Wildlife Management and Outdoor Education Techniques for Educators, Thomas, Summer 2026

Course Number:	EDX 5710 S01
Instructor:	Alison Thomas, M.S.
Location:	In-person at Buck Lake Conservation Camp and online.
Dates and Times:	Jul 12 - Aug 24, 2026. In-person: Green Mountain Conservation Camp: Buck Lake, Woodbury, VT from Sunday, July 19 - Friday, July 24, 2026 with the remainder of the course in an online, independent format.
Credits:	3 Graduate Credits
Tuition:	Set by and payable to educational partner The Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife.

Course Description

This course takes a hands-on, experiential approach to teaching pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade and non-formal educators about fish and wildlife management and outdoor education techniques.

A six-week course with a one week intensive held in July at the Buck Lake Green Mountain Conservation Camp, for formal, non-formal, and pre-service educators of all disciplines and grade levels. Educators interested in integrating environmental topics into their curriculum can learn about Vermont's wildlife and fisheries from professional biologists, foresters and educators through hands-on activities.

The weeklong intensive is preceded with one week of online work and pre-reading and followed by 4 weeks of online, independent work.

Audience: K-12 educators, physical education & Science, with an earned Bachelor's Degree

Course Goals & Objectives

Course Goals: Students will gain content-rich knowledge about wildlife management and conservation education through an immersive experience led by environmental educators, biologists, and foresters from the Agency of Natural Resources.  Knowledge and skills gained will be a produce of hands-on learning experiences about wildlife management and ways to integrate the concepts covered within this field in their curriculum. The ultimate goal is to provide curriculum throughout Vermont schools and third space learning environments that increase environmental knowledge and skills among the learners.

Course Objectives:

1. Each student will prepare for the course by reading the course materials prior to their stay at GMCC: Buck Lake.  This will be measured by our ability to discuss the materials in scheduled learning activities.

2. Each student will participate in the full week residential immersive experience at GMCC: Buck Lake in Woodbury. During this time, they will participate in field trips with Agency of Natural Resource professionals, complete hands-on learning experiences in a variety of natural communities and wildlife habitats, and fulfill the requirements to become certified in the internationally recognized curriculums: Project WILD and Project Learning Tree.

3. Each student will submit a project that meets the criteria described for a graduate-level project. This project will demonstrate appropriate skills that reflect the learning’s from the course experiences.

Required Readings/Resources

1. Styres, S., Haig-Brown, C., Blimkie, M. (2023) Towards a Pedagogy of Land: The Urban Context.
2. US Fish & Wildlife Service The Wildlife Society. (2020). Furbearer Management.
3. Newman, G. (2020). Nature-Based Learnin for Students with Disabilities.
4. Jickling, B., Blenkinsop, S., Morse, M., Jensen, A. (2018). Wild Pedagogies: Six Initial Touchstones for Early Childhood Environmental Educators.
5. Ardoin, N., Bowers, A., Wyman Roth, N., Holthui, N. (2018). Environmental Education and K-12 Student Outcomes: A refiew and anaylsis of research.
6. North American Association for Environmental Education, Stanford University. (2017). Academic Benefits of Environmental Education.
7. Crenshaw. (2015). Introduction to Ethocs of Care and Intersectionality.
8. Myers, T. (2012). What are Wetlands.
9. The Wildlife Society. (2010). The Public Trust Doctrine.
10. Holsman, R. (2010). The Politics of Environmental Education.
11. Gruenwald, D. (2008). The best of both worlds: a critical pedagogy of place.
12. Organ, J., Mahoney, S. (2007). The Future of Public Trust.
13. McCrea, E. (2005). The Roots of EE.
14. Sobel, D., (2004). PBE Connecting Classrooms and Community.
15. Bolen, E., Lauglin Robinson, W. (2002). What is Wildlife Management: Chapter 1.
16. Simmons, D. (1998). Reflections on Environmental Education.
17. Sivek, D. (1997). ABCs of Environmental Education.
18. Lawson Dunn, T. (1994). The Importance of Biological Diversity.
19. Leopold, A. (1949). A Sand County Almanac: Thinking like a Mountain

For additional course or registration information, contact:

Ali Thomas

(802) 371-9975

For additional university related questions, contact:

Center for Schools Team

Register Now!