This page contains the material submitted to the local paper - The Davis Enterprise - for Explorit Science Center's news column published in that paper on Fridays.

Did you know that you have a model of the Sacramento-San Joaquin watershed right at your fingertips? You might be surprised at the working model you have at hand.

The try-at-home experiment below is a great way to gain a better understanding of a watershed. It might even be a great tool to understanding the geography around Davis.

What is a watershed? Simply put, a watershed is the land area that drains surface water or runoff into a creek, river, bay, or other body of water. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the San Francisco Bay form a watershed that encompasses most of the creeks, streams, and rivers in central California.

To get a sense of this watershed, try this at home: First, take both of your hands and place them side by side, palm sides up. Now curl your fingers inward. Your cupped hands now resemble the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

The fingertips are the tops of the Sierra Nevada Range, and the creases between the fingers are the rivers flowing down from the mountains, such as the American, Merced, and Stanislaus Rivers.

These rivers drain into the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, which are the creases at the bases of your fingers. These rivers flow together to from the Delta (the space between your hands), which empties into the Pacific Ocean (the space between your wrists).

Get a friend to spray water on the tips of your fingers and watch what happens. Where did water travel? Where did water collect? What might happen if one was to pollute one of the mountain rivers?

The area in the center of your palms best represents a wetlands. You can continue your exploration of watersheds and wetlands at Explorit’s current exhibition, “Creature Features: Exploring Wetlands Wildlife.”

At Explorit, visitors can douse the Exploritville model to watch a watershed, examine topographic maps, and even test water samples to learn about water quality.

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Summer at Explorit offers enriching opportunities for children of all ages through the Summer Science Classes. Although classes are nearly full, there are still some remaining spaces available in the preschool classes.

Preschoolers, ages 4 and 5, will have a chance to come face to face with live animals, create their own play dough and make sun prints using natural light. These natural scientists will also read stories together, get wet while exploring the wonders of water, and learn that science is an accessible and enjoyable part of our everyday lives.

Explorit is offering ten sessions of week-long preschool classes that meet Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m to 10:30 a.m. Pre-registration is required and spaces are limited. However, there are still several openings in the following classes: “Jaws, Paws and Claws,” “The Art of Science,” and “Make a Splash.” For more information or to register, call Explorit at (530) 756-0191.

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Another great learning opportunity is volunteering. Explorit is seeking high school students and adults to assist with classes this summer. Have lots of fun by working directly with children, helping them with hands-on science, art and cooking projects. Volunteers will help children launch water rockets and make tie-dyed T-shirts, hunt for bugs and create their own pinhole cameras.

Summer classes also provide a chance for volunteers to gain valuable work experience. Previous experience is not required and training is provided. Volunteers assist Explorit teachers in all aspects of preparing for and facilitating activity-based science classes.

Hours for volunteering are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. or 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. A minimum commitment of two weeks is required.

Interested volunteers should plan to attend a summer orientation at Explorit on Wednesday, June 13 at 4:30 p.m. Or call Explorit for more information. Gain real-world work experience while making the summer an unforgettable experience for someone else.

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