Missouri River Days Yearly Reflection
Reflecting on Our Largest Student Program
Missouri River Days is a half-day field trip on the Missouri River where 4th graders practice "thinking like a scientist" while participating in hands-on learning. This field trip is currently offered at Cooper's Landing Riverside Resort & Marina, in Columbia, MO and at Noren Access in Jefferson City, MO.
Check out this National Park Service video or KRCG-13's story to see Missouri River Days in action.
What Schools Attend the Program?
This program currently serves students from Columbia Public Schools (CPS), Southern Boone School District, Jefferson City School District, Boonville Schools, the Missouri School for the Deaf, and other local school groups. Field trips take place during the fall and spring semesters.
This program originated as a partnership between Missouri River Relief and the CPS Science Department.
River Experience
Students will receive a motorboat ride that incorporates spectacular views of the Missouri River all while learning about the channelization of the river.
Look Through the Eyes of Historical Explorers
Studying the observations and sketches from the scientific journals of Lewis and Clark, students will learn how to create a watercolor sketch of their own to bring home.
Meet a Fisheries Biologist
Students get up close and personal with the fish that call the Missouri River home as they meet some of the scientists that are helping the river's ecosystem.
Observation is a Skill
Using the cottonwood forest as our laboratory, students will make careful observations and ask questions to learn about the plants found in the Missouri River bottom.
Spring 2026
Across three days this spring, we welcomed students from Columbia Public Schools as well as, for the very first time, fourth graders from Boonville School District.
In total, 578 students got to know the Missouri River in an up-close and personal way. Spring storms and flooding caused some changes in our plans, but overall it was a great season of Missouri River Days!
Check out more photos from April 24th (Boonville), April 29th (CPS) and May 1st (CPS) on our Flickr page.
Fall 2025
Over seven days this fall, 1,505 students and 85 teachers joined us from across Mid-Missouri to experience the Missouri River firsthand.
This season marked the very first time all Jefferson City School District fourth graders participated in the Missouri River Days field trip! We also welcomed back Columbia Public Schools, Southern Boone School District, the Missouri School for the Deaf, and the Islamic School of Columbia.
Check out the pictures from Sept. 15th, Sept. 17th, Sept. 19th, Oct. 9th, Oct. 14th, Oct. 15th, and Oct. 17th on our Flickr page.
Spring 2025
Across four days this spring, we welcomed students from Columbia Public Schools along with first-time participants from the Islamic School of Columbia and Jefferson City's Thorpe Gordon STEM Academy.
In total, 846 students enjoyed boat rides, watercolor stations, floodplain hikes, and interactions with fisheries biologists while learning in ways that centered their own curiosity.
Check out the pictures from April 28th, April 30th, May 2nd, and May 8th on our Flickr page, and check out this Jefferson City News Tribune article about our first Missouri River Days in Jefferson City!
Fall 2024
Over four days in September, 863 students and 39 teachers joined us at Cooper's Landing in Columbia, MO to practice thinking like scientists by observing and asking questions about the Missouri River!
This season, we welcomed Southern Boone School District and the Missouri School for the Deaf to the Missouri River Days field trip for the very first time. Check out this great story from KOMU-8 News to hear more!
Check out the pictures from September 20th, September 24th, September 25th, and September 27th on our Flickr page.
Spring 2024
Over three days in April, 652 students and 35 teachers joined us at Cooper's Landing in Columbia, MO for an unforgettable Missouri River experience! Students practiced thinking like scientists by observing and asking questions throughout the day.
Whether it was a boat ride, watercolor painting, a floodplain hike, or meeting local fisheries biologists, these 4th graders brought their best Missouri River scientist skills.
Check out the pictures from April 22nd, April 23rd, and April 25th on our Flickr page!
Fall 2023
Over the course of three days in September, fourth graders from across Columbia headed to the Missouri River to think like scientists, create watercolor masterpieces, meet fisheries biologists, and get to know the flora and fauna of the river floodplain.
731 students and 34 teachers joined us on the river for this semester's Missouri River Days.
We had sunny, beautiful (and hot!) days together. Luckily, when students and teachers boarded Missouri River Relief boats, they were treated to some "River A/C" as they motored upstream.
Check out the pictures from September 25th, September 27th, and September 29th on our Flickr page!
Spring 2023
For three exciting days this April, 4th graders got to paint with artists, meet with fisheries biologists, walk the floodplain forests, and take a ride in a Missouri River Relief motorboat.
665 students alongside 31 teachers attended this semester's Missouri River Days and, for the first time in a while, did not need a rain poncho!
Kids were able to stretch their legs and expand their minds by learning how to think like scientists.
See pictures from April 24th, April 26th, or April 28th on our Flickr page!
Fall 2022
Missouri River Relief took 877 students and 41 teachers out onto the Missouri River across four days in the fall of 2022. This endeavor would not have been possible without a total of 91 volunteers and presenters who came down to the river to help. Together we created an unforgettable experience.
Rain or shine, students and teachers alike took this opportunity to connect with the river on a deeper level. The students met with fisheries biologists, went on a nature hike through the woods, and much more.
See photos from September 23rd, September 26th, September 28th, or September 30th on our Flickr page!
Spring 2022
During the Spring semester of 2022, Missouri River Relief undertook the task of taking out 1,329 students over the course of six days. The scale of this program was born from the desire to share this experience with as many classes as possible following the cancellation of prior years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students and teachers boarded Missouri River Relief boats for a field trip like no other. Along the river banks, students visited live fish and painted scenic views of the Missouri River landscape.
See pictures from April 25th, April 27th, May 2nd, May 3rd, May 4th, or May 6th on our Flickr page!
Spring 2021
Missouri River Relief presented virtual Missouri River Days for 1400 students and 60 teachers across 4 virtual learning sessions. This was made possible with the help of guest presenters Kory Kaufman, Melanie Knocke, and Anna Miller, who graciously offered their time and teaching expertise to about half of these registered classes.
While we couldn't take the students to the river this year, remote learning allowed us to bring the excitement of the Missouri River to their classrooms.
Read more about this year's program here!
Education in 2020
School closures and distance learning during 2020 changed what we could do for the year. Missouri River Days was cancelled, but we still held 32 education events that reached a total of 572 students.
"Exploring the Big Muddy: A Virtual Field Trip" was viewed over 500 times. The virtual field trip took an interdisciplinary look into the historic, scientific, and social contexts of the Missouri River.
Check out our Flickr albums from that year: 2020 July: Watershed Expeditions at Home, 2020 Education Programs, 2020 Virtual Learning
Fall 2019
Over two days in the fall semester of 2019, 425 students and their 22 teachers came to Cooper's Landing to enjoy Missouri River Days.
Through different stations, students and teachers experience place-based learning about the longest river in North America, the Missouri River.
See pictures from August 26th, or August 28 on our Flickr page!
Spring 2019
During the Spring 2019 semester, Missouri River Relief took 940 students and 142 teachers out over four days. This program was made possible with the help of 54 volunteers.
Students and teachers got to spend time on the river, learning about its history, environment, and biology.
See pictures from April 19th, April 22th, April 24th, or April 26th on our Flickr page!
Fall 2018
During the fall of 2018, Missouri River Relief took 450 students and 34 teachers out over four days. This program was made possible with the help of 43 volunteers.
Students and teachers explored Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area and the Missouri River. They learned to make observations and ask questions on the river, talked to a fisheries biologist, explored the environment on a hike, and painted the river the way Lewis and Clark did.
See pictures from August 27th, or August 29th on our Flickr page!
Spring 2018
During the Spring of 2018, Missouri River Relief took 650 students and 48 teachers over three days. This program was made possible with the help of 42 volunteers.
These field trips completed our first school year of taking out the entire fourth grade at Columbia Public Schools to explore the Big Muddy.
See pictures from April 17th, April 18th, or April 20th on our Flickr page!
Fall 2017
The fall of 2017 was the start of getting all of Columbia Public Schools' 4th graders out on the river. In three days, 605 students and 54 teachers came out and saw the Missouri River with us. We couldn't have done it without the 57 volunteers who helped make this program happen.
Through place-based learning, those students and teachers learned about the Missouri River's history, biology, and surrounding ecology.
See pictures from August 28th, August 30th, or September 1st on our Flickr page!
Thank you to our Partners and Sponsors
This program is made possible by a grant from the National Park Foundation through generous support of partners including Union Pacific Railroad and donors across the country. We would also like to thank Veteran's United Foundation. This program is also made possible by funding from the Lewis and Clark Trail Alliance and the David A. Fleming Family Foundation. Thank you to our friends at Cooper's Landing Campground & Marina.
We'd like to thank Missouri American Water and the Missouri American Water Charitable Fund for sponsoring Missouri River Days in Jefferson City.
