Teaching About the Hudson River Estuary
The program's 21-foot puzzle depicts
the Hudson River Estuary in its entirety.
Hudson River Estuary Education Programs
We provide a variety of free education programs to school groups, families, teachers, communities, and the general public. Programs are centered around the ecology and environment of the Hudson River.
Teachers and Educators
Explore Hudson River programs and materials to use with your students and expand your expertise.
- Hudson River Lesson plans are a collection of curricula, activities, and other resources to support hands-on investigations of the Hudson River.
- Professional Development Workshops - Our programs and workshops help educators implement placed based learning to their students and staff. For more information email hrteach@dec.ny.gov.
- Classroom Programs - Experience the Hudson River in your classroom - our programs engage students through active, inquiry-driven lessons tailored to the needs of your students. For more information email hrteach@dec.ny.gov.
- A Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor (leaves DEC website)- On one day each fall school groups explore sites along the Hudson River and New York Harbor. They test water quality, catch fish, and record environmental parameters to get a snapshot of estuary-wide conditions.
- Field Education Programs (leaves DEC website) -Free outdoor environmental education programs at the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve for middle school, high school, and college groups. For more information email hrteach@dec.ny.gov.
- Education Grants - The Hudson River Estuary Program provides financial support to local organizations for projects with shared goals.
- Virtual River for Students, Teachers, and Educators (leaves DEC website) - A carefully curated series of Hudson River videos, lessons, and activities suitable for all ages.
- Key Understandings for K-12 Study of the Hudson River - ten essentials for understanding the estuary.
Community Members and Youth
Get involved in Hudson River stewardship, recreation, and education opportunities in your community.
- Hudson River Eel Project - Calling all citizen scientists! Helps volunteers collect important data on eels in streams from New York City to Troy.
- The Great Hudson River Fish Count - Join scientists to discover the diverse and fascinating creatures hidden below the river's surface.
- Volunteer Opportunities - How can you get involved in environmental stewardship in your community? Keep a fishing diary, help amphibians cross roads, count eels, and plant trees along streams.
- Hudson River Almanac - Subscribe to this weekly email to read natural history notes from all over the Hudson River area. What birds are out? What fish are being caught? Is there ice on the river? Are there seals or whales in the Hudson?
- The Institute Discovering Environmental Scientists (TIDES) - Paid summer research opportunity for high school and college students in the Mid-Hudson Valley. For more information email hrteach@dec.ny.gov.
Discover the Hudson River Booklet
Discover the Hudson River is a youth activity booklet in the Project WET's Kids in Discovery series (KIDs). Through lively text, colors, games, maps and activities, this youth activity booklet engages students about the Hudson's watershed, and teaches them about the variety of wildlife the river supports and the many ways people influence and are influenced by the river.
Teachers who would like a free copy of Discover the Hudson River may request one via email hrteach@dec.ny.gov. Please include your mailing address!
More about Teaching About the Hudson River Estuary:
- The Hudson River K-12 Unit of Study - These place-based lessons are designed to help Kindergarten to Grade 7 classes learn about the Hudson while meeting state learning standards in English language arts, math, science, and social studies.
