MDC encourages educators to attend From Field to Classroom workshops in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The school year is wrapping up for many districts, but the education opportunities continue.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer a specialized workshop for educators later this summer to combine real world learning through nature and conservation.

MDC is partnering with the Greater Ozarks Cooperating School Districts (GOCSD) to offer a two-day learning opportunity for K-12 educators with presentations specifically designed to meet their grade levels and interests from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 15-16.

Sessions will be offered at one of two locations: Springfield Conservation Nature Center, 4601 S. Nature Center Way in Springfield, or Andy Dalton Shooting Range and Education Center, 4897 N. Farm Road 61 in Ash Grove.

Register at www.greaterozarkscsd.org/page/from-field-to-classroom

“Fish, forest, and wildlife are more than pastimes in the Ozark Mountains of southwest Missouri — they are a way of life,” said MDC Education District Supervisor Marty Marsh. “Yet as deeply rooted as outdoor recreation may be in the region’s culture, these skills are not innate — they must be intentionally taught.”

When registering, participants will select the session that they wish to join. Participants are not required to attend both days, or all sessions on either day. This workshop is geared for teachers, leaders, and curriculum specialists. Register by July 8.

Educators who attend walk away with ready-to-use lessons and new outdoor learning strategies that provide real world connections through nature and conservation, plus direct support from MDC experts.

“MDC’s curriculum emphasizes ‘Nature and Health,’ which is a modern movement that strives to enhance human health and well-being through exposure to natural environments,” Marsh continued.

The upcoming course will include:

• Discover Nature Schools (DNS) – Kindergarten Bears Through The Seasons introduces young children to the life cycle of bears as witnessed through the seasons.
• DNS – First Grade – Exploring Missouri curriculum is an engaging journey through eight thematic units on local plants and animals — ranging from crickets and armored creatures to weather events, birds, and parent-offspring relationships.
• DNS – Second Grade – Life & Land in Missouri is an engaging curriculum that examines such topics as: searching for seeds; looking for life; outdoor adventures; it’s for the birds; land and water of Missouri and beyond; and earth’s many changes.
• DNS – Third to Fifth Grade – Nature Unleashed continues the approach towards science-based instruction, helping elementary students understand ecosystem connections as they explore the ponds, forests, and prairies found across Missouri.
• DNS – Sixth to Eighth Grade – Nature Unhooked covers all elements of aquatic ecosystems, from the properties of water molecules to the diversity of aquatic life, and how the students, as Missourians, can conserve and enjoy these places.
• DNS – Ninth to Twelfth Grade – Nature Unbound helps high school students understand the impact of ecology at home in Missouri and throughout the world. Hands-on activities encourage students to get outside and explore careers in conservation and natural resource management.
• Discover Nature Fishing helps students build confidence and skills to fish on their own while learning about aquatic ecology, fish habitat, and conservation.
• Hunter Education: Hunter Education goes beyond hunting and harvesting an animal, teaching leadership, responsibility, focus, and outdoor skills. Student also learn history, biology, ecology, ethics, survival, and firearm safety — all while earning a lifetime certification recognized across the U.S. and beyond.

Check out conservation education resources through MDC’s Teacher Portal at education.mdc.mo.gov/