The Show Us Your Mussels Challenge

Minnesota middle and high school students create original digital media campaigns educating the public about the importance of native mussels, the impact of water quality has on native mussels, and what actions we need to take to ensure their survival. The school groups who reach the most people in combination with receiving the most votes win a FREE field trip to the Minnesota Zoo! A free field trip includes bussing, Zoo admission for participating students and adult chaperones (as per student/adult ratios), parking and interactive session with our Zoo staff at the Mussel cabin.

All participating schools receive support from the Zoo’s mussel education staff including professional development, access to resources and curriculum, and school visits. For more information see the Frequently Asked Questions below or email us at [email protected].


Voting for your favorite Show Us Your Mussel campaign, open Feb 1-28, 2023.  Visit our voting page here
Here are a few of this year’s entries:

Harbor City International School

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoVu1lNDJh1/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq5oGeml1JlAP_lCuWlZ4gg

Brooklyn Center STEAM Elementary

https://youtu.be/YB3EIHdubSQ

REGISTRATION FOR THE 2022-2023 CHALLENGE is now closed!
Sign up for the challenge by clicking the + sign to open the registration form

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Free Professional Development

Show Us Your Mussels Virtual Teacher Training (90 minutes, on-demand viewing)

Signed up the Challenge and don’t know where to start? Start by watching the Show Us Your Mussels Virtual Teacher Training videos to learn more about native freshwater mussels, water quality, and the Minnesota Zoo and DNR’s important mussel conservation work. This training is self-guided, allowing you to access the information at a time and place that works for you. The training is divided into 9 different short videos so you can pick which topics work for you.

To watch this asynchronous training, simply click on the following link to our YouTube playlist at: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM4y6zy8KyFM5jn6OF-FoXTkdynPs5N6z

In addition to receiving CEUs, participants will leave with more knowledge of these at-risk species and resources to implement the Show Us Your Mussel Challenge for the 2022-2023 school year.

2021-2022 Show Us Your Mussel Winners!

The Minnesota Zoo would like to thank all the schools who participated in the Show Us Your Mussel Challenge this year. This year they reached over 42,000 people! Congratulations to this year’s winners!

Brooklyn Middle STEAM School
Cretin-Durham Hall
Apollo High School
Humboldt High School
CHOICE Technical Academy

Below are samples of projects created for the 2021-2022 Show Us Your Mussels Challenge.

Brooklyn Middle School – YouTube Video
Saint Cloud Apollo High School – Twitter
Cretin-Derham Hall – https://youtu.be/TISjLJCK7RM
Cretin-Derham Hall – https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdhokhx3/

Frequently Asked Questions
What is the “Show Us Your Mussels” Challenge?
Why should we participate in the challenge?
How is this project aligned to my curriculum?
Is there any curriculum developed to support the Challenge?
Is there any professional development to support the Challenge?
What other support do you provide for teachers doing the Challenge?
Can members of your mussel conservation team come visit me at my school?
What types of projects can be created?
What are some best practices that students may choose to promote through their campaigns?
How will the winners be selected?
When is the challenge?
What do the winning groups receive?
When will the winners be announced?
When will field trips occur for the winning schools?
What are the important dates to remember?