Teacher's Guide and School Planner Calendar
Everything you need to know about field trips and Museum resources:
Teacher Workshops: Need Ceu's?
Museum staff members provide training statewide for teachers of all subjects and grade levels - either in your school or at the Museum.
Workshops include internationally recognized environmental education programs like "Project WILD", "Project WET", "Growing UP WILD", and several more - with CEU credits available. Scroll to the bottom of this page to learn more about these programs.
These workshops are also excellent for informal educators such as scout, camp, and youth leaders!
Upcoming Teacher Workshops
Monday, July 15: Project Learning Tree
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an award-winning international environmental education program designed for teachers, non-formal educators, home-school educators and others who work with students from pre-K through grade 12.
Join us as we explore Mississippi’s diverse forests and discover the many ways environmental education can fit into your classroom and enhance your students’ learning.
CEU VALUE: 0.5 CEUs from Mississippi College
COST: $5 non-refundable registration fee, $10 cash or check due to Mississippi College on the day of the workshop if requesting CEUs.
NOTE: Please bring your lunch and a reusable water bottle. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for the weather as we will be outside for some activities.
Tuesday, July 16: Composting for the Classroom (and more)!
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
What builds healthy soil, conserves water, and provides a gateway to science through hands-on fun for children and adults alike? Composting!
Composting for the Classroom offers indoor and outdoor investigation activities as well as STEM extensions for teachers. But, it is also a wonderful workshop for anyone that wants to begin composting for their gardens, or that wants to lighten their eco-footprint!
Whether you are a budding gardener or a classroom teacher this workshop has something for you.
Participants will receive supplies to set up their own composting stations at home or in the classroom!
CEU VALUE: 0.6 CEUs from Mississippi College
COST: $30 non-refundable registration fee, $10 cash or check due to Mississippi College on the day of the workshop if requesting CEUs.
NOTE: Please bring your lunch and a reusable water bottle. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for the weather as we will be outside for some activities.
Wednesday, July 17: The Wonders of Wetlands
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Do you ever wonder what a wetland does or why we have wetlands? What makes a wetland a wetland?
Join us to explore wetland habitats, observe wetland species and learn how wetlands play such a vital role in maintaining global health.
CEU VALUE: 0.6 CEUs from Mississippi College
COST: $30 non-refundable registration fee, $10 cash or check due to Mississippi College on the day of the workshop if requesting CEUs.
NOTE: Please bring your lunch and a reusable water bottle. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for the weather as we will be outside for some activities.
Thursday, July 18: Growing Up Wild
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Explore all that our natural world has to offer for even the youngest inquisitive mind with Growing Up Wild!
Join us as we go over educational activities designed with early childhood students and educators in mind.
This curriculum is geared towards ages 3 to 7, and explains natural science concepts with connections for reading, language development, math skills, and more.
Encourage your students to start exploring the natural world early with Growing Up Wild!
CEU VALUE: 0.5 CEUs from Mississippi College
COST: $30 non-refundable registration fee, $10 cash or check due to Mississippi College on the day of the workshop if requesting CEUs.
NOTE: Please bring your lunch and a reusable water bottle. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for the weather as we will be outside for some activities.
Friday, July 19: Shed Your Fear! A Wild About Snakes Teacher Workshop
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Are you curious about snakes, but a little unsure?
Join our exciting workshop and learn to appreciate these amazing creatures!
This workshop will help you:
- Unravel the myths: Separate fact from fiction about snake behavior and biology.
- Meet amazing ambassadors! Get up close (safely!) with some incredible live snakes.
- Discover their world: Learn how snakes hunt, survive, and benefit the environment.
- Become a snake advocate! Leave with the knowledge and confidence to share your newfound appreciation.
CEU VALUE: 0.5 CEUs from Mississippi College
COST: $30 non-refundable registration fee, $10 cash or check due to Mississippi College on the day of the workshop if requesting CEUs.
NOTE: Please bring your lunch and a reusable water bottle. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for the weather as we will be outside for some activities.
Educational Resources
Resource kits for loan
Please Pardon our Progress – Loan kits are temporarily unavailable as we update them.
Resource kits are available for pickup at the Museum. Kits are loaned out for one week.
Resource kits may be mailed to teachers outside the Jackson area; however, the teacher will be responsible for mailing the kit back to the museum and return postage.
Only one kit may be checked out at a time and check outs may be scheduled in advance.
Resource kits need to be returned to the Museum by or on their scheduled due date, including those which are shipped.
Subject areas include:
- Fossils, Rocks, and Minerals
- Butterflies
- Invertebrates
- Mammal Skulls
- Birds
- Tracks and Trails
- Black Bears
- Black Bear Math & Reading Kit
Resources for sale
The Dragonfly Shop, the Museum's gift shop, is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and offers a thoughtful selection of books, posters, puzzles, models, puppets, and fossils that coordinate with current exhibitions and educational programming. Most items promote education and the natural wonders of our state.
DOWNLOADS
(Curriculum, Teacher's Guide, Endangered Species Booklet, Scavenger Hunts, Games, Puzzles, Coloring Pages)
Endangered Species Booklet: An informative booklet on Mississippi's endangered species, complete with photos and statistics, is available at the Museum. Please inquire at the front desk. Limit: one ES booklet per teacher. Or, the booklet is available to download for free here (document is 199 pages). Download MS Endangered List here.
Scavenger Hunts
Games, Puzzles, Coloring Pages
More About Teacher Education Programs at the Museum
Project Wild
Project Wild
Project WILD is an interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education program emphasizing wildlife that is designed for educators of kindergarten through twelfth grade.
Project WILD capitalizes on the natural interest that children and adults have in wildlife by providing hands-on activities that enhance all subject and skill areas and by addressing the need for human beings to develop as responsible citizens of our planet.
The program provides effective methods to teach problem-solving and decision making while teaching students how to think, not what to think. Materials include two activity guides for K-12 grade educators: the Project WILD K-12 Activity Guide focuses on wildlife and habitat, and the Project Wild Aquatic Guide emphasizes aquatic wildlife and aquatic ecosystems.
Project WILD educational materials are provided to educators through practical, interactive 6-hour workshops. Contact Project Wild Coordinator...
Project Wild Aquatic
Project Wild Aquatic
Project WILD Aquatic is a conservation education program focused on aquatic wildlife and ecosystems for K-12 educators and their students. Project WILD Aquatic capitalizes on the natural interest that children and adults have in aquatic wildlife by providing hands-on activities that enhance student learning in all subject and skill areas. Contact Project Wild Aquatic Coordinator...
Project Wet
Project Wet
Project WET is a program similar to Project WILD but with its own curriculum and activity guide for kindergarten through twelfth grades. It is a collection of innovative, water-related activities that are hands-on, easy-to-use and fun!
Activities incorporate a variety of formats, such as large and small group learning, whole body movement, laboratory investigations, discussion of local and global topics, and involvement in community service projects. People's relationships to water are a major theme of the Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide. Providing a thorough water education program, the guide also addresses water's chemical and physical properties, quantity and quality issues, aquatic wildlife, ecosystems, and management strategies.
Project WET activities promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills and help provide young people with the knowledge and experience they will need to make prudent decisions regarding water resource use.
Project WET educational materials are provided to educators through 6-hour workshops.
Contact Project WET Coordinator.
Flying Wild
Flying Wild
Flying WILD introduces students to bird conservation through standards-based classroom activities and environmental stewardship projects. Flying WILD encourages schools to work closely with conservation organizations, community groups, and businesses involved with birds to implement school bird festivals and bird conservation projects. This workshop is for teachers that work with grades K-12. Contact Flying WILD Coordinator....
Growing up wild
Growing up wild
Growing Up WILD features new activities designed to stimulate young children in new and exciting ways while connecting them to nature and many of its wonders. Growing Up WILD is a national early childhood initiative that builds literacy skills and environmental appreciation among early learners through participation in engaging wildlife-based educational activities. This workshop is suggested for teachers that work with ages 3-7. Click Here for details. Contact Growing Up WILD Coordinator...