Education Programs

The Outreach and Education Program introduces students to watersheds, water quality, citizen science, and environmental stewardship. Through hands on learning, young people explore how ecosystems function and how communities can work together to build a healthier, more resilient environment.

The grade levels associated with each of these programs is not absolute. We understand that you know your students best. The content and activities provided through each of these programs can be adapted to accommodate many grade levels and educational environments. If you have any questions about our programs, please contact us at info@DBWP.org. 

Program Offerings

Introduction to Watersheds
Students investigate how daily activities affect streams using interactive models. They discover simple actions that help protect watershed health.
Grade Levels: K to 4, 5 to 8

Watershed Exploration
Students practice observation and citizen science by journaling what they see, collecting data, and presenting findings with their peers.
Grade Levels: K to 5

Water Quality Science
Students compare water samples, test parameters like pH and oxygen levels, and learn how these measurements reflect the health of the brook.
Grade Levels: 5 and up

Secrets of Soil
Students will learn about the wondrous formation of soil through hands-on activities that are sure to leave their hands dirty.
Grade levels: K to 8

Magnificent Macroinvertebrates
Students will learn about water quality and aquatic habitats through macroinvertebrate sampling and identification.
Grade levels: 4 to 12

Introduction to the Doan Brook
Students will learn about our watershed, its natural resources, and how human impacts have influenced it over time.
Grade levels: 6 to 12

Biodiversity in Your Backyard
Students will learn the difference between native, non-native, and invasive plant species and how they each affect our ecosystems across Northeast Ohio.
Grade levels: 4 to 12

What is Habitat Restoration?
Students will learn about common restoration and conservation practices through real-world examples seen across Northeast Ohio.
Grade levels: 8 to 12

Program Activities

Listed here is a complete list of the activities currently provided by DBWP. Please pick and choose the activities that work best for you and your students. Alternatively, let us know what you hope to gain from our programs, and we can bring the activities we know will reach your goals. Please contact us at info@DBWP.org with any questions or requests for additional details regarding our activities.

• The Enviroscape: Simulating how humans impact water
  • Duration: 15 – 30 minutes
• The Incredible Journey: Experience the journey water takes as it travels around our planet
  • Duration: 20 – 30 Minutes
• What’s Water Quality: Use scientific tools and techniques to determine water quality
  • Duration: 15 – 30 minutes
• Making Dirt: Simulating the process of physical weathering
  • Duration: 10 – 15 minutes
• Soil Stratification: Displaying layers that represent a soil’s texture
  • Duration: 10 – 15 minutes
• Identifying Soil: See for yourself how soil scientists identify soil
  • Duration 15 – 30 minutes
• Making Soil: Create a representative and edible soil 
  • Duration 10 – 20 minutes
• Stream Sleuths: Use your detective skills to locate and identify aquatic macroinvertebrates to determine stream health
  • Duration: 30 – 45 minutes
• Native Plants and Their Invasive Counterparts: Use your skills as an ecosystem interpreter to determine which plant species are invasive and what’s not.
  • Duration: 15 – 25 minutes
• Maintain a Garden: Help DBWP and our community by assisting with the maintenance of a rain or pollinator garden
  • Duration: 1 – 2 hours
• Invasive Removals: Help DBWP and our community by assisting with the removal of invasive plants from our watershed
  • Duration: 1 – 2 hours
• Stream Sweeps: Help DBWP and our community by assisting with the removal of trash from along our streams
  • Duration: 1 – 2 hours