For about 10 years the CES has collabortated with Waco Elementary and Kentucky Fish and Wildlife to host a live stream study.  The CES and the teacher have collected data from those years and have started logging them as we visit the same stream each year. The students get a chance to learn in the classroom and then show their skills off while in the stream.  The CES goes over how to chemically test the stream and also how to biologically test the stream by looking for macro invertabrates. The CES will come in the classroom weeks before the field trip with lessons pertaining to the health of the stream.  

Unfortunately this year, we were not able to attend because of the restrictions and school being closed due to COVID-19.  The CES and the elementary teacher brainstormed of how we could still give her students the experience but in a safe, social distancing manner.  Virtually!!!! The whole process of using viritually classrooms was still very new to us but we managed a plan.  The CES designed a way to still teach macro invertabrates but through a Zoom meeting.  The CES designed a presentation that he was able to share with about 50 4th grade students over a  Zoom meeting.  The CES and Kentucky Fish and Wildlife instructor taught remotely from home and from stream.  The CES used past pictures of the stream and talked about how it has transformed over the years and how the health of the water has changed.  It was a lesson on how humans impact watersheds by using the stream for recreational purposed and near by homes and how they can change the health of the waterway.  The CES was able to teach of how to identify macro invertabrates by having speciems on hand to virtually show the students.  The CES went throught the whole process of the stream study as if we were really there.  

The CES and the teacher are hopeful that this group of students will be able to attend the live stream study next year as 5th graders.  This is an educational experience that Waco elementary students talk about years after. The CES and the teacher will also invite former students in high school to come back and help teach next year. 100% of the students participating raised their hand stating they learned something new during this Zoom meeting.  100% of the students who participated agreed to help inform their families of ways they can decrease their impact on watersheds.  

This isn't the way we preferred to have our annual stream study, but glad we were able to think outside the box/stream and still offer an educational experience for these students.