Stream studies are not safe without adult supervision. Experts are available to help! If you and your classmates would like to do a stream study, you should contact the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. They will get you in contact with your local Stream Keepers.

Many creeks and rivers are home to tiny aquatic insects called invertebrates (Click here to learn more about invertebrates). Invertebrates have different jobs in rivers. We call them shredders, scrapers, collectors and predators. It all depends on what they eat.

	Shredders – these little guys shred leaves, needles and twigs that fall to the creek bottom. They break down this material and help release nutrients into the water.
	Collectors – collect small pieces of leaves and twigs as they float by. They attach themselves to a rock or log, and wait for dinner to float by.
	Scrapers – like to scrape and suck up things that are on the bottom of the stream. They move along slowly and scrape up algae, bacteria and litter.
	Predators – no they are not as big as T. Rex, but they do the same thing! They feed on other creatures that are nearby. Many fish and some insects are predators.

All these creatures depend on each other. Collectors need shredders to tear the leaves into small pieces. Predators need to eat shredders, collectors and scrapers. Scrapers will eat bits of all the invertebrates that have died.

You and your class can get a kit and examine a stream near you. Just ask your teacher to look at the stream study lesson plans, all the necessary information is there.