Teton Science Schools: 2009 Catalog

Avoid Nature-Deficit Disorder

with Summer Adventures at teton Science SchoolS

2009 cataloG teton Science SchoolS People • Nature • Place • Education

Remember when you spent your summer outdoors catching insects, building forts and playing until the street lights came on? In his best-selling book, Last Child in the Woods, author Richard Louv describes Nature Deficit-Disorder as the result of children spending less time outside.

Studies have shown children who regularly play outside have better concentration, more creativity, less stress and higher self-esteem.

Summer Adventures at Teton Science Schools are a great opportunity to get your children involved in outdoor educational activities.

This summer, adventures are available for children, families and teachers in addition to programs for school groups and graduate students. Please join us this summer in the Tetons!

Jack Shea Executive Director, TeTon Science SchoolS

Contents Educational Programs Summer Youth Day adventures

4–6

Summer Youth overnight adventures

7–9

Summer Family adventures

10

Wildlife Expeditions

11

Teacher Learning Center

12

Conference Facilities

13

Teton Science Schools

14 – 15

4

Summer Youth Day Adventures Teton Junior Science School

Call of the Wild

Wee Little Wonders

Young Explorers

Tracks and Trails

(Entering Grades 1 – 2)

(Entering Grades 1 – 2)

(Entering Grades 1 – 2)

(Entering Grades 1 – 2)

June 15 – 19 July 13 – 17 August 10 – 14 Tuition: $285

June 22 – 26 July 20 – 24 August 17 – 21 Tuition: $285

June 29 – July 3 July 27 – 31 Tuition: $285

July 6 – 10 August 3 – 7 Tuition: $285

You already have the tools to be an explorer, follow your senses and your curiosity on an adventure through the wild lands of Jackson Hole. Get down and dirty studying the world beneath your feet and honing the skills of a naturalist.

Have you ever found animal signs and wondered who left them behind? Join us on a safari across Jackson Hole to learn about the grand animals that grace this beautiful landscape and the stories their tracks share.

Have you ever wondered how a bear finds enough food to eat or where a moose sleeps for the night? We will investigate the wild world of Jackson Hole by following tracks, turning over rocks and exploring streams.

We will use the tools of a naturalist and our senses to explore the homes and habitats of our animal neighbors.

Look down, look up, look all around and discover the smallest inhabitants of Jackson Hole. We will investigate the land and water in search of animals and plants that are often too small to see with casual observation.

We will learn how these tiny life forms survive and why even the smallest of creatures have an important role to play in the great big world.

“Not only did our son learn something new everyday, but he came home and educated our family.”

Register at www.tetonscience.org • 307.733.1313

5

Wet, Wonderful World

Art and Nature

Things with Wings

Teton Pioneers

(Entering Grades 3 – 4)

(Entering Grades 3 – 4)

(Entering Grades 3 – 4)

(Entering Grades 3 – 4)

June 15 – 19 July 13 – 17 August 10 – 14 Tuition: $285

June 22 – 26 July 20 – 24 August 17 – 21 Tuition: $285

June 29 – July 3 July 27 – 31 Tuition: $285

July 6 – 10 August 3 – 7 Tuition: $285

Imagine what it would be like to live your entire life in or near water. What adaptations would you need to survive? Join us to collect critters, observe beaver dams and find tracks along the water’s edge. We will investigate the animals and plants that inhabit our streams, rivers and wetlands.

Grand Teton National Park is one of nature’s masterpieces.

Deepen your connection to this spectacular landscape by observing shapes, colors and patterns in nature and transforming what you discover into words, drawings, paintings and sculptures.

Imagine you could fly. Where would you go? What would you do? Learn about all things with wings as we hike through forests and along rivers listening for bird songs, catching insects and watching butterflies. We will investigate flight, and the birds, insects and mammals who have adapted to life aloft.

Retrace the steps of the valley’s early explorers and uncover the wonders of the natural world.

With journals, maps and other tools, we will investigate the stories of this place and discover the cultural and natural history of Jackson Hole.

Did you know that Teton Science Schools has been educating students for over 40 years and serving students ages 3 to 93?

Register at www.tetonscience.org • 307.733.1313

6

Summer Youth Day Adventures Play Team

Mighty Stewards

Wild Work

Fly Fishing in the Tetons

(Entering Grades 1 – 3)

(Entering Grades 3 – 5)

(Entering Grades 6 – 8)

(Entering Grades 6 – 8)

June 15 – 19 July 13 – 17 August 10 – 14 Tuition: $200

June 22 – 26 July 20 – 24 August 3 – 7 Tuition: $125

July 6 – 10 August 17 – 21 Tuition: $125

July 27 – 31 August 3 – 7 Tuition: $325 (includes equipment)

(Entering Grades 3 – 5) June 29 – July 3 July 27 – 31 Tuition: $200

Let your imagination go wild this summer creating, exploring and playing outside. Sage and conifer ecosystems provide intriguing natural materials and spaces for fort building and hiking while our playfield and box of toys encourage team play. The rules are simple: play nice and have fun! Two “referees” will oversee boundaries while providing ideas to spark the team’s creativity.

Learn to be a steward of your local community through fun and hands-on service projects.

Meet new friends while getting wet and dirty helping Jackson Hole non-profit organizations by digging in the garden, pulling invasive plants and fixing fences.

You can make a difference this summer by joining Mighty Stewards!

Generously supported by the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole.

Register at www.tetonscience.org • 307.733.1313

Get outside while helping out the Jackson Hole community this summer. Become a member of the Wild Work team which works with local non-profit organizations to improve our community through hands-on service-learning projects. Meet new friends while learning about local wildlife, helping to build trails and removing invasive weeds. Celebrate your team’s success on the last day with parents and friends. You can make a difference this summer by joining Wild Work!

Generously supported by the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole.

Learn and practice the basics of fly fishing with world renowned fisherman Jay Buchner. Students will learn how to tie knots and flies, set up rods, reels, line and leader and cast a fly rod. We will investigate aquatic habitats to find the best places to catch fish as well as learn to identify local species of fish and insects.

Students will learn which flies can be used to imitate a trout’s food through the study of entomology. Other topics will include stream etiquette, fishing safety and ethics.

Summer Youth Overnight Adventures

7

Teton Junior Science School Jaws and Claws

Grand Teton Trekkers

Canoe Adventures

Journey to Yellowstone

(Entering Grades 5 – 6)

(Entering Grades 5 – 6)

(Entering Grades 5 – 6)

(Entering Grades 5 – 6)

June 22 – 26 August 3 – 7 Tuition: $325 (day program with 1 night camping)

June 29 – July 3 July 27 – 31 Tuition: $325 (day program with 1 night camping)

July 6 – 10 August 17 – 21 Tuition: $325 (day program with 1 night camping)

July 20 – 24 August 10 – 14 Tuition: $350 (day program with 2 nights camping)

From bears to badgers and wolves to wapiti, discover the predators and prey that make up the food chain of the Greater Yellowstone Geoecosystem.

Investigate skulls, scat and shelters while learning how to look for other animal signs. At the end of the week we will visit the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, MT and then camp in Yellowstone National Park.

Have you ever gone off trail to see if you could find your way back?

We will learn how to navigate using map, compass and Global Positioning System (GPS). Using these traditional and modern tools, we will hike to magnificent views of lakes, canyons and mountains. This week will culminate with a scavenger hunt and overnight camping trip to celebrate our experiences and newly learned skills.

Dip into a week of canoe travel on some of Jackson Hole’s picturesque lakes. Learn the story of how the lakes were formed and what plants and animals inhabit them, while practicing paddling skills with new friends. After the last day of canoeing, you will camp at Jackson Lake and spend the evening eating dinner and watching the sunset.

Sit atop one of the world’s hottest spots and explore the forces that came together to shape the Greater Yellowstone Geoecosystem—rock, fire and ice. Learn how powerful earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires and glaciers shaped this place. We will travel to Yellowstone National Park for an extended two-night camping experience beginning on Wednesday. This journey will enable us to learn about earth explosions and gurgling geysers.

“I wonder what the world would be like if everyone helped with work that needed to be done.”

Register at www.tetonscience.org • 307.733.1313

8

Summer Youth Overnight Adventures Yellowstone and Grand Teton Expedition

Grand Teton Scavenger Hunt

Introduction to Backpacking

(Entering Grades 6 – 8)

(Entering Grades 6 – 8)

(Entering Grades 6 – 8)

June 22 – 26 July 20 – 24 Tuition: $645 (includes 4 nights lodging)

July 27 – 31 Tuition: $545 (includes 4 nights camping/lodging)

June 21 – 26 August 8 – 13 Tuition: $745 (includes 5 nights camping/lodging)

Join our expedition and learn about what is going on beneath your feet in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.

During this six-day adventure share camp life with new friends, canoe through glacially carved lakes and attempt to summit a peak. You will spend the first night in our residence lodges meeting your team and preparing for our expedition.

The next four and a half days will be spent exploring the parks by day and camping in pine-scented campgrounds by night.

Orient your maps to the north and get ready for adventure! During this five-day hiking program, learn where you are and where you are going by navigating with map and compass. Also master the technology of marking and following waypoints on one of the coolest travel tools around, Global Positioning System (GPS). You and your teammates will be challenged to use these tools to follow marked trails, find and hide geocaches, travel off trail through dense forests and paddle across a crystal clear lake. On the last day put your new skills and tools to work in an ultimate scavenger hunt.

Students will receive their own GPS and compass, included in the price of this course.

Register at www.tetonscience.org • 307.733.1313

You are invited to gain a unique perspective on the landscape of Jackson Hole by traveling and camping in the backcountry. In this fiveday program you will explore the ecology of the Gros Ventre Mountains while practicing the secrets to backcountry living. Spend the first day getting to know your teammates and learning how to comfortably carry your backpack, set up a tent, use a backpacking stove, navigate using a map and compass and act responsibly in bear country. During the next three days challenge your legs and your mind to carry you and your pack to dramatic vistas of the mountains, through intriguing forests and across fields of bright wildflowers. You will leave this week excited to plan your next backpacking trip.

Summer Youth Overnight Adventures

9

Middle School Field Ecology

Back to Backpacking

Field Natural History

High School Field Ecology

(Entering Grades 7 – 9)

(Entering Grades 7 – 9)

(Entering Grades 9 – 11)

(Entering Grades 11 – 12+)

June 21 – July 2 Tuition: $1500 (includes 11 nights camping/lodging)

August 8 – 14 Tuition: $725 (includes 6 nights camping/lodging)

July 12 – August 1 Tuition: $2700 (includes 20 nights camping/lodging)

July 5 – August 1 Tuition: $3600 (includes 27 nights camping/lodging)

Join students from around the country for a 12-day, residential educational adventure in the ecology of the Greater Yellowstone Geoecosystem.

Explore diverse wildlife and the various landscapes of the region with Teton Science Schools’ instructors. Week one focuses on field ecology skills and includes a student-designed research project, while the last four days celebrate newly acquired knowledge and friendships by connecting to both nature and human communities in a backcountry setting.

If you can’t wait to get back onto the trail and into the woods, join us for this backpacking adventure. Back to Backpacking will challenge you to build on camping, cooking, Leave No Trace, navigating and backpacking skills you have already started to develop. The first two days will be spent learning skills and preparing for the five-day, four-night backpacking trip. Get your fix of life in the backcountry before the school year begins! Previous experience with backpacking recommended.

Attracting students from across the country, this 21-day program draws upon local artists and Teton Science Schools’ instructors to strengthen a sense of place for the remarkable western Wyoming landscape. Discover and develop your skills as a field naturalist in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.

Whether you canoe at the base of the Tetons or sketch Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon, you will discover new and exciting aspects of the natural world through art, writing and discovery-based science. High school credit available.

Since 1967, High School Field Ecology has been Teton Science Schools’ flagship summer program for students interested in ecology and applied field research. Those interested in applying scientific inquiry to the Greater Yellowstone Geoecosystem are rewarded with immersion in one of the most beautiful and ecologically complex places in North America. This course includes a backpacking trip in the Tetons as well as a research project. High school credit available.

Register at www.tetonscience.org • 307.733.1313

“Our instructors had a deep knowledge of the science they were teaching and were masters at teaching this knowledge.”

10

“It was an awesome experience, and that is why we plan to return again this year!”

Summer Family Adventures

Marshmallow Mondays

Water Wednesdays

Feathered Fridays

Evening Hike

Evening Canoe

Bird Banding Breakfast

Every Monday 6 – 9 PM July 6, 13, 20, 27 August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

Every Wednesday 4 – 9 PM July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 August 5, 12, 19, 26

Every Friday 7 – 11 AM June 26, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 August 7, 14

Adults $15, Children $8 Minimum age 6

Adults $60, Children $30 Minimum age 6

Adults $30, Children $15

Bring your family to the Jackson Campus of Teton Science Schools to learn how to navigate using a Global Positioning System (GPS). You and your family will use GPS to navigate our scenic trails, solve a scavenger hunt and learn about the cultural and natural history of Coyote Canyon. End the night relaxing by a fire and roasting marshmallows.

This sunset family canoe tour and picnic is a perfect end to a day exploring the Tetons. Join us for a paddle on one of Jackson Hole’s pristine waterways.

We will provide transportation from the Jackson Campus of Teton Science Schools, supply canoeing gear and teach basic paddling skills. Enjoy breathtaking views, encounter wildlife and find the perfect location for a light picnic dinner on the shore.

Register at www.tetonscience.org • 307.733.1313

Help our team of bird researchers with the international Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) programs for a unique opportunity to see and study the birds of Jackson Hole from close quarters.

This highly popular early-morning activity of bird banding is an ideal blend of science and education for the outdoor learning family and includes a continental breakfast.

Over 11,000 participants attend Teton Science Schools programs every year from all 50 states and more than 29 countries.

Wildlife Expeditions

11

Half-Day and Full-Day Wildlife Trips

Multi-Day Expeditions

Trip Length: 4 – 8 hours $125 – $175 Adults $99 – $139 Children

Trip Length: 2 – 7 days $650 – $1995 Adults $495 – $995 Children

Sunrise and Sunset Expeditions offer a four-hour introduction to the wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Geoecosystem, taking advantage of the times of day when the animals are the most active. Expedition leaders know great wildlife viewing spots, understand animal behavior and will teach you how to find and observe wildlife on your own. Full-day expeditions include a tasty lunch.

These popular two- to seven-day expeditions are the premier wildlife viewing trips in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks and vary depending on the season. All multi-day expeditions include specified hotel accommodations and meals, snacks and beverages, all entrance fees and round-trip transportation from Jackson.

Private and Customized Expeditions Wildlife Expeditions specializes in developing customized private wildlife viewing opportunities throughout the Greater Yellowstone Geoecosystem.

Half-day to multi-day expeditions for individuals and large groups can be arranged to meet the needs of your party.

“The tour far exceeded our expectations of both the numbers and variety of wildlife we saw and the overall experience of being in such a beautiful and wild country.”

Register at www.wildlifeexpeditions.org • 888.945.3567

12

The Teacher Learning Center reaches nearly 600 teachers each year.

Teacher Learning Center

SPECIAL OFFERS: Early-Bird Registration: Register before April 1st and receive a 15% discount on any teacher workshop when this catalog is mentioned!

OR Send 3, bring 1 free! Schools sending three participating teachers to one of our workshops may send a fourth to the same workshop at no extra charge!

Place-Based Education: Connecting to the Local in a Global Age

Teachers, Children and Nature: The Science and Math of Global Climate Change

June 22 – 25 • Tuition: $480

June 26 – 30 • Tuition: $480

(includes meals, lodging & one graduate credit)

(includes meals, lodging & one graduate credit)

Optional: $100, single room upgrade

Optional: $135, single room upgrade

(limited availability)

(limited availability)

How does the place where you teach influence your curriculum? How can connecting students to local ecology, culture and community foster a global understanding? What tools can be used to connect students to place? Consider these questions by hiking to study ecology, monitoring a stream to teach chemistry, considering local history and economy through a community scavenger hunt and designing research projects for the classroom. All activities model the pedagogical approaches of place-based learning: project-based, experiential, inquiry-based, interdisciplinary and locally-focused.

Consider climate change from multiple perspectives and gain tools to do the same with your students. Beyond fostering critical thinking and reading, the workshop will include a field research experience coring trees with a dendrochronologist to consider how precipitation influences climate.

Participants will also have an opportunity to learn protocols for conducting research with their students to monitor changes in climate through the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program. The Wyoming State Climatologist will also present information on how climate change affects policy decisions.

Participants will receive support for classroom implementation that meets state standards.

Register at www.tetonscience.org • 307.733.1313

Mountain West Leadership Seminar: Exploring Excellence and Innovation in Education August 2 – 6 • Tuition: $1000 (includes meals, lodging & two graduate credits)

Optional: $135, single room upgrade (limited availability)

This event was developed to provide a unique, challenging and provocative experience to select educators and administrators in public and independent schools throughout Wyoming and the United States. Guided by a team of distinguished facilitators including Tony Wagner, Ph.D., author of The Global Achievement Gap (2008), participants will investigate the dynamics of leadership while exploring the question,“How can leadership improve student performance?”

This seminar will immerse participants in shared experiences that inspire and enhance innovative and effective performance, build community and define excellence in education.

Conference Facilities

13

Flexible Spaces

Jackson Campus

Campus buildings offer flexible meeting, dining and lodging space for intimate groups or large conferences up to 300 people. Settings are ideal for community events, professional retreats, educational symposiums and conferences, alumni association gatherings, theatrical performances and family reunions. Wireless internet access, white boards, projectors and screens are available throughout both campuses. Lodges provide rustic or modern accommodations. The kitchen is staffed with highly qualified professionals and top of the line equipment.

This campus is located less than two miles from the town of Jackson, Wyoming. Perfectly poised to benefit from Jackson Hole’s unique setting and community, the nearly 900-acre Jackson Campus is comprised of aspen, conifer, grassland, sage, creek and pond habitats. Ecological work at the campus specializes in field science experiences within the suburban-rural interface and humanuse impacts on our natural communities.

Kelly Campus Located inside Grand Teton National Park, the Kelly Campus is the original campus of Teton Science Schools. From here one may enjoy views extending from the foot of the Gros Ventre Mountains through the sage flats of Jackson Hole and across the Snake River to the rising of the majestic Teton Range. This campus houses the Murie Museum and ecological work centers on field science experiences in a wilderness setting.

Register at www.tetonscience.org • 307.733.1313

14

Teton Science Schools

Educational Programs

Graduate Program

Teacher Learning Center

Educating people of all ages about natural and cultural history by exploring the Greater Yellowstone Geoecosystem.

Guiding a select community of emerging leaders through a year-long program in place-based teaching, field science and experiential education.

Engaging teachers in professional development opportunities that integrate educational excellence, innovation, leadership and place.

Register at www.tetonscience.org • 307.733.1313

Teton Science Schools

15

Wildlife Expeditions

Journeys School

Conservation Research Center

Connecting people and nature through responsible wildlife observation and natural history exploration.

Integrating ecology, culture and community to ensure academic excellence and personal success for Pre-K through 12th grade students in an independent school setting.

Promoting natural resource stewardship through research and education.

Register at www.tetonscience.org • 307.733.1313

TeTon Science SchoolS 700 coyote canyon Road Jackson, WY 83001 Summer Registration Now Open! www.tetonscience.org 307.733.1313

Need-based financial aid is available.

People • Nature • Place • Education

We are a private, 501 (c)(3) non-profit educational organization, operating year-round in Jackson Hole, Wyoming in partnership with Grand Teton National Park and as a permittee of the BridgerTeton National Forest.

Teton Science Schools do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, creed or sexual orientation in any of its policies or programs.

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