The Riverie

Grade 5 Field Trip on the Genesee Riverboat

In June 2023, the Rochester City School District piloted Corn Hill Navigation’s (CHN) new vessel, Riverie, to conduct environmental science cruises on the Genesee River. 500 students from 10 RCSD schools worked in collaboration with CHN and the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute to participate in CHN’s “Environmental Education on the Genesee” (E2G) program. Guided by instructors from the Rochester Institute of Technology, NYS Parks, and St. John Fisher University, students conducted water quality assessments of the Genesee River. Over the 90-minute cruise, students rotated among three workstations analyzing the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of water. For many, it was their first time on a boat! This school year, we are planning for every RCSD 5th grader to have the same opportunity!

These trips have been made possible through a generous partnership with the Rochester Education Foundation.

Field Trip Information

Capacity

There are two 90 minute cruises each day. Each Cruise can have as many as 30 students, but a group of 18-24 is preferred.

Cruise #1: 9:30AM – 11:00AM

- Bus pick up at school: 9:00
- Cruise Begins: 9:30
- Cruise Ends: 11:00

Cruise #2: 11:30AM – 1:00PM

- Bus pick up at school: 11:00
- Cruise Begins: 11:30
- Cruise Ends: 1:00

*If your school is scheduled for both cruises on a day, bus times may be slightly diﬀerent as the same bus that brings the second class to the site, will be used to return the ﬁrst class to school.

The Cruise Experience

As part of the cruise, there will be three university instructors who will be leading science learning at three workstations. Teachers and chaperones will accompany student groups as they rotate through the workstations to support their students. Students who are prepared ahead of time for the field trip will get the most meaningful experience. Please use the "pre-cruise" materials below to prepare your students for the field trip ahead of time and use the "post-cruise" materials to extend and reinforce their learning after the experience.

Pre-Cruise Materials:

- Environmental Education on the Genesee: Teachers Guide --- FAQs --- Student Data Collection Sheet
- Environmental Education on the Genesee FAQs
- Lesson 1: Is Our River Healthy?
- Lesson 2: Where Does Water Pollution Come From?
- Lesson 3: How Do We Know if Our River is Healthy?

Post-Cruise Materials:

- Lesson 4: What Did We Learn?
- Lesson 5: What Can We Do to Make Our River Healthier?

*Schools/teachers must adhere to the appropriate field trip procedures to participate in this experience. Teachers may refer to the Educational Purpose document to complete the requirements of the field trip packet.