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K-12 French Broad River Watershed Education Program

RiverLink Delivers FREE Watershed Education to Your School!

RiverLink seeks to enhance environmental education in the French Broad watershed through water-based environmental education lessons in K-12 grade classrooms adapted from national curriculum that will compliment the NC Standard Course of Study.  Every year RiverLink presents dozens of FREE interdisciplinary programs- from Kids in the Creek stream studies to River of Words and Art, these lessons aim to educate and inspire the next generation of river stewards.  Our most popular programs are further described below.  Click on program guide above to see all of our program offerings.

The FBR Watershed Education program will focus on:

• French Broad River ecology
• Student engagement in scientific investigation
• Science as a link to personal decision-making
• Water quality and quantity
• Environmental awareness and stewardship
• National curriculum like Project WET (Water Education for Teachers)
• Links to NC Standard Course of Study

RiverLink will provide:

• Trained and experienced RiverLink staff and volunteers
• In-class lessons
• Field trips to local streams
• Lesson materials
• FUN and educational lessons plan

SCHOOL PROVISION REQUIREMENTS:

• 1 TEACHER/CHAPERONE PER 1 CLASS OR GROUP Teachers must be with their group at all times in order to ensure their safety, supervision, and for quality educational programming.
• ENGAGED TEACHERS/CHAPERONES READY TO PARTICIPATE AND BE INVOLVED THROUGHOUT THE LESSON
• SIGNED LIABILITY WAIVERS: for everyone (including teachers / chaperones) participating in Kids in the Creek Click here to print out Liability Waivers
• SIGNED PUBLICITY WAIVERS: for everyone (including teachers / chaperones) participating in any other watershed education prgoram
• 1 PAIR OF WATERSHOES PER STUDENT (as close to this as possible) for
• IN AN EFFORT TO BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE , schools/groups that are located 25 miles or more away from RiverLink offices must schedule at least 2 hours in programming on same day.

Testimonials

Click the picture to hear appreciations, stories, and artwork inspired by RiverLink's Watershed Education Programs!

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Kids in the Creek

“Kids in the Creek” provides an outdoor experiential learning opportunity for students to learn about factors affecting water quality of our streams and the aquatic organisms that live there. This is a hands on opportunity for students to learn more about watersheds and their local creeks.

Students will conduct water quality tests and test for various water quality factors such as pH and nutrients. We will assist students in collecting and identifying aquatic insects and native fish.

The goal of this program is to help students become better stewards of these valuable resources by educating them on the ecology of streams and the interrelated factors that determine a streams health.

The “Kids in the Creek” program is a collaborative educational effort funded by the Pigeon River Trust Fund, with the assistance of the Tennessee Valley Authority, Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation Service, UNCA’s Environmental Quality Institute.

***Due to the approach of Winter, RiverLink will not be doing "Kids in the Creek" again until Spring of 2010***

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Enviroscape

EnviroScape is plastic model of a watershed that shows students the effects that pollution can have on water quality. This is a great educational tool that teaches the watershed concept in addition to point and non-point source pollution.

Students learn about different components of a watershed and get the opportunity to decide where to place buildings, roads, animals, and trees. Two waterways flow into a larger water body, which is representative of a lake, river, bay, or ocean. Pollution and runoff are visually apparent when rain falling over the landscape top carries soil (cocoa), chemicals (colored drink mixes) and oil (cocoa and water mixture) through a watershed to a body of water. Stormwater runoff and storm drain function are also addressed.

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River of Words and Art

Poison Dart, Austin Shepard, 5th grade, Asheville Christian Academy

RiverLink is implementing a program called River of Words and would like for as many schools and classes (K-12) as possible to participate in
creating art and poetry based on our local rivers.

Lessons are offered throughout the school year, and the annual Earth Day River of Words and Art Contest in April offers students a chance to win prizes and recognition, have their entries on display, and be included in a French Broad River of Words and Art book.

This program offers a very exciting and interesting way for children to learn more about their watershed, while also contributing to an informed
appreciation of the natural world. It also helps improve children’s literacy and cognitive skills. This type of multidisciplinary, hands-on approach to education nurtures students’ creative voices as well, through instruction and practice in
art and poetry.

Using all of their senses, students observe their watershed and create a piece of art or poetry based on topics such as fish and wildlife; boating and recreation; pollution and trash; geography; culture and history; water and the hydrologic cycle, or any relevant topic that students wish to address.

Earth Day Art Contest

Click here to check out last year's winners!

Click here to see how to get involved this year!

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River Portraits

Special thanks to local photographer, Kristi Hedberg who photographed and captured the characters of our 2009 Earth Day Art Contest Winners and the next generation of watershed stewards.

Click here to look at pictures

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