Resources for Educators

DWR Programs for Educators

Trainings for Educators

• Project WILDThe Project WILD program is an interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education activity guide that focuses on wildlife and conservation for all educators. Workshops are provided by DWR trained Volunteer Facilitators across the state. Workshops vary from 3 to 8 hours depending on the activity book(s) the workshop features
• National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP)NASP is designed for students in grades four through twelve and its core content includes archery history, safety, technique, equipment, mental concentration, and self-improvement. Prospective school teachers must undergo an 8-hour instructor certification program referred to as BAI, “Basic Archery Instructor.”
• Hunter EducationHunter Education courses are designed to teach hunting safety, principles of conservation, and sportsmanship. Some schools incorporate Hunter Education into their CTE courses.

Recognition Programs

• Virginia Naturally Schools Recognition ProgramThe Virginia Naturally (VAN) School Recognition Program recognizes the exemplary efforts undertaken by Virginia schools to increase the Environmental Literacy of its students.
• Free Digital Subscription of Virginia Wildlife Magazine for K-12 TeachersVirginia Wildlife Magazine is your ticket to learning more about Virginia’s spectacular wildlife, fisheries, and breathtaking habitats through stories and insight on the natural world supplied by the state’s leading wildlife and outdoor experts.

 

Displaying and Collecting Wildlife in Virginia

Information for Teachers to Display and Collect Wildlife in Virginia

• Wildlife in the Classroom: Requirements for Teachers Displaying WildlifeElementary and secondary educators must report any native or naturalized wildlife species being displayed in the classroom. Please view this document for more information and see the next link for the reporting form.
• Wildlife In the Classroom Reporting Form
• DWR Recommendations for Schools Wanting to Purchasing Tadpoles
• Scientific Collections permit“Collection” includes all sampling activities that permanently remove any individuals (or parts of) from the natural environment and/or trapping or other activities that prohibit or restrict an animal(s) from being able to move freely through their natural environment. Please review this webpage and contact our permitting department with questions at collectionpermits@dwr.virginia.gov

 

SOL-Correlated Resource Documents and Lessons

SOL Correlations to Learning Outside the Classroom Walls

• DWR Fish Hatchery Tours
• Schoolyard Habitat

SOL Correlated K-12 Lessons

• Wild About MathA collection of activities for graphing calculators using authentic wildlife research data from the DWR
• Fishing to Survive: A STEM Activity About FishingStudents will: 1) investigate historic and modern methods of fishing; 2) develop a method to catch fish using found objects based on a scenario and 3) use an interdisciplinary approach to solving a problem/issue.
• Who is Calling Tonight?A field investigation to discover the species of frogs and toads in the area
• Feral Hogs in Virginia PBL UnitDocument contains Feral Hogs in Virginia Lesson, Information on Feral Hog Biology and Ecology, and a Virginia Wildlife Magazine article on Feral Hogs
• Virginia Animals and Their HabitatsA second-grade cross-curricular unit that integrates the content areas of science, language arts, mathematics, and history and social science
• White-tailed Deer LessonsExplore the life cycle of the white-tailed deer with background information and lessons.
• Turtle Troubles: Bog TurtlesStudents take on the role of bog turtles and try to survive in a changing environment.
• Who Polluted the Water?Using a model to represent the River, Bay or another local body of water, students participate in an interactive story dramatizing how, as populations increase and resource use changes, a water body becomes polluted.

 

Wildlife Data

DWR Wildlife Data

• Deer harvest DataHistorical Deer Harvest Data- State-wide and County data
• Deer ManagementScroll down to the Deer Management section to find more deer data such as vehicle collision reports
• Black Bear Harvest DataScroll down to the Harvest Summary under the "Bear Hunting" section to see the most recent and historical bear harvest data.
• Wild Turkey DataScroll down to the Harvest Summaries and Surveys sections to see data such as turkey harvest state-wide and by county, our annual spring brood survey data, and the annual acorn report.
• Virginia Species ProfilesInformation on Virginia species including species profiles, conservation plans, Virginia's endangered/threatened species list, and Virginia's native/naturalized species list.
• The Virginia Fish and Wildlife Information Service (VaFWIS)Here you will find the most current and comprehensive information about Virginia's Wildlife resources. You may use the visitor options for searching by Species or Geographic location
• Virginia’s Second Breeding Bird AtlasOne of the largest avian survey project in Virginia. Conducted from 2016 to 2020, the project gathered data on the distribution and abundance of more than 200 bird species to support informed natural resource management and conservation planning in Virginia.
• Virginia Wildlife MappningWildlife Mapping is a citizen science project by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) to better understand the distribution of Virginia's wildlife. Our highest priority is to collect data on our Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), as listed in Virginia's Wildlife Action Plan.
• DWR GIS Data HubVarious Mapping Applications featuring Virginia's wildlife and emerging wildlife diseases.

 

Teaching Outdoors

Teaching Outdoors Resources

• Taking Classroom Management OutdoorsBest practices for taking students outside for learning
• Developing Your Field Investigations KitsContains ideas for low cost aquatic and terrestrial field investigation kids
• Creating Native Habitat for WIldlife
• Conservation Education Tool KitThe award-winning North American Conservation Education Strategy (CE Strategy) delivers unified, research-based core concepts and messages about fish and wildlife conservation, translated into K-12 academic standards to shape students’ environmental literacy, stewardship and outdoor skills. The Tool Kit for Achieving Excellence includes the many resources developed by AFWA as part of the CE Strategy, including the following publications Field Investigation Guide, Landscape Investigation Guide, and Fostering Stewardship Guide
• Birding Basics
• Where to View Wildlife in Virginia
• DWR Tackle Loaner Program
• Virginia Common Animal Tracks i.d. card

Teaching Outdoors Mini-Lessons

• Watch Spring Bloom with Photo Point Monitoring
• Habitat Seek and Find
• Time to Nest
• Wildlife in Art and Poetry
• Does My Yard Have a Temperature?
• Flowers in Our Lawns
• Where is Roy G Biv?
• Hide and Seek Wildlife

 

DWR Livestreaming Wildlife Cameras

DWR Livestreaming Wildlife Cameras and Correlated Lessons

• Marsh Cam The Marsh Cam is a livestreaming camera located on the southern end of Hog Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA), centered between a tidal marsh and two managed impoundments. It remains in operation 24/7, every day of the year, which means that night or day no matter the season, there is always something to see! The Marsh Cam can also be signed out and remotely controlled by classrooms across Virginia as they learn about wetland ecosystems! See next link
• Marsh Cam Classroom TakeoverUse this page to sign up your class to takeover our Marsh Cam. This page also included educational resources correlated to viewing the marsh cam.
• Falcon CamThe Falcon Cam follows a peregrine falcon pair that nest in downtown Richmond atop the Riverfront Plaza building. The Richmond Falcon Cam has for years documented peregrine courtship rituals, territorial disputes, egg laying, hatching, and chick development. This camera typically operates March through June. Includes lesson ideas for integrating the Falcon Cam into your classroom
• Shad CamA live-streaming camera focused on the fishway at Bosher’s Dam provides visitors with a peek into an incredible journey of migratory fishes as they return to the 137 miles of the James River and 168 miles of its major tributaries to spawn in the spring. Shad Cam is live from March until September, and to date over 25 species including American shad, gizzard shad, quillback, and sea lampreys have been observed on camera. Aside from your classroom collecting data about which fish use the passage, the page also links to a math activity.
• Elk CamThe Elk Cam follows Virginia’s majestic elk herd during their fall breeding season, also known as the “rut.” Located in Southwest Virginia’s Buchanan County, the camera is focused on a field frequented by the elk. Tune in throughout the fall to observe their fascinating behaviors, such as the formation of large family groups called “harems,” males challenging one another, and for the chance to hear a male elk’s bugle or a cow mewing to her calf.