Water Education Resources

The following educational resources can help you build environmental stewardship in the Vermillion River Watershed among kids and adults alike.

Display Checkout

We have interactive displays available for your classroom or community events. You can check out these educational tools for one week, free of charge, by emailing Brita Moore-Kutz or calling her at 952-891-7967 and arranging pickup. See below for options.

The Vermillion River Watershed maintains the EnviroScape, an interactive display that demonstrates how water picks up pollutants as it flows downstream. The model represents a watershed that includes several land uses. A lake starts out clean, but as it rains, pollution is washed downstream to contaminate the lake.

Agricultural areas

Lesson: Sediment, fertilizer, and pesticides easily run off when buffers are not in place.

Industrial

Lesson: Industrial areas can be sources of pollution when they are not managed correctly.

Residential

Lesson: Exposed soil easily washes off construction sites, use tools to reduce the erosion. Grass clippings introduce excess phosphorus into downstream water bodies. Sweep, compost, or properly dispose of them.

Forests

Lesson: Trees have deep roots that stabilize steep slopes. When these trees are cut down erosion is more likely. Make sure when a tree is cut down a new one is planted!

Roads

Lesson: In the winter, salt is applied to roads to melt ice. Salt in water bodies suffocates plants and animals that are not used to high salt levels. Don’t use salt on your property, and encourage others to use best practices for snow and ice removal.

The Vermillion River Watershed maintains the Pollute or Protect Exhibit-on-a-Box which features a museum-quality, hands-on display that demonstrates non-point source pollution topics.

The Pollute or Protect Exhibit-in-a-Box displays six home solutions for pollution prevention. It focuses on trash, leaves and grass, salt, dirt, pet waste, and oil. Bringing the ideas to life, an example of each material is displayed, and flip-up cards encourage interaction with the information. Also includes a storm drain flip-up revealing a visual of storm water flowing from “street to stream.”

The Vermillion River Watershed maintains the Pollution Jars interactive display which contains different pollutants that may affect our waters. The jars come in their own carrying case.

Trash

Lesson: Make sure trash doesn’t blow out of your garbage bin on the curb. Seal trash bags to keep litter out of the street.

Chemicals

Lesson: Keep your car regularly maintained so fluids won’t leak into the street. Take used motor oil and other household chemicals to the Dakota County Recycling Zone.

Pet Waste

Lesson: Pet waste carries harmful bacteria. Pick up after your pet.

Yard Waste

Lesson: Leaves, grass, and soil feed algae and turn lakes and rivers green. Keep them off sidewalks and streets.

Sidewalk Salt

Lesson: One teaspoon of sidewalk salt permanently pollutes 5 gallons of water. Use it sparingly.

The Vermillion River Watershed maintains a Smart Salting interactive display that demonstrates how to properly scatter winter deicing salt. One tray has salt already scattered in the correct pattern, the other is ready for the user to try their hand at scattering salt with 1-2 inches between each particle. Salt can make sidewalks and roadways safer, but it also pollutes lakes and rivers, not to mention harming pets and wildlife, corroding buildings, cars, and bridges.

Shovel

Lesson: Clear walkways before snow turns to ice and before you apply salt. The more snow you clear manually, the less salt you’ll need.

Select

Lesson: Salt doesn’t melt ice if the pavement is below 15 degrees, so use sand for traction when it’s too cold, or choose a different de-icer.

Scatter

Lesson: Use salt only where it’s critical. When you apply salt to pavement, leave plenty of space between granules. A 12-ounce coffee cup of salt is enough to cover 10 sidewalk squares or a 20-foot driveway.

Sweep

Lesson: Clean up leftover salt, sand, and de-icer to save and reuse as needed.

*Text from CleanWaterMN.org

The Vermillion River Watershed maintains the Streets to Stream interactive display that demonstrates how water picks up pollutants as it flows into storm drains. This 5-piece hands-on model answers questions about common sources of pollution and gives simple solutions on how we can all make a difference in keeping our local water bodies clean. All you need is a six-foot table.

Trash

Lesson: Make sure recycling doesn’t blow out of your recycling cart on the curb and seal trash bags to keep litter out of the street.

Chemicals

Lesson: Keep your car regularly maintained so fluids won’t leak into the street. Take used motor oil and other household chemicals to the Dakota County Recycling Zone.

Pet Waste

Lesson: Pick up pet waste and dispose of it in the trash or down the toilet.

Yard Waste

Lesson: Keep leaves, grass, and fertilizer off the sidewalks and streets. Compost leaves and grass clippings or use them as mulch.

The Vermillion River Watershed maintains the Your Street Connects to Lakes and Rivers interactive display that demonstrates how storm sewers connect our streets and yards directly with local lakes and rivers. This flat, illustrated panel sits on an easel and provides reminders of what not to dump down the storm drain and simple solutions on how we can all make a difference in keeping our local water bodies clean.

Lesson: Don’t dump chemicals down the storm drain. Take used motor oil and other household chemicals to the Dakota County Recycling Zone.

Lesson: Pick up pet waste and dispose of it in the trash or down the toilet.

Lesson: Sweep up leaves, grass, and fertilizer off the sidewalks and streets. Compost leaves and grass clippings or use them as mulch.

Lesson: Use phosphorus-free fertilizer. Phosphorous turns water green with algae.

Lesson: What goes down the drain can pollute our water.

Watershed Game

VRWJPO owns a copy of the Watershed Game, created by the University of Minnesota Sea Grant. The game is geared towards community leaders to simulate the decision-making process of protecting a local stream, with financial limitations built in. Contact Brita if you’re interested in using the game.

Project WET

Project WET (Water Education for Today) is an international, interdisciplinary, water-science education program used by a variety of water users. It is estimated over 20,000 Minnesotans annually use the Project WET resources in a variety of ways, complementing other watershed programming. This hands-on program is administered through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by the MN Project WET Coordinator. This award-winning curriculum is an exceptional resource for Minnesotans.

Online K-12 Resources

The Hamline University Center for Global Environmental Education provides a series of digital lessons about stormwater stewardship and how our waterways connect to the seas. Whether for classroom or virtual learning, these can help kids find things they can do to protect water.

Virtual Meeting Backgrounds

Infographics

Download and share these on your social media accounts or e-newsletters.

Printable Activities for Kids

Metro Area Children’s Water Festival

VRWJPO supports the Annual Metro Area Children’s Water Festival, an annual event produced for fourth graders in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The festival teaches students about water resources and ways to protect them. Students visit hands-on learning stations staffed by environmental experts, attend the Science Museum of Minnesota presentation, and enjoy the Water Arcade. The festival is usually held the last Wednesday in September at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

Teachers need to register for the opportunity to participate, though the virtual festival is free and available anytime. The Children’s Water Festival website contains the registration form, plus information on how to sponsor or volunteer. Every year, schools within the Vermillion River Watershed have attended the festival.

EPA Environmental Education

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a dedicated Environmental Education section. Visit their website for lesson plans, grant opportunities, and more.

More Options