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Project WILD

teacher holds up her fashion a fish example

Project WILD

  • project wild logo

    A pre-K through 12 environmental and conservation education program that provides professional development opportunities for teachers and naturalists, emphasizing awareness, appreciation and understanding of wildlife and natural resources interwoven with English language arts, math and social studies. A perfect addition to classroom units or nature center programming, using hands-on, engaging activities.

    These workshops give teachers, naturalists, Scout leaders and other environmental educators tools to apply within their own classroom or program, and a copy of a guide. To plan a workshop, please contact Natalie Elkins at miprojectwild@gmail.com or 517-284-6041. A workshop needs a minimum of 10 people. The cost is $35 per person for one guide covered in a workshop. Training for an additional guide may be added for $15.

    Below is more information about what you can expect out of these different workshops (these can be combined to create your own custom workshop too).

Workshops

You can choose to attend an EDUCATOR professional development workshop that will give you tools to apply within your own classroom or program – and a copy of a guide – or you can go on to attend a FACILITATOR professional development workshop that will enable you to host and facilitate your own workshop for new educators.

  • project wild book cover

    Project WILD

    This program for grades K-12 focuses on wildlife and habitat. Because the Project WILD activities are designed for integration into existing courses of study, instructors may use one activity, many of them or the entire set.
  • aquatic wild book cover

    Aquatic WILD

    Aquatic WILD is a K-12 program emphasizing aquatic wildlife and aquatic ecosystems. The program activities are tied to STEM, and each activity connects to career opportunities through wetlands and aquatic systems.

  • growing up wild book cover

    Growing Up WILD

    For ages 3-7, Growing Up WILD is an early childhood education program that builds on children's sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them. Visit the national Growing Up WILD page for more info.
  • flying wild logo

    Flying WILD

    For middle school but widely adaptable. Through language arts, social science, math, community outreach and service learning activities, Flying WILD offers a whole-school approach to environmental education using birds as the focus. 

  • Become a certified instructor

    Taking a workshop gives teachers, naturalists, Scout leaders and other environmental educators tools to apply within their own classroom or program, and a copy of a guide.

    Looking to plan a workshop for your staff? Please contact Natalie Elkins at miprojectwild@gmail.com or 517-284-6041. A workshop needs a minimum of 10 people. The cost is $35 per person for one guide covered in a workshop. Training for an additional guide may be added for $15.

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS »

Facilitator (train-the-trainer) professional development

Every two years, certified educators can go on to attend a facilitator professional development workshop that enables them to host and facilitate their own workshops for new educators. Facilitators must hold at least one workshop every two years to maintain certification. Typically, Project Learning Tree and Project WILD partner for training every other year. This training counts toward the Michigan-specific part of Strand 2 of the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education's Environmental Educator Certification program.

Facilitator training offers a brief review of many activities and the highlights of the guides and focuses mainly on planning for a high-quality professional development experience for adult learners. Professional speaking tips, dealing with difficult participants, adapting on the fly, agenda building, marketing, local resources and knowing the audience are all discussed.