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friends@therouge.org | 734-927-4900 | Fax: 734-927-4920

REP Training Workshops

We offer training opportunities throughout the year that focus on K-12 hands-on streamside education at the banks of the Rouge River as part of our Rouge Education Project, as well as ways to engage students in environmental action in their community based on what they find.

Our training opportunities include a mix of online and in-person (outdoor) learning.  Interested teachers and volunteers should save August 7-11, 2023 for our Rouge Education Project Summer School.  You can view the online components of our training anytime by visiting friendsoftherouge.wespire.com, signing up for a free account, and visiting the Rouge Education Project Training channel.

[All teachers and volunteers are encouraged to attend the Friends of the Rouge Bug Hunts in addition to the workshops listed below to understand more about how the biological sampling portion of the field trip should be organized. It is also great way to practice identifying the aquatic organisms under the guidance of a trained Team Leader.]

New Teachers

  • Summer Workshops
    • AREN Training (optional): Fri. 8/4/23
    • New Teacher Orientation: Mon. 8/7/23
    • Advanced Chemical Training: Tues. 8/8/23
    • Bug Identification & Sampling Techniques: Wed. 8/9/23
    • HOLD for rain date: Fri. 8/11/23
    • Reflection & Planning Time: Schedule with REP staff

Returning Teachers

  • Returning Teacher Refresher Options
    • AREN Training: Fri. 8/4/23
    • Advanced Chemical Training: Tues. 8/8/23
    • Bug Identification & Sampling Techniques: Wed. 8/9/23
    • HOLD for rain date: Fri. 8/11/23
    • Reflection & Planning Time: Schedule with REP staff

REP Assistants

  • Revise orientation materials
  • Advanced Chemical Training: Tues. 8/8/23
  • Bug Identification & Sampling Techniques: Wed. 8/9/23
  • HOLD for rain date: Fri. 8/11/23

Workshop Descriptions

Registration required for all workshops.

Registration is OPEN: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
the deadline to register is Sunday, July 30.

New Teacher Orientation

FOR: New teachers (required), or new teachers from existing schools [FREE].  Open to other teachers interested in learning more about the Rouge Education Project for a small fee, and current REP teachers are welcome [FREE].

New teachers will experience an introduction to the Rouge River watershed, learn about what we monitor and what the data mean, understand how sampling sites are chosen and what equipment and resources are provided through the Project, get tips on how to incorporate the REP into curricula, have time to talk with expert REP teachers about how to structure and organize monitoring day, and learn how to work with your students to address issues identified in your community and develop solutions.

TIME:
Asynchronous videos to watch prior to workshop: (1.5 hrs TOTAL)
Day-of: 9:30AM – 11:30AM (includes 5-10 minute break)

LOCATION:
Online via Zoom

Advanced Chemical Training

FOR: REP teachers & REP Assistants [FREE], other teachers welcome for a small fee

This hands-on workshop for teachers and REP Assistants covers all of the water quality monitoring chemical tests that schools conduct on their field trip to the Rouge River on Monitoring Day.  Participants will learn about all nine parameters of water quality testing, sources of each level, and complete hands-on demonstrations using chemical kits to calculate an overall water quality score.
*please note this is for schools using the advanced set of chemical kits.  There is no formal training for the EZ tab chemical kits.

TIME:
Asynchronous videos to watch prior to workshop: (30 mins TOTAL)
Day-of: 9:30AM – 12:30PM

LOCATION: Plymouth Township Park (tentative)

Bug Identification & Sampling Techniques

FOR: REP Teachers & REP Assistants [FREE], Bug Hunt Team Leaders [FREE], other teachers welcome for a small fee

This in-depth, hands-on workshop will teach attendees how to sample for and identify aquatic insects, and calculate an overall water quality score. Attendees will also learn how to conduct a physical stream survey. The first half of training is an introduction about sampling techniques and parameters, the second half is a hands-on sampling event.  Please dress for working outdoors (rain or shine).  Waders required (we can provide).

TIME:
Asynchronous videos to watch prior to workshop: (2 hrs TOTAL)
Day-of: 9:30AM – 12:30PM

LOCATION: Plymouth Township Park (tentative)

Mock Monitoring Day

FOR: REP teachers & returning REP Assistants [FREE]

Attendees will be at the river conducting all activities expected from a REP monitoring day: chemical tests, biological sampling (bug hunt), and the physical stream survey.

TIME: 9:30AM – 2:00PM

LOCATION: Plymouth Township Park (tentative)

Reflection & Planning Time

FOR: REP teachers [FREE]

Teachers are welcome to schedule time with REP staff to view bugs underneath a microscope and practice identification, practice any of the chemical tests, and begin to plan their watershed unit.  Other experts may be available to answer questions and help with curriculum integration.

LOCATION:
Friends of the Rouge
650 Church St, Ste 209
Plymouth, MI 48170

AREN Training

FOR: REP teachers [FREE]

Teachers are welcome to learn more about joining the Aerokats & Rover Education Network, a partnership with NASA and the international GLOBE program.  Participating teachers will receive Vernier testing probes and be able to reserve the use of an Aquatic ROVER to do water quality testing across the water surface.  They will also receive an Aerokat, a kite equipped with sensors to measure air quality and take aerial photos of the testing location.

TIME: 9:30AM – 12:30PM

LOCATION: Plymouth Township Park (tentative)