VTS Ventura River Project

Working with the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and Friends of the Ventura River, our students have been learning about how to protect and preserve our natural resource. Connecting art to critical thinking using Visual Thinking Strategies has provided our students with an amazing educational opportunity.

Field Trip Pictures:
Students taking pictures of the Ventura River (the good and the bad)

 Students reflecting using VTS 3-2-1 bridge

Student art using sketches from the Ventura River and Art Lessons from the Santa Barbara Musume of Art:

Putting the student art to a poem:

Student Persuasive Essays about Protecting the Ventura River:

March 6, 2013

 To: Ventura residents

                Can you imagine families from all over Ventura zip lining, swimming, and kayaking in the Ventura river wilderness? I can. That is why the Ventura parkway vision and other organizations are getting together to help restore the Ventura river ’s lost beauty and animal habitats. I believe that the Ventura River should be saved for several reasons. First, it has been invaded by species that are not native to Ventura, such as eurendo. This plant can grow up to 30 feet tall, and looks like bamboo. It removes poisons and metal from the water. This may sound good, but when animals eat it, the eurendo still has the poisons in it, so enters the food chain. This can kill the fish, frogs, and other animal species that thrive in this environment. Organizations have helped remove these invasive species, and so can you.

My second reason for saving the river is because waste water has been dumped in this ecosystem, and the population of species has declined. For example, when I went to the river yesterday, I saw a lot of dead crawfish in the dried out areas of the river. I suspect this is also because of the small dam built near foster park. Also, have you ever seen pictures of people holding huge trout or salmon that they caught in Alaska? Well those fish used to swim freely in the Ventura River, until it became polluted and littered. You can join a clean-up today to help restore the lost aquaculture and species in this environment.

My third reason to clean up the river is that it can be a community park. Here is my vision for this future park: Imagine families spending the day at the river. There would be zip lines, kayaking, picnics, and swimming. Kids could explore the river banks and look for frogs and crawfish, while parents could enjoy bird watching and fishing. Artists could come and paint the small dam, the mountains and plants. This is my vision. If this vision comes true, the river could provide a free park for the kids who live on the avenue, where there is not very much open space and parks.

Some people might argue that the river is not worth being saved, and that money should be spent on more important things. I would respond by saying the river is a lost treasure, and that it is worth saving, so that families and friends can enjoy it for free. In conclusion, it is my firm belief that the river is worth saving for the community to enjoy.

Sincerely,

Laura Gurney


Next up..
a field trip to the beautiful Santa Barbara Muesum of Art to see our art presented to the community!