Volunteer Naturalists
Did you know that you can gain experience in the indoor and outdoor classroom, learn educational skills and group management techniques, and teach natural history as a volunteer of the Montana Natural History Center? Volunteering with our VNS program is a great way to get involved with MNHC. If interested, fill out our Volunteer Application and send to our Volunteer Coordinator, Allison De Jong, at adejong@montananaturalist.org, or mail to 120 Hickory St., Missoula, MT, 59801.
The Visiting Naturalist in the Schools Program brings professional naturalists into 4th and 5th grade classrooms to teach science and the natural history of western Montana. In this unique program, naturalists work with students once a month throughout the school year providing the opportunity to develop a strong mentor relationship. Seven months out of the year we work at the school itself, exploring the grounds, conducting experiments, examining natural history specimens from bird wings to mammal skulls, and using microscopes to dissect and examine plants among other things. During the remaining two months, we go on day-long field trips to local natural areas where students take wildlife hikes with binoculars, capture insects in nets for close examination, and explore local flora and fauna. The unique structure of the program, the wealth of quality tools, and the top-notch instructors helps VNS meet its goal of engaging and encouraging students’ innate curiosity about the natural world.
Get involved! Here are our volunteer training dates for the 2011-2012 academic year:
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
4:00-5:00 pm @ MNHC
September’s Lesson: “What is a Naturalist?”
During the Visiting Naturalist in the Schools program, students will explore the world through the eyes of a naturalist – a person who studies nature through observation. Being a naturalist is a multidisciplinary task; students will use art, writing, and science to better observe nature. In this lesson, we first use examples from America’s rich history of people studying the natural world and then our own exploration in the schoolyard to figure out what it means to be a naturalist.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
4:00-5:30 pm @ MNHC
VNS October Field Trip Volunteer Orientation
During the month of October we make the outdoors our classroom by taking the students on a full-day field trip. The students are divided into small groups (6-10 in each), and have the opportunity to cycle through three different stations: Adaptation Olympics, a Professor Hike (“each one, teach one”), and a Wildlife Hike. Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn and lead these stations–it’s a great chance to do some fun outdoor teaching!
At the orientation session, we’ll hand out and go over the information packet, give an overview of the three stations, and answer any questions volunteers may have. We’ll also spend some time discussing child management methods and best teaching practices. Volunteers will then be able to sign up to help with field trips through the month of October.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
4:00-5:00 pm @ MNHC
November & December Lessons: “Flowers & Fruits”
Throughout the rest of the school year, we’ll be building on the foundation we laid during the October field trip for understanding adaptations. November will be the first of two lessons in which we’ll be studying the adaptations of plants. We’ll begin by learning the parts of the flower and what job each part performs, as well as the function of a flower as a whole: to make seeds. After the discussion, students will get the unique opportunity to dissect a live flower using our field microscopes.
In December, students will build on what they learned in November–that the primary function of the flower in the life of a plant is to make seeds. December’s lesson will look at the function of fruit, the structure that houses those seeds. Once again, we’ll emphasize looking at specific adaptations to understand how the natural world works. Specifically, we’ll explore the varied adaptations fruits display to disperse their seeds. We’ll ask students to make a hypothesis, explore the idea, and then revise their hypothesis at the end of the lesson. We’re trying to gently introduce the scientific method so we can expand on it in January.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011: FALL FIESTA!
4:30-6:00 pm @ MNHC
Volunteers, this party is for YOU! It’s one of the small ways we can say “Thank you!” for everything you do, whether it be teaching kids about nature, tabling at community events, assisting with the auction, inventorying our traveling trunks, helping out with our Kids’ Activities . . . or one of the many other ways you’ve gotten involved at MNHC. Come join us for a relaxing evening of good conversation, a delicious dinner and delectable desserts.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
4:00-5:00 pm @ MNHC
January’s Lesson: “Adapting to Winter”
This month we’ll transition from studying the adaptations of plants to studying the adaptations of animals. Specifically, we’ll explore some of the ways that animals have adapted to face the challenges of winter. In November and December we introduced students to the scientific hypothesis. This month we’ll flesh out the rest of the scientific method, conducting an experiment and collecting data on how size impacts an animal’s ability to retain heat.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
4:00-5:00 pm @ MNHC
February’s Lesson: “Bone Detective”
This will be a fun lesson challenging students to apply the concepts of form and function to mammal skulls. After learning how to decipher the clues a skull can give as to an animal’s identity, students will use that knowledge to sleuth out the identity of seven unique mammal skulls.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
4:00-5:00 pm @ MNHC
March’s Lesson: “An Experiment in Lift”
This month we’ll look at the adaptations that allow birds to fly: feathers and wings. We’ll begin with an excellent experiment to measure the lift generated by two different bird wings. After that we’ll build and fly some airplanes to once again explore the function of wing adaptations and answer the questions: what wing shape is best for gliding? What wing shape is best for flying fast and traveling long distances?
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Wednesday, April 4, 2012
4:00-5:00 pm @ MNHC
April’s Lesson: “Fill the Bill”
This month we’ll once again explore the connection between form and function in the natural world – this time by investigating how bird bills are adapted for eating specific types of food. We’ll start off the class on a “bird food hunt” in the school yard. Then, back in the classroom, students will use tools representing different bills to “feed” on different types of food. We’ll wrap up by investigating the bills of a few bird specimens to hypothesize what they might eat.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
4:00-5:30 pm @ MNHC
VNS May Field Trip Volunteer Orientation
During the month of May we make the outdoors our classroom once again by taking the students on a full-day field trip. The students are divided into small groups (6-10 in each), and have the opportunity to cycle through three different stations: an Insect Study, a Solo Hike, and a Wildlife Hike. Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn and lead these stations–it’s a great chance to do some fun outdoor teaching!
At the orientation session, we’ll hand out and go over the information packet, give an overview of the three stations, and answer any questions volunteers may have. We’ll also spend some time discussing child management methods and best teaching practices. Volunteers will then be able to sign up to help with field trips through the month of May.
A Fine Evening in May, 2012: Spring Celebration!
4:30-6:00 pm @ MNHC
Volunteers, this party is for YOU! Date to be decided, but it will be an evening of good food, great people, and possibly even a door prize or two! It’s just a small way of saying THANK YOU for all that you do–from leading field trips to inventorying trunks to assisting with our kids’ activities. There are so many of our programs we simply couldn’t do without your help. So come on out and celebrate with us!
