MDC invites teachers to Discover Nature Schools Nature Unhooked workshop Sept. 27 at Shaw Nature Reserve

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News from the region
Saint Louis
Published Date
09/10/2019
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GRAY SUMMIT, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering a program that meets the educational curriculum needs of Missouri science teachers and includes unique grant opportunities.

MDC invites teachers to attend a Discover Nature Schools (DNS) teacher workshop for Nature Unhooked, the DNS aquatic instructional unit designed for grades 6-8. This program provides grant funding for middle school life science units to help cover educational materials and field trips.

The workshop will be held Friday, Sept. 27 from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit. The workshop is free of charge for educators. Shaw Nature Reserve is located at 307 Pinetum Loop Road, on the south side of I-44 off exit #253.

Nature Unhooked is aligned with the Missouri Learning Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards. Emphasis of this unit is on student-centered and collaborative investigations of water properties, water cycle, biotic energy flow, biodiversity, and human impacts on aquatic ecosystems. A project-based learning component is also included in this unit. This workshop will cover lessons and activities from the unit as well as an outdoor, experiential approach to student learning. All materials will be provided.

Participants in this workshop who teach life science to more than 20 students will become eligible to participate in the non-competitive grant program for equipment and field trips that support the unit. Portions of this workshop will take place outdoors.

MDC’s DNS program provides no-cost curriculum units to teachers and schools in the state of Missouri. Curriculum units are available for preschool through 12th grade and help teachers and students meet required state learning standards. The DNS program continues to be very popular and is being used within every school district in Missouri.

Space is limited, and participants must register to attend the workshop. To register for the workshop, visit the Teacher Portal at https://tinyurl.com/ydz6q5fo create an account and complete the online registration form.

For questions, contact Kayla Rosen at Kayla.Rosen@mdc.mo.gov, or 314-577-9555, ext. 76031. For more information about MDC’s Discover Nature Schools program, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/education.