Education Materials

Exporing the Estuary! A Teacher’s guide to the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Region

First produced in 2003, this updated guide (revised by New York Sea Grant) highlights regional education organizations providing K-12 estuary-related field trips, lesson plans and classroom activities.

The introduction to this 112 page document includes background information on the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary as well as estuary-related facts, vocabulary and Internet resources.

The directory aims to introduce educators to the dynamic network of organizations and resources available to help students learn about the harbor.

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“Discover the Hudson River” Activity Booklet

This 16-page color booklet, designed for teachers and students in the upper elementary grades (5-6 grades), is a unique resource for learning about the Hudson River. Through lively text, colors, games, maps and activities, the booklet provides information about the Hudson watershed, the variety of wildlife the river supports, and the many ways people influence and are influenced by the Hudson River. 

Produced in 2009 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s first exploration, the booklet is a joint venture between Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), New York Sea Grant (NYSG), the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP),  the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation.

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“Estuaries: Scenes of Transition” Poster

This color poster shows some of the geographic and biological diversity in U.S. estuaries, from the Pacific Northwest to the Northeast Coast. In addition to the download above, print copies of this post are available through the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP).

Background information on this poster: Estuaries are scenes of transition in ways other than those depicted in this illustration. More than half the Nation’s population lives within 50 miles of the coast, and hundreds of thousands of new residents move into coastal areas each year. This growing population places increasing stress on coastal environments. Excess nutrients, pathogens, toxic chemicals, habitat loss and degradation, introduced species, alterations to natural water flow, and overfishing all threaten our Nation’s estuaries. The National Estuary Program, which includes the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary, is working to restore and protect these sensitive ecosystems.

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Wildlife of the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary

TThe NY-NJ Harbor Estuary is a highly urbanized area that is also home to numerous species of animals and plants. Several of these are on state or national threatened or endangered species lists. The objective of the poster is to create an awareness of the rich natural resources that can be found within the Harbor Estuary. The companion brochure is  designed to identify and provide some basic information about the species illustrated.

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