Powder Valley Nature Center

This is one option offered within a well-being professional development day for middle school faculty of the Kirkwood School District. The workshop will include tour of the exhibits at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, thoughtful group discussion of the health and therapeutic benefits of spending time in natural settings based on published research, and practical applications within educational settings including use of Nature Unhooked and other DNS units.

This is a Hunter Education certification training for educators seeking to teach and certify students in their perspective school districts. Must of submitted HED Forms 1a & 1b prior to registering.

The Discover Nature Schools (DNS) program, Nature Unleashed, is a curriculum of 8 lessons designed for 3rd-5th grade students to promote understanding of Missouri habitats by exploring food chains and the roles of producers and consumers as well as specialized structures and biotic and abiotic factors. The curriculum supports Missouri Learning Standards (MLS) in science, particularly life science. The hands-on, inquiry-focused lessons provide outdoor learning opportunities where students can explore their own schoolyard. Summative assessments are provided for each unit.

This workshop for Science Methods students of Maryville University completing their elementary level teaching certification includes an introduction to the MDC Discover Nature Schools program and grade appropriate units, outdoor teaching techniques, use of science notebooks, and introduction to functions of the MDC Teacher Portal.