Education for Kids
Supporting kids to explore riparian areas can be a creative, hands-on, experiential learning opportunity.
Some Beneficial Management Practices for educating kids about Riparian Areas include:
Create opportunities for kids to ask questions and investigate riparian areas through hands-on experience
Understand the environmental issues within riparian areas
Facilitate ways for kids to take action and help improve riparian areas near their homes by joining a shoreline cleanup, planting project or shoreline restoration
Explain the seen and unseen systems at work within a riparian area (the human-environment interactions, the living and nonliving things in a riparian area and the functions and values of a riparian area)
Seek out environmental education programs from local organizations to attend with your students or kids.
Promote what you’ve learned: talk to a friend, neighbour, or share your experiences on social media using #ABWater
USEFUL RESOURCES
Resource Hub
Environmental education resources, that lists field trips & classroom programs, professional development & grants.
Teacher Resources
This poster and guide for teachers showcases science, technology, stewardship, innovation, and issues relating to watersheds. For students in grades 7-11.
Education resources
Ducks Unlimited Canada’s wetland education program offers free lesson plans, action projects and downloadable resources.
Citizen Science
AVAMP is a citizen science program that allows participants to learn about and conserve the amphibians in their communities by reporting frog, toad, and salamander observations.
Species ID
Learn to identify the fascinating critters that live in Alberta's wetlands and ponds!
Board game
This board game teaches children in grades 2-6 about the important links between fish, livestock, landscape, and healthy riparian areas.
Board game
A board game designed for children ages 7-12+. Help Moopher travel to the sea while learning about your place within the Saskatchewan River Basin and how your actions can influence the greater watershed.
Discovery Guide
Introduction to Alberta's wetland classifications and biodiversity, created for Alberta Science Network classroom presentations; includes facts, images and further resources.
School Contests
Kids can enter a contest to answer what they can do to improve their watershed. A chance for both the winning participants and their school to win money.
School Programs
This hands-on program allows students to learn through real-world science as they collect macro-invertebrates, measure water and land data and consider local environmental impacts.
Web resources
Learn about wetlands in Alberta. This website provides resources, stewardship ideas, conservation and protection information.
Story map resource
A story map of Calgary’s rivers, riparian areas and watershed protection. Tells the story of the creeks, streams and rivers that flow to and through the City of Calgary.
Interactive simulator
An interactive digital game to understand the process of sustainable planning to balance land-uses such as agriculture, oil and gas and forestry with ecological integrity