RiverXchange® helps teachers meet Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) all while teaching students about watershed health and environmental stewardship through hands-on activities, guest speaker presentations, and service learning. The RiverXchange® learning objectives are the specific, measurable outcomes we hope students are proficient in by program completion. These outcomes are what correlate to the Common Core and NGSS.

RiverXchange® Learning Objectives

  • Students identify their watershed and describe interdependent abiotic and biotic elements of their watershed ecosystem.
  • Students summarize the many important roles and inter-connections for water in their watershed (e.g. municipal, industrial, agricultural, recreational, ecological, aesthetic).
  • Students name specific pollution sources in their watershed, define the difference between permeable vs. impermeable surface and their roles in the movement of pollution.
  • Students explain aspects of watershed stewardship and describe specific ways they can reduce pollution sources within their watershed.
  • Students share their watershed knowledge and advocacy with peers and parents.

Next Generation Science Standards

Earth Systems

5-ESS2-1. Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.

5-ESS2-2. Describe and graph the amounts and percentages of salt water and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.

5-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.

Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems

5-LS1-1. Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.

5-LS2-1. Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.

Space Systems: Stars and the Solar System

5-PS2-1. Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.

A full description of correlation to the NGSS performance expectations as well as support for the Science and Engineering Practices and Cross-Cutting Concepts is below:

RiverXchange® NGSS Standards Correlation (PDF)

Common Core Standards

RiverXchange® supports many 5th grade common core standards in reading, writing, language, speaking and listening across the program. 

A full description of correlation to the Common Core Standards is below:

RiverXchange® Common Core Standards Correlation (PDF)