Distance Learning
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Science
- State Standards:
- Next Gen Science Standards: 3-LS4-2, 3-LS4-3, 4-LS1-1, 4-ESS1-1, 4-ESS2-1, 4-ESS2-2, 4-ESS3-1, 4-ESS3-2, 5-LS2-1, 5-ESS2-1
Introduction
Big River Journey Online connects students to the science and heritage of the Mississippi River and its watershed and builds a foundation for river stewardship. Students explore the several interactive modules that include fun, informative videos and engaging online interactives pertaining to bugs, birds, boats, rocks, ecosystem, watersheds, pollution and more. BRJ Online is a partnership project of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area with Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education and Mississippi Park Connection.
Program Length and Grade Range
A total of 4-6 hours of interactive content may be easily broken into 20-30 minute segments. Target audience: upper elementary (grades 3-5); also suitable for middle school (grades 6-8)
How to Participate
Big River Online may be accessed online at any time, from anywhere with internet service. https://bigriverjourneyonline.org/
Teacher Resources
Links to academic standards and assessments are included for each module. Assessment answer keys and teacher feedback survey link are accessible with the following passcodes: User: BRJTeachersPassword: MississippiBRJ2020
Program Objectives:
Students will:
- Learn the Mississippi River’s geography and understand its national importance, including the extent of its watershed.
- Understand river pollution, how urban water flows to the Mississippi River through storm drains, and how to take action to prevent river pollution.
- Understand how the Mississippi River’s greatest waterfall moved over time due to sedimentary rocks, and how the waterfall gave birth to the city of Minneapolis by powering lumber mills and flour mills.
- Understand how bird beak adaptations equip them to live successfully in their Mississippi River habitats, and how eagles are now a Mississippi River success story; match various bird beaks with the food they are designed to obtain.
- Learn what is meant by an ‘ecosystem,’ and understand how otters live within the river’s ecosystem; assign organisms to their place in a food pyramid.
- Understand the importance of the Mississippi River for navigation and how the river has been modified for towboats and barges.
- Learn what is meant by aquatic macro-invertebrates and understand how the presence and classification of aquatic invertebrates can show us whether the river is dirty or clean; compare and assess two virtual water samples, based on aquatic invertebrates found.
Vocabulary and Concepts Covered
- Water cycle, watershed, runoff, storm drain, pollution
- Erosion, limestone, sandstone, mills
- Aquatic macro-invertebrates, pollution sensitive, pollution tolerant, sediment
- Bird beaks and adaptations, flyway, migrate, raptor, fledgling, habitat
- Ecosystem, food chain, producer, decomposer, consumer, predator, prey
- Navigation, towboat, barge, lock, dam
Before Starting the Online Program
- Explore the site prior to using with students by clicking on various modules (barge containers).
- Explore videos, interactives, reading, puzzles and quizzes.
- Click on “menu” to return to the main screen.
- Click on “Teacher Resources” to find standards, assessments, assessment keys, river facts, key words and concepts.
- Note that clicking on “Waters to the Sea” expands the program into subject area topics for in-depth exploration with older and advanced students.
- Program may be used with classroom of students all together, led by the teacher, or by students on their own. Teachers may want to assign students to complete activities within a specific module or modules.
Engaging Students in the Online Program
- Begin by viewing the introductory video on the home screen and by completing the Welcome Aboard videos and activities, including the watershed interactive, reading, puzzle and quiz. These videos and activities are the best introduction to the national park, the whole Mississippi River, and the concept of a watershed.
- Other modules may be explored in any order based on student interest or relevance to teacher goals. Each module includes videos, interactives, reading, puzzle and quiz.
- The top-left video within each module introduces students to that module topic.
- Upon completion of each module, teacher may assign students to complete the assessment for that module (accessed in Teacher Resources).
After the Online Program
- Review the Big River Art Contest student art samples; have students create their own art of river wildlife or recreation.
- Extend student learning by having students research and write about a river animal.
- Complete the teacher feedback survey within Teacher Resources (see passcodes above).
Materials
Minnesota Academic Standards: Interface with Big River Journey
Last updated: January 22, 2021