I've done waterwise gardening classes like this numerous times. You've gotten some great ideas but 1-2 hours is such a short timeframe to be able to present what is a fairly complex topic so you need to be precise in how you go through the material. One thing that always gets attention from the start is if you can provide them with some stats on water usage and how that can be reduced with waterwise gardening. Most people are oblivious to the impact they, and more particularly their landscapes, have on the environment and providing them with a few facts and figures can be a real eye-opener. I'd also agree that you need to slide into the plant selection portion, so address what can be done to their existing garden to reduce water usage - proper watering techniques (time of day, duration, most efficient delivery system, etc.), soil amending/conditioning, timing/need for fertilization, grouping plants with like needs, mulching. Then gradually slide into perhaps rethinking plant selection - avoid saying they shouldn't plant thirsty, water loving plants (that always gets their back up) but suggest that they limit them and consider grouping them to a single area that can be watered separately. Since these most often include annuals and veggies, that makes a certain amount of sense anyway. Waterwise plantings do not always need to be xeric plants - the concern is to many that having a waterwise landscape will limit them to cacti, succulents and a few scrungy natives in a bed of gravel. This is simply not true. Many common landscape plants are very drought tolerant once established and also many home gardeners are not aware of the diversity and attractiveness of many native and/or xeric plants. Do your research, visit local nurseries and compile a list. If possible, bring samples. And do present a visual depiction of what a well designed waterwise garden looks like - slides or large photos are great. You are right in thinking some of your biggest resistance will be from those unwilling to reduce or give up their lawns. In arid areas or those that regularly experience drought, our attachment to a thirsty, environmentally unnatural lawn is awkward and counterproductive. You will need to focus on how to get around this big stumbling block and slides or photos illustrating how this can be attractively approached with things like hardscaping, drought tolerant groundcovers, dry stream beds, or other plantings, etc. can be very helpful. It relates to a different area so the plant selections will differ, but check out the So. California waterwise gardening site. There are some wonderful photos included in this that you may be able to use. This is a class situation where words are not going to carry the day. Yes, you will able to communicate a lot of this verbally, but visual aids are going to be what convinces your attendees that they can still have a lush looking, attractive landscape by selecting waterwise plantings and following waterwise gardening techniques. Make sure you include in your handouts a plant list with both common and botanical names - homeowner class attendees will never remember specific plant names without it :-)) Here is a link that might be useful: waterwise gardening gallery

I know this is an old thread, but in case anyone is searching on this topic... I've noticed that my plants love it when it rains, they are perky and refreshed in a way that I don't see after watering or fertilizing. I decided to simulate rainwater by adjusting my tap water pH down from 7.4 to 5.5. My adjusted pH is somewhere in the 5.0-6.0 range due to small dosing inaccuracies. I acidify my water using sulfuric acid @ ~32% concentration (battery acid 1.28 mol). I've been using it with tablespoons as well as 1CC droppers and have no issues whatsoever. The acid is pretty safe to use if you take some basic precautions and aren't sloppy about it. Even so, it's not that strong of a concentration to do any real harm as long as you're close to a hose and don't get any in your eyes. Wear glasses just in case. My plants absolutely LOVE the lower pH water. They look perky and refreshed just like they do after a rainstorm. There are other beneficial effects as well. My seeds appear to be sprouting much faster than usual, the compost clumps that are sitting atop my soil have started to seriously break down finally, and my soil retains more moisture than it did before switching to lower pH water w/ sulfuric acid. Bottom line: My plants like it and I have noticed only positive effects. I will continue watering them with acidified water.

Well, I tought my first classes - and they went very well, thanks to all the fine advise I received here, and some suggestions I found on some teaching sites. I had the student (two people each class) purchase one skein of basic worsted weignt yarn in a light to medium color, and a size I hook in a contrasting color so they could easily see what they were doing. I went by the theory that crocheting into a foundation chain is lots tougher than crocheting into a swatch with a couple of inches of single crochet already made. So, I started a swatch for each with about 16 stitches, and did about 2 inches of single crochet. Then I showed them how to do a single crochet and they each did about 10 rows, counting and turning. Then we did double crochet for several rows, and I finished by showing them how to do half-double and how to turn it. Their homework was to do at least 6" of work, any assortment they chose of single, half-double and double, doing at least two rows of each one after the other, and maintaining their stitch count as they worked. They did just fine, though I can see that their is one woman with real talent, and one who struggles, and the other two are right in the middle. We'll hold our next classes once I am back in the office fulltime again - a broken leg and messed-up knee has me working from home for a bit. For my next class, we'll do triple crochet, and the dreaded chain and begin a scarf.

Oh! How excited you must be! I used to teach a beginning quilting class and believe me, when you are learning something new, smaller class size is better. You should gain a lot of one-on-one attention which will be invaluable. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions! You'd be surprised at the kinds of things people will ask in a class. Just know that your instructor does NOT expect you to know everything; that's why you are taking a class, right? To learn something (and perhaps many things) new? Even what seems like a stupid question to you is not stupid if it helps you to understand how to accomplish something or why it's done a certain way. I would also recommend you pay a little visit to the shop between now and your class. Explain that you just signed up for this class and you want to make sure you bring whatever is necessary. They may recommend you bring along some fabrics (or they may want to sell you more! Always a plus for the shop) to work with, and they should be able to give you some kind of handout that will assist you in packing just the right items to take with you. It's great that you've found a place to learn this skill. Good luck, have fun, and show us some progress!