Class in the Creek at the MK Nature Center begins with a pre-fieldtrip lesson on aquatic ecology in the school classroom. Upon class arrival to the Nature Center, children are guided to the creek to participate in hands-on, discovery learning. While splashing around and having fun in the river, kids are also collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish, classifying and identifying insects and other organisms to observe the morphology, structure, function and adaptations of these organisms while also learning about indicators of water quality, food webs, the interrelatedness of aquatic habitats and the basic effects of climate change.

Many students who attend Class in the Creek activities tell us they have never gotten into a river and explored, while even more students profess that they aren’t even sure where the river’s water comes from! They begin the field trip thinking that it will be boring and “dumb” as one 5th grader admitted, and they leave with a profound excitement and interest in river ecosystems. A few initially skeptical children proclaimed that class in the creek “is so much cooler than I thought, and so much fun!” 

What types of fish are native to Idaho's Rivers?

There are many species of fish in our local rivers, however not all of them are native to Idaho (meaning people brought them in). This might seem harmless but native fish species have spent countless years adapting to the local environment. Non-native fish species have done the same in other parts of the country or world and might find it easier to thrive in Idaho which can seriously upset the delicate ecosystem that we live in. CLICK HERE for the MK Nature Center's Fish Identification Chart!