Creating Memorable Experiences Around Water
We know the best stewards of the environment are equipped with the knowledge, experiences, and skills to make an impact in their communities and beyond. We provide memorable experiences to students, train and connect educators, and cultivate young environmental leaders to address emerging challenges.
E-STEM FOR TENNESSEE’S TEACHERS
Explore science lessons designed to connect your students to Tennessee’s environment. Standards-aligned lessons are available for grades K-12 and are free for educators.
Experiential Education Programs
Bring the Cumberland River Compact to you through an in-person program. Our experiential education programs create memorable experiences through hands-on activities led by our enthusiastic educators. Programs focus on watersheds, the water cycle, pollution, biodiversity, and more, and are available for K-12. Our most popular program is Creek Critters! Programs are aligned to Tennessee State Science Standards with details available on our request page.
Nashville Youth Climate Summit
The Nashville Youth Climate Summit is a participant-driven educational event coordinated by and for youth to create an opportunity for learning, dialogue, and action on climate change. The Cumberland River Compact partners with the Mayor’s Youth Council at the Oasis Center for an annual Youth Climate Summit.
Water Resources Curriculum
Tennesseeans are lucky to have clean and abundant water across our state. From mountain streams to our faucets, water is vital to everything we do. Our Life Support Curriculum explores water in our state and highlights the STEM careers available for those that want to work to protect our water resources. The curriculum is best for middle and high school classrooms. Each section includes content and relevant lesson plans along with four career spotlights.
Teacher Training
We equip educators across Tennessee with the information, tools, and resources to bring place-based environmental and STEM education into their classrooms. We host independent trainings and in collaboration with school districts. Check our events page for upcoming trainings or reach out to us to schedule a training for your school or district.
Our Supporters
Our Youth Education and Teacher Training programs are supported by the Henry Laird Smith Family Foundation, The Memorial Foundation, Ryman Hospitality Properties Foundation, Tennessee Association of Utility Districts, CAT Financial, Piedmont Natural Gas, the Nashville Predators Foundation, and Colonial Pipeline.
Recognition
Tennessee Environmental Education Organization of the Year – 2021
Diversified Trust New Generations Finalist – 2021
If you have more questions about our programs, please fill out the form below.
City Nature Challenge
Biodiversity is everywhere, even in thriving urban areas like Nashville. Join us each Spring for the Nashville City Nature Challenge as we compete with cities all around the globe to show our city’s wonderfully diverse urban wildlife! We need YOU to be a citizen scientist and document the wildlife you see in your backyard, schoolyard, or local park. During the Nashville City Nature Challenge, snap a photo and upload your wildlife observations to iNaturalist. You will be helping us understand what plants and animals call Nashville home.
Want to check out observations from previous challenges? Check out the project pages below:
City Nature Challenge 2022City Nature Challenge 2021City Nature Challenge 2020City Nature Challenge 2019 City Nature Challenge 2018 City Nature Challenge 2017