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Weekday Volunteer Naturalist Training Spring 2008
Part One: Orientation & Introduction (led by Donna Horton & Eddie
Reese)
Mar. 4th or 5th (all outside) Meet at the Teaching Shelter. Who are we?
Who are you? What are we doing? and Why are we here? Also, how does it work?
There will be a short guided walk emphasizing some interpretation methods &
philosophies. Homework for next time: Look over the Training Manual.
Part Two: Leadership (led by Donna Horton)
Mar. 6th or 7th (all outside) Meet at the Picnic Shelter. Review of the
Training Manual. Discussion of emergency procedures. Guided walk emphasizes how
to develop your own interpretive style & foster an atmosphere of co-operation &
curiosity. Homework for next time: Look over the Riddle of the Woods material.
Part Three: Expectations (led by Susie Ruby)
March 11th or 12th (all outdoors) Meet at the Teaching Shelter parking
lot. How are the students prepared for their field trip; what do they already
know? New recruits will be teamed up with veteran volunteer naturalists during
the first school tours of the season. And... after lunch we will solve the
mysterious Riddle of the Woods! You may observe both school tours if you wish
(be sure to let us know, so that we can advise you of schedule changes.)
Homework for next time: look over “Aquatic Life,” and the Cheat Sheets.
Part Four: Wetlands! (led by Amy Morris)
Mar. 13th or 14th (all outdoors) Meet at the Teaching Shelter parking
lot. A guided trip to some of the Nature Center's wetlands will let us take a
close look at animal life cycles and tracks, and will show opportunities to get
the whole group involved and participating. Homework for next time: Look over
“Communities, Succession, Reading the Landscape, Habitats & Niches.”
Volunteer naturalist training takes a week off during spring break. Note: most of the Oxley Nature Center staff will be off March 21st for Good Friday, a City holiday.
Part Five: Grasslands & Forest! (led by Vinnie Robinson)
Mar. 25th or 26th (all outdoors) Meet at the Teaching Shelter parking
lot. Today's tour will cover activities you can use in two more habitats. We'll
also talk about leading your own group; each new volunteer naturalist will
practice on the rest of the group by leading a part of this session. Be ready to
take charge for a short while! Homework for next time: Look over the Games and
Activities section of the Training Manual.
Part Six: Games & Strategies (led by Donna Horton & all available
staff)
Mar. 27th or 28th (all outdoors) Meet at the Teaching Shelter parking
lot. By the end of today's session, you will have covered most of the Nature
Center's trails and visited all three main habitats. Today, we'll focus on
activities and games that teach as well as entertain. At the end, we will
brainstorm some creative discipline techniques.