WILD About Outdoor Classroom Days and EE Festivals

Inspire the next generation of outdoor explorers while building a successful environmental education event in your community. WILD About Outdoor Classroom Days and EE Festivals is a hands-on professional learning experience designed for Conservation District staff, Extension educators, 4-H professionals, natural resource agencies, nonprofits, and community partners interested in developing local outdoor learning events for elementary and middle school students.

Whether you’re planning a one-day Outdoor Classroom Day, a conservation field day, an environmental education festival, or a recurring student event, this workshop will provide the tools, resources, and framework to help you move from idea to implementation. Using the nationally recognized Project WILD curriculum and the NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence, you’ll explore how to design engaging, educationally sound experiences that connect students to wildlife, natural resources, and the outdoors.

Through interactive activities, case studies, and collaborative planning, you’ll experience Project WILD lessons as students would and learn how to build field experiences that foster observation, critical thinking, problem-solving, and environmental stewardship. You’ll also explore best practices for creating high-quality environmental education programs and aligning activities with educational standards and age-appropriate learning outcomes.

During this workshop, you will:

• Experience hands-on Project WILD activities focused on wildlife, habitats, and ecological relationships
• Learn how to design engaging Outdoor Classroom Days and environmental education festivals for elementary and middle school students
• Explore the NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence for both K–12 Environmental Education and Environmental Education Programs
• Identify strategies for coordinating partners, volunteers, presenters, and logistics
• Develop meaningful learning experiences that support Oklahoma Academic Standards and NGSS-aligned science practices
• Explore successful event models from across Oklahoma and beyond
• Begin creating an action plan for implementing a local event during the 2026–2027 school year

Participants will receive a Project WILD Guide filled with ready-to-use activities, planning resources, and tools that can be adapted for festivals, field days, school programs, and outdoor learning events.

A working lunch will provide additional opportunities for networking, idea sharing, and collaborative planning with fellow organizers and environmental education partners.

Whether you’re launching your first event or strengthening an existing program, you’ll leave with practical resources, proven strategies, and a roadmap for creating impactful outdoor learning experiences that connect students with wildlife, natural resources, and their local communities.