Vermont ONRCD develops Emriver curriculum for G4-6.

We're happy to learn from Larry Kasden that curriculum for our Emriver Em2 has been written in Vermont.

The 46-page lesson packet, aimed at grades 4-6, is used in a “River Roadshow,” a program run by the
Ottauquechee Natural Resources Conservation District (ONRCD) to bring to the community an appreciation of rivers and how they work. The Roadshow developed the lesson packet; Jennifer Guarino of Ecotone Education wrote it.

You can download the packet here.  The ONRCD encourages users to review the packet and offer suggestions for improvement and expansion.  The packet contains contact information.

We are thrilled to see our Emriver Em2 models used this way, and to see this well-done curriculum developed.

 From the packet:  "The lesson packet covers many aspects of river dynamics in a way that encourages observation, discussion, and experimentation. For example, students do simple activities with marbles to see the effects of meanders on speed and the relationship of speed and volume to force. They carry these activities to the stream table and easily note the relationship of river speed and volume to erosion and degradation. In short, rather than being told how streams work, they discover, on their own, the concept of Lane’s Balance, one of the primary principles of river dynamics. So while the topic of this lesson packet concerns rivers, the process is for students to learn to observe, question, form theories, test their theories, and formulate and apply their findings. 
ONRCD is grateful for the advice and assistance of Staci Pomeroy and Marie Lavesque Caduto of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation and Chris E. Smith of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for serving as scientific advisors. We are also grateful to Kathy Renfrew, Vermont Agency of Education, Jenny Hewitt, a teacher at the Pomfret School, Audrey Halpert, a teacher at the Albert Bridge School, and Jill Kurash and Karen White of Woodstock School whose years of experience insured that this packet would be valuable to classroom teachers. And finally, we thank Jennifer who has the talent to bring it all together."

Emriver Em2 in use by the ONRCD, photo courtesy of ONRCD.

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