DETAILS

Schedule (Coming Soon)
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What To Bring

COURSE INFORMATION AND OBJECTIVES

Through class presentations, discussions, and field activities specializing in all things avian, teachers will gain an understanding of how they can bring these topics into their classrooms!

Topics:

  • Birding Basics

    • Learn the basics of birding and how to bring this activity into your classroom! Understand how birding helps connect to nature and practice good observation skills. Learn about bird identification, habitat use, and conservation through discussion and time in the field to allow educators to build their own understanding while getting great ideas for lessons!

  • People and Birds

    • Ever wondered how Montana bird species are being affected by human development? In this segment of the Field School teachers will participate in activities that address some of the big topics in Montana and learn about ways they can incorporate these topics into their own classrooms!

  • Flying WILD curriculum

    • Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks education staff will lead a fun, hands-on training for teachers. The training will showcase the Flying WILD curriculum from the Association of Fish and Wildlife, which will be given to each participant. This is a wildlife-based conservation curriculum that over 1.5 million teachers in the United States have been trained in.

  • Science Outside

    • Science is everywhere! In this portion of the Field School, educators will get a crash course in ways to incorporate outdoor science into their lessons! Along with thinking through how students can apply science to their questions about wildlife, the teachers will gain tips and tricks for managing students in outdoor spaces while hiking on the Preserve!

  • MT Raptor Conservation Center

    • Putting the birds in “Birds of a Feather”, MT Raptor Conservation Center will be bringing some of their feathered ambassadors to the Preserve so that educators can learn about raptor conservation. Additionally, educators will learn about how they can bring MT Raptor Conservation Center into their own classrooms!

ABOUT THE GUEST INSTRUCTOR

Ryan Schmaltz has been an educator for 12 years. He coordinates most of teacher trainings that happen around the state for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Ryan also coordinates two statewide educational efforts for MT FWP; one is the National Archery in the Schools Program. with roughly 200 schools participating in that program. The second is the Project Wild Program where Ryan holds about one teacher training around the state per month. Last year, over 40 professional development trainings for teachers were hosted. The rest of Ryan’s job is spent working at the Montana Wild Education Center in Helena and helping with the Hooked-on Fishing Program. Whatever time is left over he fills up with other fish and wildlife education events.