Lesson Plans

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    Lesson Plans

    The following lesson plans are designed for formal and informal educators to instruct youth, grades K-12, about aquatic macroinvertebrates, water quality, and the water cycle. The lesson plans provide curricula, activities, presentations, and core alignments.

    Below, we also provided field trip ideas that align with these learning topics as well. Wings and Water is located in Davis County and NR Days is located in Cache County.

    Kids and streamside scienceStream Side Science

    The Stream Side Science curriculum is a set of lesson plans designed to teach watershed science to grade students K-12. The program is based on the manual "Bugs Don't Bug Me" for K-6, and "Stream Side Science" for 5-12. The curriculum is aligned to national and state core standards and highlights some STEM activities. 

    Aquatic Macroinvertebrates stonefiles

    These lesson plans, nicknamed "Bugs Don't Bug Me," are designed to teach students about the insects (aquaticmacroinvertebrates) that live in our rivers, streams, or lakes and what they can tell us about water quality.

    Water CycleWater Cycle

    The water cycle lessons include a variety of activities in which the students learn all about the movement, sources, vocabulary, parts and concepts of the water cycle. 

     

    Water PollutionWater pollution

    The water pollution lessons use ground water and surface water models to help students visualize how water moves through a watershed and better understand how water can become polluted. Student learn Best Management Practices to prevent pollution.

    stream trailer

    Stream Trailer Demonstrations

    The stream hydrology trailer is a hands-on educational tool that allows for participants to examine the natural movement of streams and rivers. For set-up instructions and simple demonstrations click above.

    Homemade Water PurifierWater purifier

    This lesson introduces students to the concept of water filtration and water borne diseases and help them become aware of drinking water safety. By building their own water filters, students will learn what water filtration is, how it works, and what it can and cannot effectively remove.

    Stormwater ActivitiesStormwater Activity Book

    This book provides information and activities relating to stormwater, including what you can do, mazes, puzzles and matching pages.

     

    Field Trip Opportunities:

    Students on boardwalk at Great Salt Lake Shorelands PreserveWings and Water: Wetlands Education Program

    USU's Water Quality Extension has teamed up with the USU Botanical Center and The Nature Conservancy to offer outdoor hands-on 4th-grade field trips. Students learn about wetland habitat, soil, plants and animals, adaptations, the water cycle, and conservation. Field trips are led by Naturalist Guides at the USU Botanical Center and The Nature Conservancy's Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve. 

    Field trips run in the fall and spring. To find out more information about this opportunity, please visit the Nature Conservancy's Wings and Water website.

    If you are interested in volunteering as a Naturalist Guide for this program, please contact Hope Braithwaite at hope.braithwaite@usu.edu or (435) 919-1324.

    Educator teaching students about aquatic macroinvertebratesNatural Resources Field Days

    Natural Resources Field Days is a program that provides fourth grade students from Logan and Cache County School Districts with hands-on educational experiences with a watershed focus. Students and their teachers spend the day at Guinevah-Malibu Campground on the Cache National Forest, rotating through four stations and learning about wildlife, soils, plants and water quality. Approximately 2,000-2,500 students participate each year!

    To learn more, please visit the Natural Resource Field Days website.

    Other Resources:

    Utah State Office of Education

    Utah Education Network

    Utah Society for Environmental Education