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The Clark Fork River and its tributaries drain most of western Montana. The upper river and headwaters were heavily impacted by wastes from over a century of mining. Today, the area is the largest Superfund environmental clean-up site in the nation.
Clark Fork Education Portal > Lessons & Activities
Online lesson plans and activities are listed below. Click on a lesson plan or activity below to view and download all files associated with that lesson. You can also view the Books & Publications > Curriculum Guides page to view hard-copy lessons and activities available from CFWEP, or visit Resources for a complete listing of hard-copy materials, science equipment, and multimedia materials available from CFWEP. Elementary and middle school level teachers interested in learning more about science topics and strategies for teaching science in the classsroom may want to take a look at the Southwest Montana Science Partnership, a series of online modules on specific science topics.
Please note that CFWEP Core Curriculum (Clark Fork and Milltown) materials require a username and password for access. These materials cover science and social studies topics and are targeted for grades 5-9. If you are interested in a restricted-access lesson, please send an email to request@cfwep.org. All other curriculum materials may be downloaded without a username and password free-of-charge. You can also use the Search feature below to search all CFWEP education materials.
Most lessons are already correlated to Montana and/or national education standards, with an emphasis on science and social studies. For further information on Montana education standards, refer to the Montana Office of Public Instruction website.
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General Environmental Science and Social Studies Lessons & Activities
Lesson Name |
Suggested Grade Level |
Lesson Description / Subjects Addressed |
| Blackfoot River Fish Identification | 6-9 | Developed by Lincoln School teacher Alyssa Daniels, this lesson covers:
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| Bull Trout Curriculum | 7-12 | Developed by fisheries consultant Mike Bader, with support from regional experts, this curriculum covers:
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| Communicating Science: Collecting and Interpreting Data | 7-12 | Developed by CFWEP, this lesson covers:
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| Cultural Survey Scientist | 8 | Developed by CFWEP, this lesson covers:
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| Google Earth Scavenger Hunt | 4-8 | Developed by CFWEP, this worksheet includes:
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| The Lorax | K-4 | Based on the Dr. Seuss story, this lesson covers:
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| Montana Office of Public Instruction Indian Education for All Curriculum Website | K-12 | A broad collection of lesson plans developed by the State of Montana to support Indian Education for All. |
| Not in My Backyard: Quantifying Milltown Wastes | 7-12 | Developed by CFWEP, this lesson covers:
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| Opportunity, Montana: A Brief Historical Introduction to the BP-Arco Waste Repository | 7-12 | Developed by CFWEP, this presentation includes:
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| Silver Bow Creek: A History of Use, Abuse and Reuse | 9-12 | Developed by CFWEP, this lesson covers:
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| Southwest Montana Science Partnership (SMSP) | Teachers | The SMSP
was developed to provide instruction in science content and inquiry for K-6 teachers, although teachers and students of all grade levels will find SMSP Modules useful. SMSP Modules each cover a specific science topic, and also offer suggestions and further resources to help teachers integrate science topics into their regular curriculum.
The SMSP project is funded by a ESEA, Title II Part B Mathematics and Science Partnership Grant through the Montana Office of Public Instruction. SMSP Modules were developed by the CFWEP and faculty from Montana Tech of The University of Montana and Montana State University. |
| Upper Clark Fork Basin Scavenger Hunt Activity | 4-8 | Developed by CFWEP, this worksheet includes:
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| West Slope Cutthroat Trout Restoration - What Does it Take to Restore a Species? | 9-12 | This lesson covers:
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| What is a Part Per Million? | 7-12 | Developed by CFWEP, this lesson covers:
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| Who is My Mommy? - Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Identification | 4-8 | Developed by CFWEP, this activity covers:
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| World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD) Curriculum - Lesson 1: Water Quality Parameters |
9-12 | Developed by CFWEP, this curriculum contains three lessons and supporting materials. This lesson covers:
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| World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD) Curriculum - Lesson 2: Water Monitoring Field Trip |
9-12 | Developed by CFWEP, this curriculum contains three lessons and supporting materials. This lesson covers:
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| World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD) Curriculum - Lesson 3: Water Quality Data Analysis |
9-12 | Developed by CFWEP, this curriculum contains three lessons and supporting materials. This lesson covers:
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| World Water Monitoring Day (WWMD) Curriculum - Supporting Materials | 9-12 | Additional handouts, materials, and references for use with WWMD lessons. |
Clark Fork Core Curriculum (password required for access)
Lesson Name |
Suggested Grade Level |
Lesson Description / Subjects Addressed |
| CFWEP Core Lesson 1: What is a Watershed? | 6-9 | Developed by CFWEP as part of our 5-Day Core Middle School Program, this lesson covers:
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| CFWEP Core Lesson 2: What Happened to Our Watershed? | 6-9 | Developed by CFWEP as part of our 5-Day Core Middle School Program, this lesson covers:
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| CFWEP Core Lesson 3: Measuring Watershed Health I - Biological Indicators | 6-9 | Developed by CFWEP as part of our 5-Day Core Middle School Program, this lesson covers:
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| CFWEP Core Lesson 4: Measuring Watershed Health II - Field Trip Practice | 6-9 | Developed by CFWEP as part of our 5-Day Core Middle School Program, this lesson covers:
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| CFWEP Core Curriculum Field Trip Materials | 6-9 | Developed by CFWEP as part of our 5-Day Core Middle School Program, these materials (data sheets, field scripts, student handouts, etc.) can be used to engage students in field science. |
| CFWEP Core Lesson 5: Watershed Science - Tying It All Together | 6-9 | Developed by CFWEP as part of our 5-Day Core Middle School Program, this lesson covers:
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Milltown Core Curriculum (password required for access)
Lesson Name |
Suggested Grade Level |
Lesson Description / Subjects Addressed |
| Milltown Education Program Lesson 1: History of the Clark Fork Watershed | 6-9 | Developed by CFWEP with support from the University of Montana and the Watershed Education Network, this lesson covers:
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| Milltown Education Program Lesson 2: The Superfund Story | 6-9 | Developed by CFWEP with support from the University of Montana and the Watershed Education Network, this lesson covers:
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| Milltown Education Program Lesson 3: Field Trip and Follow-Up | 6-9 | Developed by CFWEP with support from the University of Montana and the Watershed Education Network, this lesson covers:
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| Milltown Education Program Supporting Files | 6-9 | Supporting Milltown files include:
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