Field Trips for Grades 6-8

        Field Trip Menu                                Grades 6-8

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Click above for a PDF that also includes NGSS alignment for each lesson!

Engineered Water Systems:
Wastewater, Drinking Water & Stormwater

Wastewater, drinking water and stormwater management are all crucial to a healthy human society. Join us to learn how humans have engineered systems to manage this precious resource and what we can all do to protect water for years to come.

This is a great option for classrooms, homeschool groups, and scout troops. Located at 1004 N Freya Street, typical visits to the Water Resource Center are 1.5-2 hours in length.

          Request My                          Field Trip!

Wally Otter Mascot and Request Link

Click the Wally Otter button above to request your field trip!

Once we receive your Field Trip Request to visit the Water Resource Center (WRC), we’ll email you to begin jointly planning the date, time and activities that are best suited for your class and what best aligns with your curriculum. 

Field trips to the WRC are in high demand in the spring. If a fall field trip can fit into your curriculum, there will be more available dates from which you can choose.

Water Reclamation Facility Tours

Full Tour and Lab
Learn about the engineering processes that transform dirty wastewater into three products: clean water, biosolids and energy. Explore how population growth and resource use affects overall wastewater systems and the health of the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. After the tour, participate in a hands-on lab to clean your own ‘wastewater’ while gaining a better understanding of the chemistry and physical processes crucial to the treatment process.

Short Tour
This is a shorter walking tour and can be combined with one of the other lessons below.

Aquifer Manager
Using an aquifer model, students work together to manage groundwater wells on their property. Students will apply critical thinking to adapt to changing conditions including climate change, drought and population growth. Students will understand how conservation can by applied to manage resources wisely.

Stormwater
Using the Water Resource Center campus, students will do a mapping exercise, noting permeable and impermeable areas, to understand how different surfaces can impact runoff in an urban environment.

Investigate Water
Test local water samples using handheld probes, chemical tests and biological assessments to evaluate the properties and quality of the various water sources.