Kindergarten: Bears Through the Seasons Teacher Certification Training for Webster Groves School District

This Discover Nature School (DNS) program Kindergarten: Bears Through the Season is designed specifically for kindergarten students. This curriculum is aligned to all Missouri Learning Science (MLS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) including the four components of Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, Life Science and Engineering and Technology Science. 

This curriculum follows the four seasons with 4 seasonal units and 23 lessons. All lessons are wrapped under the anchoring phenomena of Missouri Black Bears and their habitat. All lessons use the 5E instruction model beginning with Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate and tie into Missouri-focused phenomena and investigative questions such as “What lives in my schoolyard?”, “How do bears get their food using pushes and pulls?”, “Why do plants grow in different places?”. 

This training introduces teachers to the free student guide and teacher guide as well as the MDC Teacher Portal and other resources. The MDC Conservation Educators will prepare you to teach the lessons both indoors and outdoors and address any concerns with outdoor structured activities. Participating classroom teachers will receive the DNS Kindergarten Teacher Kit, a set of student books, be eligible to apply for funding to transport students on a field experience outside of school grounds.

Parts of this training will take place outdoors, rain or shine, so please dress for the weather. Hat, sunscreen, insect repellent and water bottle is recommended.  Light snacks that can be eaten discreetly and mobile technological devices are permitted.