During the final week of October, thirteen Kansas City area teachers and two administrators departed from Riverfront Park for a 3-hour “Integrating Water Quality Education into Your Classroom” workshop. Teachers and administrators arrived to the Riverfront Park boatramp at 9:00am on October 26th.
Once they were fitted for lifejackets and properly dressed for the chilly weather, the boat was off and traveling up and down the Missouri River before making its way to Kaw Point Park.
Everyone onboard was served Chicken N Pickle for lunch at Kaw Point Park before returning to the Lucia and finishing up the workshop on their way back to Riverfront Park. Teachers were able to experience a hands-on exploration of how local water quality issues impact both the Missouri and Kansas rivers.
By the end of the workshop, teachers gained new tools to bring back to their classrooms as well as a new understanding of how to connect their curriculum to their students’ own watershed. Much of the workshop time was dedicated to allowing teachers the time to work out what aspects of water quality education would have the greatest impact on their students.
Educator Water Quality Workshops are place-based and tailored to the location of the event. Workshops include a tour of the Missouri River by boat with lessons led by a knowledgeable member of staff.
Attendees are encouraged to bring up their own concerns and questions about river water quality in their local watershed.
