The world’s first floating
wetland classroom...teaching how to make the
Elizabeth River swimmable and fishable by 2020.
COMING
FALL 2009
The Learning Barge is under construction for launch in September
2009. Its exciting mission is to teach all ages how YOU can help make the
Elizabeth River safe for swimming and eating shellfish by 2020. The
Elizabeth River Project will own The Learning Barge and operate the
education programs, but the barge was invented by the University of
Virginia’s School of Architecture and Engineering – winning UVA the top
education honor in the nation last year from American Institute of
Architects!
UVA students are in town this summer, actually
constructing a “green” classroom and “green” power systems (sun and wind) on
the deck of the 120’ by 32’ steel deck barge. Watch the barge come together
in these videos, taken on site at UVA and at East Coast Steel
Fabrications in Chesapeake, VA, which is constructing the hull (huge thank yous to UVA for the amazing partnership; Eric Matherne, marine architect,
for donating the hull design and East Coast Steel for donating a portion of
its labor costs!).
Meanwhile, The Elizabeth River Project and top education
advisors from area schools (big thanks to these experts, too!!) are putting
finishing touches on the curriculum so the Learning Barge can begin hosting
25 to 60 students at a time for field trips starting this fall. We’ll also
host civic groups of 25 to 60 adults.
Six stations on board will allow all ages to explore
everything from the living wetland nursery, where you can test river water
and find out if it is cleaner once wetlands filter it, to the “green alley”
demonstrating the barge’s ability to operate solely with sun and wind. An
enclosed classroom lab invites you to examine river conditions where the
barge is docked and compare them to a NOAA weather buoy. A final “river
reflections” station, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, will
engage you in your own expression of river art while learning how other
cultures honor their rivers.
After a VIP christening to thank our sponsors this September on the Portsmouth waterfront, the barge will
begin moving around the Elizabeth River watershed to public docking
locations near you.
Reserve Now!
To receive further information or explore reserving a visit by your
group, please
email or call Robin Dunbar, Education Director for the barge, a.k.a. our
education character "Princess Elizabeth,"
rdunbar@elizabethriver.org 757-399-7487, or Bob Getty, our new Bargekeeper!
(formerly with the Children’s Museum of Virginia) at the same number.
Before
contacting us, though, please read the following guidance to familiarize
yourself with our startup programming:
1) Sign up your school for
a Meaningful Watershed Experience -- an on-the-water, inquiry- based
field trip, right on the Elizabeth. School children visiting the barge will experience VA Standards
of Learning correlated, action oriented instruction to answer the question:
How can I help make the Elizabeth River swimmable and fishable?
- During the start-up fall 2009 season (Sept. 22 – Oct.30), field
trips will primarily target grades 3-8, and schools in the Elizabeth
River watershed, but can be tailored to all ages. (Note: Barge not available Nov. 1- March 30 (winterized).
- The signature field trip is 2 ½ hours and takes students through six
learning stations with trained educators at each station
- Minimum participants: 20 students; maximum, 60 students.
Schools must provide 1 adult chaperone per each 10 students for
students' safety.
- Fee is $5 per student to help offset program costs. Limited
assistance may be available for bus costs, depending on grant funds we
have on hand.
- The signature field trips are available primarily in the morning,
Monday-Friday.
- A limited number of shorter student field trips (1.5 hours)
are available afternoons (minimum 15 students; maximum 30 students for afternoon sessions.)
- A more detailed field trip description will be posted shortly!
2) Civic groups – come aboard for a one-of-a-kind
environmental education experience! The Learning Barge is available to the
public for scheduled visits by groups seeking to explore the barge mission,
to teach all ages how to make the Elizabeth River swimmable and fishable by
2020. Experience the adult version of our learning stations! The barge will be available for adult environmental education
primarily on weekday afternoons and early evenings (not available after dark
due to limited lighting). A fee of $5 per person helps offset program costs (minimum, 20 participants; maximum, 60). In addition, a
schedule of open houses, startup workshops and docking locations will be
announced soon.
3) Education first, please! The Learning Barge is an
education vessel and currently is not available for non-environmental
education purposes. Exceptions can be made only if there is a direct benefit
to our mission (determined case by case). Please note, this is an outdoor
vessel with limited electricity, geared for hands-on learning activities and
not generally suited for extended, sit-down business meetings.
