2018 Discovery Days
An Event of The River Mile

The annual Student Discovery Week offers free exceptional opportunities for students and teachers to explore the ecological, social, and economic complexities of Lake Roosevelt's watershed. Sessions are staffed by local resource specialists representing many different agencies and can accomodate up to 30 students per session.

Teachers: choose your top 3 choices from the programs below. You will be notified of your class' program assignment within two weeks after the registration close date.

Cost: Free! 

Transportation costs: Limited scholarships are available to reimburse schools for transportation costs. Please be sure to include your requested scholarship amount on the online registration form.

Deadline for registration: Tuesday April 10, 2018

Program 1: The Nature of Water Power
Presented by the Bureau of Reclamation

Available days:  Half day on May 14, 15 or 21
Location: Grand Coulee Dam
Grade Level: 4th to 6th
Description: Spend time at Grand Coulee Dam exploring the history of this engineering marvel. 

• Dam Tour: More massive than the Great Pyramid of Giza, Grand Coulee Dam is listed by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the seven civil engineering wonders of the United States. It plays a pivotal role in the region providing power, irrigation, flood control and recreational opportunities andhas the potential to meet the electricity demand of over 1,000,000 people! Students and teachers will have the opportunity to explore the dam’s inner labyrinth while learning about the history and operation of this engineering giant.
• Movie: Students will watch "Man Made Marvel" as background information.
• Nearby grass area and tables available for lunch time before you head back.
  

Next Generation Science Standards Addressed:
Science and Engineering Practices: Defining problems; using models; carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data; obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Disciplinary Core Ideas: ESS3--Earth and human activity; ETS1--Engineering Design; ETS2--links among engineering, technology, science, and society
Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and effect; scale, proportion, and quantity; systems and system models; energy flows and conservation; structure and function; stability and change

Program 2: Home On The Range
Presented by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Available days: Full day on May 15, 16 or 17
Location: Swanson Lake Headquarters south of Creston.
Grade Level: 4th to 6th
Description: Come learn about the geological forces that created the unique landscape of the channeled scablands and how geology determined which plants, animals, and birds could inhabit this specific ecosystem niche. Students will handle animal skins and skeletons of birds and animals native to the area, hike into the scablands to learn about the area’s history, and learn to identify native plants and birds. Zone leader, Juli Anderson with the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife coordinates this zone with the assistance of many talented geologists, botanists and fish & wildlife experts.

Next Generation Science Standards Addressed:
Science and Engineering Practices: Asking questions; interpreting data; obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Disciplinary Core Ideas: LS2--Ecosystems; LS4--Biological evolution; ESS2--Earth’s systems
Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and effect; systems; energy flows and cycles; structure and function; stability and change

Program 3: Habitat Observations
Presented by Lake Roosevelt NRA

Available days: Half day morning or afternoon on May 4, 11, 17 or 18
Location: location within Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area is flexible—contact Cami at LRF to discuss.
Grade Level: 4th to 6th
Description: Students make and share observations to describe the site, notice patterns, utilize scientific practices and explore a system with parts that work together. Each program is tailored to the individual group to ensure it enhances your students’ standards-based learning.

Next Generation Science Standards Addressed:
Science and Engineering Practices: asking questions; use models; analyzing and interpreting data, obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Disciplinary Core Ideas: LS1--structures and processes; LS2--ecosystems
Crosscutting Concepts: patterns; structure and function; cause and effect

Program 4: Landforms in the Sand
Presented by Lake Roosevelt NRA

Available days: Half day morning or afternoon May 4, 11, 17 or 18. Kettle Falls available on May 21 afternoon only. 
Location: Spring Canyon (near Grand Coulee, WA) OR Kettle Falls Swim Beach (please note your preferred location on your application).
Grade Level: 4th to 6th
Description: Discover the powerful effects of water and the amazing geologic forces that shaped the landscape in the Lake Roosevelt area. Students will create a model in the sand on the beach to discover how the catastrophic Ice Age Floods shaped eastern Washington into what we see today.

Next Generation Science Standards Addressed:
Science and Engineering Practices: asking questions; using models; carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data
Disciplinary Core Ideas: ESS2--Earth’s systems
Crosscutting Concepts: patterns; cause and effect; scale and proportion; systems and system models; stability and change

Program 5: Kids in the Creek
Presented by the Spokane Tribe of Indians

Available days: Full day on May 16
Location: Spokane Tribal Hatchery
Grade Level: 4th to 6th
Description: Come put your kids in the creek! Students will find out the role the hatchery plays in overall fish mitigation efforts in Lake Roosevelt. A tour of the hatchery will reveal how it operates and how fish are tagged and monitored, and then a trip into the nearby creek will enable students to identify macroinvertebrates, test water quality and learn about overall indicators of watershed health. Zone leaders: Tim Peone with the Spokane Tribe of Indians and the Bonneville Power Administration.

Next Generation Science Standards Addressed:
Science and Engineering Practices: Asking questions and defining problems; carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data; obtaining and evaluating information
Disciplinary Core Ideas: LS2--Ecosystems; ESS3--Earth and human activity; ETS1--Engineering design; ETS2--links among engineering, technology, science, and society
Crosscutting Concepts: patterns; cause and effect; systems; energy and matter flows, cycles, and conservation; stability and change

Program 6: It’s in the Weather Forecast—
Learn to Predict River Flows
Presented by the National Weather Service & USGS

Available days: Half day on May 2, 9 or 16
Location: Near Kettle Falls on the Colville River
Grade Level: 4th to 12th
Description: Find out how humans and rivers interact! Students will split into three groups to explore their own section of the river to discover how weather and climate patterns affect water flow and how rivers interact with the floodplain. Students will practice forecasting river flows using the National Weather Service's interactive floodplain model. At the Colville River gage, the USGS will uncover the secrets of how river and lake data are collected and transmitted to the world, to be used by other agencies and the public at large, including the hydroelectric facility on the site. They will also get to see inside the dam and learn how energy is generated from water.

Next Generation Science Standards Addressed:
Science and Engineering Practices: asking questions and defining problems; using models; carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data; using mathematics and computational thinking; obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Disciplinary Core Ideas: ESS2--Earth’s systems; ESS3--Earth and human activity; ETS1--Engineering design; ETS2--Links among engineering, technology, science, and society
Crosscutting Concepts: patterns; cause and effect; scale and quantity; systems and system models; matter flows; structure and function; stability and change

Program 7: Aquatic Biology In Action!
Presented by Lake Roosevelt Volunteer Net Pen Project and Columbia School

Available days: Full day on May 4
Location: Two Rivers Marina (Net Pen)/Fort Spokane Day Use Area (Crayfish)
Grade Level: 4th to 6th
Description: Groups will split and spend half a day at each of the following activities:

• Net Pen Fisheries: Find out what is being done to enhance the fish populations in Lake Roosevelt and discover the importance of the net pen program at Two Rivers Marina. Students will have an opportunity to learn about the net pen program on Lake Roosevelt and feed the resident rainbow trout. Students will also create a Gyotaku (fish print) which they will take home.
• The River Mile Crayfish Study: Join in this data sharing program and learn about Crayfish in the Columbia River Watershed. Columbia School's Crayfish Study Team will lead you through how to trap and collect crayfish, then weigh and measure them and finally submit and share the data.

Next Generation Science Standards Addressed:
Science and Engineering Practices: asking questions; planning and carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data; constructing explanations; obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Disciplinary Core Ideas: LS2--Ecosystems; ESS2--Earth’s systems; ESS3--Earth and human activity; ETS1--Engineering design; ETS2--Links among engineering, technology, science, and society
Crosscutting Concepts: patterns; cause and effect; systems; energy and matter--flows and conservation; structure and function; stability and change