Batty for Bats! Educator Workshop
About the Workshop
Gear up for spooky season with science! Join us on Thursday, October 16th, from 6:00 – 8:30 PM CT at the Myriad Botanical Gardens for a bat-themed professional development workshop that connects creepy creatures with engaging, standards-based learning.
Bats are some of our most underappreciated forest friends—and they’re the perfect way to mix “scary” with science in your classroom this October. This hands-on workshop will immerse educators in interactive activities from the award-winning Project WILD ‘Terrestrial’ or Growing Up WILD curricula, providing practical strategies to bring bat biology, ecosystems, and conservation into your teaching just in time for #NationalBatWeek October 24-31.
Breakout Sessions by Grade Level
Early Childhood and K-2 Educators – Growing Up WILD
Educators working with young children (ages 3–7) will experience the Growing Up WILD curriculum, designed to support developmentally appropriate practice in early learning environments. Activities emphasize sensory play, storytelling, music, and movement as children learn about bats and other seasonal wildlife. These experiences foster curiosity, language development, and early STEM skills while nurturing social-emotional growth. Educators will gain strategies to integrate nature-based learning into daily routines, building foundational connections to wildlife and the environment while supporting Early Learning Outcomes and Oklahoma Academic Standards.
3-8 Educators – Project WILD ‘Terrestrial’
Teachers of elementary through secondary grades will work with the Project WILD ‘Terrestrial’ activity guide, focusing on how bat-themed activities align with Oklahoma Academic Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Activities emphasize inquiry-based learning, modeling and simulation, and data interpretation—helping students investigate adaptations, food webs, and the ecological services bats provide. Educators will leave with classroom-ready lessons that build critical thinking, integrate cross-curricular skills in science and literacy, and promote responsible environmental decision-making among students.
Special Experience
The evening includes a guided bat walk through the gardens, where participants can observe Oklahoma’s native bats in flight and connect workshop content directly to their own field experiences of this local phenomena.
Workshop Details
- Date/Time: Thursday, October 16th | 6:00 – 8:30 PM CT
- Location: Myriad Botanical Gardens, Oklahoma City, 301 W Reno Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
- Cost: $10 (includes workshop materials, curriculum guide, parking, and bat walk)
Why Attend?
This workshop is designed to help you:
- Learn about the amazing bats of Oklahoma and their ecological role.
- Gain hands-on experience with standards-based or developmentally appropriate activities depending on grade level.
- Walk away with either a Project WILD ‘Terrestrial’ or Growing Up WILD guide, tailored to your teaching context.
- Add engaging, bat-themed programming to your classroom, library, or early childhood center during the fall season.
Don’t miss this chance to go Batty for Bats! and discover new ways to engage learners of all ages during the season of spooky science.