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For Teachers

Educational Resources

These resources developed by the KICP and other organizations can be used to teach students about watersheds, water quality, and stormwater. All educators are welcome to our web resources! Parents, teachers, and other youth group leaders will find fun activities to encourage learning at home, in the classroom, and outdoors.

KICP Resources

For teachers in the Boulder St. Vrain Watershed:

KICP Explore Your Watershed Activity Guide –  Bilingual English/Español

 

For teachers in any watershed:

KICP General Explore Your Watershed Activity Guide – Bilingual English/Español

Additional Resources

Educational Programs

Bring water to life today with fun and fascinating FREE classroom programs and field activities for schools, scouts, and other community groups. All programs are provided for free in participating KICP communities as availability and scheduling allows.

Outdoor Field Trip Program with Thorne Nature Experience

2nd Grade Field Trip ProgramA group of young students gather around a teacher and look at a handout with images of aquatic insects..

During the field trip, the class is broken into smaller groups of 10 to 15 students which rotate amongst various sites to discover through scientific investigations and hands-on explorations what makes good habitat for plants, animals, and humans. Students use their observation skills and field guides to learn about native Colorado flora and fauna and compare and contrast the adaptations of organisms living in wetland and grassland habitats. By observing the diversity of life, collecting data on abiotic conditions, and examining human impacts to the landscape, students are able to make a hypothesis about the health of the habitat at each site they visit.

This program is delivered by Thorne Nature Experience and meets Colorado State Standards. Visit Thorne Nature Experience for more information on how to sign up for a 2nd Grade Field Trip Program. Availability is limited due to popularity of this program.

Indoor Classroom Program with Eco-Cycle

Rain, Rain Program for Grades K-5A group of smiling students stand around a watershed model, looking up at the camera.

Gather around an interactive model to discover the journey rain takes in an urban environment. Students discover how people impact waterways in an urban environment. They observe how water pollution occurs, identify typical urban contaminants, and understand their part in preventing stormwater pollution. This program takes place in the classroom and lasts for 45-60 minutes.

This program is delivered by Eco-Cycle and meets Colorado State Standards.  To sign up contact Alycia Bouyounan at 303-444-6634 ext. 124 or [email protected]. Availability is limited due to popularity of this program.

Water Quality Presentation with KICP

Email Cristina at [email protected] to schedule a presentation for your class, scout troop, or youth group.

A Watershed is a Community – K-5th Grade

With a watershed model and map of the Boulder St. Vrain Watershed students will learn what a watershed is, how stormwater pollution occurs, and how everyone can do their part to keep our waterways clean. Presentations last 1 hour and are best suited for grades K-5.

Water Quality in the Boulder St. Vrain – 6-12th Grade

Designed for older students with a basic understanding of watersheds and water quality, KICP staff will deliver a presentation that discusses the basics of water quality and explores trends our collaborative monitoring program has observed in the Boulder St. Vrain Watershed. Presentations last 1 hour and are best suited for grades 6-12.

An instructor from Thorne teaches students about aquatic insects.
Students on a boardwalk use thermometers to take the temperature of the water.
An Eco-Cycle instructor uses a watershed model to show how watersheds function.
A student uses a net to search for macroinvertebrates in the creek.