Teachers who have used Project Wild in their classrooms have an opportunity to provide students with additional hands-on learning tools about wildlife and habitat through grants being offered through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
Grants totaling $500 each will be awarded on a competitive basis to 40 schools participating in Project Wild, a supplemental environmental education curriculum for grades K-12.
Project Wild uses wildlife and wildlife management techniques to teach traditional school subjects such as math, science and language arts. Now in its ninth year, the grant program provides teachers with funding to purchase materials, equipment and activities needed to develop "Wild School Sites."
"A Wild School Site project allows teachers to take lesson plans outdoors, bringing conservation education concepts to life for students," said Jen Dennison, wildlife education coordinator for the Division of Wildlife. "An added benefit is the improvement of schoolyard habitat for wildlife and people, which enhances outdoor learning experiences."
Grants are awarded to applicants who best meet the Wild School Site criteria: participation in one of Ohio's Project Wild programs, direct improvement of habitat on school grounds, involvement of students in projects and correlation of projects to the school's curriculum.
Funding for the Wild School Site grant program comes from the sale of Ohio hunting and fishing licenses.
Interested educators should submit an application by May 31 to ODNR Division of Wildlife, Outdoor Education Section, 2045 Morse Road, Bldg. G, Columbus, OH 43229.
Details and an application packet can be found at ohioproject
wild.com.
To learn more or to find an area workshop, visit the website or call (800) WILDLIFE.
