RiverRATS
Creating a New Generation of Stream Ecologists
Our RiverRATS Education Program provides free environmental education activities to students throughout the French Broad River watershed. Activities are focused on place based, hands on, STEAM focused education that’s aligned with the NC Essential Science Standards. Here’s some basics about the program.
- Location: Lessons can be hosted in the classroom, at a stream site, or virtually.
- Age Group: Grades K-12, with a specific focus on grades 3rd-8th.
- Time Frame: Lessons can be between 45 minutes and 2 hours.
- Size Limits: 30 students per lesson, 4 lessons per day, for a max of 120 students/day.
RiverRATS stands for “RiverRrecreation and Appreciation Through Science“. This program’s main goal is to engage students in their local waterways. Our lessons and activities give students a chance to act as stream ecologists and river stewards. By participating in our program, your students will gain a deeper connection and understanding of our local streams and rivers. Request a lesson today and help your students become the next generation of river stewards! Make sure to check out our FAQ to learn more details about this program.
Lesson & Activity Offerings
Macroinvertebrate Sampling
Get your students in the water to search for these incredible little bugs. Through this activity your students will learn about specific adaptations macroinvertebrates use to survive and how they contribute to stream health. Students will search for critters using specialized nets, and identify species using a dichotomous key. Once they’ve collected a good sample we’ll discuss their findings, and use them to determine the health of the stream.
Stream Table Simulation
Learn about how rivers form, erode, and change over time with our interactive stream table model. Your students will get to watch as a river is created right before their eyes. They’ll then get to build a small community and learn some best practices for building and living along a waterway.
*Can be hosted outside for better social distancing.
Water Chemistry Testing
Let your students be chemists for the day as they use various methods to test the health of a local waterway. Our educators will guide them through the process of finding 6 of the most important water quality standards. We’ll then discuss the surrounding area, and form hypotheses about what might be impacting the waters chemistry.
A Stormwater Journey
Help your students understand how water moves through our urban environment. Starting with a quick game, your students will learn about the path of stormwater and the various human impacts on it. Afterwards, we’ll use our interactive stormwater model to brainstorm and illustrate some solutions that can help us manage stormwater.
*Can be hosted outside for better social distancing.
Campus Cleanup
After learning about our streams and rivers your students might want to help protect them. One of the easiest ways to do this is a simple litter cleanup. We can bring all of the supplies to help your students gather trash around your campus or nearby community. Cleanups are a great tangible way for kids to see their impact, and we can work with you to ensure that it’s a safe and fun experience.
This program is generously sponsored by Prestige Subaru.
They believe in the importance of educating kids about our streams and rivers. Their support will help us provide free lessons for the 2021-22 school year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I request a lesson?
We need at least a two week notice before your preferred lesson dates. Since these lessons are free, our schedule does fill up fast, so if you can give longer than two weeks that’s even better.
How many students can participate in a lesson?
Each of our lessons can accommodate up to 30 students at a time. For the sake of our staff we prefer to limit lessons to 4 per day, meaning we can teach up to 120 students over the course of a day.
Due to Covid-19 we have limited our group size to 20 for the moment.
What do students need to bring?
Students joining us at the stream should come prepared with clothes and shoes that can get wet and/or dirty, sunscreen, and water. If your students do not have access to good water shoes or clothes we do have Crocs and waders that we can bring on request.
If we’re coming into the school then all your students will need is a pen and paper, and a curious mind.
Where is the stream?
We can meet your class at a lot of different local waterways. Our education staff will work with you to find the most convenient, safe, and appropriate locations for any of the lessons that you request.
If you don’t know of a good stream or creek near your campus, then you can expect a roughly 10 minute drive to get to a suitable location.
Are students required to get in the water?
No, no one is required to get in the water if they are uncomfortable. We think that being in the stream definitely makes the experience better, but we understand if some students are just not into that.
What happens in the event of inclement weather?
Depending on the weather we may have to cancel or reschedule your lesson at the stream. If it’s just a light sprinkle, we will continue as planned; however, if there’s concerns about flooding, low temperatures, thunder or lightning we will contact you to discuss alternative options.
All lessons in the classroom will follow typical school delays and closures.
How can I help Support this Program?
Making a donation is a great place to start! If you can’t make a financial contribution then you can help spread awareness of our program to your parents and fellow teachers.