WILD About Wetlands: A Field-Based Educator Workshop
WILD About Wetlands: A Field-Based Educator Workshop
Step outside the classroom and into the wetlands during this immersive, hands-on professional learning experience designed for educators of all grade levels and settings. WILD About Wetlands invites teachers to explore wetland ecosystems firsthand while building confidence using high-quality environmental education curriculum in outdoor and place-based learning environments.
Held at the Outdoor Classroom in Elk City, owned and managed by the North Fork of the Red River Conservation District, this field-based workshop uses the surrounding wetlands as a living laboratory. Participants will investigate wetland functions, water systems, wildlife habitat, and human connections through interactive activities modeled just as they would be taught with students.
Educators will engage in hands-on lessons from nationally recognized curricula and receive classroom-ready guides to take home, including:
- Aquatic WILD
- Project WET: Earth Systems
- Project Learning Tree: Explore Your Environment
Throughout the day, facilitators will demonstrate how to adapt activities for different grade levels, connect lessons to Oklahoma Academic Standards and NGSS, and confidently lead outdoor learning experiences on or off school grounds. Whether you teach science, social studies, agriculture, or lead informal education programs, this workshop offers practical tools you can use right away.
Lunch is provided in partnership with the North Fork of the Red River Outdoor Classroom, giving participants time to refuel, reflect, and connect with fellow educators.
Workshop Details
- Date: Saturday, April 11th from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
- Location: North Fork of the Red River Outdoor Classroom, Elk City, OK
- Audience: Formal and informal educators
- Format: Field-based, hands-on, outdoors (weather permitting)
- Cost: $10 per person, scholarships available if this presents a barrier to your particpation! (email Jack Hilgert for details)
Come explore wetlands, gather new teaching strategies, and reconnect with the power of learning rooted in place. This is professional development that gets your boots muddy—in the best possible way!
Questions? Contact Us!
Jack Hilgert, jack.hilgert@conservation.ok.gov, (405) 613-3835, Oklahoma Project WET and Project WILD
Cassandra Ausher, nforkredrivercd@conservation.ok.gov, 580-729-8180, District Manager & OACDE Area IV Rep, North Fork of Red River Conservation District
Refunds available until April 4th
ABOUT THE CURRICULUM:
Project WET stands for Water Education Today. Water is a part of everything we are, everything we eat, and everything we use. Yet most people do not even know where their water comes from, let alone their larger water footprint. Project WET provides educators, natural resource professionals, and more real-world, relevant, and hands-on lessons, that create an interdisciplinary learning environment focused on the most essential aspect of life—water.
Project WILD’s mission is to provide wildlife-based conservation and environmental education that fosters responsible actions toward wildlife and related natural resources. All curriculum materials are backed by sound educational practices and theory, and represent the work of many professionals within the fields of education and natural resource management from across the country.
Project Learning Tree® (PLT) provides educators with high-quality professional development, hands-on activities, and multi-disciplinary supplemental curriculum that can be easily integrated into lesson plans for all grades and subject areas to help teach youth about trees, forests, and the environment.