July is officially here, and along with fireworks and fun, why not make plans to spend some time outdoors with you, your family and friends? Or maybe you are a teacher seeking professional development credits and would like to find some great workshops and trainings right in your backyard? Whatever the reason, there is no better place to enjoy some summer fun than Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery! In fact, check out the following events that are in store for the month of July!

 

Are you looking for some new, fun and exciting hands-on environmental education activities to use in your classroom, with your Scout troop, 4-H group, etc? If you’ve answered “YES!” then here is a GREAT class for you! Join facilitators Elizabeth McNulty, Agriculture Education Program Kentucky, Department of Agriculture,

along with Jennifer Hardwick, District Operations, Russell County

Soil Conservation District and Amanda Patrick, Environmental

Education/Outreach Specialist, Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery,

as they lead you through one and/or two fun-filled days of hands

on learning that is sure to be a great training opportunity for teachers,

Girl/Boy Scout leaders, 4-H volunteers, etc. Teachers in attendance

will gain professional development hours and also program guidance

in core content areas and national standards too at this All About Ag

and the Environment workshop event! Along with the Food, Land

and People curriculum, which promotes approaches to learning to

help people better understand the interrelationships among

agriculture, the environment and people of the world, participants will

also learn more about pollinators and the important role they play

along with ideas and information concerning community gardens. For

those seeking to obtain either an educator or facilitator level in the

Food, Land and People curriculum, Wednesday, July 7^th, 2010 will

be the facilitators training and Thursday, July 8^th, 2010 will be the

educator workshop. Those facilitators trained on Wednesday are

encouraged to stay and watch an educator workshop in action on

Thursday, July 8^th. We’ll also explore outdoor classroom resources,

so don’t miss out on this great day of agriculture and the environment

FUN!  The dates for the workshop are Wednesday and Thursday,

July 7^th and 8^th, 2010. Class will kick off at 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. CST

(both days). Registration costs for attendance are $40, which

includes all programming, materials, snacks and lunch.

On Friday, July 16^th, 2010, the theme will be focused on wildlife of

all sorts as the hatchery will host an “All About WILD” Workshop,

which will include 3 different curriculums: Project WILD, Project

Flying WILD and the new Growing Up WILD. Project WILD, part

of the Council for Environmental Education (CEE) curriculum

offerings, is one of the most widely-used conservation and

environmental education programs among educators of students in

kindergarten through high school. It is based on the premise that

young people and educators have a vital interest in learning about our

natural world. Flying WILD, also a program of the Council for

Environmental Education, introduces students to bird conservation

through standards-based classroom activities and environmental

stewardship projects. Growing Up WILD is an early childhood

education program that builds on children’s sense of wonder about

nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them.

Through a wide range of activities and experiences, Growing Up

WILD provides an early foundation for developing positive

impressions about the natural world and lifelong social and academic

skills. The workshop, which is scheduled for 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. CST,

will offer all programming, materials, 3 curriculum books, lunch and

snacks for $40 per person. Pre-registration is required and may be

completed by contacting Environmental Education/Outreach

Specialist Amanda Patrick at 270-343-3797 or via email at

Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov.

If outdoor exploration is more your speed, then make plans to be a

part of the Outdoor Inquiries^® Professional Development Workshop,

scheduled for Thursday, July 22^nd, 2010 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. CST.

Through this workshop, you will learn how to better facilitate your

students’ learning in investigating the outdoor world around them. All

programming, materials (book and toolkit), lunch and snacks are

provided, and the registration fee per person is $55.00. Please

contact Environmental Education/Outreach Specialist Amanda

Patrick at 270-343-3797 or via email at Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov

to register for the event. 

 

Have you ever wanted to learn the basics of fly fishing and fly tying? 

Are you a beginner with no previous experience? If so, here is an

event for you! Join members from the Louisville, KY chapter of Trout

Unlimited (TU) on Saturday, July 24^th, 2010, from 9 a.m. – 2:30

p.m. CST, for a great morning of introductory fly tying along with

some great hands on fly fishing experience! You’ll enjoy a fun-filled

morning of learning all the basics from some great instructors. River

conditions permitting, this workshop will allow you time with your

instructors on the river as well, so attendees should bring their own

fly fishing gear (if you have it) along with chest waders. Kentucky

fishing regulations will also apply, so if you do not already have a

license and trout stamp, please make plans to purchase the morning

of the event at the hatchery Visitor/Environmental Education

Center. There is no fee to participate and lunch will be provided for

all participants. Please note too: Registration is limited to the first 15

who register, so please contact Environmental Education/Outreach

Specialist Amanda Patrick at 270-343-3797 or via email at

Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov to register for the event. 

 

Global issues face us all, and whether population growth, sustainability, biodiversity, media literacy or the ecological footprint currently being left behind, there’s no better time to seek out activities that encourage and empower students to think globally. If you’re an educator looking for such lesson plans, then this is the event for you! Utilizing Facing the Future’s “Teaching Global Sustainability in the Primary Grades: A K-4 Curriculum Guide,” this teaching resource contains a set of four multi-faceted lessons covering topics such as identity and culture, food, biodiversity, and systems through diverse perspectives and learning modes. The book features hands-on activities, teacher background reading, vocabulary, extension and service learning opportunities, and assessment rubrics. All lessons included in this book have been reviewed and field tested by content experts, teachers, and students. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, July 28^th, 2010 from 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. CST. Registration costs for attendance are $15 per person. Fee includes all programming, materials, lesson plan/curriculum guide, lunch and snacks.    

 

Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery is proud to sponsor educational workshops and events that help the public learn more about our incredible natural and cultural heritage. For information on these or other programs at the hatchery, including how to register and/or how you can be involved as a volunteer, please contact Amanda Patrick, Environmental Education/Outreach Specialist, at 270-343-3797 or via email:  Amanda_Patrick@fws.gov