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!
More About Teacher Education Programs at the Museum
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 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 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 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 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...
Teacher's Guide and School Planner Calendar
Everything you need to know about field trips and Museum resources:
Educational Resources
Resource kits for loan
Contact: Dalton Knight
dalton.knight@mmns.ms.gov
Resource kits are singular resources that help teachers bring thematic topics to life in their classrooms. Each kit contains specimens, lesson plans, books, or unique items relevant to the theme.
Kits can be requested/checked out/picked out through the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and are loaned out for one week.
Resource kits may be mailed to teachers outside the Jackson area; however, the teacher will be responsible for postage and mailing the kit back to the museum.
Only one kit may be checked out at a time per educator 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
To request a kit or for more information, please email dalton.knight@mmns.ms.gov.
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
- Growing Up Wild Curriculum
- Project WILD 2010 State Curriculum Correlations
- MMNS Teacher Guide
- 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.