Environmental Education
Today’s youth will not only be greatly affected by climate change, they are the future stewards of the Earth. Utilizing hands-on and fun activities, our environmental education programs engage students, teachers and families caring for our incredible planet. The current pace of rising global average temperatures will put 20 – 30% of plant and animal species at increased risk of extinction. It’s time that we start considering the importance of individual organisms and respect what they as individuals contribute to this planet.
Budding Naturalists
The River Raisin Institute invites you to register your little ones for our 2024 Budding Naturalists program - happening July 22nd- 25th from 10am - 12:30pm at the IHM campus. We welcome little ones from ages 5-10, ages outside that range can be accepted with special permission.
The 2024 theme is “Our Home” - Home in the water, Home in the garden, Home in the prairie, Home in the woods.
Participants can expect to learn about the natural world around us through games, activities, crafts, and lots of fun! We anticipate exploring the IHM garden, ponds, prairies, and woods while learning about many of the plant and animal creatures that call this beautiful space home. There is a big world to explore right outside our doors and we look forward to experiencing it.
We welcome volunteers that love to work with little ones and love to be outside, knowledge about the outdoors is not necessary. To volunteer, contact the RRI program coordinator at RRIPrograms@gmail.com or 734-240-9682.
To register, visit https://forms.gle/Uyptx3oc1sNBHigv7
We are grateful to our volunteers and the Monroe County Environmental Fund for making this possible.
Climate Literacy
What does it mean to be climate literate? Climate science literacy entails comprehending the essential relationship between human actions and climate, as well as the impact of climate on human health. A climate-literate person is aware of how climate science is employed to make informed decisions that enhance our standard of living. They possess a rudimentary understanding of both natural and human-made factors that influence the climate system, and they appreciate the contributions of climate observations and records to scientific knowledge about climate. They are capable of evaluating the credibility of scientific arguments regarding climate change and employing that information to support their choices.
We hope to increase climate literacy in our schools and beyond through the Climate Literacy Project.
Our 2022 initiative, Wings of Change, focused on climate change's impact on birds, and provided students with curriculum lessons and resources on the topic. Each participating school was given bird armatures to be finished using recycled and repurposed materials. The Detroit Zoological Society offered window decorating materials to aid in the prevention of bird strikes.
This program is partially funded by the Monroe County Environmental Fund.
We would like to thank all of the schools and teachers that participated in the program.
To learn more, contact rriprograms@gmail.com
Environmental Career Days
The River Raisin Institute, in collaboration with the Monroe Boat Club, offers an annual program that aims to inspire future environmental careers as well as cultivate citizen stewards for the Lake Erie watershed. The program involves hands-on experiences that not only instill a passion for environmental conservation but also pique an interest in careers related to environmental issues.
Seventh-grade students in Monroe County participate in a two-day program that includes a tour of Monroe County Community College and its technology labs, as well as a boat ride at Monroe Boat Club to observe the impact of human activity on Lake Erie. The program's activities at the college center around agriculture, proper waste management, environmental education, and understanding the effects of human behavior on our natural environment. With the Monroe Boat Club, the students are able to collect water samples and analyze the water quality, hear first hand accounts from the border patrol that protect our water ways, and more.
The program inspires and challenges students to think about their future careers and ways they can help the community.
This initiative is supported by the Monroe County Environmental Fund.
A big thank you to all of our presenters and volunteers!
To learn more, contact rriprograms@gmail.com
Lake Erie Water Festival
During the Lake Erie Water Festival, a day-long event, 6th grade students in Monroe County attend educational presentations facilitated by environmental experts, who engage them in age-appropriate activities. The students are exposed to hands-on activities and demonstrations, learning about water science, pollution prevention, and sustainability concepts, all while utilizing the award-winning IHM green campus as a living laboratory.
We would like to thank our partners: the Monroe County Intermediate School District and Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Saint Therese.
This initiative is supported by the Monroe County Environmental Fund.
We would like to give a big thank you to all of our presenters and volunteers.
To learn more, contact rriprograms@gmail.com.
River Raisin Water Festival
At the River Raisin Water Festival, experts in the field of environmental science speak to 6th-grade students from the Lenawee School District. During this day-long event, students participate in presentations and age-appropriate activities centered around water quality and sustainability, which are conducted on the LISD campus.
We would like to extend our gratitude to the following organizations for their support in educating the future generation of sustainability leaders at the River Raisin Water Festival: Adrian Dominican Sisters Ecology Department, Audubon Great Lakes/Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lenawee Conservation District, Lenawee Intermediate School District Tech Center, Michigan Botany Club, Michigan State University Hidden Lake Gardens, and River Raisin Watershed Council.
Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to our sponsors: River Raisin Watershed Council, Lenawee Intermediate School District, and the Adrian Dominican Sisters.
This program is partially funded by the Monroe County Environmental Fund.
A huge thank you to all of our presenters and volunteers!
To learn more, contact rriprograms@gmail.com.
