Seeing Watersheds: Roaring Fork within the Colorado River Basin
What is a watershed? How do you find one? How do you measure the water in one? Students use maps and activities to identify the Roaring Fork Watershed as a member of the larger Colorado River Watershed and learn key water managment terms: acre-feet and cubic feet per second (cfs). Students will simulate the flow of water through a watershed during different seasons through building a human Roaring Fork Watershed. Setting: Field or Classroom
Insectopia: Exploring the World of Aquatic Insects
Learn aquatic insect anatomy, life cycles, and habitat by collecting, observing and drawing watery bugs. Discover more about insects and their importance in the river ecosystem. Use nets to catch the insects and field scopes to study these creatures closely. Setting: Field (preferred) or Classroom
The Power of Water: Hydroelectic Plant Field Trip
Explore how people convert water energy into electricity by taking a tour of the Ruedi Hydroelectric Plant up the Fryingpan River or Shoshone Hydroelectric Plant on the Colorado River. Setting: Field Trip
Sharing the Shed - Colorado River Compact 1922
Students will put themselves in the role of a policymaker in 1922 and 1944 have be charged with fairly dividing the waters of the Colorado River among the seven U.S. basin states and with Mexico. Setting: Classroom or Field
Non-Point and Point Source Pollution
Explore the many different ways that water becomes polluted using the EnviroScape Model. Then draw connections between individual actions and results at the community level, develop strategies for minimizing and counteracting environmental problems using best managment practices and responsible actions. Setting: Classroom
Pond Ecology
Explore the life of a pond. Learn about the animals that live in and around ponds. Use field equipment and keys to look closer at pond life. Setting: Field
River Voices
Students will be exposed to a variety of writing types and styles from authors who write on the environment, specifically rivers. Students will create their own “river voice” style by writing a piece of literature inspired by their own experience or interaction with rivers. Setting: Classroom and Field
The Water Underground
Explore how groundwater is part of the water cycle, how it moves underground, and how human actions can affect the quality of groundwater. Using the groundwater model see how water moves first hand. Setting: Classroom
Plumbing the Colorado
Students examine the Colorado River system and demonstrate changes in river flow that occur as the river travels from source to sea. Students will gain an increased awareness of water users on the Colorado River, including those outside their local area by identifying the source, tributaries, and mouth of the river. They will also recognize the difficulty of balancing needs of all water users. Setting: Classroom or Field
Riparian Physical Habitat Assessment
Complete a physical habitat assessment and biological inventory to study the effect of stream bottom substrate on benthic macroinvertebrates.Setting: Field
First Come, First Served - Water Rights
Students will understand the basic tenants of Colorado water law and issues that surround how Colorado's "First in time, first in right" priority system works. Students will file for water rights and participate in a fun interactive activity. Setting: Classroom or Field
Snow Study
Explore the properties of snow through fun hands-on field exploration. Learn how to measure snow pack, snow water equivalent, and what causes avalanches to occur. Through interactive activities understand the connections between snow pack and water resources. Setting: Field
Riparian Ecosystem Study
Observe the intricacies of and inventory riparian organisms. Then compile these and other organisms into a riparian food web that depicts the complexity of the riparian ecosystem. Setting: Field
Riparian Health and Water Quality
Students will explore the concept of using physical, chemical, and biological parameters to test the riparian health and water quality of a local river or stream. Use many different types of field study equipment including field scopes, water chemistry kits, and other other measurement tools. Setting: Field
Down the Drain: Wastewater Plant Tour
Explore the world beyond the kitchen sink. We can coordinate with your local wastewater treatment facility for an eye-opening tour for your students. nbsp; We can also conduct pre-trip or post-trip lessons as necessary. Setting: Field Trip
The Dam Debate
Students research various view-points and role play during a lively, engaging debate on dams, wildlife, transbasin diversions or other relevant water issures. Setting: Classroom
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Schedule a Program
Call Sarah Johnson at 927-1290 or email sarah@roaringfork.org.
Water Pollution: EnviroScape Model
Donated by Carbondale Rotary and Rebekah Lodge
Groundwater Model
Pond Ecology
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