The Wild Side of Education is a K-12 teacher workshop offered by the University of Alaska (UAF) Summer Sessions and instructed by National Park Service staff in Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve. This professional development course is a great opportunity for teachers to earn three currency credits while learning about natural and cultural resources of Interior Alaska from National Park Service scientists and historians. Participants will explore boreal forest and aquatic ecology, scientific field methods, gold rush era history and more while immersed in the heart of one of the most remote and wild national parks in the country. To successfully complete the course, they will apply new content, skills, and experiences to develop a place-based, standards-aligned lesson plan.

The field-based portion of the course takes place July 20-24 at historic Coal Creek Camp in Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, and participants are also required to attend four evening classroom sessions in Fairbanks on July 13, 17, 27, and 31. Classroom sessions will be available remotely via web platform for participants from outside of the local commuting area. The residential field session (07/20-07/24) is in-person only. 

To register, visit the UAF Summer Sessions web site at www.uaf.edu/summer/registration/ or call 907-474-7021.  If you have questions about the course content and/or would like to receive a course syllabus, please contact National Park Service education specialist and course instructor Maria Berger by e-mailing maria_berger@nps.gov or calling 907-459-3731.