Teacher Trainings
Exploring Prince William Sound: Sea Kayaking
Chugach National Forest
June 7 – 13
$750 Alaska Geographic Member Price ($825 Non-member Price)
Explore the scenic heart of Prince William Sound by kayak and by foot to encounter glaciers and whales, sea lions and shorebirds. Share new ways to bring the natural world into your classroom. Spend six days camping, kayaking, and discovering with Chugach National Forest Wilderness Manager Tim Lydon. Emphasis will be placed on exploring the area’s human and natural history, with the human relationship to nature as a central theme. Registration for this course will be handled differently than others, with a goal of including active teachers from different regions of Alaska. Please note, registration for this course is through an application and completing the application does not guarantee a spot on the course.
Participants must be in good fitness and health and equipped for sudden changes in weather. No previous kayak experience is necessary, but participants must be capable of getting in and out of a kayak, and of paddling a kayak for several hours at a time. Participants must be able to walk short distances over uneven coastal terrain carrying up to 45 pounds of personal and group gear. Please see course overview for more information.
Like any outdoor activity, there are inherent risks associated with our field courses yet we actively manage our exposures and depend on you to play a role in our risk management. Read more here.
Three professional development credits through the University of Alaska are included in the cost of this course. The syllabus and registration form will be available in early May.
Project Learning Tree and Science Standards of Alaska
Denali National Park and Preserve
June 26 – 29 or
July 26 – 29 or
August 2 – 5
$125
Got zoom fatigue? Tired of screen time? Get offline and stay outside with this place-based educators workshop! Learn about the unique ecosystem of the boreal forest while experiencing phenomenon based learning activities from Project Learning Tree. With Project Learning Tree’s Alaska coordinator Molly Gillespie, we’ll dive into a deeper understanding of the Science Standards of Alaska and learn how to use these hands-on environmental education activities to meet those standards with your students. After immersing yourself in outdoor teaching and learning techniques throughout the workshop, you’ll go home with Project Learning Tree’s brand new Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide to use with your students next year!
The August session has space available. The June and July sessions are sold out. To be added to the wait list, please email courses@alaskageographic.org.
Hiking will be moderately strenuous over uneven tundra, forest, and river bar terrain, and will include frequent bending and stooping. Hikes will cover distances of up to 5 miles round trip with as much as 1,000 feet of elevation gain. We will likely encounter wet tundra / forest conditions and stream crossings with water levels that are above hiking boots. Participants must be in good physical condition.
Like any outdoor activity, there are inherent risks associated with our field courses yet we actively manage our exposures and depend on you to play a role in our risk management. Read more here.
One professional development credit is available for this course through the University of Alaska. You may choose this option when registering for the course.
The syllabus and registration form will be available in early May.
All Field Courses are Accredited for Teachers
All of the field courses are accredited through the University of Alaska-Anchorage for Professional Development Credit. These field courses are very popular with teachers willing to self-direct their study and application of the subject matter. Each field course has an option for professional development credit (up to 2 credits). See a sampling of field courses on our field course page.
Cancellation Policy: Cancellations and/or substitutions that occur 14 days or more in advance of the course start date will be refunded the full course fee. Cancellations occurring within 14 days of the start date will not be refunded unless we can fill your space. If you must cancel from a course, please notify us as quickly as possible so that we may attempt to refill the spot. If Alaska Geographic must cancel a course due to the pandemic, we will provide you with several options at that time, including requesting a refund of your fee. All membership purchases are non-refundable and non-transferable.