Teachers at a hands-on training at Charlie Elliot Wildlife Center

Project Wild, sponsored by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, has been providing quality educational programs for teachers and children for over 20 years. Its mission is to encourage learners to be informed so that they can make responsible, constructive decisions regarding the environment on which we are all dependent.

The teacher training programs are especially great for Georgia Studies and science teachers but would be beneficial for all educators building interdisciplinary lessons. Each course is taught by a DNR ranger and comes with an activity guide full of diverse hands-on activities to take back to students. There are programs for every age from 3 years old through high school. All of the trainings take place at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield, GA. These aren't your typical sit-at-a-table-all-day trainings. You'll be up and actively engaging in learning exercises indoors and outside!

Project WILD Educator Workshop
Next session: April 13, 2013 9AM-3:30PM Space is still available.
Participants will receive an instruction manual with 170 hands-on, multidisciplinary activities for all grade levels and you will receive training on incorporating the activities into lesson plans for your indoor and outdoor classroom environments. A fee of $25 covers all of your materials and registration. Register here.

Flying WILD Educator Workshop
Next session: May 18, 2013 9AM-12PM
Specifically designed for middle school educators, Flying WILD introduces students to bird conservation through school bird festivals and hands-on classroom activities. The main goal is to provide activities that teach middle schoolers about birds, their migration, and what people can do to help birds. Your Flying WILD Curriculum Guide and training at this workshop will help support you and your students as you create a bird festival at your school. The cost is $15. Register here.

Growing Up WILD Educator Workshop
Next session: June 8, 2013 9AM-12PM, optional 1PM-4PM
This workshop is especially for teachers of young children, ages 3-7 and comes with an instructional manual with 170 hands-on activities that are developmentally and educationally appropriate for young learners. The optional time is Facilitator training for those who will take the information back to their school/ district to train other educators. The cost for the combined sessions is $29 and includes lunch.
Register here.

Georgia Teacher Conservation Workshop
Next Session: June 17-21, 2013
This “advanced” course lasts several days and has a registration fee of $50. It is recommended for teachers grade 5-12, but others are welcome. The focus of this training will be “Exploring Forestry and Wildlife in Georgia” and will include forestry topics like growing trees, utilization of trees for products, and how trees are managed for wildlife habitat. Bonus: you will be certified in Project Learning Tree, Project WILD and Project WET at the end of the training AND receive 3 PLU’s. Register here.

Outdoor Wildlife Leadership School (OWLS)
Next session: July 15-19, 2013
This registration fee is a little more, $100, but it lasts for several days and includes a bonus t-shirt along with great instruction and materials to take back to your students. Register here.

If you have questions about any of the classes you see listed, PLU credits, overnight lodgings, or anything else, each page has at least two means of contact and a real humans name. I called earlier this week and spoke to a very knowledge, friendly staff person.

Check out the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center on Facebook for lots of great photos and up-to-date information about programs there.

Watch this video to get an idea of what you can expect from the workshops and hear feedback from fellow educators who have participated:

Which of these classes do you think you and your students would most enjoy?