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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 - 2 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
include Salish Ponds Wetlands in Fairview, the Columbia Blvd. Wastewater Treatment Plant grounds, the Children's Arboretum, and Kelly Point Park.
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. The majority of students participate in habitat restoration projects including: invasive plant removal, mulching and trail maintenance, and plantng native herbs and shrubs.
Cost and Transportation
The Slough School programs are offered free of charge
to teachers and students within the Columbia Slough
Watershed on a case by case basis. 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:
Sheilagh Diez , Slough School Education Director
Phone: (503) 281-1132
email: sheilagh.diez@columbiaslough.org
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