Master Naturalist Explorers

Explore!

Explore the basics of leading youth outdoors. These resources are intended to provide you with the information you need to plan an outdoor program with youth.

4-H Exploring Your Environment: Helper's Guide

Resource Type: Curriculum

What: Read “The Youth-driven Model” “Teaching Tips and Ideas” “Checklist for Good Learning” includes ages and stages for youth nine-nineteen years old and the implications for teaching outdoors.

Who: Carrie Hartz and Stephan Carlson, Center for 4-H Youth Development, University of Minnesota Extension Service

Driven to Discover: Facilitator’s Guide to Citizen Science

Resource Type: Curriculum and leader’s guide

What: See “Nurturing Positive Behavior” “Tips for Facilitating Groups Outdoors” and “Teaching Through Questioning”

Who: University of Minnesota Extension

Last Child in the Woods

Resource Type: Book

What: compiled research on topics of youth, outdoors, and health, to clearly show the benefits of spending time in nature with children.

Where: Most book retailers

Who: Richard Louv, non-fiction author and journalist, founder of Children and Nature Network

The Nature Connection

Resource Type: Book

What: tips for journaling, drawing, outdoor activities, phenology

Where: Most book retailers

Who: Clare Walker Leslie, author and artist

Natural Wonders

Resource Type: Recommendation of best practices

What: Resource to plan developmentally appropriate outdoor programs for young children, covers theory and techniques

Who: Oltman, M. (2002). Natural Wonders: A Guide to Early Childhood for Environmental Educators.

How to Find an After School Partner

What: Step by step directions to identify site partners and how to start your own outdoor after school program.

Who: Minnesota Master Naturalist Program

Teach!

Minnesota Master Naturalist Explorers Program is a youth phenology based program. All materials are here and are free to use and download as needed.

Minnesota Master Naturalist Explorers Program Curriculum

What: Three curricula, focusing on the phenology of fall, winter, and spring.

Who: Minnesota Master Naturalist Program

Minnesota Master Naturalist Explorers Program Journals

What: Three journals, focusing on the fall, winter, and spring seasons. Each journal contains data sheets, pages to record nature observations, and short activities.

Supplemental Explorers Materials

What: Worksheets with word finds, crossword puzzles, and word scrambles to reinforce vocabulary in Explorers Program Curriculum.

Project Learning Tree, Project WILD, Project WET

What: Project Learning Tree, Project WILD, and Project WET provide training and curriculum in environmental education for anyone working with youth from kindergarten to grade 12. The activity guide is only available to those who attend a workshop.

Where: Information on workshops can be found at www.mndnr.gov/education/teachers/calendar.html

Who: Project Learning Tree, Project WILD, and Project WET are nation-wide organizations devoted to helping parents, teachers, and community members lead youth in environmental education.

Access Nature

What: Habitat-based curriculum for youth in grades K-8 with adaptations and extensions for youth with disabilities including learning/cognitive, motor, and visual restrictions.

Where: Available from third party sellers on www.amazon.com, individual lessons can also be found at https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Educator-Tools/Lesson-Plans-and-Webinars along with many other activities.

Who: The National Wildlife Federation works to protect wildlife, habitat, be an advocate for conservation, and connect kids and nature. NWF publishes the popular children’s magazine Ranger Rick.

Fishing: Get in the Habitat! Leader’s Guide

What: Curriculum based on fishing in Minnesota, includes lessons on aquatic habitats, Minnesota fish, and habitat management

Who: MinnAqua is a statewide education program designed to teach angling recreation and stewardship as well as the ecology and conservation of aquatic habitats.

Planning Template

What: You can use this program planning template to structure each outdoor session.

Who: Minnesota Master Naturalist Explorers Program

Reflect and Rethink

What: This form can be used by individual participants or a group to reflect on their experiences and help leaders plan for future sessions.

Who: Driven to Discover

Conserve!

The “Conserve” section highlights organizations that offer volunteer positions and stewardship activities with youth. Below are opportunities for science activities as field naturalists throughout the state of Minnesota. Please visit the websites listed below to learn more about the organizations and their volunteer opportunities.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

What: The mission of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is to work with citizens to conserve and manage the state's natural resources, to provide outdoor recreation opportunities, and to provide for commercial uses of natural resources in a way that creates a sustainable quality of life. To accomplish this, the Minnesota DNR utilizes more than 30,000 volunteers. Volunteers do everything from tagging fish to leading hikes.

For more information: Visit www.mndnr.gov/volunteering/index.html to find information on current volunteer opportunities throughout the state and to sign up for the volunteer cyber newsletter.

Schools and community organizations

What: Schools and community organizations such as Parks and Recreation, YMCAs, or others offering youth programs are often very excited to have volunteers. For more information on contacting sites to lead outdoor programming, see How to Find and After School Partner

Project GO!

What: Project Get Outdoors, Inc. (Project GO) is a non-profit organization founded in 2006 to assist Minnesota communities in connecting children to nature exploration and outdoor learning during the out-of-school hours.

For more information: https://www.mnprojectgo.org/