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Missouri River Scientists Traveling Trunk

Missouri River Scientists (formerly Missouri River All-Stars) brings a place-based curriculum about the Missouri River to your classroom.

This educational traveling trunk program provides classroom teachers, scout leaders, homeschool groups, and families with the lesson plans and materials to explore the management of the endangered Pallid Sturgeon in a very real and engaging way.

  • 4 Easy to Use Lesson Plans and All the Material Included
  • Grade Level: 4th Grade and Above
  • Focus: Recovery and Management of the Endangered Pallid Sturgeon
  • Aligned to Next Generation Science Standards

Click here to fill out the Registration Form.                                     

Click here to read what past participants have to say.

Bring the Excitement of the Missouri River to Your Classroom!

Each trunk is filled with a replica model of a Pallid Sturgeon, custom-designed newspaper, fossils from the Missouri River watershed, magnifying glasses, dam building material, a Secchi disk, and much more.

The trunk has been developed so that all materials will be used in the easy to follow, step-by-step lesson plans that address state and national curriculum standards.

Checking Out a Traveling Trunk

We provide two options to support teachers in the use of this educational material. Option 1 is available year-round to all educators while Option 2 is only available for teachers from Columbia Public Schools.

Option 1: Basic Checkout of the Lessons and Materials

Option 1 is available year-round. We will provide you with background information, lesson plans, student handouts, and all of the materials. At pick-up, we will provide an orientation to the materials and answer any questions.

Option 2: Basic Checkout + Missouri River Relief Co-Instructor

Option 2 will be available in March/April/May for Columbia Public Schools' teachers and includes everything in Option 1 along with a Missouri River Relief Co-Instructor. We will coordinate a date and time for a Missouri River Relief instructor to join you in order to collaborate on teaching the lesson plans. The collaboration should look something like this:

  • Lesson One: Missouri River Relief instructor teaches the entire lesson. The teacher will observe how the instructor leads the lesson.
  • Lesson Two: Missouri River Relief instructor teaches most of the lesson and teacher leads either the beginning or end of the lesson plan.
  • Lesson Three: Missouri River Relief instructor teaches half of the lesson plan while the classroom teacher leads the other half. 
  • Lesson Four: The teacher leads the entire lesson plan on their own, with the Missouri River Relief instructor acting as classroom support. 

This model is not structured for the Missouri River Relief instructor to do all of the teaching.

Once a teacher has participated in Option 2, they will not have the opportunity to choose Option 2 again. Our goal would be that you could move to Option 1 for the future use of the material.

Each trunk may be reserved for up to a four-week period.

After completing the Missouri River Scientists program, teachers and students will receive a Missouri River Scientist certificate.

About the Missouri River Scientists Lesson Plans

The lesson plans included in this trunk originate from the "Missouri River All-Stars" afterschool program. Due to this program's success, we have redesigned the program to be a traveling trunk. These lesson plans are tried and true; several years ago, we partnered with Mizzou: College of Education to look at students' and teachers' learning after participating in the program. This research is now published in the Science Education Journal.

 

Lesson One: Discovering the Missouri River

Overview

  • Focus: What is the relationship between the Missouri River and the Pallid Sturgeon?
  • Topic: Missouri River Environmental History

Next Generation Standards

  • 4-ESS2-2. Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features.
  • 4-LS1-1. Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
  • 4-LS1-2. Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different ways.
  • 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Lesson Two: Structure and Behaviors of the Pallid Sturgeon

Overview

  • Focus: How do the Pallid Sturgeon's structures and behaviors help them survive in their habitat?
  • Topic: Pallid Sturgeon History and Adaptations

Next Generation Standards 

  • 4-LS1-1. Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
  • 4-LS1-2. Use a model to describe that animals receive different types of information through their senses, process the information in their brain, and respond to the information in different ways.

 

 

Lesson Three: Forces that Shape the Pallid Sturgeon Decline

Overview

  • Focus: How have human alterations to the river affected the Pallid Sturgeon?
  • Topic: Pallid Sturgeon Status and Reason for Decline

Next Generation Standards 

  • 4-ESS2-1. Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation. 
  • 4-ESS3-2. Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans. 

 

Lesson Four: Scientific Arguments for Pallid Sturgeon Management

Overview

  • Focus: How do scientists use claims, evidence and reasoning when debating solutions?
  • Topic: Scientific and Evidence-Based Reasoning of a Solution for the Pallid Sturgeon Recovery

Next Generation Standards 

  • 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
  • 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

 

Getting Your Trunk

Come to Us: Pick-up and Drop-off at the Missouri River Relief Office in Columbia, MO.

OR

We Come to You: Pick-up and Drop-off at School/Organization within a 30-mile radius of Columbia, MO.

Your trunk will be provided the first Monday of your reservation period, or in the event of a late return before you, it will be provided on the next possible day.

Once you have decided on your preferred options, please complete the Request Form to reserve a Missouri River Scientists: Traveling Trunk.

You will receive a confirmation by email after request has been submitted about the traveling trunks availability. Your trunk is not reserved until you receive a confirmation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in the Missouri River Scientists Traveling Trunk?

Each trunk is filled with a model reproduction of a Pallid Sturgeon, custom-designed newspaper, fossils from the Missouri River watershed, magnifying glasses, dam building material, a Secchi disk, and much more.

Who may use the Missouri River Scientists Traveling Trunk?

In addition to public, private and homeschool teachers and youth leaders, libraries, nature centers or other groups engaged in education programming may check out a trunk. 

How long can the Missouri River Scientists Trunk be checked out?

Traveling Trunks may be checked out for up to four weeks.

What if multiple teachers from one school want to use the Trunk?

That would be fabulous! Please indicate this on your request form in the section "What else would you like us to know?" Include the possible extended dates if needed and list all of the teachers' names and email addresses, as well as the total number of students participating in the program.

What if I'm late returning the Traveling Trunk?

Please do not let this happen. If you return a trunk late, then the next scheduled group will receive the trunk late. Please be considerate of your fellow educators and return the trunks on time.

What if something is damaged?

We know that things happen. So we ask that you let us know ASAP about any damaged or missing items, so the next group can enjoy the traveling trunk as much as you did.

For more information, please email our education director, Kristen Schulte at kristen@riverelief.org

A Big Muddy Thank You to Our Sponsors

Thanks to our generous sponsors for supporting the Missouri River Scientists traveling trunk program and the creation of place-based education resources for our community. Also, thank you to Sam Stukel and US Geological Survey - CERC for allowing us the use of their photos. 

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MRR is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Federal Tax ID (EIN) 03-0425187
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