Northeast Ohio educators who seek exciting teaching materials and skills designed to captivate student interest while learning about the natural world around them need to read this.
Indeed, students of all ages and grade levels perk up when they are exposed to topics about wildlife, plant life, habitat, and conservation methods.
Progressive educators also perk up when they have the materials and the understanding to use natural topics to energize everyday lesson planning. Add to that, hands-on activities that motivate children to want more.
Open house
Jamey Emmert, Ohio Division of Wildlife spokeswomen, announces the annual Educator’s Open House to be held in Akron, Oct. 6.
Emmert said that last year’s open house was well attended and resulted in several teachers finding ways that numerous free materials and further training fit their needs.
Interest, according to Emmert was evident by attendance. And certainly, time invested by teachers adding aligned programs and activities to existing curriculum qualifies for limited Local Professional Development Committee credit.
The open house is from 4-7 p.m. at the ODNR Division of Wildlife headquarters for northeast Ohio, 912 Portage Lakes Drive, Akron.
Classroom materials such as field guides, posters, and curriculum supplements featuring Ohio’s wildlife will be distributed to visitors.
ODNR Division of Wildlife education staff will also be present to discuss integrating programs into the curriculum; learn more about Ohio Project WILD, WILD School Sites, Passport to Fishing, National Archery in the Schools Program, and more.
Wildlife-related educational materials, training workshops, and informational programs are offered free to educators thanks to the sales of hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses as well as donations to ODNR Division of Wildlife.
If you have questions, call Jamey Emmert or Ken Fry at 330-644-2293. All educators including youth group leaders, homeschool educators, informal educators, and others are welcome.
Cheating anglers
Twenty-five individuals were recently charged and convicted in Ottawa County Municipal Court following an investigation of out-of-state anglers exceeding the walleye daily bag limit, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
In May, state wildlife officers and investigators along Lake Erie contacted the suspects. Officers discovered that nearly all of the walleye had been cut into chunks in an attempt to disguise how many fish had been kept.
Because of instances like this, during the investigation, officers seized more than 500 pounds of walleye meat.
Twenty-four individuals from Wisconsin and one individual from Ohio were issued summonses for possession of cut fillets, and keeping more than the limit of walleye.
The defendants were found guilty and ordered to pay $1,472 in fines and $1,856 in court costs.
