Project WILD Workshop

What is Project WILD?

Project WILD is a Kindergarten through 12th grade environmental and conservation education program emphasizing awareness, appreciation and understanding of wildlife and natural resources. It is interdisciplinary and supplementary and can be be used to teach basic skills in science, social studies, language arts, math, art, music and physical education.

With an unbiased approach to basic wildlife management practices, Project WILD:

• teaches young people how to think about wildlife, not what to think...
• provides a set of fun, hands-on, easy to use educational activities...
• trains teachers and youth group leaders in an outstanding eight-hour, hands on workshop...
• includes helpful, scientific background information with all activities...
• incorporates powerful techniques and methods for teaching problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Can be related to Scouting advancement including achievements and merit badge requirements
• Can be used for den and troop activities, district and council camporees.
• Contains both inside and outside activities.

Why Project WILD?

Human population growth is increasing exponentially. As our planet grows more crowded every day, natural and wild places are rapidly diminishing ... and so are ecosystem services related to natural resources including wildlife. Locally we are experiencing issues related to water & watershed management, invasive species invasion, & habitat loss as Houston expands into surrounding forests, wetlands and farmlands. Project WILD explores how people can understand wildlife and habitat and make decisions that use natural resources wisely and sustainably.

Who should attend the Workshop?

• Unit leaders, den leaders and committee members.
• District Activities/Program Chairs and Unit Commissioners
• Older youth leaders involved in planning program (OA, LNT trainers, Troop LNT educators, etc.)
• Youth leaders and teachers

Project WILD Guides

The core of Project WILD is its activity guides. The Project WILD guide contains 134 activities concentrating on terrestrial wildlife, habitat and ecological concepts. The Project WILD Aquatic guide contains 48 activities emphasizing aquatic wildlife and habitats. Both are presented in lesson-plan format, which includes objectives, methods of teaching, background information, references available, a list of materials needed, and ways to evaluate learning.

The guides help incorporate wildlife-related concepts into classroom curriculum, and each activity is designed to teach one or more of the following concepts:

• awareness and appreciation of wildlife
• human values and the wildlife resource
• habitat and ecological systems
• wildlife conservation
• cultural and social interaction with wildlife
• environmental issues and trends, alternatives and consequences, ecological systems and responsible human actions