Mississippi Adventure Weekly Features

Each week during the Missisippi Adventure, we'll add a new feature to enhance your watershed study. Check out the links below for more information. Note: some of these will send you away from this site. To get back, just hit the "Back" button on your browser.

Week Ten- It's all about the river now! We kicked off the Expedition with a reception to welcome the students, their parents and teachers, and our many wonderful supporters. Please check in frequently on the Interactive Expedition to see what our student crew is doing. We've got a great trip planned, and we'd love to hear what you think. If you have questions for the students, contact us!

Week Nine- We're getting ready to hit the river with the Interactive Expedition. Take a look at the crew profiles, new route plan, and see what the crew will be doing each day.

ENN.com does a great job of covering water issues. Check out some of these recent stories:

Week Eight- The trunks have been exchanged, and you should be able to start unpacking and exploring them. Don't worry if the trunk you got in the mail came form a different school than you sent yours to- we always mix up the trunk exchanges!

• Make sure you check this out! On April 30, May 1 and May 2, Estuary Live (www.estuarylive.org) will present "The Marshian Chronicles," a series of live Internet field trips from an estuary along the North Carolina coast teeming with strange creatures and unusual plants. Environmental educators K-12 can explore this strange new world with their classes simply by visiting www.estuarylive.org today and signing up.

Week Seven- The flooding on the Mississippi is dominating both the news, and our planning. We may have to come up with an alternate trip plan for the Interactive Expedition. Stay tuned as we work out details.

• Here's a great page full of news on the flood.
• Pakistan is desperate for drinking water, and is considering melting their glaciers in order to increase their supply.
• Every system is connected to every other system. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is in big trouble from nutrients in farm run-off.

Week Six- Ladies and gentlemen, start your Trunks! This week, we'll send out addresses, and ask you to exchange the Steamer Trunks you've been working so hard to complete.

• It's flood season, and the rivers are roaring. Check out the Hydrologic Information Center, of the National Weather Service.
• Keep an eye on the flooding in Minnesota. WCCO has fairly extensive converage on their site.
• American Rivers, a non-profit group dedicated to protecting the nation's rivers, has come out with their annual list of the country's most endangered rivers. Once again, the Mississippi River has the dubious distinction of being on that liist. Read more about it!
• Here's a new environmental web site, www.formyworld.org, brought to you by Environmental Defense, National Wildlife Federation and others. Very interesting site. You can obtain environmental information for your zip code area, get tips on saving evergy, and much more.
• In the news: It's not all bad news! Here's a story on a real success- a new forest preserve.
• Read about the connection between water, climate change and toad populations.
• A new study finds small streams are vital in removing water pollution.

Week Five- In week five, students are wrapping up work on the Steamer Trunks, and documenting them for the electronic version. To see samples of online Steamer Trunks click here.

• The Environmental News Network has an online Home Energy and Water Quiz. How much do you know about reducing water and energy consumption in the home?
• John Anfinson, of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, National Park Service, has written about early St. Anthony Falls.
• Here's an interesting article on an innovative recycling technology. Get Green with the Green Bottle.(TM)
• McDonald's Corporation has been looking for a more environmentally friendly package for their signature Big Mac. After two years of testing, EarthShell Corporation has developed one.
• Another article on the world water situation. Several countries are considering plans to melt their glaciers in order to meet increased demands for water.

Week Four- In week four, students are planning and designing their Steamer Trunks. This is where the real fun begins!

Week Three- This week, students continue to investigate "Culture Boxes" for the Steamer Trunk Project.

• Water is in the news, and the news isn't good. The Financial Times is reporting that, " Israel warns of 'water war' with Lebanon."

• In the West, a water crisis is lurking underground. See this article from the High Country News.

Week Two- Last week, students were mapping their watersheds. This week, students will learn about "Culture Boxes," artifact collections that paint a picture of a person's life, and form the foundation of the "Steamer Trunk." Check out these resources:

Week One- Teachers, jump in, and learn more about our online resources. We'll highlight different resources each week.

• For Lesson plans categorized by grade level, check out the activities on this page from the EPA's Office of Water.
• To see a collection of online Steamer Trunks, go to our Student Work Gallery.
• For grades 9-12, take a look at these recent articles. Water is in the news, and is a great place to start a discussion.
  Supreme Court Lets Stand EPA Pollution Rule
  Shrinking Lake Chad will be 'puddle'

John Anfinson, of the National Park Service, has written an article, The Natural River." Just imagine the river, long ago...