Education to water, an educational mobilization in the French primary school (20m Lecture)

In France, an industrialized country where access to water is easy, it is also important to teach the children and teenagers, the importance of water in the daily life, nowadays and for the future. In this context, since 2001, a multidisciplinary pedagogic action is organized by the “H2O Association” and the Rector of Academy of Clermont-Ferrand (i.e., the main institution representing the Ministry of Education in the administrative parts of France).
At the beginning of the school year, children from primary schools work on different topics about the water (i.e., water and health, water as food, water as a major component of hygiene, water as an element of industrial or energy production, water and ecosystems ...). In April, an exhibition-meeting (called "Les Cours d'Eau d'H2O") is organized over two days by the “H2O Association” and the Rector of Academy. Many partners are showing their specificity with respect to water (i.e., institutions, communities, utilities, companies, associations ...) and they are communicating about water and culture, water and environment, water and health, water sports, water sciences, water and international solidarity, water and sanitation, weather, water and energy, water saving, water and agriculture... Every professionals of water have a stand and welcomes school children. Videos, quizzes, demonstrations, materials ... are used to train children to various aspects of water. For them, it is the opportunity to exchange with professionals about all the aspects of water. A specific educational document is distributed to each children. Moreover, they must complete a questionnaire specially elaborated by the exhibitors to oblige them to visit all the stands of the exhibition. Every year, more than three thousand children participate to "Les Cours d'Eau d'H2O".
Since 2001, an educational stand is animated by the students from the Faculty of Pharmacy (university of Auvergne), to teach the children about all the aspects of water and health. The characteristics of specific tools and the pedagogic approaches (film, quiz, leaflets ...), developed by the students and used during "Les Cours d'Eau d'H2O", will be presented.