• JRA Discovery Kits

  • Format: (000) 000-0000.
  • Which course will this kit be used for?*

  • Kit Request Information

  • Kits can be rented free of charge by teachers within the James River watershed. Renters are responsible for picking up and dropping off kits at the dates and times specified. Unless otherwise approved, kits can be rented for a period of up to eight (8) consecutive days from original pickup time.

    If picking up from the James A Buzzard River Education Center in Richmond, requests must be made at least five business days in advance. If pickup up from either the Upper or Lower James River Education Centers, requests must be made at least ten business days in advance to allow for transportation.

    Click each kit name below to learn more and reserve it for your classroom. There are five (5) of each kit available for rent.

    Please note the first day of your reservation is your pick up date. Please select all of the consecutive day you are requesting to check out the kit. Your kit is due back the day the final day of your reservation before 5pm.  

    Please note, this is just a request for a reservation. Confirmation is based on availabiltiy. Your reservation, as well as check out and pick up date and times will be confirmed via email within 2 days of completing the form. 

  • Pickup Location*
    • Building the Change with JRA 

    • Description: Engage students with activities that educate them about JRA’s three best practices to protect and restore the river: riparian buffer installation, coastal protection, and green infrastructure projects! Students choose one of the three options and design a 16x8 Lego baseplate with features demonstrating their strategy through creative building. At the end of the class, students place their baseplates on a map of the James River, showing where they think their project will have the most impact on the river’s health!

      Recommended Time: 45 minutes

      Audience: 3rd and 4th grade students

      Standards: 4.3.b, 3.5.b, 3.8.a

    • Pick Up Date - Build the Change
       - -
      2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
    • Return Date - Build the Change
       - -
      2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
    • Macroinvertebrate Biotic Lab 

    • Description: Evaluate the health of a river system by capturing, classifying, and ranking the biotic value of a set of macroinvertebrates! Options are available either for live capture at a local water feature, or a simulated lab using 3D models to represent samples collected from a local stream.

      Recommended Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes.

      Audience: 4th grade science students

      Standards: 4.1.e, 4.3.a,b,c

    • Pick Up Date - Macro
       - -
      2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
    • Return Date - Macro
       - -
      2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
    • Building an Ecosystem Model 

    • Description: Engage in 3 related activities to understand the connection between macroinvertebrates, migratory fish, and freshwater mussels. Using their new knowledge, students build a simple ecosystem model showing the complex relationships between the 3 animal species and their environments.

      Recommended Time: 2 hours or multiple class sessions.

      Audience:

      Standards: 4.1.e, 4.3.a,b,c

    • Pick Up Date - Ecosystem Model
       - -
      2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
    • Return Date - Ecosystem Model
       - -
      2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
    • Salinity Sleuths 

    • Description: Use the properties of energy and matter to investigate the composition of mystery salt water samples! With lasers, refractometers, and a salinity map, students will collect salinity measurements and make choices about which organisms can survive in different salinity zones of the James River.

      Recommended Time: 1 hour

      Audience: 5th grade students

      Standards: 5.1.a,b, 5.6.c, 5.7.b

    • Pick Up Date - Salinity Sleuths
       - -
      2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
    • Return Date - Salinity Sleuths
       - -
      2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
    • Abiotic Water Quality Lab 

    • Description: Help your students understand the essential abiotic components of a healthy river! Test physical and chemical components of the river’s abiotic health using hands-on, visually impressive demonstrations in a station activity lab.

      Recommended Time: 1 hour

      Audience: MS Life Science students

      Standards: LS.1.b, LS.8.c, LS.9.a,b,c

    • Pick Up Date - Abiotic
       - -
      2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year
    • Return Date - Abiotic
       - -
      2 digit month, 2 digit day, 4 digit year

    • Confirmation

      By checking the box below, I agree to return the kit within the expected time frame, follow the instructions in the kit box, and fill out the use form using the QR code on the kit box. Please reach out to mscott@thejamesriver.org if you encounter problems or your plans change.
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