Home-School Projects: Watersheds

Watershed projects can be as simple as identifying macroinvertebrates in a creek to long-term projects.   Let's say, you got your nerve up and coordinated a stream assessment with your Co-op.  No one seemed repulsed by your ignorance of the subject.  The kids had a ball looking for critters in the creek.  You even explained that some critters meant the creek was clean and others like worms indicated that the creek trip was over.  Head for the van!  Would you like another idea for similar projects?  See if you like this activity simulating a watershed.   Want one more idea?  The Incredible Journey takes more of an investment of your time.  It's good for a co-op group.  I made up a set and keep it in a bin to use for camps, classes, or workshops.  The Incredibke Journey is from a program called Project  WET.  (Project Wet workshops are free and worthwhile.  Call the local conservation district to locate a trainer.)  The Incredible Journey has kids become a drop of water, a blue bead on a piece of string or a pipe cleaner.  I use colored beads for each rotating station: clouds, glaciers, soil, etc.  print the dice and the signs, cloud,mglaciers, soil, etc.  Gather a dozen different colored beads and place them in yogurt containers with lids.  In a room, you tape the images around the room and place the cups of beads and paper dice below each image.  The kids become a drop of water.  Separate the kids to different images arounfpd the room.  They move to other stations according to the dice.  At each station, they put a bead on the pipe cleaner to remember where the drop of water has traveled.  Kids of all ages like this activity.  I had older kids assemble the dice, sort beads, and read over the directions.  After the kids go through the Journey, ask them to explain where the drop of water traveled.  Were they stuck anywhere?  Where did the water drop spend the most time?  When you scout for beads, you might want to get the foam animal beads for the animal station.  This may not seem like a project; if you get older kids involved making up this kit and do it at your Co-op, it will take on more of the qualities of a project.  The older kids may want to lead the activity with younger kids.  Watch out!  If you keep this up, the kids will be doing outreach programs!