Education

From discovering the wonders of eels and mussels to understanding the negative impacts of road salt and sewage overflows, Ottawa Riverkeeper’s dedicated and passionate educators invite learners of all ages to become active Water Leaders to protect the health of the Ottawa River watershed. Come by our Learning Lab after a swim at the NCC River House, book an educational River School workshop for your students, or check out our online videos and resources you can borrow for your school. We have engaging educational activities to spark lifelong curiosity about the river for every kind of learner.

Book a school workshop

Are you seeking unique educational experiences about the wonders and issues of the Ottawa River watershed? River School offers educational workshops that cultivate knowledge, love, and care for the watershed, informed by a commitment to collaborative action.

We offer engaging workshops at schools within 150km of Ottawa/Gatineau (80km November-April) for Grades 2-12 and at our Learning Lab at the NCC River House for Grades 8-12. The workshops have extensive connections to both the Quebec and Ontario curricula.

Visit the Learning Lab

Located in the NCC River House, our Learning Lab is a vibrant space for public engagement, dedicated to exploring the Ottawa River and its watershed. Adjacent to our science lab, our knowledgeable staff and volunteers offer interactive, hands-on learning from May through September. Join us to explore, learn, and help protect our precious watershed.

The Learning Lab is open to the public, fully accessible, and free to access, offering great activities for curious minds of all ages.

Access educational resources

Ottawa Riverkeeper is committed to sharing resources with educators across the watershed – for free! Check out our videos, online digital resources, games, activity books, and – for teachers in the National Capital Region – you can borrow our incredible physical resources through our Learning Library. Students will love bringing learning to life with our stormwater model or Water Rangers test kit.

Borrow materials from our WaterSHED

Ottawa Riverkeeper’s WaterSHED is an accessible sharing shed for educators and community members to borrow our well-loved educational resources and shoreline cleanup equipment.

Whether you are a teacher borrowing our popular watershed model or a community group leading a shoreline cleanup, the materials in the WaterSHED are available at no cost.

Check out our youth engagement activities

Are you looking for a volunteer project, co-op placement or internship that aligns with your interests? Do you have high school volunteer hours to complete? There are many ways for youth to get involved at Ottawa Riverkeeper and we are open to your ideas! Stay tuned in the newsletter or on social media for youth leadership activities throughout the year.