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Here you’ll find excellent resources for understanding and teaching watershed forestry. We have searched the web so you don’t have to! For additions or corrections, please contact Tyler Van Fleet, East of Hudson Forestry Program Coordinator at [email protected].

Start with the Watershed Forestry ESSENTIALS below for a collection of great resources that summarize the main themes of WAC’s watershed forestry education programs, including watershed form and function, the NYC Watershed and water supply system, and the role of healthy forests in protecting water quality.

WATERSHED FORESTRY ESSENTIALS
VIDEOS
PODCASTS
READINGS & HANDOUTS
CURRICULA
ACTIVITIES & LESSONS

– Water and Watersheds
– Fieldtrips and Virtual Tours
– Plants and Forests
– Trout

WEBSITES

– Mapping Your Local Watershed

FUNDING SOURCES

WATERSHED FORESTRY ESSENTIALS

1) PRESENTATION – Drink Your Trees: NYC Watershed Forestry Presentation
Source: Watershed Agricultural Council
In this 28-minute recorded Zoom presentation, Tyler Van Fleet from the Watershed Agricultural Council uses pictures, maps and inquiry to explain watersheds, the NYC Watershed, NYC water supply system, critical role of forests in filtering and protecting water quality, and how WAC works to keep water clean and communities thriving in the NYC Watershed.

2) READING – NYC Watershed Forestry Blog Series
Source: MyWoodlot.com
Written for middle-school readers and up, this 3-part series of short blogs introduces readers to fundamental concepts of watersheds (What is a Watershed & Why Should I Care), the NYC Watershed (The New York City Watershed Explained) and watershed forests (Woods Wash Water).

3) MAP – Google Earth Tour of the NYC Watershed
Source: Watershed Agricultural Council
Take a virtual journey from New York City through the NYC Watershed using Google Earth.  Zoom to different natural and built components of the world’s largest surface water supply system and learn about its history, engineering, and how people and nature work together to deliver clean drinking water to 10 million New Yorkers while supporting upstate communities.

4) WEBSITE – The Model Forest Story Map
Source: Watershed Agricultural Council
Discover how forests in the NYC Watershed protect water quality and provide other benefits through maps, images, video and text. This “story map” allows you to virtually visit 4 different Model Forest properties in the NYC Watershed that are managed as living classrooms to educate people about the connection between forests and NYC’s drinking water by demonstrating good forest stewardship, or the many ways people can responsibly use, enjoy and care for forests.

5) MAP – New York City’s Water Story: From Mountain Top to Tap
Source: NYC-DEP
Under Education Topics, scroll down to “New York City’s Water Story: From Mountain Top to Tap” to download this excellent educational map of NYC’s upstate drinking water watershed and water supply system to understand the natural and human-made components of NYC’s water story.  Use the accompanying Resource Guide for Teachers and Water Cycle Presentation to support your instruction.

6) NYC Water Virtual Tours
Source: NYC-DEP
Use this collection of online “story maps” to explore New York City’s water resources from mountain top to tap with the guide of NYC DEP staff interviews, in the field footage, interactive maps, and historical images. This resource includes detailed information on the following topics, with each including classroom activities & resources: NYC Watershed, NYC Sewer System, Wastewater

7) WEBSITE – How New York City Gets Its Water
Source: The New York Times
Seven cartoons depict the amazing journey water travels from upstate watersheds to city faucets in this online Explainer. Consider dividing the content among student groups to help guide further research into our world-famous, forest-filtered water supply.

8) READING- Water and Forests: The Role Trees Play in Water Quality
Source: Educational in Nature
Written for upper elementary-school readers and up, this 6-page, full-color handout includes information on the water cycle, trees as water filters, how watersheds function, definitions of key terms, diagrams, and student activities.

9) WEBSITE – NYC-H2O HUB virtual explorations of NYC’s water supply system
Source: NYC-H2O
The NYC-H2O HUB includes several interactive “story maps” that bring the operation and history of the NYC Watershed and water supply system to life through maps, images and text. The Water Systems Overview story map investigates where NYC’s water comes from while Building NYC’s Water System delves into the history of why and how the city looked upstate for a source of clean water. Also check out the High Bridge and the Jerome Park Reservoir story map for a deeper look into the history and engineering of the Croton System.

10) VIDEO – Living City: A Billion Gallons a Day
Source: The New York Times
This 6.5min video describes the NYC Watershed and water supply system through interviews, maps, historic photos, and beautiful video imagery. Topics include watershed history, engineering and technology, maintenance, and how NYC is renowned globally for its clean, forest-filtered urban water supply.

11) VIDEO – FreshwaterLIVE: A Distance Learning Adventure
Source: US Forest Service
Filmed in the Catskill Mountains in the NYC Watershed, the first 15min30sec of this video provides a thorough explanation of the NYC Watershed, including the importance of freshwater, watershed form and function, the role of trees in protecting water quality, and ways people can help take care of watersheds. More topics are explored in depth, including indicator species, waste water treatment, comparisons to other US watersheds, and more. Specific video clips can be viewed from the FreshWaterLIVE Clips playlist on YouTube. Find associated lesson plans on the FreshWaterLIVE website.

12) VIDEO – Nature Works: To Clean Water
Source: The Nature Conservancy
In this 4min video, learn what a watershed is and how the plants in a watershed work to filter water so it’s clean enough for us to drink. This video explores how watersheds help people and nature. It also shows students building a water garden to demonstrate the filtering power of a watershed.

13) VIDEO – Forests: The Stuff of Life
Source: The Nature Conservancy
In this 4min video, explore the beautiful forests of the northeastern U.S. and discover how forests keep water clean and plentiful for people and wildlife. Learn how healthy, well-managed forests can supply us with the forest products we depend on while also supporting clean water, air and wildlife habitat.

VIDEO

1) YouTube Playlists for Watershed Forestry Education
Source: Watershed Agricultural Council
Browse our growing collection of short videos related to NYC watershed forestry themes. Videos are organized into the following playlists:

• What is a Watershed?
• NYC water supply system
• NYC watershed stewardship
• Forests & clean water
• Forest ecology & management
• Timber harvesting & wood products
• Urban forests & green infrastructure
• Water conservation
• Watershed careers
• Water around the world

2) Deep Water: Building of NYC’s Catskill Water System
Source: Ashokan Center & Filmmaker Tobe Carey
This 21min video tells the story of the building of NYC’s Catskill water supply system during the early 1900s. Through historic photos and interviews, the video reveals the technology, engineering, labor, ecology and human sacrifices that make up the historic and world-renowned NYC water supply system. This video has been edited specifically for students and educational audiences. The original, 45min Deep Water film is available for purchase here. Download the Deep Water Teacher’s Guide here.

3) Forest Fast Breaks Videos
Source: Dovetail Partners
Choose from 17 different fun, factual, animated videos under 3-minutes each on a wide range of forestry topics, including: Water, Photosynthesis, Renewable Resources, Sustainability, Tree Biology, Urban Forests, Wood Products, Green Building, Forest Fire and more.

4) H2 Oh No!
Source: Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP)
This short (3 min) animated video is about Combined Sewer Overflow. It tells the story of water flowing through the watershed, to the city, and into people’s homes. Then a storm comes and fills up the combined wastewater and sewer system, causing water pollution and harming people and wildlife. Conservation strategies are explored to reduce the overall volume of water in the system, which can minimize these pollution events.

PODCASTS

1) Views from the Watershed (2021)
Source: WalkingtheWatershed.com
In this 14-episode podcast series, embark on an audio-tour of 10 Catskill sites that tell the story of the past, present, and future of NYC’s water supply in the Catskill region. The podcast dives into the complicated and controversial relationship between the Catskills and NYC and features people who care for, live in, and manage the watershed including a historian, a dairy farmer, an angler, a former DEP commissioner, a grave restorer, and a trail builder. Listen to the podcast tour here or find it on any podcast app.

2) The Story Behind New York City’s Water Supply (2019)
Source: WAMC Northeast Public Radio
In this 35-minute episode of A New York Minute in History, co-hosts Devin Lander and Don Wildman detail the early history of NYC’s Croton water supply system. Topics include why the city had to seek a source of clean water outside of the city, how the system was engineered and financed, the workers who constructed the dams and aqueducts, and how water from the Croton Watershed saved New York City and allowed it to be become the financial and cultural capital of the world.

3) Water episode with Adam Bosch (2019)
Source: From Scratch with Michael Ruhlman
In this Water episode of his cooking podcast, cookbook author Michael Ruhlman explores the topic of water with one chef and one non-chef, Adam Bosch, former Director of Public Affairs with NYC-Department of Environmental Protection.  Tune in from 19min40sec to 50min55sec, to hear Adam explain the NYC water supply system.  Topics covered include NYC water supply history (at 26min30sec, travel inside the Old Croton Aqueduct with Sarah Kelsey, Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct), water supply system maintenance, water treatment including chlorination and UV disinfection (35min25sec), watershed farm management (39min 20sec), watershed security measures (41min28sec), NYC water chemistry (42min48sec), and the array of NYC-DEP workers who keep the water supply system functioning (45min45sec).

4) NYC Water: An Engineering Marvel (2019)
Source: Stuff You Should Know
In this 51 minute episode, hosts Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant have a meandering and light-hearted discussion about the history, engineering, operation and reputation of the NYC water supply system and NYC tap water. 

5) The Cost of Our Water (2015)
Source: WNYC Public Radio
In this podcast series, WNYC reporters explore the NYC water supply system (from farms, streams and reservoirs to aqueducts, treatment facilities, and water towers) with a special focus on why water rates have been on the rise and the challenges that face the more than 150-year old system. Listen to the full length 57-minute The Cost of Our Water podcast or choose from the following themed clips:

• Your Water Comes from a Stream with No Name
• The Land NYC Doesn’t Want to Build on
• Call the Mega-Plumbers: The World’s Longest Pipe Needs Fixing
• You or Your Dishwasher, Who Uses Less Water? (topic: water conservation)
• Nearly 30 Years and $3.5 Billion Later, NYC Gets its First Filtration Plant
• Water Pressure: Why Your Shower Is an Affordable Housing Issue
• The Sound of Clean Water (topic: UV disinfection plant)
• Why You Shouldn’t Flush Your Toilet During Rain Storms
• If New York’s Water Is So Good, Do You Need a Brita?

READINGS & HANDOUTS

1) Working Trees for Water Quality
Source: National Agroforestry Center
This 6-page, full-color handout about watershed management techniques includes information on how different human activities cause pollution in a watershed and ways to live, farm and build on the land to keep the water clean. Suitable for middle-high school readers.

2) Healthy Watersheds Protection
Source: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
This site offers great basic information on what is a watershed, what makes a watershed healthy, why people need healthy watersheds and how they can be protected. Also check out the associated Benefits of Healthy Watersheds page from the EPA that addresses the ecological, economic, and physical and mental health benefits of healthy watersheds. Suitable for middle-high school readers.

3) Collection of Scientific Articles about Water
Source: Natural Inquirer: A Middle School Science Education Journal
Check out this page with links to all of the Natural Inquirer’s water-related articles. These are great resources for addressing Common Core Standards and English Language Arts with your science explorations! Options available for Pre-K through high school readers.

4) Northern Woodlands – Forest to Water Series
Source: Northern Woodlands Magazine
This special series of articles and infographics explores the rich array of connections between forests and water, with a focus on community-based efforts to support watershed health and climate change resiliency. Projects in the Penobscot, Androscoggin, and Connecticut River basins are featured as well as infographics and articles like Forest Trees: A Natural Water Filter, Forest to Water: A Connected Landscape, and Exploring the Intersection of Climate Change and Land-Use. Suitable for high school readers.

5) Newsela – Leveled News Articles
Source: Newsela
Each non-fiction article is offered at multiple reading levels so students can study the same content and learn at their own pace while teachers save time. Search for articles about science, arts & culture, and health or find text sets to meet different instructional needs, from reading level, to specific reading skills, to bilingual.

6) DOGO News
Source: DOGO Media
Online network engaging kids with digital media in a fun, safe and social environment. Search for news articles and book and movie reviews by and for kids. Filter by grade level, word count, and topic such as Science or Environment.

CURRICULA

1) Understanding NYC’s Water Story – A Curriculum Guide for the Classroom 
Source: NYC-DEP Education Office
This new curriculum guide provides K-8 students and educators with thematic units about the NYC water cycle. Aligned with the NYS Science Learning Standards and Amplify Curriculum for K-8 students, the units are based in STEM concepts and humanities subjects designed to foster interdisciplinary, hands-on learning. Each unit includes broad learning objectives, a “What You Should Know” section to inform educators, and lessons packed with activities for diverse audiences and settings. The NYC-DEP Education Office also provides free education programs and resources to pre-K through college students and educators. Check out the DEP’s Education’s Office offerings, resources, and programs here.

2) The Catskills: A Sense of Place (3-12th grades)
Source: The Catskills Center
This fantastic curriculum is made up of 6 modules listed below. Each module is divided into lessons also listed below. Each lesson includes multiple activities that are engaging, place-based and designed to help students explore and understand the natural and cultural dimensions of the Catskills and the NYC watershed region. At the end of each module, find a glossary of key terms and resource list, including books, teaching materials, websites, people, and places to visit.

1) Water Resources
– Introduction to Water
– Stream Watch
– Taking Care of Our Watershed
– New York City Watershed

2) Geography & Geology
– Introduction to Geology
– Introduction to Geography
– How do the Catskills Stand Out?Physical Geography of The Catskills

3) Ecosystems (This Module includes background information only. No activities)
– Biodiversity in the Catskills
– Organism Functions
– Ecosystem Functions
– Living in an Ecosystem

4) Human History (This Module includes background information only. No activities)
– Native People
– European Settlement
– Industry
– Hotels and Recreation

5) Culture & Arts
– Native Traditions
– Art and Literature of the Romantic Period
– Art Colonies
– Appreciating Folk Traditions
– Characteristics of Catskill Mountain Communities

6) Sustainable Catskills
– Sustainable Energy
– Sustainable Water Use
– Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry
– Sustainable Living and Shopping

3) Nature Lab (K-12th grades)
Source: The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy and its 550 scientists have created Nature Lab to help students learn the science behind how nature works for us and how we can help keep it running strong. Nature is the fantastic factory that makes the building blocks of all our lives—food, drinking water, the stuff we own, and the air we breathe. Check out their teaching guides on the following themes: Protect Land and Water, Build Healthy Cities, Tackle Climate Change, and Provide Food and Water Sustainably.  The following lessons relate directly to watershed forestry themes:

Grades K-5: How Water Works in your Garden, How Dirt Works, Gardens as Living Systems
Grades 6-8: How Natural Areas Filter Water, Seeing Wood for Trees: Sustainable Forestry
Grades 9-12: Finding your Flow: Watersheds, Urban Runoff: Stormwater Management, Biomimicry: Water Security

4) Protecting Our Water Resources: Student Activities for the Classroom (K-9th grades)
Source: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
This activity guide includes 11 water pollution lessons that help students understand the definition of water pollution using the basic principles of science and mathematics. The lessons are organized into 3 levels:

Level 1 Lessons (K-3rd grades)
– What is a Watershed?
– Create your Own Water Cycle
– Get the Dirt Out!

Level 2 Lessons (4-6th grades)
– Too Many Nutrients
– Pond Scum
– From Streets to Streams
– How Much Water Falls Here?

Level 3 Lessons (7-9th grades)
– The Effect of Turbidity on Light Penetration
– Septic Tanks
– Decaying Substances and Water Pollution
– Point vs. Nonpoint Source Pollution

5) Watershed Academy: Online Training in Watershed Topics (9-12^th grade & adult)
Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The Watershed Academy is the EPA’s Distance Learning Program. The website offers a variety of self-paced training modules that offer a basic and broad introduction to watershed topics. The modules are organized by 7 themes and are appropriate for high school students or adult learners. Modules can be viewed online or downloaded as PDFs and contain excellent diagrams, pictures, definitions and examples of key terms.

1) Healthy Aquatic Systems and Ecosystem Services
2) Watershed Ecology
3) Watershed Change
4) Analysis and Planning
5) Watershed Management Practices
6) Community and Society
7) Water Laws

6) Project Learning Tree (K-12th grades)
Source: American Forest Foundation
Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an award-winning environmental education program designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth. You must attend a training to receive full access to the activity guides. Attend WAC’s Watershed Forestry Institute for Teachers to receive training and the guide. Find out about other Project Learning Tree trainings through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

7) Project WET: Water Education for Teachers
Source: Project WET Foundation
The mission of Project WET is to reach children, parents, educators and communities of the world with water education. Some resources are free and available online, others are available for sale, including Project WET’s award-winning Curriculum and Activity Guide 2.0, and other Educator Guides full of activities about watersheds, water quality, floods and water conservation, plus maps, posters and more. Attend WAC’s Watershed Forestry Institute for Teachers to receive training and the guide. Find out about other Project WET trainings through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

ACTIVITIES AND LESSONS

TOPIC: Water and Watersheds

1) Activity: Water Footprint Calculator
Source: GRACE Communications Foundation
Use this excellent online tool (also available in Spanish) to figure out how much water your household uses, including direct and virtual water use. This interactive questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete. The website has great background information on different types of water use and tips on how to conserve water. Educational resources include lesson plans for middle and high school levels, links to articles, research and careers related to water, and a video about water conservation for K-5 students. 

2) Discover Water
Source: Project WET Water Education for Teacher
This fun and interactive website helps students explore many aspects of water, including the water cycle, watersheds, and water conservation through games, videos, quizzes and more. In the “Explore Watersheds” activity, discover the natural features of a watershed and how different human activities impact it. Type in your zip code for information about your local watershed. Watch a video of kids making a model of a watershed, quiz your knowledge, get tips on how to take action, and design and print your own eco posters or Field Notebook pages for student reflection.

3) Lesson: Crumple a Watershed
Source: Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Make a physical model of a watershed using basic materials.  The lesson includes background reading, extensions and visual instructions.

4) Discovering New York City’s Water Supply System
Source: NYCDEP
Students develop their systems thinking in this lesson that involves modelling the NYC water supply system by arranging and physically connecting cards that represent different natural and human-made elements. The interconnections between the water cycle and our human systems are explored as well as the design challenges associated with urban storm water and climate change. This lesson is part of the NYC-DEP’s Climate Change Education Module.

5) Model My Watershed – Runoff Simulation
Source: WiKiWatershed
This interactive animated online tool allows students to explore the connection between land cover types and the water cycle. Students select different land-types, precipitation rates and soil types and observe varying effects on infiltration, run-off, and evapotranspiration.

6) River Runner 
Source: Sam Learner 
This excellent, highly-visual tool provides students with the opportunity to see the journey of a single rain drop from where it falls on the land all the way to where it is discharged into the ocean. Students drop their rain drop anywhere on the map, including their own address, and watch its journey through the watershed unfold.

7) Activity: The Watershed Game (online game)
Source: Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center
In this interactive game, learn about different ways that humans impact their watershed and explore ways to help clean it up. When you click on different parts of the watershed map, you are presented with scenarios and asked to make choices about the best way to reduce environmental problems. Answer questions correctly to help clean-up the watershed!

8) Green Infrastructure Education Module
Source: NYC-DEP
Where does rainwater go? What happens to precipitation and runoff on NYC streets? How can we help understand and manage storm water runoff? Check out the DEP’s Green Infrastructure Education Module to discover interactive, multi-disciplinary, STEM lessons and activities that introduce students and educators to New York City’s hidden infrastructure and innovative green infrastructure techniques that help transport and manage our wastewater and storm water.

9) Give Water a Hand
Source: 4H
Use this excellent guide to help your students investigate water issues in your community and plan actions to help protect your water resources. Give Water a Hand activities are presented in two publications—the youth Action Guide for ages 9-14 (also available in Spanish) and the accompanying Leader Guidebook. These easy-to-follow, illustrated guides help youth organize and carry out effective action-oriented projects.

TOPIC: Fieldtrips and Virtual Tours

10) Explorable Places – Find Great Fieldtrips
Source: Explorable Places New website for New York City teachers and parents
Developed by a teacher, the Explorable Places website is designed to make finding high-quality, curriculum-boosting fieldtrips simple and easy. Search by subject, grade, activity, etc. or browse their interactive map. Check out their blog series for quick references to free, outdoor science, and short park fieldtrips, funding tips and more.

11) Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
Source: NYC DEP
Both the Visitor Center and the Waterfront Nature Walk at New York City’s largest Wastewater Treatment Plant are open for school visits. To schedule a Visitor Center field trip, fill out the form on the Visitor Center webpage detailing your goals. The walk is open to the public. For more information about NYC’s wastewater treatment facilities, see the handouts section.

12) Water Ecology & Engineering Tours for NYC Schools
Source: NYC-H2O
NYC-H2O offers free walking tours of NYC’s historic reservoirs in all 5 boroughs as well as virtual programming. Tour guides engage students in activities that explore NYC water, history, engineering and ecology. Fall and spring tours offered.

13) NYC-DEP’s RecMapper
Source: NYC Department of Environmental Protection
Use this online mapping tool to find protected NYC Watershed land that’s open to the public for recreation activities like fishing, hiking, hunting and more. Recreation opportunities have continued to increase as more properties are protected.

14) Take a Fieldtrip to the American Museum of Natural History to teach Watershed Forestry
Source: NYC Watershed Teachers and Watershed Agricultural Council
In January, 2015, teachers gathered at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC to develop teaching materials to help guide student discovery of watershed forestry themes in the museum’s permanent exhibits. As you plan your visit to the museum (free for NYC students!), review these Exhibit Guides for ideas about high-engagement activities for your students to complete before, during and after the fieldtrip.

New York State Environment Exhibit
North American Forests Exhibit
Hall of Biodiversity Exhibit
Hall of Planet Earth Exhibit

TOPIC: Plants and Forests

15) iTree MyTree – A tool for assessing individual trees
Source: USDA Forest Service
Tell this website about your tree and it will estimate the carbon dioxide and air pollution it removes plus storm water impacts. Enter the species and diameter at breast height (or circumference) of a tree and the calculator gives a detailed breakdown of the tree’s environmental benefits and financial savings provided.

16) Virtual Forest Initiative
Source: Black Rock Forest Consortium
Black Rock Forest Consortium and Columbia University developed this suite of web-based learning modules for undergraduates (topics: paleoecology,  plant physiological ecology, and forest sampling methods) and for grades 8-12 (topics: water chemistry and mammals and habitats). Modules allows students to investigate real data sets and do online graphing, data analysis and comparison.

17) Tree Rings Simulations
Source: UCAR Center for Science Education
Two online simulation activities help students understand what tree rings can tell us about climate conditions in the past. In the Tree Ring Simulation – Dendrochronology, adjust moisture and temperature variables to affect tree ring growth. In the Tree Rings and Climate Timeline Simulation, line up tree ring patterns from many sources to reveal temperatures in the past.

18) The NYC Street Tree Map
Source: NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
This online interactive map brings New York City’s urban forest to your fingertips. For the first time, you have access to information about every street tree in New York City. Learn about the trees that make up our city’s urban forest, understand the benefits of trees for water, air and carbon sequestration and see calculations for the ecological benefits of city trees, mark trees as favorites and share them with your friends, and record and share all of your caretaking and tree stewardship activities.

19) Activity: The Numbered Forest
Source: Green Teacher
Numbering trees in the schoolyard or in a nearby woodland opens the door to a variety of activities.

20) Activity: Tree Care Handbook
Source: The New York Restoration Project
Start caring for your local trees with the help of this clear and comprehensive guide for urban tree care that is appropriate for students. The guide covers the basics of tree anatomy, tree ID, tree threats and tree care in New York City.

21) Parts-to-Whole: Terrific Trees (Lesson Plan & Student Worksheet)
Source: Taura McMeekin, P.S. 164
In this lesson, students will act out the anatomy of a tree in order to understand the structure and function of the different parts of a tree. Try challenging students to summarize the different ways that water is used and transported by different tree parts. Connect these observations to watershed forestry, since it’s the function of trees that filters and cleans the water in a watershed.

TOPIC: Trout

22) Lesson Archive: Trout in the Classroom Online Lesson Archive
Source: Trout in the Classroom
Trout in the Classroom teachers have uploaded their favorite lessons related to the Trout in the Classroom experience. They are sorted on the site by the following topics: STEM learning, Visual and Language Arts, and Field Days and Activities.

23) Stream Macroinvertebrate Identification
Source: DCMO BOCES
At Macroinvertebrates.org, explore the digital Atlas of Common Freshwater Macroinvertebrates of Eastern North America and zoom in on incredibly detailed images of organisms to learn about their anatomy, classification, pollution tolerance and more.

WEBSITES

1) MyWoodlot.com Educator Starter Kits
Source: Watershed Agricultural Council
MyWoodlot.com helps you learn about and care for trees and woods. Check out the Educator Starter Kits for activities that will enhance your teaching in the classroom, schoolyard, art room, at camp or on a field trip. Activities include all the how-to info you need to complete them and are sorted into the following categories:
– Stewardship Projects
– Learn About Nature
– Nature Arts and Crafts
– Maps

2) WatershEducator
Source: Catskills Watershed Corporation (CWC)
This website contains resources and inspiration for teaching about the NYC water supply system and its upstate watershed. You’ll find information on learning models, careers, school programs, field trips, grants, maps and more.

3) NYC-DEP Environmental Education
Source: NYC-Department of Environmental Protection
This website contains information about NYC-DEP school programs, resources, events, contests, fieldtrips and education modules on the NYC Water Supply System, Green Infrastructure in NYC, The NYC Sewer System, Sounds and Noise in NYC, and Climate Change and NYC.

4) Watersheds, Flooding and Pollution
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA)
This rich website includes educational resources about watersheds for K-12th grade teachers. Check out the menu of resources in the left column. Resource categories include: 1. Multimedia; 2. Lessons & Activities; 3. Real World Data; 4. Background Information.

5) USGS Water Science School website
Source: U.S. Geological Service
This rich website offers information on many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, maps, and an interactive center where you can share opinions and test your water knowledge. Check out these watershed topics in particular: Surface Water, Groundwater, Water Quality and Water Use.

TOPIC: Mapping Your Local Watershed

6) How’s My Waterway
Source: US EPA
This site provides the general public with information about the condition of their local waters based on data that states, federal, tribal, local agencies and others have provided to EPA. Type in your zip code to access maps and data about your local watersheds and waterways, including info on water quality monitoring stations, swimming, eating fish, aquatic life, drinking water, and water quality protection. State and national data is also available. 

7) WaterWatch: Maps of Current Stream Flow, Drought and Floods by Region
Source: US Geological Survey
Search by region to see stream flow levels for today compared to average. The website creates clear maps ideal for temporal comparisons and water availability discussions.

FUNDING SOURCES

1) Watershed Forestry Field Trip Program
Source: Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC)
Apply for funding to visit the NYC watershed. Choose from 1 of 4 field trip options, including trips to environmental education centers, trout releases, Trees for Tribs tree planting trips and custom adult professional learning trips. Also consider participating in WAC’s Green Connections Program, which supports partnerships between upstate and downstate schools to explore collaboratively the waters, forests and people of the NYC Watershed.

2) Watershed Education Grants
Source: Catskills Watershed Corporation
The Catskills Watershed Corporation, in partnership with the NYC-DEP, provides Watershed Education Grants to schools, libraries, museums, vocational institutions and non-profit organizations in the West-of-Hudson (WOH) Watershed and in the five boroughs of New York City. The grants are targeted to Pre-Kindergarten-12th grade audiences and their teachers. Applications are accepted annually in the spring.

3) Connect Kids to Parks
Source: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Connect Kids is a field trip reimbursement grant program connecting New York school children with nature and NYS history. Connect Kids will refund up to $80 per student ($160 per Special Education student) for field trips to state and federal parks, forests, historic sites, fish hatcheries and outdoor recreation areas. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

4) Donors Choose for Public School Teachers
Source: Donors Choose
DonorsChoose.org is an online charity to help students in need. Public school teachers post classroom project requests on the site, and donors can give any amount to the projects that most inspire them. When a project reaches its funding goal, the materials get shipped to the school.