Around the Forest

Free Award winning curriculum workshop for local educators

The USDA Forest Service is teaming up with Project EduBat, an award winning educational science program, to host a free workshop for local educators.

The workshop will be held Saturday, October 27, at the Community Wellness Center in Marlinton from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The session will be led by Andrea Futrell, a teacher, caver and bat biologist. 

Workshop materials are aligned with national next generation science standards and state common core standards. Workshop materials and lunch will be provided and qualifying teachers will earn continuing education credits.

Project EduBat seeks to inspire, excite and activate students to help out bats and the environment through inquiry-based learning. Workshop participants will receive free classroom materials and access to free bat educational trunks. And, after this workshop, local educators can tie in the curriculum with Bat Week, which has been officially declared by the Governor for the week of October 29 through November 2.

The goal of Bat Week is to promote education, conservation and awareness about bat populations. Bats are amazing animals that eat tons of insects, pollinate flowers and spread seeds that grow new plants and trees. Today, bats are in decline nearly everywhere they are found. White-Nose Syndrome killed more than six million bats in just six years, making this an important time to increase awareness of the value of bats.

The workshop is available for 25 educators and spots are filling up quick.

To reserve your spot please contact Kristen Doss at kbeverage@fs.fed.us, 304-799-4334 x29 at the Marlinton Ranger District.