Educator Resources
A Resource for Educators:
KBEEA organizations offer a variety of resources to support educators in providing place-based, environmental education to their students. This website provides a one-stop shop to explore our offerings and get you started.
Please direct specific inquiries to the hosting organization or to kbeaa.ak@gmail.com
Online + Distance Learning
Alaska Maritime Virtual Science Lesson Videos
Offered by: Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
For: K-12
Learn from the Alaska Maritime NWR Rangers with their YouTube Videos.
Some of these programs are an adaptation of in-person programs, developed for online access during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Contact Ranger Kendra to find out more about in-person programming.
Free
Contact: Ranger Kendra Bush at kendra_bush@fws.gov
Alaska Maritime NWR Virtual Tours
Offered by: Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
For: K-12
Visit the Islands and Oceans Visitor's Center (Homer, Alaska) virtually with this self-guided online tour.
Get on board the R/V Tiglax for this virtual, self-guided tour.
Some of these programs are an adaptation of in-person programs, developed for online access during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Contact Ranger Kendra to find out more about in-person programming.
Free
Contact: Ranger Kendra Bush at kendra_bush@fws.gov
Listening to the Ice
Offered by: Kenai Fjords National Park
For: 5-8th grade students
What are global warming and climate change? How are they caused, and how they are impacting our planet? A Park Ranger will engage students with questions, video content, and other techniques in order to broaden their local and global understanding of climate change and leave them with a hopeful attitude about the future of our natural environment.
Free
Contact: Leah Wold, Distance Learning Coordinator at Leah_Wold@nps.gov or call 907-422-0529
Glacier Detectives
Offered by: Kenai Fjords National Park
For: 3-6th grade students
This interactive distance learning program will help students learn why we have national parks and be inspired by glaciers and ecosystems in Alaska. What is a glacier and how is it formed? As glacial detectives, we will observe the clues that a glacier leaves behind and begin to understand how parts of our planet have been shaped by ice. There is an optional interactive class activity involved with this program.
Free
Contact: Leah Wold, Distance Learning Coordinator at Leah_Wold@nps.gov or call 907-422-0529
**Many organizations have adapted their in-person programs to be accessible online and for distance learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Contact the host organization for more information about these opportunities.
Elementary (PreK-6 Grade)
Islands and Oceans Visitor's Center Programming
Offered by: Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
For: K-6 students (grade-level specific programs available at Islands and Oceans Visitor's Center or in Teacher's Classroom)
Kindergarten:
Otterly Wonderful Otters
Being a Bald Eagle
1st Grade:
Fabulous Feathers (lab-based program available at visitor's center only)
Water Birds
3rd grade:
Amazing Marine Mammals (available at visitor's center only)
Seabird Adaptations
Marine Debris
4th grade:
Shorebirds 101 + Mud Bay Shorebirding
Water Birds of Winter
5th grade:
Intro to Digital Nature Photography
Science Orienteering
Science Geocaching
6th grade:
Seabirds and Climate Change
WWII in the Aleutians (available at visitor's center only)
Invasive Species (available at visitor's center only)
Contact: Ranger Kendra Bush at kendra_bush@fws.gov or call 907-226-4606
Pre-K Puffins Early Learning Program
Offered by: Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
For: Pre-K
Monthly, in-person program with the Rangers at Alaska Maritime NWR
Free
Available virtually during this time. Contact Ranger Kendra for more information.
Contact: Ranger Kendra Bush at kendra_bush@fws.gov
Naturalist in the Classroom
Offered by: Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (KBNERR)
For: K-12th students
KBNERR educators visit students at school
1-hour long program covering a breadth of topics, ranging from weather to wildlife.
New program topics offered monthly
Free
Contact: Dana Nelson (Environmental Education Specialist) at 907-235-1504 or ddnelson4@alaska.edu
Estuary Hikes
Offered by: Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (KBNERR)
For: K-12th students
Engages students in outdoor adventure to explore their local estuary
Offered during the month of May
Free
Contact: Dana Nelson (Environmental Education Specialist) at 907-235-1504 or ddnelson4@alaska.edu
Pratt Museum Visits
Offered by: Pratt Museum
For: K-12th students
Self-guided exploration or topic-specific tours available
$50/school group or $3/student for unguided tours. Tour registration and fee breakdown available here.
Contact: Call 907-235-8635 or email education@prattmuseum.org
Naturalist Visits
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS)
For: K-12 students
1-2 hour visits
Available upon request
$2 per student or $50 per class
Topics: Propose a natural history or life science topic and we'll send a naturalist to enrich your classroom with an animated and knowledgeable guest speaker.
Past topics include: Marine Ecology: Guided Beach Hikes near your school, Life in the Intertidal Zone, The Fab Four Phyla, Whales of Alaska, Plankton, Sea Ducks, Reef Ecology, Marine Adaptations, Marine Food Webs, Alaska Seaweeds, Marine Debris; Forest Ecology: Guided Forest Hikes near your school, Human Uses of Plants, Bark Beetle Attack, Birding, Forest Wildlife, Winter Forest Ecology, Snow Science, Forest Adaptations, Forest Food Webs, Invasive Plants; Wetland Ecology: Slough Stew-Wetland Functions, Wetland Wildlife, Freshwater Macro-invertebrates, Stream Ecology, Wetland Plants.
Contact: Shannon Moore at shannon@akcoastalstudies.org or call 907-235-6714
Peterson Bay Field Station Trips
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS) + UAF-NOAA Kasitsna Bay Lab
For: 4-12th grade students
1-3 day program, available during the months of April and May
Takes place across Kachemak Bay at Peterson Bay Field Station and Kasitsna Bay Lab
CACS naturalists lead beach and forest field trips and environmental science and education activities related to plant and animal adaptations, ecological interrelationships, and art from nature.
25-40 participants (students + adults)
Program fees and reservation information available here
Contact: Shannon Moore at shannon@akcoastalstudies.org or call 907-235-6714
Onboard the M/V Discovery
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS)
For: 4-12th grade students
5-hour cruise onboard M/V Discovery
Available during the months of April and May
Topics include oysters and oyster farming, water sampling, plankton tow and microscope study, reading charts, nautical charts and tide books.
25-35 participants (students + adults)
Program fees and reservation information available here
Contact: Shannon Moore at shannon@akcoastalstudies.org or call 907-235-6714
Wynn Nature Explorations
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS)
For: K-6th grade students
1-4 hour long programs at Wynn Nature Center
Fall programs: (grades K-6) available September-October and January-March
An interactive approach to studying habitats, animal and plant adaptations and ecosystem interdependence
Winter programs: available November-March
snow survival, winter ecology, and snowshoeing
overnight Winter Ecology Camps available for grades 4 and up
25-35 participants (students + adults)
$75 per class/2 hours (price differs for overnight residential programs)
Contact: Shannon Moore at shannon@akcoastalstudies.org or call 907-235-6714
Beluga Wetlands
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS)
For: 4-12th grade students
2 hour guided field trip along the shore of Beluga Lake and Slough
Available April-May and September (lake ice dependent)
Compare and contrast freshwater and saltwater wetlands and learn wetland functions and how to collect and identify aquatic invertebrates
$75 per class/2 hours
Contact: Shannon Moore at shannon@akcoastalstudies.org or call 907-235-6714
Kachemak Bay CoastWalk
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS)
For: 4-12th grade students
1-2 hour classroom visit + 2-hour beach clean-up field trip
Citizen science monitoring and marine-debris clean up
Available during the month of September
Free
Contact: Henry Reiske at henry@akcoastalstudies.org or call 907-235-6741
Offered by: Alaska Department of Fish and Game
For: K-12 students
Takes place throughout the entire school year
Students monitor salmon lifecycle in the classroom with the help of ADF&G specialists
If interested, contact and set-up before the start of the school year
Free
Contact: Andrew Waldo at andrew.waldo@alaska.gov or call 907-262-9368
Home Sweet Home
Offered by: Kenai Fjords National Park
For: Kindergarten
A great "first" field trip!
Offered Late August to September 30
Go from station to station and learn about moose, glaciers, animal fur and teeth.
Students make their own moose magnet to take home.
Free
Contact: CJ Rea, Education Specialist at CJ_Rea@nps.gov or call 907-422-0531
Habitat is Where I'm At
Offered by: Kenai Fjords National Park
For: 1st-2nd grade students
Offered Late August to September 30
Discover signs left behind by the creatures of Exit Glacier
Learn about how animals make their home near a glacier
Free
Contact: CJ Rea, Education Specialist at CJ_Rea@nps.gov or call 907-422-0531
The Watercycle
Offered by: Kenai Fjords National Park
For: 3rd-4th grade students
Offered Late August to September 30
A field trip to explore the land around Exit Glacier
Learn how the water cycle around the glacier works
Learn about important keywords: watershed, transpiration, evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and ground water
Pair with a pre-visit program from a ranger
Free
Contact: CJ Rea, Education Specialist at CJ_Rea@nps.gov or call 907-422-0531
Glacier Tracks
Offered by: Kenai Fjords National Park
For: 5th-6th grade students
Offered Late August to September 30 and May
A field trip to explore the land around Exit Glacier and discover the signs a glacier leaves as it recedes
Learn about important keywords: moraines, succession, outwash plain, recession, striations and other glacier phenomena
Hands-on adventure
Pair with a pre-visit program from a ranger
Free
Contact: CJ Rea, Education Specialist at CJ_Rea@nps.gov or call 907-422-0531
The Land of the Sugpiaq
Offered by: Kenai Fjords National Park
For: 3rd-4th grade students
Offered January - April
This study of culture helps students to understand the past and the present with an eye to how the Sugpiaq made their home on the land before modern conveniences were available. Culture, home, food, subsistence, and transportation are explained using artifact replicas and Sugcestun language.
This is a 6 unit class 1 hr per unit. It can be brought into schools for 6 days or 3 days with 2 -1hr sessions per day.
Free
Contact: CJ Rea, Education Specialist at CJ_Rea@nps.gov or call 907-422-0531
Secondary (7-12 grade)
Naturalist in the Classroom
Offered by: Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (KBNERR)
For: Students in K-12
KBNERR educators visit students at school
1-hour long program covering a breadth of topics, ranging from weather to wildlife.
New program topics offered monthly
Free
Contact: Dana Nelson (Environmental Education Specialist) at 907-235-1504 or ddnelson4@alaska.edu
Estuary Hikes
Offered by: Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (KBNERR)
For: Students in K-12
Engages students in outdoor adventure to explore their local estuary
Offered during the month of May
Free
Contact: Dana Nelson (Environmental Education Specialist) at 907-235-1504 or ddnelson4@alaska.edu
Naturalist Visits
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS)
For: K-12 students
1-2 hour visits
Available upon request
$2 per student or $50 per class
Topics: Propose a natural history or life science topic and we'll send a naturalist to enrich your classroom with an animated and knowledgeable guest speaker.
Past topics include: Marine Ecology: Guided Beach Hikes near your school, Life in the Intertidal Zone, The Fab Four Phyla, Whales of Alaska, Plankton, Sea Ducks, Reef Ecology, Marine Adaptations, Marine Food Webs, Alaska Seaweeds, Marine Debris; Forest Ecology: Guided Forest Hikes near your school, Human Uses of Plants, Bark Beetle Attack, Birding, Forest Wildlife, Winter Forest Ecology, Snow Science, Forest Adaptations, Forest Food Webs, Invasive Plants; Wetland Ecology: Slough Stew-Wetland Functions, Wetland Wildlife, Freshwater Macro-invertebrates, Stream Ecology, Wetland Plants.
Contact: Shannon Moore at shannon@akcoastalstudies.org or call 907-235-6714
Peterson Bay Field Station Trips
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS) + UAF-NOAA Kasitsna Bay Lab
For: 4-12th grade students
1-3 day program, available during the months of April and May
Takes place across Kachemak Bay at Peterson Bay Field Station and Kasitsna Bay Lab
CACS naturalists lead beach and forest field trips and environmental science and education activities related to plant and animal adaptations, ecological interrelationships, and art from nature.
25-40 participants (students + adults)
Program fees and reservation information available here
Contact: Shannon Moore at shannon@akcoastalstudies.org or call 907-235-6714
Onboard the M/V Discovery
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS)
For: 4-12th grade students
5-hour cruise onboard M/V Discovery
Available during the months of April and May
Topics include oysters and oyster farming, water sampling, plankton tow and microscope study, reading charts, nautical charts and tide books.
25-35 participants (students + adults)
Program fees and reservation information available here
Contact: Shannon Moore at shannon@akcoastalstudies.org or call 907-235-6714
Beluga Wetlands
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS)
For: 4-12th grade students
2 hour guided field trip along the shore of Beluga Lake and Slough
Available April-May and September (lake ice dependent)
Compare and contrast freshwater and saltwater wetlands and learn wetland functions and how to collect and identify aquatic invertebrates
$75 per class/2 hours
Contact: Shannon Moore at shannon@akcoastalstudies.org or call 907-235-6714
Wynn Winter Ecology
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS)
For: 4-12th grade students
1-3 winter program available November-March
Guided snowshoe natural history hikes, winter science labs, animal tracking, building snow structures and shelters, and more
Contact for fees
Contact: Shannon Moore at shannon@akcoastalstudies.org or call 907-235-6714
Kachemak Bay CoastWalk
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS)
For: 4-12th grade students
1-2 hour classroom visit + 2-hour beach clean-up field trip
Citizen science monitoring and marine-debris clean up
Available during the month of September
Free
Contact: Henry Reiske at henry@akcoastalstudies.org or call 907-235-6741
Homeschool
Designing Project and Place-Based Projects
Offered by: Connections Homeschool + The Umi Project, LLC
For: Homeschool educators
Free access to Home-Learning Project Planner
$45/1.25 hour session - online or in-person (COVID-dependent) (vendor funds accepted)
Contact: Kay Sturm, kay@theumiproject.com or 808-292-8595
Teacher Professional Development
Offered by: Kachemak Bay National Esturaine Research Reserve (KBNERR)
For: Formal and informal educators
TOTE is offered nationwide at NERR sites and is designed to be community and place-based
3-day field-based and classroom learning
Offered annually in summer
For-credit workshop
Contact: Syverine Bentz (Coastal Training Program Coordinator), 907-235-1592, syverine@alaska.edu
AMNWR Teachers at Sea
Offered by: Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
For: Teachers in the NWR Community
Teacher development opportunity onboard the R/V Tiglax
Contact: Ranger Kendra Bush at kendra_bush@fws.gov
Offered by: National Park Service and Alaska SeaLife Center
For: Elementary and Secondary teachers (alternates focus year-to-year)
Full weekend workshop held in Seward, AK, Friday evening through Sunday afternoon.
Housing and meals provided.
Continuing Education credit offered.
Subjects focus on marine science and recent research projects, with an effort to include direct interaction between teachers and scientists and hands-on learning opportunities.
Free
Contact: Alaska Sealife Center at education@alaskasealife.org OR Jim Pfeiffenberger, Education Coordinator, National Park Service, jim_pfeiffenberger@nps.gov
Offered by: National Park Service and Alaska Geographic
For: Science teachers of all grade levels
Week-long workshop that includes 2 days in the classroom and 6 days aboard a vessel in Kenai Fjords National Park.
Teachers will explore the geology, biology, and human history of the fjords. Participate in two or more days of field work as part of a long-term monitoring project, working directly with researchers on tasks such as seabird surveys, intertidal kelp monitoring, clam sampling, and more.
Continuing Education credit available
Approximate Cost: $925
Contact: Alaska Geographic at info@alaskageographic.org OR Jim Pfeiffenberger, Education Coordinator, National Park Service, jim_pfeiffenberger@nps.gov OR visit https://www.akgeo.org/field-courses/teacher-opportunities/ for more information.
Higher Ed and Continuing Ed
Offered by: University of Alaska Anchorage - Kenai Peninsula College
For: Undergraduate Students
Semester-long opportunity for university credit
Hands-on academic experience for students pursuing degrees in the biological sciences
Contact: Debbie Tobin, KBC of UAA, Biology Professor & Coordinator of Semester by the Bay at ddtobin@alaska.edu
Offered by: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS)
For: Undergraduate Students and Continuing Education Students
5-week, immersive field study opportunity
2 credit course
$4,000 fee (covers instruction, supplies & equipment, housing, & travel across the Bay)
Contact: Katie Gavenus, Program Director, CACS at 907-235-1974 or katieg@akcoastalstudies.org