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Environmental educators throughout the Department of Natural Resources depend on being outdoors to share our passion and love for Maryland's flora and fauna with our constituents. We organize field experiences for students, coordinate the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program, train Master Naturalists and teachers, and provide environmental education in our state parks.
So what did our environmental educators do when in March of 2020 they realized that they would not be able to help Maryland students and adults explore the environment in person? We quickly adapted to teaching virtually! Educators learned how to use various online learning platforms, some previously unknown, including Zoom, the Google Suite, Nearpod, Mentimeter, Padlet, and YouTube.
During the pandemic our Wildlife and Heritage Service staff presented more than 147 programs. They created more than 63 professional development workshops about a wide range of subjects including the benefits of native plants to how to attract pollinators to your garden. They also created a plethora of online resources and webinars that allowed educators within and outside DNR to reach many new audiences all over the state.
The Maryland Park Service produced more than 30 "Virtual Ranger Experience" videos. These short clips were produced in the field by staff at our parks on a variety of topics, ranging from virtual Scales & Tales programs with live animals to tours of the Harriet Tubman Visitor Center, and some fascinating discoveries about the history, flora, and fauna found on our public lands. These popular videos were promoted through social media outlets on a regular basis and were a new way to connect with state parks during the pandemic. More than mere entertainment, these videos were designed to enhance virtual teaching. All of the Virtual Ranger Experience videos are still available for viewing on the our YouTube channel.
The Park Service also launched a new program called "Create Your Own State Park,” encouraging families to turn their home or yard into their own state park. Activities included identifying plants or trees already on site to creating a campsite or picnic area. This program was an ideal way to connect families to nearby nature experiences, encourage conservation, and help expand native habitats for wildlife.
With support from DNR grant funding, Caroline County schools partnered with Pickering Creek Audubon Center, with the center’s experts training teachers through virtual platforms and onsite visits. Virtual outdoor learning investigation videos and activities were created to enhance students' learning. Program materials were also translated into Spanish. This work continues on the high school level to enhance the county's environmental literacy plan.
Despite the hardships of the pandemic, DNR’s educators and park rangers rose to the task of continuing to educate Marylanders about the importance of protecting our natural resources. DNR educators will use what they learned from this experience, as we continue to reach new audiences virtually through online webinars and provide training videos through online platforms when staff can not be there in person.
Amy S. Henry is a Conservation Education Specialist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Chesapeake and Coastal Service.
At-Home Learning
The department offers a variety of learning activities that can be done from home. Below you will find a list of websites and programs that our units have put together for educators.
2021-2022 School Year
Join the Sunfish and Students program and raise bluegills with your class! Bluegills are a type of small, native sunfish found everywhere in Maryland. They can help make a direct connection for students or visitors between their own watershed and the health of our rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. This program is open to classroom teachers or outdoor/nature centers. The department supplies everything – equipment, fish, and food. A teacher's manual is also provided, which includes information on aquarium setup and maintenance, care and feeding of the fish, background information, and lesson plans.
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Monarchs & Milkweed at Merkle: A Monarch Butterfly Festival
Saturday, September 25, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Come celebrate the migration of the monarch butterfly at Merkle! Events include tagging and releasing live butterflies, Scales & Tales live animal program, hayrides, garden tours. and guided hikes, face painting, and crafts. Food will be available for purchase.
The Maryland Geological Survey is making the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) 2021 Earth Science Week “Toolkit” available for free pickup in Baltimore on a first-come first served basis. The toolkit is a packet of educational materials about earth sciences. Some packets from previous years are also available while supplies last. Contact Dale Shelton at dale.shelton@maryland.gov to coordinate pickup of a toolkit.
The AGI provides a wealth of online information and activities for Earth Science Week. Each year the AGI sponsors contests for video and photography media that are open to all ages and, specifically for youth, a visual arts contest (grades K-5) and an essay contest (grades 6-9).
Earth Science Week, organized by the American Geosciences Institute, encourages the public to learn more about earth sciences and promotes stewardship of the earth. This year’s theme is “Water Today and for the Future.” Each day of the week also focuses on specific geoscience themes.
The Maryland Geological Survey also has educational resources about Maryland geology available online.
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