Are your students driven by experiential learning? Spark their inquiry by monitoring a local pond, creek or river near your school with Riverwatch. This program is a great way to develop hands-on science skills and increase understanding of local water quality issues.
FortWhyte Alive offers teacher workshops and school outreach programs using a water monitoring protocol called Riverwatch, made popular in southern Manitoba through the South Central Eco Institute.
Upcoming Events
Stay tuned for opportunities.
A Riverwatch PD workshop will be offered to new teachers in April 2019, ahead of spring sampling season.
Urban Riverwatch Manual and Sampling Protocols
NEW: Riverwatch Winnipeg Student Data Report to October 2018
Need more info?
Contact Katrina Froese, Education Program Coordinator
Email: kfroese@fortwhyte.org or call 204-989-8355 ext. 203.
Outreach Programs: Riverwatch Spring 2019 Bookings Open!
Note that all teachers must attend a professional development workshop before booking with a student group.
Our Riverwatch Coordinator will assist you in choosing a monitoring site, and meet your group onsite to complete a monitoring session using the Riverwatch Kit full of scientific equipment. Students will measure water transparency, complete a variety of water chemistry tests, and investigate aquatic invertebrates and other biodiversity. .
Dates: September 10 – November 2, April 15 – June 21
Program Fee: FREE - funding provided by RBC Foundation
Equipment rental only**: FREE - funding provided by RBC Foundation
Minimum: 4 students
Maximum: 25 students
Length: 2 hours
**Terms and conditions apply, available only to teachers who have participated in previous Riverwatch sessions with the Coordinator.
Contact Katrina Froese, Education Program Coordinator with 3 date options to begin your booking process.
Email: kfroese@fortwhyte.org or call 204-989-8355 ext. 203.
Rural teachers: please contact Kent Lewarne, klewarne@prspirit.org, of South Central Eco Institute for information about Riverwatch sessions in your area.
How to Get Involved
1. Attend a professional development workshop. Teacher workshops will be provided twice annually at FortWhyte Alive. Schools must have a representative teacher attend a workshop before making a booking with a student group.
2. Book your Riverwatch kit experience. Our Riverwatch Coordinator will assist you in choosing a monitoring site, and meet your group onsite to complete a monitoring session using the Riverwatch Kit full of scientific equipment. Students will measure water transparency, complete a variety of water chemistry tests, and investigate aquatic invertebrates and other biodiversity.
3. Get involved with other water related programming options. There are a number of ways to get involved depending on your level of experience, time commitment, student learning goals, and grade and course focus.
- Outdoor Educator: These teacher professional development workshops, provided free with funding from Manitoba Education, will help you become more comfortable with teaching outdoors, and can help you to take an outdoor classroom project to the next level.
- FortWhyte Alive School Programs: Expand the learning with a guided school program.
- FortWhyte Alive Hands-On Science Days: FortWhyte brings in scientists and experts to lead a full day of educational, hands-on workshops for high school students throughout the year. Arctic Science Day in March, Dig It Soil Science Day in May, and Freshwater Ecology Day in September are great low-cost ways to connect your students with current knowledge and field research methods. Contact kfroese@fortwhyte.org to be added to our mailing list.
- Slow the Flow Leak Detector Challenge: This simple in-school water audit for all grades occurs in October and March. Students can check school facilities for drips and leaks, submit their findings to the school principal or maintenance, and receive water conservation themed prizes from FortWhyte Alive.
2018 Project Funder! Thank you!
Weblinks
South Central Eco Institute: Kent Lewarne of Prairie Spirit School Division developed the Riverwatch program in Southern Manitoba’s rural schools in collaboration with the Manitoba Conservation Districts. The SCEI Handbook is the source of the Winnipeg protocol. All Winnipeg data collected will be uploaded to the SCEI database to contribute to growing knowledge about water quality across Manitoba.
Lake Winnipeg Foundation: Participating schools have the opportunity to collect water samples for phosphorus testing in a professional lab. Students can contribute to a better scientific understanding on water quality in tributaries to the Red River & Lake Winnipeg.
Oak Hammock Marsh’s River Watch Program
Lake Winnipeg Basin Information Network
Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium: Lake Ecology Field Program Onboard MV Namao
Manitoba Eco-Network's Water Caucus
Canadian Geographic: OPEN Water
Manitoba Sustainable Development: Fisheries Branch: Stop Aquatic Invasive Species