Teacher Ranger Teacher Program

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The goals of the project is to increase opportunities for outdoor recreational and educational activities for students in grades K through 12 by providing a professional development training program for their teachers. Through training teachers about the educational resources and programs available through the National Park Service, more students reap benefits from the funding invested as each teacher impacts up to 300 students in the classroom each year following participation in the program. Also, teachers are more likely to engage their students in outdoor recreational and educational programs at National Park Service sites if they are knowledgeable and feel competent in the themes and resources available through the National Park Service. B. Project Objectives ¿ At the end of the project each year, the National Park Service intends to impact students in grades K through 12 with the unique outdoor recreational and educational opportunities available through in-depth engagement with NPS resources and interpretive themes. Students can learn analytical thinking skills by utilizing scientific data, primary historical documents and using historical and scientific places as venues for learning by having teachers trained in how to use these places and resources in their classroom lessons and in on-site visits to National Park Service sites. The program will provide teachers direct access to NPS places, scientific, cultural and historical resources and unique outdoor recreational and educational activities. The teachers will also learn how to incorporate these resources and activities through an online course provided by the University of Colorado Denver and through the creation of a major educational project during their tenure with the summer program.

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