For additional educational materials, please visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's "Educating for Conservation" webpage.

Tenets of the Program
The Junior Duck educational program retains the original focus of an arts-based educational program. Many of the program's exercises encourage students to interpret the
natural world through artistic expression. This focus is based on the theory that students will be more inclined to conserve and protect what they love. An emphasis on "nature journals" provides students with opportunities to sharpen observation skills and to record these observations on a continual basis. The Waterfowl Journal Project in conjunction with the Junior Duck Stamp Contest provides students with an intense experience in the observation and study of one waterfowl species.

Many other activities contained in the Junior Duck educational program provide students with opportunities to learn about migratory birds; the mysteries of migration; requirements for adequate habitat and; the ways they can help conserve these species in their own back yards, school years, and neighborhoods. By providing a basis for participation in the Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest, the activities encourage students to move beyond simply "learning about" wildlife and wildlife art to testing their abilities as wildlife artists. Arts-education objectives and methods for evaluation, are provided for each activity to help teachers identify which activities will satisfy art education requirements. Students demonstrate their learning through the range of visual, dance, musical, dramatic and language arts.

Curriculum Revision
The Junior Duck Stamp Progrm Educational Component (curriculum) underwent an official evaluation by a team of environmental and arts education professionals from June of 2005 until February of 2006. The Curriculum Revision Committee concluded that a full revision of the educational component was necessary in order to more fully support national education standards. Currently the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working to support a full re-write of the educational activities for grades 4-6. Please check back to this page for updates on the curriculum revision process.

Educational Partners
The Junior Duck Stamp Program is proud to work with the following organizations on various educational initiatives to support the development of a "conservation conscious" generation of youth.

Council for Environmental Education
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Education and Outreach
Ducks Unlimited Project Webfoot
Link Girls to the Land