Classroom programs cover an array of Columbia River topics and are typically 45-60 minutes in length. Lessons aim to bring the outdoors inside and many are designed as a prelude to a field program, service learning project, or on-river program. Field programs build on concepts learned in the classroom and often involve exploring a local natural area or school ground through a variety of educational activities. Education programs are offered to schools at no-cost.
Contact the Estuary Partnership's Jennie Klein (503.226.1565 x.222) to schedule a program.
Classroom Programs
Field Programs
Classroom Programs (Grades 2- 12)
Animals
Birds
Fish
Forests
Aquatic Macroinvertebrates
Northwest Ecology and Habitats
Plants
Soils
Stormwater
Streams and Watersheds
- Animal Signs and Observation: (grades 2-6) Students rotate through stations filled with real animal artifacts including skulls, pelts, and track prints while making detailed field observations.
- Wetland Animal Adaptations: (grades 1-4) Using costumes, students will learn what it is like to be a wetland animal living in a watery habitat. Emphasis is on frogs and beavers.
- Animal Tracks: (grades 3-6) Students will learn the parts of a track and discover how tracks reveal animal behavior and movements.
- Introduction to Local Bird Identification: (grades 2-8) Students will learn about common northwest birds, how to identify key bird characteristics, and how to use popular field guides.
- Bird Adaptations: (grades 2-5) Students will observe structural adaptations found among many different bird species and create their own bird, illustrating many of these features.
- Salmon Lifecycle: (grades 2-5) During this introduction to the salmon lifecycle students will experience the challenges salmon face as they smell their way home to spawn.
- Fish Dissection: (grades 3-8) Students will dissect fish to examine anatomical and behavioral adaptations.
- Northwest Trees: (grades 4-7) Students will be introduced to common northwest trees and examine tree rings to learn how each facet of a tree enables it to function and survive in the forest.
- Layers of the Forest: (grades 2-5) Students will create a detailed drawing of the three main forest layers that includes plants and animals found in the Pacific Northwest.
Aquatic Macroinvertebrates (stream bugs)
- Introduction to Macroinvertebrates: (grades 2-8) Students will discover how macroinvertebrates relate to water quality through identifying and sketching preserved specimens.
- Macroinvertebrate Feeding and Adaptations: (grades 4-8) Students will investigate physical and behavioral adaptations to understand how each macroinvertebrate meets the demands of its specific habitat.
Northwest Ecology and Habitats
- Food Web: (grades 3-5) Learn how energy is transferred from producers, consumers, and decomposers by making a food web with local plants and animals.
- Habitats of the Northwest: (grades 2-4) Students will be introduced to common habitats of the lower Columbia region by matching plants and animals with their respective habitats.
- Habitat Restoration: (grades 5-7) Students will learn how habitat restoration can increase environmental diversity by reducing the number of invasive species and increasing the number of native plants.
- Introduction to Estuaries: (grades 3-6) Learn the key characteristics of an estuary by looking at plankton, investigating tidal zones and seeing how salt and fresh water mix.
- Introduction to Wetlands: (grades 3-5) Students will make comparisons between common objects and wetland characteristics to learn about the ecological functions of wetlands.
- Introduction to Plant Identification: (grades 4-8) Students will learn simple botanical terms and apply their knowledge while identifying plant samples using a dichotomous key.
- Native Plants and Invasive Plants: (grades 3-6) Students will use clues and photographs to sort native and invasive plants and discover why invasive plants are harmful to native plants and animals.
- Native American Plant Use: (grades 3-6) Students will learn how native plants found in their schoolyard and local habitats can be used as food, shelter, medicine, and transportation.
- Wetland Plant Adaptations: (grades 3-6) Students will closely examine and sketch live northwest wetland plants to learn more about the special adaptations that help them survive their watery habitat.
- Introduction to Soils: (grades 3-6) Students perform hands-on experiments and observations to differentiate between sand, silt, and clay.
- Introduction to Stormwater Solutions: (grades 5-8) Learn to identify pollutants, read aerial maps, distinguish between pervious and impervious surfaces, calculate runoff and design greener cities. “Soak It Up” curriculum and classroom materials provided by the City of Portland’s Clean Rivers Education Program.
- Schoolyard Soil Testing: (grades 5-8) Students will test schoolyard soil to determine moisture, texture, color, pH, and infiltration rate.
- Stream Table: (grades 2-12) Using a hands-on stream model students will learn how streams change over time and the relationships between vegetation, sediment, wildlife, and flowing water.
- What is a Watershed?: (grades 2-8) Using an Enviroscape watershed model and student created map, students will learn about a watershed and how land use affects their local watershed.
- Introduction to Water Quality Monitoring: (grades 4-12) Students will learn about several water quality parameters and how they relate to stream health. Students measure pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature and turbidity.
- Water Cycle: (grades 2-5) Students will travel on Project Wet’s “Incredible Journey” to trace the movement of water as it changes from solid, to liquid, to gas.
Field Programs
Field programs are an important component of educational experiences and allow students to apply learning that has taken place in the classroom. Field experiences are usually organized around a theme such as stream, wetland, or forest studies and take place at a field site chosen based on learning objectives, teacher needs, safety, and proximity to the school. Estuary Partnership staff design a hike and field activities that focuses on a particular ecosystem. Focused studies encourage student observation and sensory exploration to become familiar with ecosystem characteristics.
To prepare students for a field program, the Estuary Partnership offers one to four classroom lessons teaching students concepts they will apply during their field trip. Listed below are some sample field trip activities:
- Water Quality Testing: Using the scientific method, students will observe stream conditions, make predictions on the quality of the water based on their observations, and use water chemistry kits to collect data on the water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity of the water system on site. Class recommendations: Intro to Water Quality, Stream Table, What is a Watershed.
- Macroinvertebrate Sampling: Students will learn how to collect, study, and identify live macroinvertebrates. Based on the types of macroinvertebrates present in the stream, they will make predictions about health of the stream. Class recommendations: Introduction to Macroinvertebrates, Stream Table.
- Birding and Animal Observations: Students will tune in their senses to discover and track what animals inhabit a park. Field trips offer many opportunities for teachable moments based on the observations students make as the group hikes and explores the area: holes in trees, bird calls, animal tracks, and everyone’s favorite- scat! Class recommendations: Animal Signs and Observations, Introduction to Local Birds, Bird Adaptations.
- Native Plant Investigation: Students will learn basic botanical terms, how to use a dichotomous key, and how to make a scientific drawing to identify and learn about native plants. Class recommendations: Introduction to Plant Identification, Native and Invasive Plants.
Service Learning Projects:
Visit the Estuary Partnership's Service Learning page to find out more about Estuary Partnership service learning projects.
On-River Programs:
Visit the Estuary Partnership's On-River page to find out more about Estuary Partnership on-river programs.