Midest Region Refuge System

Teacher Workshops
We encourage K-12 teachers and educators to lead your students through our easy, self-guided programs. We offer teacher workshops to provide you with the ability to design your field trip, answer questions, and present high quality hands-on experiences for your students.

To learn more about the Workshops offered at the Refuge, please contact a Park Ranger at 952-854-5900. Our hope is that a visit to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge will prompt you and your students to reflect on your daily interaction with our environment and acquire an increased understanding of how we can all live together.

Nature Wise Workshops
Prairie Exploration
Workshop Series, Summer 2008

A FREE Workshop Series to help you explore nature in your own backyard.

Open to the general public, these are topic-related, hands-on workshops to help you better understand our natural world, in a national wildlife refuge setting.

Open to anyone, ages 16 or older.

Learn about nature and nature study in both classroom and outdoor settings.

TEACHERS: are also encouraged to attend. Augment your science knowledge, and learn new ways of looking at nature. CEU credits are available.

Learn from professionals and experts.

See and experience Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and the Rapids Lake Unit.

Network with other like-minded participants!

Lunch will be provided, free of charge.

WHEN: Participants must register, and can attend any one or all of the workshops.

Schedule

Prairie Wings: Saturday, June 28, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Designed for beginners or anyone interested in birding, this session will teach how to look at birds, how to identify them, and their importance and role in the prairie ecosystem. Binoculars are provided, if you don’t have your own.

Grasses 101 – How to Know Them: Saturday, July 19, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Grasses are one of the hardest groups of plants to learn from field guides (if there were any!). Learn the features to look for, the common species, and how to distinguish and identify grass-like plants like sedges and rushes.

Wildflowers and Forbs: Saturday, August 30, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Learn about and observe the wildflowers of the prairie, and bring along a digital camera to capture your favorite images and memories.

Prairie Crawlers and Buzzers: Saturday, September 27, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Prairies are literally crawling with insects, spiders, and other jointed-leg critters. Learn the insect and other arthropod groups, and then go out and test your collecting skills. Learn also how to preserve, label, and store specimens.

WHERE: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Rapids Lake Education and Visitor Center (Carver).

For More Information or To Register Contact Barry Jones at 952-361-4503 or barry_jones@fws.gov.

Current Workshops - The 4 R's Reading, Writing, Research (and Refuges!)
Join enthusiastic teachers, resource specialists, and education professionals who are looking to integrate environmental and natural sciences education across the curriculum!

WHAT: A FREE* workshop for K-6 grade educators
(CEU* or Graduate Credits available through Hamline University)
*Attendees are eligible for fieldtrip bus support through the Blue Goose Bus Fund sponsored by the Refuge Friends, Inc.

WHEN: August 4-8, 2008 9:00 am – 3:00 pm daily

WHERE: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Bloomington

Expand your toolkit of teaching resources, experience and knowledge in natural resources, environmental education and inquiry-based science education.

Increase your comfort leading students in the outdoors.
Learn how to lead your class on free fieldtrips, using refuge curriculum and equipment.
Receive ongoing fieldtrip planning support and priority scheduling from refuge staff.
Participate in pre and post activities at your school led by staff at the Science Center at Maltby Preserve.
Network with other like-minded teachers!

For More Information or To Register Contact Suzanne Trapp at 952-361-4502 or suzanne_trapp@fws.gov

Last updated: July 18, 2008

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