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Philadelphia Water Department — Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center

Fairmount Water Works — School Programs

Fairmount Water Works, part of the Philadelphia Water Department, runs four graded programs from a K-3 introduction to the Schuylkill River through a 6-12 program in which students help Water Department scientists monitor freshwater mussel growth. Programs are free for School District of Philadelphia students, with a suggested per-student donation from other schools.

Visit Fairmount Water Works — School Programs ↗

What you will find there

  • Wondrous World of Water, a K-3 introductory program on waterways, the Schuylkill River ecosystem, and drinking water
  • Taking Nature's Lead for grades 3-6, covering green stormwater infrastructure and freshwater mussels as natural water filters
  • We Drink the River for grades 5-12, with river water sampling, chemical testing, and microscope work
  • Mussels in the Field for grades 6-12, where students help Water Department scientists monitor freshwater mussel growth
  • Remote or in-classroom programs on urban watershed basics, the city's water-supply history, and freshwater mussel research

Our take

Students collect river samples and assist Water Department scientists with mussel research, and the four programs are staged by grade band. Programs are free for School District of Philadelphia students; independent, private, and out-of-city schools are asked for a suggested $6-10 per-student donation, and three programs can also be delivered remotely or in the classroom.

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