Conservation Education

Nature Activity: Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center

Program: Lewis and Clark—Day of Discovery

When: Saturday, May 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: 4750 Troost, Kansas City

For more information: Call (816) 759-7300

Surrounded by 10 acres of gardens, wetlands, walkways and wildlife in the heart of Kansas City, the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center hosted many Lewis and Clark Bicentennial events between 2004 and 2006. That spirit of celebration returns Saturday, May 31, with Lewis and Clark—Day of Discovery.

In 1804 Lewis and Clark and their Corps members were the first to document scientifically the flora and fauna of the Missouri River Valley. They recorded 130 species of plants that were then new to science. You’re invited to continue the Corps’ exploration of the natural world. Learn about wildlife and plants that Lewis and Clark discovered, explore a gravel bar, sit in a dugout canoe, throw a tomahawk, write with a quill pen and enter your findings in a journal. See members of the Corps of Discovery in costume as you participate in a wide variety of family activities and crafts.

Missouri’s Toads and Frogs

Free booklet helps you identify and conserve these critters.

“Colorful, harmless, vocal and valuable.” So begins Missouri’s Toads and Frogs, newly revised this spring by herpetologists Jeff Briggler and Tom Johnson. Just in time to celebrate 2008 as International Year of the Frog, this updated publication can help you identify, appreciate and conserve some of Missouri’s most musical and important but often unknown wildlife. Like the proverbial canary in a coal mine, frogs and toads indicate local environmental quality and can alert us to problems if we take care to look, listen and respond. The new edition of Toads and Frogs includes 24 native species, each with a full-color photo, a range map and details about the species’ size, shape, color, habitat, life cycle, food sources and vocalizations. To order this free publication, write to MDC, Missouri’s Toads and Frogs, PO Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102 or e-mail pubstaff@mdc.mo.gov or view online.

Teacher Workshops

Register now for this summer’s courses.

If you’re pursuing an education degree or want to enrich your teaching, consider signing up for a conservation educator’s workshop. You can get undergraduate or graduate credit hours for many of the workshops, several of which also serve as Category 1 Instructional Workshops for the Missouri Environmental Education Certification Program. Cross-curricular workshops address Pre-K through high school educators’ needs, and most workshops align with Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Grade Level Expectations. Check below for a links to dates, locations and registration information.