What's New in DNR Education?
Exploring Streams: Stream Monitoring Curriculum Guide for Middle and High School Teachers and Students. Hands-on learning about streams within and outside the classroom. Streams are dynamic places to study! Middle and high school students will learn about at least six aspects of stream health when educators guide them through this Water Action Volunteers (WAV) stream monitoring curriculum.
2014 state park sticker design contest Wisconsin state park and forest annual vehicle admission stickers are designed by high school students chosen in a statewide contest. The design contest, sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, is open to all high school age students attending public, private, or parochial schools in Wisconsin. Deadline is April 17, 2013.
Free Tree Seedlings for Fourth Grade Classes Commemorate Arbor Day by teaching the importance of environmental stewardship by providing young scholars with an opportunity to plant a tree. Students can learn about ways to reduce their impact on the environment, provide wildlife habitat, and enhance Wisconsin's natural beauty. Complete and return this application by March 15, 2013.
Schedule a Walk in the Nursery. Wisconsin state nursery tours are conducted at the Griffith State Nursery, Wisconsin Rapids and the Wilson State Nursery, Boscobel, M-F, 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 pm. However, special arrangements can be made for tours outside these times if requested. Participants will see over 100 acres of nursery fields and learn about the different types of tree seeds, how they are pollinated, how staff collect, clean and use the seed. Then, explore the nursery beds and learn how the seeds germinate and develop into a tree seedling. Staff will talk about feeding, watering, weeding, and protecting the seedling. Participants will discover how seedlings are harvested, bad seedlings removed, and packing and planting of the seedlings. You can also take a closer look at a variety of equipment used in the nursery. If the tour is in the spring, students can receive a seedling as well learn how to plant, where to plant or more importantly where not to plant, and how to care for a new tree. Groups take a walking tour or ride in the comfort of a tractor pulled hay wagon equipped with benches and a roof. Contact James Storandt, 715-424-3702 at the Griffith Nursery, Wisconsin Rapids, or Joe VandeHey, 608-574-4904 at the Wilson State Nursery in Boscobel.
Other Education News
Fee Free Days at National Parks and Other Public Lands for 2013 Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announces dates in 2013 when more than 2,000 national parks, national forests, national wildlife refuges, and other federal lands will offer free admittance to everyone.