EDUCATOR’S GUIDE–Primary

Notes to the teacher—primary

TABLE OF CONTENTS

About this topic .....................................................2

Connecting with the classroom...........................3

Minnesota Academic Standards ........................4

At the museum activities

Chaperone page .................................................5

Student pages.....................................................6

IN THIS GUIDEThis self-guide will help your students explorethe Mississippi River Gallery.1. The Mississippi River Gallery encouragesinterdisciplinary exploration of the River.

2. Investigating personal connections to theriver shows interdependence of humans andrivers and encourages personal responsibilityin regard to this part of our environment.

HOW TO USE EXPLORATIONS• The primary version of this Exploration hastwo versions. If you would like your studentsto use a guide to write and draw to gatherinformation, use the Student Pages. If youwould like the chaperone to use verbal ques-tions or suggestions, use the Chaperone Page.Bring extra pencils and stiff cardboard for stu-dents to write on. You can provide extra paperfor students to draw their answers or completethe drawing activities in the guide.

• Components are not sequential. You can startanywhere in the exhibit.

• Visit the museum before your field trip. TheScience Museum offers a free ticket for schoolemployees to preview the museum. Call 1-800-221-9444 or (651) 221-9444 for details..

• Visit the museum’s website to get an overviewof the museum. (www.smm.org)

• Share the floor plans from the website withyour students. If you need a copy of the floorplans, please contact us: maija@smm.org or651-221-4554.

• Review with your students:— the schedule of your trip — curriculum connections— behavior expectations— activities to be complet-ed at the museum or whenyou return to school

1

ABOUT THIS TOPIC

Rivers connect. Rivers connect all living thingsthrough watersheds. A watershed is an area ofland that drains into an individual stream orriver system. This connects all of us with ourenvironment and nearby rivers. Ultimately,everybody lives on a river.

Rivers connect organisms. Even in themiddle of the city, rivers can bringanimals to your neighborhoodbecause the river corridor providesprotection, a source of water andfood. Riparian (the area on and

around the banks of a river) habitats mayprovide conditions which are quite differentfrom those nearby and encourage the migrationof plants and animals.

Rivers connect people with each other and withother living things. We use rivers for manythings. We get water and food, use them fortransportation, recreation and removal of wasteand excess storm water. The interconnectionsare not always healthy for us or for the rivers.

In this guide, your students can study the River from different viewpoints.

Some scientists study the animals of the river:Aquatic biologistAquatic biologists study living things which livein water environments, plants, animals andmicroorganisms, and their interaction with eachother and with the environment.

ZoologistZoologists study all aspectsof animal life, including

where and how animals live and how they interact with their surroundings.

EcologistAn ecologist studies the relationship betweenorganisms and their environment, sometimesspecializing in one particular species ofplant or animal, or one type of habitat.

Some scientists study how peopleuse the water of the river:HydrologistHydrologists study the distributionof water. They may research theflow or discharge of water along ariver or over a dam.

GeographerGeographers ask where things arelocated on the surface of the earth,why they are located where they are, howplaces differ from one another, and how people interact with the environment.

2Notes to the teacher—primary

CONNECTING WITH THE CLASSROOMBefore Your Visit

Discuss: • What is a river? (Encourage students toinclude more than just water in their com-ments.)

• What rivers do you know? (Keep a runninglist throughout your study.)

• Which rivers are in Minnesota? • What animals might live in or near rivers inMinnesota? How do animals use the river tosurvive?

• How do people use rivers?

Ask students to draw a river scene. (Add to thisdrawing after your visit to the museum.)

Back in the ClassroomReview the information that students gatheredat the museum by discussing the questions onthe activity sheet.

Locate the Mississippi River on a map ofMinnesota. Where is Lake Itasca? Ask studentsto find places where another river enters theMississippi. What are these rivers? Are theretowns nearby?

Review which animals live in or near the waterof rivers. How does each one depend on theriver? Each student can add their animal draw-ing done at the Museum to the appropriate spot

in a large classroom river mural. Find drawingsor pictures of other animals identified in theGallery and add those too.

Investigate the animals students found at themuseum. The Minnesota ConservationVolunteer, a publication of the MinnesotaDepartment of Natural Resources, has articlesabout many Minnesota animals. Find copies inyour school media center or call 651-296-0888for further information about this publication.You can also find information on their website:http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/young_nat/index.html

Look at the original drawings done before themuseum trip. Draw a new picture of the river oradd more details to the original drawing.

Discuss the exhibits about the Mississippi Riverthat students liked the best. Which ones? Whyis it the best?

Visit a nearby river. Sketching and observing allaspects of the river you visit can reinforce andextend the learning of the classroom and at themuseum.

Brainstorm some ways that students can shareknowledge about the importance of rivers or acton concerns about the health of our rivers.

3Notes to the teacher—primary

MINNESOTA ACADEMIC STANDARDSThe Science Museum of Minnesota provides afield trip destination that allows teachers andstudents to reinforce Minnesota AcademicStandards. Use of the materials in this Journeyon the River Explorations will help you linklearning experiences to the following contentstandards.

ScienceKindergartenNature of Science and Engineering0.1.1.2.1 Use observations to develop an accurate description of a natural phenomenon and compare one’s observationsand descriptions with those of others.

Life Science0.4.1.1.1 Observe and compare plants and animals.

Grade 1Life Science1.4.1.1.1 Describe and sort animals into groupsin many ways, according to their physical characteristics and behaviors.1.4.2.1.1 Recognize that animals need space,water, food, shelter and air.

Grade 3Nature of Science and Engineering3.1.1.2.3 Maintain a record of observations, procedures and explanations, being careful todistinguish between actual observations andideas about what was observed.3.1.3.2.1 Understand that everybody can useevidence to learn about the natural world, identify patterns in nature, and develop tools.

4Notes to the teacher—primary

Look for answers

What do you think?

Draw what youlearned

The Mississippi River begins at Lake Itasca.

Look at the scene of Lake Itasca with your group and find all the animals you can.

Where are they?How do they move?What would happen to the animals if the water wasn’t there?

If the teacher has provided paper for the children, ask eachchild to draw their favorite animal from this scene.

As you explore the rest of the Gallery...

What other animals can you find in this gallery? Remember to look up and in or under any “water” too!

Find ways that people use the River.

Find the exhibit about the Mississippi River that you like the best.

Why is it the best?

4Activities for chaperones—primary

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ZThis gallery starts with thebeginning of the MississippiRiver at Lake Itasca and followsthe River to the Iowa border.The giant postcards hung fromthe ceiling show the areas.

ZDon’t worry about finishingeverything on this page.Encouraging students to look atexhibits, think about and talkabout what they are seeing ismost important!

ZCheck your ChaperoneGuide for other suggestions.Ask a staff person if you do nothave one.

CHAPERONE PAGE

Trip Tips

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Activities for students—primary 6

THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER begins at lake itasca and so does this museum gallery.

describe 3 animals in the lake itasca diorama to complete this chart.

in the water

on the water

under the water

near the water

animal how does it move? where are they?walk, fly, swim, or? (circle one)

in the water

on the water

under the water

near the water

in the water

on the water

under the water

near the water

1

2

3

draw one animal in the lake itasca diorama.

if the water in the lake itasca scene disappeared, predict one change you would notice.?

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JOURNEY DOWN THE RIVER

what other animals can you find in this gallery? remember to look up and in or

under any “water” too!

draw a picture of one way that people use the river.

find the exhibit about the mississippi river that you like the best. which one is it? why is it the best?

7Activities for students—primary

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