Nature. Learning. Fun. Help Your Students Make the Connection

If you're a Missouri educator, you have a lot of people to please. The state requires your lessons to meet Grade Level Expectations (GLEs), and parents expect you to help their kids make good grades. The students themselves? They'd like to have a little fun while they're gaining the skills, values and knowledge they need to lead successful, happy lives.

We've developed a conservation education program that helps you please everyone from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to the squirmiest middle-school student. It's the Learning Outdoors Schools program.

Learning Outdoors Schools is based on the notion that the best place to learn about nature is outdoors. Whether you teach science, math or language arts, you'll find the LOS program's outdoor experiences enrich your students' classroom work. The curriculum packages take into account Missouri state GLEs, and the LOS program includes funding for field trips, equipment and outdoor classrooms that will place your students in real live ecosystems as they learn about natural Missouri and how to conserve it.

To participate in the Learning Outdoors Schools program, contact your local education consultant or outdoor skills specialist.

Get the grant guidelines.

Curriculum Packages

Grants

Help your students make deeper connections with nature and conservation this academic year. Apply for one the Department's five education grants: Learning Outdoors Schools, Conservation Field Trips, Outdoor Classrooms, United Sportsmen's League Wildlife Conservation or Missouri's Archery in the Schools.

Curriculum Development Opportunities

We're still building parts of the LOS program, and we need teacher input. If you'd like to help shape and test an LOS curriculum or topic, please contact Education Program/Curriculum Supervisor Regina Knauer at regina.knauer@mdc.mo.gov or call her at (573) 522-4115, ext. 3829.