Teacher Workshops in Conservation Science is a free, three-day, professional development opportunity for middle and high school science teachers, as well as administrators and informal educators who engage these age groups.

It takes place at the Beckman Center behind the scenes at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park each July and August. The program includes all meals, lodging, and materials for free, as well as a $500 stipend paid out upon completion.

About

Our free professional development workshops for middle school and high school science teachers began with 12 participants in the summer of 2006. A dozen high school life science teachers from all over Southern California were invited to the Beckman Center for Conservation Research, housed behind the scenes at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, to experience a week in the life of a conservation scientist. The pilot program focused on the conservation history and recovery of the California condor, and was designed to bring topics of conservation science into local classrooms.

Over a decade later, we have built a nationally recognized and fully accredited program with a stellar reputation for giving teachers access to unparalleled information and experiences. To date, we have trained more than 1,500 middle and high school science teachers and informal science educators from all 50 states and 22 countries.

Teacher Workshop Overview

Participants spend their days in intensive study in the Conservation Education Lab and their evenings at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, engaging with staff members and acquiring invaluable new skills to take back to their home campuses. During the workshop, teachers work together to frame content standards in the context of wildlife conservation and explore ways to challenge students to apply textbook knowledge of life science to current biodiversity challenges. Participants engage in activities that focus on critical issues facing endangered species using a variety of advanced technical tools and techniques; all activities support the Next Generation Science Standards and can be implemented back in the classroom.

Our generous grant funding allows this residential program to include all meals, lodging and materials for free, as well as a $500 stipend to help offset any travel or childcare expenses, paid upon full completion of the program.

Application

Applications for the program open by early February each year and close by mid-April. The application will be available on our website when it opens, and applicants can select which weeks in July or August they are available and would like to be considered for.