UMR Education Program :
Working with teachers to inform students about the UMR

In early 2007 PRN began working with representatives from the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center-Godfrey, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and Sierra Club to investigate concerns about the lack of focus upon the UMR in local schools. After meeting with several local teachers and other organizations the group decided to form a committee to determine what tools and actions we could pursue to improve the condition.

• By July 2007 a CD with lectures, reports and articles, images and activities on the UMR had been developed .
• In October 2007 the committee organized its first full-day UMR focused high school field trip with 60 students from two local schools attending. The students spent the morning at the Melvin Price Locks & Dam/National Great Rivers Museum.The afternoon session was at Principia College, above the Mississippi River, where the students worked in several groups with river experts and college student facilitators discussing river related environmental problems culminating in 5-minute presentations covering their suggested solutions.
• In April 2008 our second field trip was held with over 60 students from two local schools. The afternoon session was held this time at Lewis & Clark College in Godfrey and students dicsussed and prepared presentions on either The Dead Zone, Sedimentation or Floodplain Reconnection.

Thus far the effort has been limited in its scope but the committee plans to expand to more schools in the future. The program has been well received by all participants and there has been considerable interest from other educators in the region.

Goals, Objectives and Curriculum Focus

Field Trip Objectives

October 2007 Field Trip Photos

April 2008 Field Trip Photos