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Environmental Education

A Watershed Approach to Education

Stroud Water Research Center’s education department interprets the research of our scientists. Our programs are multidisciplinary and oriented to a wide audience. We hope that through exposure to our programs and information, people will be motivated to become responsible stewards of freshwater resources.

Our educators have developed extensive resources for educating “K through gray” audiences about watersheds and their importance. On-site and off-site school and scout programs, professional development workshops, and community and family programs are just some of the available options.

Upcoming Education Events

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Program Offerings

  • Virtual/online stream and watershed study experiences.
  • Outdoor-only education programs at the Stroud Center.
  • Outdoor education programs at your site (e.g., school or local park).

Contact the Stroud Center education department or submit a request to schedule.

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Curricula

Virtual Learning Resources

Macroinvertebrate Resources

Projects and Partnerships

Publications

Videos

Podcasts

Programs

School and
Youth Programs

Scout
Programs

Photo of Brownie Girl Scouts and leaders planting trees.

Community and
Family Programs

Professional Development
and Training

Program scholarships are available! Several funding sources allow the Stroud Center to offer programs at no or reduced cost for your school or youth group. Our funding from the Pennsylvania Education Improvement Tax Credit program and other grants to subsidize education programs varies from year to year.

Request a Program
Pay for a Program

Program Feedback

“The students absolutely LOVED IT!!! All the staff were extremely engaging, enthusiastic and competent, which made our jobs extremely easy! We loved how hands on and engaging the entire activity was.”

“The facilitators were very knowledgeable. They challenged the kids and held their interest. As one of many field trips I have attended with my kids over the years this by far tops my list.”

“Thanks again for an outstanding field trip. Your ability to accommodate my student with hearing and visual challenges was exemplary! I’ve heard many favorable comments from our staff!”

“Thank you for an amazing day at your facility! I am sure every member of our watershed steward class left knowing much more than they did when we entered. You guys were great!”

“Just had an AMAZING field trip there with the 4th grade…. Thanks so much for a great day! Super day, really! The educators are super. They are the perfect ‘speed’ for the kids.”

WikiWatershed

WikiWatershed® is a web toolkit for citizens, conservation practitioners, municipal decision-makers, researchers, educators, and students to collaboratively advance knowledge and stewardship of fresh water. It is an initiative of Stroud Water Research Center.

Model My Watershed®

Model storms and compare conservation or development scenarios.

Leaf Pack Network®

Learn about your stream’s health by performing a leaf pack experiment.

Runoff Simulation

Explore how land use and soil determine stormwater runoff.

Leaf Pack Network Simulation

Leaf Pack Network Simulation screenshot
If you can’t get to a stream to perform a study, you now have a virtual option!

Monitor My Watershed®

Screenshot of Monitor My Watershed Browse Sites page
Share your water-quality data and explore data from other sources.

Macroinvertebrates.org

Macroinvertebrates.org homepage screenshot
Learn to identify 150 taxa commonly used in citizen science and education.

EnviroDIY™

Photo of two men building an environmental monitoring sensor
Join a community for do-it-yourself environmental monitoring.

Water Quality Mobile App

Enhance stream study and monitoring activities with a mobile app.

Education News

Kathryn Metzker stands with two National Park Service rangers at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall.
Stroud Center Advises National Park Service on Education Programming
Visits to the parks yielded interesting insights, from new resources to curriculum updates that park rangers discussed during interviews.
Pairs of teachers in five red canoes on the Conestoga River.
Teachers Dive into Conestoga River Ecology and History
From macroinvertebrates to chemistry to habitat studies, teachers learned how to study stream health and lead outdoor stream studies.
Publication title with image of a mayfly
2024 Research Results and Recommendations for Effective Student/Teacher Engagement with National Parks About the Potomac Watershed
Kerlin, S., N. Marcum-Dietrich, K. Metzker, and D. Kline. 2024. Stroud Water Research Center Report #2024-002.
Educators explore the wetland wastewater treatment cells at the Stroud Center.
Enhancing Environmental Literacy With Watershed Education in Delaware Schools
Educator trainings and student programs are empowering school communities and families to take action to protect their local watersheds.
Teachers collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates at a workshop.
PA ELIT Network Launches Hubs for Educator Professional Development
Environmental educators have a new way to access professional development and resources to prepare them for the Pennsylvania STEELS Standards.
A teacher leads a group of small children along a woodland trail.
Reimagining Classrooms
Whether you call them outdoor classrooms, living schoolyards, or ecological schoolyards — we’ve got ideas for how to make the outdoors a place of discovery.