STEM Lessons and Activities — Hudson River Park

A big lipped oyster toadfish stares at the visitors in its tank

Hudson River Park offers free online resources for students and families to learn about the Hudson River. These lessons, available in multiple languages, are a fun and engaging way to connect with our estuary.

Stem Lessons

Bird Anatomy – Rocking Bird
This lesson teaches students to identify the physical features that define birds.

Bird Beak Buffet
Hudson River Park provides important habitat to over 100 species of birds that fly through the Park every year!

Bird Watch with iNaturalist
There are over 100 species of birds that fly through the park every year, so it is a big job trying to keep track of them all and in this lesson, we’re asking for your help!

Bob the Blob Lesson
Did you know that Hudson River Park’s Estuarine Sanctuary provides essential habitat for more than 70 species of fish?

Brackish Water Density Lesson
New York City is right in the middle of an environment we call the Hudson River Estuary.

Build Your Own Plankton
Did you know that the greenish hue of the Hudson River Estuary is an indicator of health rather than toxicity?

Build Your Own Water Filter
Students in this lesson trial various materials in finding the right combination in order to filter artificial pollution using simple household items.

DIY Butterfly Feeder
This lesson breaks down the butterfly pollination process, inviting students to observe how butterflies move pollen between plants.

Graphing Fish Ecology Data 101 Lesson
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a marine scientist?

Graphing Fish Ecology Data: Extended Edition
Now that we’re familiar with our fish ecology survey, it is time for you to take on the role of a Hudson River Park scientist once again!

Junior Explorers: Fish
The Hudson River Estuary is a biodiverse habitat in NYC and is home to many species of fish!

Life of a Butterfly Lesson
Hudson River Park is home to a variety of butterflies within its four miles of lush plant beds and gardens.

Monitor Environmental Bacteria Lesson
This lesson teaches students about bacteria using an experiment to detect bacteria in their environment.

Oyster Toadfish Spotlight
Oyster toadfish live in Hudson River Park’s estuarine sanctuary, croak like toads despite not having vocal organs, and have powerful jaws strong enough to chomp through hard shells.

Plankton Stamps
Plankton are the foundation of the Hudson River food web and provide oxygen to a variety of organisms in the River.

Plastics & the Food Web
This lesson explores plastic’s impacts on Hudson River wildlife and food web.

Plastic Rapid Survey Lesson
This lesson demonstrates how plastics end up in the Hudson River and prompts students to investigate plastic use in their daily lives.

STEM Climate and Our Coast
This lesson focuses on building solutions to fight climate change impacts. Explore how adaptation methods are used and design structures that are commonly applied in the real world to protect our shorelines!

Build a Water Cycle with AI!
This lesson demonstrates that Earth’s water is all connected and that the water cycle guarantees this.

Wildlife Puppets
Create your own Wildlife Puppet and watch your critters come to life!

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Education Resources
Resources to prepare for or to reinforce lessons learned during your program at Hudson River Park.

Our River Project
HRPK’s River Project conducts research and offers hands-on environmental education that communicates the ecological importance of the Park’s 400-acre Estuarine Sanctuary.