Creeks and rivers are amazing storytellers – they can teach, captivate, and inspire curious minds.
I always try to include creeks and rivers into the larger interpretive theme of a tour or educational travel program, especially when these waterways can provoke people into broadening their horizons.
It’s always fun to open up an itinerary so trip participants can look under rocks, get their feet wet, observe critters in the water, touch, hear, smell, see, and learn more about the story of a place.
To help with bringing this story to life I bring along a simple “Water Discovery Kit.” The kit can be made at home, packs well, and weighs just a few pounds. It includes:
- 1 Gallon-sized Plastic Bucket with Handle
- 1 10x Microscope
- 2 Dip Nets
- 1 Big Pipette (medium-sized turkey baster)
- 1 Thermometer
- 3 Magnification Loops
- 1 Set of Laminated Instructions
- 1 Plankton Net with ziplock
- 6 Small Pipettes
- 3 Round clear observation dishes
- 3 Rectangular clear observation dishes
- 3 Rectangular observations plates
- 1 Funnel
- 1 Gallon-sized ziplock
- 1 Secchi dish (8-inch)
Everything on the list fits inside the bucket, except for the Secchi disk which I carry separately. The kit can be used by elementary kids on up, though it works best when various generations (grandparents and grandchildren) are involved.