Hands in the River
A Classrooms Unleashed Program
for Fifth Grade Students
This program takes students through a hands-on investigation of their local watershed; discovering what a watershed is, how water moves through it, and how we can keep it healthy. In the field, students will collect data to analyze the health of their local watershed. In addition to a field study at a local natural area, Sierra Nevada Journeys educators lead in-classroom lessons.
All of our lessons are backward designed from Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core for fifth grade. In addition to the Sierra Nevada Journeys-led lessons, classroom teachers will be provided with 3-4 easy-to-use learning experiences to reinforce concepts and vocabulary.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Classroom Lesson: WATERSHED MODELS and pollution
Students work collaboratively to build a model of a watershed, explore the dynamics of their local watershed system, and begin to make sense of how humans impact our watershed.
Also, they will explore different ways humans affect their watershed and analyze data to assess the health of their local watershed. Students discover the function of their schoolyard storm drains, how they connect to the watershed, and brainstorm ways to better protect their watershed resources.
OUTDOORS at a Local Nature Area: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS IN THE FIELD
This field study is held at a beautiful natural area and has students exploring, assessing, and collecting data about the health of their watershed. Students explore and share observations of the river, collect macroinvertebrate species for study, and discuss how we can use our data to assess the health of the watershed.
TEACHER INFORMATION
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS
5-ESS2-1: DCI: 5-ESS2.A, 5-ESS3.C, SEP: Develop and Use Models,
CC: Systems and System Models
COMMON CORE
ELA: RI.5.9, W 5.9
Nevada "Hands in the River" Flier
Thank you to Nevada Department of Environmental Protection for supporting
Nevada fifth graders and Hands in the River program.