Powder Valley Nature Center

Discover Nature Schools (DNS) is a hands-on science/conservation education program for K-12 Students. This workshop will cover the Nature Unfolds Instructional Unit for grades K-2, including use of the teacher guide, science notebooks and the colorful, engaging student book entitled See How The Turkey Grows. Aligned with the curriculum, emphasis of this unit encompasses life cycles, basic needs of plants and animals, changing seasons, weather and outdoor investigations.

This was the virtual portion of the Nature Unleashed training for Griffith Intermediate School.

Nature Unbound is the high school level ecology unit in the Discover Nature Schools (DNS) series from the Missouri Department of Conservation. It builds on knowledge and concept foundations taught in basic biology. Supporting expectations from the MLS and NGSS, emphasis of this unit is on student-centered and collaborative investigations of ecosystem dynamics, cycles of matter and energy transfer, interdependent relationships, and human impact on biodiversity.

The Nature Unfolds unit focuses on kindergarten through second grade and the activities are aligned to the Missouri Learning Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. The unit includes science notebooks for the students, a See How the Turkey Grows story book and teacher guide. This class will utilize the science notebook for the spring and summer seasons. We will explore the weather, the life cycles and the basic needs of plants and animals.

This workshop will provide an introduction to the Discover Nature Schools program, interpretive program opportunities, and accessing and using the MDC Teacher Portal. Outdoor teaching using science notebooks as a tool for student-centered, collaborative, investigations will also be covered.

DNS Nature Unleashed Hybrid - Virtual Portion

Nature Unleashed is the grade 3-5 level ecology unit in the Discover Nature Schools (DNS) series from the Missouri Department of Conservation. Emphasis of this unit is on student-centered and collaborative investigations of ecosystem components, cycles of matter and energy transfer, interdependent relationships, and human impacts.

Training (non-certification) for teachers in the DNS Nature Unfolds unit conducted during a bird-themed school visit/student program at the Nature Center.

Topics to be covered will consist of an introduction to environmental, conservation, and outdoor education concepts, methods, and resources, emphasizing DNS, for students of The St. Louis Centers for Advanced Professional Studies program (pre-service teachers)

This is a Hunter Education certification training for area educators seeking to teach and certify students in their perspective school districts.

Nature Unhooked is the middle school level aquatic unit of the Discover Nature Schools program and 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 the properties of water, 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.