For Teachers
Field Trip Starters
No matter where you are in Idaho, you can find a great place to take your classroom and enjoy your public lands. Here are some to consider when planning your next outing. The Heritage Education page has a similar list if you are teaching history or enjoy the topic yourself.
Teacher Materials and Websites
Earth Tracks Newsletter - One-stop shopping for Environmental Education in Idaho
In EarthTracks, you’ll find news, workshop opportunities, teaching materials, checkout videos, contests and more from Idaho’s environmental education leaders. EarthTracks is a cooperative project of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Project WILD (Idaho Department of Fish and Game) Project Learning Tree (Idaho Forests Products Commission), Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission, and Idaho Environmental Education Association.
You can find current and back issues of EarthTracks at http://www.idahoforests.org/news.htm. To be added to the mailing list, contact any of the EarthTracks partners.
Project WET (Water Education for Teachers)
This nationwide water education program sponsors a week-long, field-based teacher education and resource conservation workshop focused on watershed health and function. The course is specifically for secondary-school science and natural resource teachers with an interest in watershed function, resource management, water quality monitoring, and current watershed research. The course emphasizes the use of hands-on, investigative classroom and field study protocols and methodologies.
Project Learning Tree
In Idaho, Project Learning Tree (PLT) is a multi-disciplinary education program focused on the forest environment. This partnership allows BLM and PLT to pool resources with other state and Federal agencies and support quality forest education programs for Idaho teachers. PLT's workshops and services focus on land management issues such as fire ecology, invasive species, and the challenge of balancing habitat, wildlife needs, and human activities.
North Idaho's Watchable Wildlife Program
Wildlife education events include the Salmon Festival, hosting classroom and home-schooled groups, Eagle Viewing Cruises, Project Wild Workshops, North Idaho FlyCasters Conservation Festival, Osprey Viewing Cruise, North Idaho Girl Scout Rendezvous, and the North Idaho Fair. In addition, the BLM traveling trunk program enables teachers to obtain wildlife “props” for classroom teaching. The contents of these trunks enhance the teaching of sound conservation concepts.
Salmon Steelhead Days
This annual educational event was created to elevate public awareness of the biological, cultural, historical, and economic importance of Idaho’s anadromous fish. Event activities enhance understanding of the natural history and cultural significance of salmon and steelhead. Children study the aquatic environment on both microscopic and watershed scales.
"Into the Watershed" - a field-oriented advanced workshop for secondary Project WET teachers
This workshop is done in conjunction with the Reynolds Creek Watershed Research Unit and offers use of its hydologic and climatic data to form the basis for this program. It explores the challenges of watershed managers, current research as well as the perspective of ranchers using the watershed.
Youth Conservation Corps
The Idaho BLM works with the Youth Conservation Corps to provide employment for young adults. YouthCorps programs combine outdoor adventure and education with paid environmental work experience for ages 14 to 19. Click here to visit the YouthCorps website.
Hands on the Land
A national network of field classrooms connecting students, teachers, and parents to their public lands and waterways. Click here to visit the Hands on the Land website.
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