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Tours Public Events Outdoor Lab K-12 Schoolyard Modules Classroom Visits Lectures Undergraduates Internships & Graduate Research Research Partnerships
Education
Education programs cover a broad range of activities across all ages groups. Our outreach programs are experiential-learning based, involving field trips, public events, guided tours and internships. K-12 field trips reestablish contact between youth and the natural world. Public community events emphasize outdoor activities to encourage appreciation of, and to stimulate interest in conservation of our local natural resources. Guided tours allow participants to learn quickly about nature and local ecosystems through short, high impact encounters with seasonal species.
Tours
Early morning birding
Nature in season
Swan research
All about bees
Winter Waterfowl
For more information call 540-349-3331
Public Events
ES scientists or guest experts teach about specific topics in the classroom (as seminars) lead seasonal hands-on events (outdoors) and offer opportunities to increase skills (workshops).
ES is one of only two sites in the eastern US that regularly offers songbird banding instruction. We offer MAPS Beginning and Advanced Bird Banding classes on alternate years. These classes are taught by staff from the Institue for Bird Populations. See our Calendar of Events for details.
MAPS staff and volunteers also participate in many other banding projects.
Outdoor Lab
Teachers use the ES to stage a diverse array of activities. These activities have been submitted and approved in advance and have an ES scientist on hand to support and enhance the activity. The teacher is responsible for teaching and running the activity. ES may assist with equipment and / or instruction if required.
ES is an active participant in the MAPS program. MAPS is run by the Institute for Bird Populations (IBP) to assess and monitor vital health information and population dynamics of over 150 species of North American land birds. This provides critical conservation information and helps to manage population information.
K-12
Our educational program is experientially based and strives to help develop observation, categorization and classification skills with students of all ages. We tackle classroom-learned concepts as "real problems" in the field, not as texbook exercises.
Equally important is our mission to reconnect students with nature through exploration and discovery. By motivating an interest in science and conservation, the impact of the learning experience for the student is multiplied, because it is cross-curriculum community-based and is re-addressed multiple times in field trips and the classroom. We involve parents and attempt to make science transparent and an ordinary part of life.
Classroom Visits
Teachers unable to organize a field trip to ES may request a visit by our Environmental Educator. An ES scientist or our Environmental Educator may also conduct pre and post field trip visits to the classroom to provide supplemental instruction to prepare for, or follow up after a field trip to ES. Classroom visits are correlated to VA SOL's.
Lectures
Throughout the year we offer workshops, lectures and fun events open to the public. Please see our Calendar of Events for details.
Undergraduates
College and University professors use ES as an outdoor lab. Undergraduates use the field station to carry out small research projects and studies.
Internships and Graduate Research
Interns may apply to pursue their own projects while assisting ES's research goals. Graduate students may apply to base their research investigation at ES
Research Partnerships
College and University professors use ES as an outdoor lab. Undergraduates have use the field station to carry out small research projects and studies.