Virtual River Ecology and Geography Course

Western Rivers Ecology and Geography

Instructor: Sarah R. Johnson MAEd
ENVS 510, 2 Credits, $340
Virtual Hybrid Course
Course date: June 9-29, 2020​*
course materials available June 8 - August 1, 2020
Audience: 3rd -10th grade Educators
​Register at Western Colorado University

Learn how to utilize rivers and riparian habitat as the context to meet the Colorado 2020 Science standards (NGSS) through observations, explorations, discussions, and journaling to create three-dimensional, phenomenon and problem-driven science learning experiences. During this hybrid course, participants will explore the three major components of a river ecosystem: aquatic life, water quality, and riparian habitat as well as watershed geography. Interdisciplinary experiences include self-directed field explorations at your home, engaging with free data visualization tools and labs, and mapping explorations. Curriculum resources will be shared from BEETLES, Aquatic WILD, Project WET, Population Education, NASA's GLOBE Observer, Library of Congress teaching tools, and Denver Water’s Water Education Resource Guide. Participants will also create an online Google My Maps streamside field trip asset map for their school using tools from Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots curriculum.

***  This course is not exactly 'at your own pace on your own'. There will be specific assignment deadlines, synchronous online meetings/classes, and lots of asynchronous on-your-own activities/readings. We're going to wait*** to decide on the virtual meeting times to get input from registered participants so we can find a time that works best for most. We'll be starting with a virtual meeting on the first day of the course, June 9, 2020 at a specific time that has not yet been set. Thanks for your patience as we switch from offering two Western Rivers regular in-person field trip courses to one  combined hybrid virtual version in light of Covid-19. Let me know what other questions you may have. 

*** Course Live Zoom meeting times: Tuesday/Thursday 8am-10am MST, June 9-25, 2020. 

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