The canoe-based River Classroom program creates an understanding of how the Nashua and Squannacook Rivers, their quality of water, and their surrounding greenway are an integral part of the ecology that directly impacts everyone's lives. Through this project, students directly experience their local river environment and learn about what has been done to turn the Nashua River from a severely polluted waterway into a national model of watershed restoration.

The River Classroom at work

Most importantly, children learn about what still needs to be done to help preserve these rivers for future generations. Specifically, this next generation of local citizens learn about how to stop non-point source pollution, a continuing threat to the Nashua River and its tributaries.

River Classroom involves a collaborative partnership between the students and teachers, the Nashua River Watershed Association, and the environmental award-winning canoeing outfitters, Nashoba Paddler. The program integrates science and geography curriculum with a resource right in their own backyards. By canoeing the river, the students experience river-related environmental issues in a very tangible way and explore the ecosystems dependent upon this spectacular waterway.

For information on Nashoba Paddler, see www.nashobapaddler.com.

The Program

Students, teachers, and volunteer parents view an introductory slide presentation on the Nashua River, its history, and the story of its remarkable recovery. Next, each class participates in a half day of river canoeing involving wildlife field studies and geology/history discussions with educator/guides from River Classroom. They are challenged to use their observation skills and make connections with their own lifestyles, including the continuing effects of pollution generated from such causes as rapid growth, lawn care, and recreational use.

Students spend the other half of the day along the river's bank doing a shoreline aquatic insect study with River Classroom staff, using specialized equipment to capture, observe. and release river creatures such as various insect larvae, fish. and crayfish.

When developing a new program for a new school, we offer a teachers workshop to help the staff become familiar with the river, the program, and our curriculum resources. Taught by River Classroom staff, the workshop involves curriculum brainstorming and development, aquatic insect investigations, and a canoeing trip for all teachers participating in the program. This can be scheduled on a weekday or weekend day to accommodate the teachers' schedules. Teachers can make use of our curriculum resources as well as pursue their own ideas and materials for classroom development.

To schedule a River Classroom trip or for more information, please contact NRWA's Environmental Education Director Mary Marro or NRWA's River Classroom Director Stacy Chilcoat at 978/448-0299. You can also contact us by e-mail at riverclassroom@NashuaRiverWatershed.org.