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Learning in Our Watershed™

What is Learning in Our Watershed?

Learning in Our Watershed (LIOW) supports K-12 students’ exploration of the people, places, heritage, and natural habitats of the Cache la Poudre River. Through LIOW, educators can connect with resources and experiential education programming along the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area. LIOW is designed to take learning from the classroom to the great outdoors, for improved student well-being while simultaneously developing a sense of connection to nature and the heritage area. Leveraging partnerships with local museums and organizations, LIOW is an immersive program that connects youth to their river in ways that inspire learning, well-being, and stewardship.

LIOW programs and resources are designed by educators to align with Colorado education standards from social studies to science and beyond.

Key objectives of LIOW programs include:

  • Connect students to their river corridor.
  • Immerse students in their local heritage, cultures, and landscapes.
  • Help students develop critical thinking skills including interpreting sources, maps, and signs.
  • Encourage students to reflect on human-environment interacts within their watershed region.

Field Trip Grant Program

Are you planning a field trip along the Poudre River corridor? Would you like to take your class on a field trip but don’t have funding to cover admission or transportation costs? Let us help support your exploration of the history and ecology of the Poudre!

Through Learning In Our Watershed the Cache NHA can give you a grant to cover field trip costs for sites within the NHA! Unsure if you qualify? Check out our FAQ’s below. Ready to apply for funding, click the button below!

FAQs

What grades are eligible?

Any grade, K-12, is eligible for funding. Priority is given to 4th Grade classes, however, we almost always have funding for other grades!

What schools are eligible?

Any school, regardless of district. In the past we’ve funded schools from districts including Poudre, Thompson, Greeley 6, Weld RE-1, Weld RE-4, Weld RE-5J, Weld RE-9, Eaton, Estes Park, Fort Morgan, Ault-Highland and beyond. We also provide funding to homeschool groups, special education classrooms, and other similar groups.

Does my school have to be Title 1?

No, classes from any school are welcome to apply. Priority is given to classes from Title 1 schools, however, funding is almost always available for other classes.

Can I use field trip grant funds to go anywhere?

No, LIOW funds must be used for field trips within the Cache NHA (roughly Bellvue, Laporte, Fort Collins, Timnath, Windsor, Greeley) and relate to water, history, or science. You can find a list of pre-approved sites below. We will always consider
alternative field trip sites. Email us and see if your trip would qualify.

What can I use funds for?

LIOW field trip grant funds can be used to cover admission to approved sites. Funds can also be used for bus or other transportation costs. Funds cannot be used to purchase food, souvenirs, supplies, or other similar expenses.

How does the process work?

You submit a field trip grant request (this request asks for basic information such as your school, grade, field trip date and location, number of students, requested amount, etc). Our staff reviews the request to determine if you are eligible. If you are approved for funding you schedule your field trip with your site. After your field trip you submit a short report and your receipts. After your report is submitted we send the funds to your school office manager!

 
 
 
 

Build Your Program

Learning in Our Watershed is an adaptable three-touch model designed so you, the Educator, can self-select from a variety of activities in each of the three touch points to customize a field trip specific to your classroom’s grade, learning objectives, and subject focus. Options include both on-site and distance learning.

Pre Visit Activity Resources

Pre-visit activity options include:

Video: Learning in Our Watershed Field Trip

Video: Video de excursión Learning in Our Watershed

Video: Cache la Poudre River- Our River Basin Community

Video: Poudre River Heritage Tour Northern Arapaho Tribal Elders

Video: Western Water Law (best for older grades)

Video: Irrigation Ditches and Canals (best for older grades)

Video: Agriculture (best for older grades)

Video: A River Runs Through It (best for high school grades)

Additional videos can be found on the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area channel on YouTube.

Field Trips Options

Science & Ecology Focus:

Poudre Learning Center (Greeley): The PLC is located on 212 acres along the Poudre in west Greeley. Offering interdisciplinary field trip options that focus on the importance of history, science, economics, and stewardship of the Poudre River. Students can experience hands-on activities with wildlife and water. Weld County & Thompson school districts have partnered with the PLC and students from these districts can attend for free, LIOW funding support is only needed for transportation costs.

Environmental Learning Center (Fort Collins, hybrid option): The ELC is located along the Poudre in east Fort Collins. Operated out of CSU, the ELC offers programming aligned with state standards and customized to grade level. Field trip options include exploring the river and riparian areas; collect and observe arthropods; discover living and non-living components of ecosystems; explore lifecycles in the watershed; and more.

Colorado Youth Outdoors (Timnath): CYO is located along the Poudre in Timnath by I-25. CYO offers kids the opportunity to “stomp around 220 acres” while safely learning outdoor skills such as fishing, archery, survival, or maps and compasses. CYOs programs are rooted in social-emotional learning and building healthy relationships with nature and each other. Visits can be expanded and customized by topic including river health and conservation, ecology and life cycles, history through archery, and more.

History Focus:

Centennial Village Museum (Greeley, hybrid option): A living history museum featuring over 35 buildings, costumed interpreters, heritage farm animals, and more. Centennial Village spans decades of life in Colorado and visits can be customized to discuss different periods of time, topics, or groups of people along the Poudre. Centennial Village also hosts the annual High Plains History Festivals in May and September for 2nd-5th Grade classes from across Colorado.

Windsor History Museum (Windsor): Featuring historic buildings built in Windsor area from 1882-1920s, the museum helps tell the story of Windsor and Northern Colorado from railroads, to agriculture, sugar beets, immigration, daily life, town growth, and more centered on the investigation of sources.

Diverse Focus:

Fort Collins Museum of Discovery (Fort Collins): Located beside the Poudre, FCMoD provides hands on exhibits and programs that introduce students to the history of the region, wildlands and wildlife, STEM, and more.

Study Outdoors Learn Outdoors (SOLO) (Anywhere): SOLO offers the option of a self-guided outdoor experience, building on existing community trails. Created by two local educators, SOLO field trip routes align with state standards and connect students directly to the landscape of the Poudre River, incorporating interpretive signs and wayfinding. SOLO includes all lesson plans, route maps, and instructions for four routes so teachers can take their students into the watershed without the cost of admission.

Post Visit Resources

  • Study Outdoors Learn Outdoors (SOLO): SOLO offers the option of a self-guided outdoor experience, building on existing community trails. Created by two local educators, SOLO field trip routes align with state standards and connect students directly to the landscape of the Poudre River, incorporating interpretive signs and wayfinding. SOLO includes all lesson plans, route maps, and instructions for fourroutes so teachers can take their students into the watershed without the cost of admission.
  • Poudre River Investigators Activity Guide: This printed activity book available in English or Spanish expand students observations of the
    Poudre River. Rae the raindrop leads the adventure as students explore animals, river safety, water vocabulary, and water sources. Teachers can download the activity guide using the link above or request free printed copies from the Cache NHA or any field trip partner sites. The guide was created in partnership with Colorado State University, The Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed, and the Natural Science Education and Outreach Center.
  • My Tour Interactive Map: Students can explore the interactive map on this website to continue exploring locations in the heritage area.

Additional lesson and activity resources can be found on our In Classroom Resources Page.

Distance Learning Resources

  • My Tour Interactive Map: Students can explore the interactive map on this website to continue exploring locations in the heritage area.
  • Many of our field trip partners will offer distance learning options.
    Contact the sites directly to see what they can do!

Additional lesson and activity resources can be found on our In Classroom Resources Page.

Educator Resources

Looking for additional in-classroom resources for pre or post-visit? Need resources for teaching local, regional, or state history? Check out or Educator Resources for videos, sources, curriculum, and more from Cache NHA educators and beyond!

Want to stay up-to-date on the newest educator resources, field trip opportunities, ways to get your classroom engaged, and opportunities for professional development and curriculum development? Sign up for our quarterly Educator Resources Newsletter!

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Funders

Learning in Our Watershed (LIOW) is an adaptable three-touch model with hybrid options for on-site and distance learning, designed to create pathways for kids to enjoy, understand and connect with nature in exciting, impactful, and meaningful ways.

Learning in Our Watershed is made possible by a grant from the National Park Foundation through generous support of partners including the Union Pacific Railroad and donors across the country. Additional funding is generously provided by Nutrien and private donors. If you are interested in donating to further the impact of this program please contact us.

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