Environmental Outreach Programs

Offered by
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources
St. Louis Regional Office

The St. Louis regional office of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) is now offering hands on outreach programs to schools and youth groups. This public service is provided at
NO COST for residents of Franklin, Gasconade, Jefferson, Lincoln, Montgomery, St. Charles, St. Louis, and Warren counties.

We at the MoDNR use concepts from ecology, chemistry, and systematics in our daily work. The following presentations show how we apply these concepts to local environmental evaluations.

For more information or to schedule a presentation, please contact:
Alene Onion,
MoDNR St. Louis Regional Office
7545 S. Lindbergh suite 210, St. Louis, MO 63125
314-416 2960; alene.onion@dnr.mo.gov

View the current schedule.

Applied Systematics

Macroinvertebrate Identification - Live Animals
Identify macroinvertbrates found in a Missouri stream such as crayfish, mayfly larva, dragonfly larva etc.  Discover characteristics of these organisms that help them to survive water pollution events. Hear how MoDNR staff have used the survival or death of these animals as evidence against water polluters.  Older students may use a dichotomous key to classify macroinvertbrates to the phylogentic level of Order.

Grades: K-12 Class Size < 30 Time: 30-60 minutes

Macroinvertebrate Mayhem
Act out the dramatic events that follow the pollution of a stream ecosystem. In this active game, students take on the disabilities of an assigned organism and try to navigate the hazards of a polluted stream. Who survives and who dies is a telling indicator of water quality. Students learn to identify pollution-sensitive, somewhat-pollution-tolerant, and pollution-toleran organisms and their significance as environmental indicators.

Grades: K-12 Class Size < 30 Time: 30-50 minutes

Applied Ecology

Water Cycle Reenactment
Act out the movement of rain drops through the maze of the water cycle. In this whole body activity, students pretend to be “raindrops” and travel through the water cycle trying not to get trapped by plants, animals, rivers, ground water, and oceans. When pollution is added to the system, students observe human impacts on the water cycle.

Grades: K-8 Class Size < 30 Time: 30-50 minutes

Water Pollution in Missouri
What are the major sources of water pollution in Missouri? Students design and build model landscapes with at least ten sources of water pollution. When their systems are tested, students learn which of these sources has the most impact on Missouri’s water bodies.

Grades: 4-12 Class Size < 30 Time: 30-50 minutes

Water Pollution in My Watershed
What is a watershed? How does water pollution travel through a watershed? The concept of a watershed is explored in this class using topographical maps. Students first learn how to read topographical maps from their region. When they are comfortable with this information source, they next identify water pollution sources in their area. Finally, they outline the watersheds to learn which water bodies are affected by these pollution sources. 

Grades: 6-12 Class Size < 30 Time: 30-50 minutes

Applied Chemistry

Wastewater Treatment
Design and implement a treatment plan for a cup of homemade “wastewater” using a range of provided water cleaning materials. Older students may test the effectiveness of their treatment by analyzing parameters regulated by the MoDNR such as chlorine, conductivity, pH and NH3. Their treatment plans are compared to those used by local wastewater treatment facilities.

Grades: 4-12 Class Size < 30 Time: 30-60 minutes