Ohio DNR Grants Available for Teachers to Develop WILD School Sites
OutdoorHub 09.18.13
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) now has grants available for Ohio teachers who have successfully used Project WILD in their classrooms. These funds will allow teachers more opportunities to provide students with hands-on learning about wildlife and habitat.
Grants totaling $500 each will be awarded by the ODNR Division of Wildlife on a competitive basis to 40 schools that have participated in Project WILD, a supplemental environmental education curriculum for grades K-12.
“A WILD School Site project allows teachers to bring conservation education concepts to life for students by taking lesson plans outdoors,” said Jen Dennison, wildlife education coordinator for the ODNR Division of Wildlife. “It also improves schoolyard habitat for wildlife while providing an outdoor learning experience.”
Project WILD uses wildlife and wildlife management techniques to teach traditional school subjects, such as math, science and language arts. Now in its 10th year, the grant program provides teachers with funding to purchase the materials, equipment and activities needed to develop WILD School Sites on their campuses.
The grants are awarded to applicants who best meet the WILD School Site criteria. Criteria includes participation in one of Ohio’s Project WILD programs, direct improvement of the habitat on the school grounds, involvement of the students in the projects as much as possible and correlation of the projects to the school’s curriculum.
Funding for the WILD School Site grant program comes from the sale of Ohio hunting and fishing licenses. Ohio has 133 certified Wild School Sites around the state. The ODNR Division of Wildlife has awarded 232 grants since 2004, when the grant program was introduced.
Interested educators should submit an application anytime between now and May 31, 2014, to the ODNR Division of Wildlife, Outdoor Education Section, 2045 Morse Road, Building G, Columbus, Ohio 43229. Complete details of the grant program and an application packet can be found at ohioprojectwild.com. Go to wildohio.com or call 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543) for more information.
