Project WILD is a wildlife-focused conservation education program for classroom and non-formal pre K-12 educators and their students.
Project WILD 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. Emphasizing wildlife because of its intrinsic value, Project WILD addresses the need for human beings to develop as responsible citizens of our planet.
Project WILD links students and wildlife through its mission to provide wildlife-based conservation and environmental education that fosters responsible actions toward wildlife and related natural resources. Through the use of balanced curriculum materials and professional training workshops, Project WILD accomplishes its goal of developing awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment. This results in the making of informed decisions, responsible behavior, and constructive action concerning wildlife and the environment.
For more details on the development and organization of Project WILD at the international level visit http://www.projectwild.org/
Project WILD in Indiana
In Indiana, the Division of Fish and Wildlife sponsors Project WILD and has developed a network of volunteer workshop facilitators who offer workshops locally. Educators can register for a scheduled workshop or if you have 15 or more people interested in training a workshop can be arranged for your group at a time and location convenient for you. A calendar of workshops is located at http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/7548.htm.
You can contact the Project WILD program at email@example.com or call 317-234-8440. College credit and professional growth points are available to participants who attend a workshop.
Basic Project WILD:
$20 fee, 6 hours, includes K-12 Activity Guide and Aquatic Guide
Topics include basic wildlife ecology and habitats. Activity guides include 179 activities organized into ecological knowledge, social and political knowledge, and sustaining fish and wildlife resources.
Aquatic Project WILD:
No Fee (due to federal sport fish restoration funds), 6 hours, includes Aquatic Guide
Topics include basic wildlife ecology and habitats with an aquatic focus. Activity guide includes 55 activities organized into ecological knowledge, social and political knowledge, and sustaining fish and wildlife resources. May also be offered in conjunction with Project WET.
Growing Up WILD:
$20 fee, 4 hours, includes Growing Up WILD activity guide.
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. Activities include outdoor explorations, scientific inquiry, art projects, music and movement, conservation activities, reading and math connections and "Healthy Me" dovetailing with the Let's Move Campaign. Activities are correlated to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards and the Head Start Domains.
$20 fee, 6 hours, includes Flying WILD activity guide.
This guide contains 44 bird focused activities. Targeted for the middle-school audience, though widely adaptable, Flying WILD offers practical hands-on classroom and outdoor field investigation experiences connecting real-world experiences in bird biology, conservation and natural history.