Activities and standards

Education station topics include ecology, biology, collecting environmental data, assessing water quality, recycling and more. Activities may include wading in the river to collect aquatic insects and small fish, catching insects with nets, fishing, playing educational games to learn about water and waste issues, and discussing actions that can be taken to protect the environment.

NatureFest helps meet the following 5th grade education standards:

• Science: 4.1.1.1, 4.1.2.1.1, 4.1.2.2.1, 4.3.4.1.1, 5.3.4.1.3, 5.1.1.1, 5.1.1.2, 5.3.4.1.3, 5.4.1.1.1, 5.4.2.1, 5.4.2.1.2, 5.4.4.1, 6.1.3.1
• Social Studies: 4.3.4.9.1, 5.1.1.1.2
• Physical Education: 4.5, 4.6.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.5

Priorities

Schools are selected to participate in NatureFest based on the priorities below and to ensure maximum attendance at each day of NatureFest.

NatureFest aims to work with schools that:

• Are located close to the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park
• Are not active participants in Three Rivers Park District or Hennepin County environmental education programs
• Have a student population who don't typically get such opportunities, including those schools with high diversity and high percentage of free- and reduced-lunch students