Contact
Columbia Slough
Watershed Council
7040 NE 47th Ave.,
Portland, OR 97218-1212
Phone: (503) 281-1132
Fax: (503) 281-5187

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SLOUGH SCHOOL MAIN PAGE | CLASS TOPICS | FIELD TRIPS
 


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Field Trips are designed for students to study the ecosystem of a site on the Columbia Slough and its nearby habitats. These trips are intended as a field component for students who have completed a classroom program.
 

What to Expect
Field trip activities may include wildlife watching, water quality testing, macroinvertebrate sampling, mapping, identifying native and non-native plants, and identifying stormwater improvement methods. Field trips generally last between 1.5 - 3 hours and can be combined with a service project or deeper scientific investigation.

Many field trips take place at Whitaker Ponds Environmental Learning Center, which has an outdoor classroom, pond access and limited indoor study areas. Other sites within the watershed may also be used for field trips.

On a limited basis, field trips may also be available for after-school groups. Groups should come on field experiences dressed appropriately for the weather and with enough adult chaperones to meet a 1:8 adult to student ratio.



Service Projects and Community Action Projects
These may be arranged based on the specific needs and interests of your student group. Examples may include the application of stormwater drain markers, creating educational materials or riparian restoration projects.


Cost and Transportation
The Slough School programs are offered free of charge to teachers and students within the Columbia Slough Watershed or through individual arrangements. Transportation to field sites is generally the responsibility of the school or group, although some transportation arrangements can be provided by the Slough School.

The Whitaker Ponds Environmental Learning Center is accessible by Tri-met bus #75 and is located at 7040 NE 47th Ave in Portland.


Academic Benchmarks Addressed
Slough School activities can be adapted to meet specific learning objectives identified by teachers for each student group.

Activities address academic content standards identified by the Oregon Department of Education, such as:

  • Life Science: “Explain the behavior and interdependence of organisms in their natural environment”, “Describe the characteristics, structure and function of organisms”
  • Geography: “Explain how humans and the physical environment impact and influence each other”
  • Scientific Inquiry: “Design and conduct investigations to answer questions and verify hypotheses”, “Analyze, data collected from an investigation, draw conclusions and explain results.”

If you are interested in creating a plan of study with the Slough School, contact:

Rachel Felice, Slough School Education Director
Phone: (503) 281-1132
email: rachel.felice@columbiaslough.org