Biodiversity in watersheds

Biodiversity is a hot buzzword in science, but what does it really mean? Learn the varying definitions, and how they change the results. Why is it important to track biodiversity? Why is California listed as one of the nine biodiversity "hotspots" of the world? This presentation can focus on streams and/or forest biodiversity.

Erosion- Impacts and solutions

News reports show houses falling into rivers and mudslides washing out city blocks. Erosion caused the Dust Bowl and founded the need for an entire federal government agency (NRCS). What causes erosion? What impacts may it have on ecosystems, and human systems? Is all erosion bad? What can we do about it?

Floods

Water is life, but you can have too much of a good thing! Floods happen every year in California, with some devastating financial consequences. Ironically, thousands of plant and animal species depend on these annual floods and many cannot survive without them. Why do floods happen, who needs them, and what have humans done to alter (and sometimes worsen) them? How can we live with floods and use them for our benefit? This talk is full of great photos of raging rapids from across the west.

Forest ecology and cycles

Forests once covered most of Europe and North America, and presently cover most of the headwaters of the Pit River in the Warner Mountains. The forest provides a healthy start for our river. This talk focuses on how there is a lot more to a forest than just the trees. Plants, animals, fungi, food webs and physical components such as light, water and nutrients are covered with grade specific levels of detail.

Habitats in forest/stream systems

Food, water, shelter and a place for offspring, create the framework for a habitat. What habitats may be found in the Pit River watershed and who uses them? We will travel from the forested headwaters of the Warner Mountains, to the wetlands of the wildlife refuge, to the confluence of the Fall and Pit Rivers, all from the comfort of your classroom, to look at how plants and animals find and make their dream home.

Human impacts on stream, grassland and/or forest systems

For thousands of years, humans have had an impact on their natural surroundings. How do humans fit into grassland, stream and forest ecological cycles, how have we altered those cycles in Northern California in the past 300 years, and why? This talk can be divided, if desired, to focus on the issues for only one or two of the ecosystem types.

Invasive species – What's the big deal/how can I help?

Spotted knapweed, yellow-star thistle, European starling, and cheat grass. They're enough to make a person shudder. Where do they come from? Why are they so bad? How do I get rid of them?

Life cycles

All life begins and ends, and does some stuff in the middle. Easier said than done! This talk explores the many different ways to go through a life cycle, and the critters (worms, insects, fish, reptiles, birds, mammals) that live them. Time permitting, it can also cover how plants and mushrooms go through their lifecycles and make life easier for the following generation.

Or would you rather be a fish?

Get a different perspective of the Pit River. Get a fish-eye view of life and struggles to make it as a "big fish" in a small stream. Also, meet the other players in a stream system along the way. A fun and slightly different view of our own backyard.

Local food webs

How do local plant and animal species interact to survive? Where do nutrients come from and where do they go? Who really is at the top in our ecosystem food chain? It might not be whom you think.

Pollution and solutions

Pollution is a hot topic in the news, and in science. Streams can suffer from a wide range of pollutants from heavy metals to high temperatures. How do these affect stream health? Learn about the ingenious methods scientists use to detect water pollution and stream health, as well as some solutions available to everyone.

Riparian ecology

Most species in our watershed depend on the river in one way or another, yet don't live in the stream all the time. The "riparian" zone is the area next to the stream that relies heavily on the stream, but isn't actually in the stream itself. Species found in this area include otters, willows, frogs, aspen and sedges. This area, along with wetlands, is the most threatened habitat in California, yet contains most of the biodiversity associated with streams. This presentation focuses on the ecology of riparian plants and animals.

Stream ecology

Streams link adjacent ecosystems, and connect landscapes. Our own Pit River is a great example as it travels from Goose Lake and the forested Warner mountains, through sage covered rangeland and grassy marshes, back to forest again near Burney. Although the same water may travel down stream, the life that inhabits it greatly changes as the stream grows. This presentation focuses on the in-stream life of the Pit River and other rivers like it as they transform from small creek to deep river. (Better for grades 2-3)

Time Traveler

Travel back in time on the Pit River and see who lived here before you and me! This presentation starts with present day and goes back in time stopping to look at ice age, and early pre-historic life including plants and animals. You might not recognize what your back yard looked like 5 million years ago! This talk includes information on climate change, geology (Volcanoes!), food webs, and ecology.

Water cycle

Where does water come from? Where does it go and how does it get there? Photography enhances this presentation of the processes that give us rain, snow, fog, rivers and the oceans.

Hands on activities in the classroom

A stream close up

Very small and microscopic life from the Pit River. Hand lenses and scientific grade microscopes come to your classroom to examine what lives hidden in the water.

Classroom water meter

Each student creates their own water meter which then can be added up each day to track how much water your class uses in a week. An eye opening exercise in how much water it takes to do daily tasks. Prompts discussion on where water use can be conserved. Also teaches about data recording and applied basic mathematics. Great as a pre-cursor for the web or water-users activity.

Density

Hands-on play with water. See how adding salt, heating or cooling changes the density of water. Watch how ice floats. Learn about making a hypothesis and experiments.

Food Web

Interactive (and very active) food web games for students to learn about the food webs and critters involved in their area.

Global climates and their influence on lifestyles

A Project Wet activity. Students analyze and plot global temperature and precipitation to determine climate patterns and how they influence human lifestyles. Compare climate and population densities, and match to stories about typical mornings for students from around the world.

Habitats

What are habitats? Where are habitats? A walk-and-talk exploration of where plants and animals make their living in our neighborhoods.

How much water in a human body?

Younger students can explore fractions while learning about water in the human body. Older students can calculate the percentage of water in their own bodies. A reminder why we need to drink water every day and how important water if to life everywhere!

H2O Olympics

Celebrate the winter games in your classroom with a series of "events" that display the properties of water. Race water along a string, or "self-powered" boats among other activities. Who will win the gold?!?

Invasive species round-up

Students identify invasive species on school grounds. Get stamped for each new species found. Team with most identified species wins the Weed Wrangler award.

It looks like water, but is it?

From Project Wet, the activity "Is there water on Zork?" allows students to use analysis skills to explore the nature of liquid samples returned from planet Zork. Also emphasizes the scientific method, and problem solving. Great for 5th-6th graders.

Life cycles

Fish: A fish tank will come to your classroom for 1 month to watch baby guppies be born and grow. Guided lesson book available as a companion to the tank.

Plant: Each student receives a pine seed to plant in the classroom and watch grow. Tree seedlings are then cared for by the river center staff till they are big enough to plant in a restoration project. Pot, soil and seed are provided by the River Center.

Mycology

Learn about the fabulous and under-represented world of mushrooms! We wouldn't survive without them, but they are one of the least talked about kingdoms in science classes. Learn hands-on about the different types of fungi, how they live and reproduce. Make beautiful spore prints from our samples. Must have several weeks notice to prepare samples.

Native plants

Samples of native plants come to the classroom. Students learn how plants are identified, and ordered in science. Plant native seed/plants for use in our future restoration projects.

Salmon Scents

How do salmon find their way back to the stream where they were born? A get up and walk around exercise in salmon navigation methods.

Web of water users

Explore who needs water and how those needs add up in our community. From farmers to city hall to lumber mills, students create a tangled web of water uses. Particularly useful for understanding the different sides of water use conflicts such as in the Klamath Basin. Sciences to conflict resolution courses. Could be adapted to explore "water wars" in US History. Great as a follow-up for the classroom water meter activity.