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.
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.
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 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 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:
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.
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.
Overview
Next Generation Standards
Overview
Next Generation Standards
Overview
Next Generation Standards
Overview
Next Generation Standards
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.
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.
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.
Traveling Trunks may be checked out for up to four weeks.
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.
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.
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
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.