Education in the Mystic
EXPLORE THINK LEARN CONNECT
Education Programs for School and Youth Groups
Explore STEM concepts in the classroom, school yard or local green space
Think about the local environment and how humans impact ecosystem health
Learn about water quality, biodiversity and climate resilience
Connect ecological concepts to the Mystic River and watershed
Our programs lead students to discover attributes of their local ecosystem thorough watershed educational programming focused on water, local biodiversity, and the intersection of people and natural systems. We connect classroom science content to place-based, real-world ecological issues right outside the door.
Mystic River programs offer a flexible format, taking place outside in-person on school grounds or nearby park, in the classroom as possible, or over virtual platforms. Complete the education request form here or e-mail Natalia.Bayona@mysticriver.org to discuss your program needs.
Check out what some of our past participants have said:
“…The students absolutely loved getting some hands-on experience between looking at zooplankton under the microscopes to learning about different species and getting to feel their skulls and fur. They also loved (the) station with questions, and especially the fish counting stamp activity! … We look forward to having you back again next year.” - 5th grade teacher
“…thank you for all that you did for my class this year. Having an expert like you helped to bring (the curriculum) Global Scholars to life for my students. I very much look forward to connecting with you next year!” - 7th grade teacher
“I can't thank you enough for putting together such a great presentation! You had great primary source information in the maps and photos being used.” - 4th grade teacher
Contact our educator to discuss program details. Below outline some of the program highlights.
Explore Topics
Credit: Chelsea Public Schools
River Herring - An Amazing Local Wildlife Story
Each spring an invisible migration happens on rivers in New England. Discover the story of river herring on the Mystic River. Learn about their interesting life-cycle and the ecological importance of Alewife and Blueback river herring. Participate in our community science initiative that has helped to document this amazing wildlife story and help scientists to better understand fish populations. An in-class session introduces students to river herring migration, brief history of human use of the river, ecological importance of river herring, and water quality. A second field-based session expands on the in-class themes. Find out about the herring migration on the Mystic here.
Credit: MyRWA
Stormwater - Threat to Clean Water
What are storm drains? They are seen almost everywhere, but most people don’t know much about them. Stormwater pollution is the biggest single source of pollution in our waterways today. Water running into storm drains does not flow into sewage treatment facilities or get filtered in any way, it drains directly into rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. Through this interactive program students discover what stormwater is, how it can be managed, how nature handles stormwater, and how people can help reduce stormwater pollution.
Credit: Leann Fan
Climate – What Change Means in Our Watershed
This local look at climate change examines excessive heat, heavy rain and flooding within the Mystic River watershed. Understand how climate conditions impact your community. Climate stories of water quality, heat islands, flooding and critical infrastructure are the focus. How are natural systems and human infrastructure strained? What are people in our watershed doing to minimize the impact?
Student actions can include - gathering temperature data, examining flood maps, or conducting neighborhood or schoolyard tree inventory.
Credit: Andy Hrycyna
Open Space, Biodiversity and Nature Along the River
Connect to the River, parklands and open space and discover wildlife in your part of the Mystic. The Mystic River and watershed are ecological resources for people and for wildlife. You might not know about the wide variety of plant and animal life found our watershed and the ecological importance this is to clean water, healthy ecosystems, and humanity.
Credit: Mike Peterson
Pollution, People, and Environmental Justice
Everyone needs a healthy environment, but that is not always happening. Explore complex issues related to modern life and social and environmental justice within our watershed and beyond.
Fish can be polluted, too. Find out more on our fish advisory page. Access curriculum resources here
Credit: Chelsea Public Schools
Clean Water - Important to All Life
What is clean water? How do you know if water is clean? Students conduct water quality tests, compare and analyze results with existing data over time, and learn about potential sources of water pollution. Explore how human activity (both current and past) impacts water quality.
More about plants and animals found in the watershed here.
Out of the Box – Custom Programs
Our programs can revolve around your specific curriculum needs. If you have an idea for programming that falls under one of the general programs above, but needs additional elements to achieve learning goals, let’s talk! We are creative problem solvers and eager to pull together a program that meets specific needs. See here for info about one program that began with stormwater pollution and lead to a design challenge.
Credit: Wilderness Inquiry
Canoemobile
This “floating classroom” brings students out on local waterways in 10-person, 24-foot Voyageur canoes to learn about science, history, geography, and culture. The program has both on water as well as on land content.
This program is a collaboration between The Mystic River Watershed Association, the US Forest Service, and Wilderness Inquiry as part of the Urban Waters Federal partnership.
