The Missouri Department of Conservation is providing a free course to Missouri educators to improve conservation education in area classrooms.
MDC is holding a Discover Nature Schools program for teachers interested to attend for free in August at its headquaters in Columbia, Mo.
The courses will be held in August from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the MDC Central Regional Office, 3500 East Gans Rd. in Columbia on the following dates:
Aug. 4, Nature Unfolds, grades K-2
Aug. 6, Nature Unleashed, grades 3-5
Aug. 11, Conserving Missouri’s Aquatic Ecosystems, grades 6-8
Aug. 13, Nature Unbound, grades 9-12
“The Discover Nature Schools program is an excellent way to get students of all ages outside and to enrich their learning through outdoor experiences focused on Missouri plants, animals and natural systems,” said MDC Conservation Education Consultant Kim Cole.
This workshop will prepare educators to teach the hands-on, course level expectations-based unit for their grade. Teacher’s guides and classroom sets of student guides and science notebooks are provided for free, and eligible schools can receive non-competitive grants for field experiences and classroom materials that support the curriculum units. Space is limited and reservations are required by Aug. 1 to ensure enough supplies for each training session.
“Learning in nature benefits children in several ways, including improving physical and mental health, improving standardized test scores, reducing attention-deficit problems and teaching problem-solving, synthesis and other higher-order thinking skills,” Cole said.
MDC’s Discover Nature Schools program provides no-cost curriculum units to teachers and schools in the state of Missouri. Curriculum units are available for preschool through twelfth grade and are aligned with Missouri state standards in order to help teachers and students meet required learning expectations. Approximately 98% of school districts and about 40% of schools in the state participate in the program.
For questions or to register for the workshop, contact Cole at [email protected] or 573-815-7900, ext. 3964.