. A PDF is available showing how Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds addresses the EP&C Learning Objectives.

 

SPANISH SUPPLEMENT:

Printable Spanish translations of the student handouts in Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds:
•   Spanish Language Student Handouts (1.7MB)

 

EXTENSIONS AND RESOURCES:

• Download Winged Ambassadors, Ocean Literacy Through the Eyes of Albatross focusing on albatross life history, satellite tracking, and impacts of plastic pollution. Lessons are aligned to standards for grades 5 - 8 with extensions for grades 9 - 12. Created by Oikonos-Ecosystem Knowledge in collaboration with NOAA's Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.
• View magnified images of sands from beaches throughout California and beyond in our Gallery of Sand.
• Download a four-page primer on coastal bluff erosion, containing informative diagrams and vocabulary for further investigation into coastal processes, prepared by Mark J. Johnsson, former Staff Geologist, California Coastal Commission.
• Download a factsheet from the California Water and Land Use Partnership to learn how urbanization affects the water cycle.
• Take part in Coastal Cleanup Day or Adopt-A-Beach.
• Take the Coastal Stewardship Pledge and download the Coastal Steward Class Pledge.
• Search the Creeks to Coast Directory for organizations active in California that have educational resources, research opportunities, and volunteer openings.
• Visit our "How Can I Help?" web page for additional resources.
• Check out our "Just for Fun" page for web-based activities, including a beach treasure hunt and links to California coastal webcams.
• Share your comments about Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds.

 

UPDATES:

• Chapter 7 Update - August 2019 (PDF)