Ecology/Conservation
Protecting the Earth for future generations takes first learning about our planet, the environment, and how the ecosystem works. Get ecology teaching tips, project ideas, and more.
Things to See & Do in Wyoming
Glendo State Park
Glendo State Park is best known for its excellent boating opportunities. There are areas for water skiing and fishing. Plus, you're right in the middle of a very historic area. The knowledgeable staff will help you get the most out of your visit.
Boysen State Park
Boysen State Park is located near Shoshoni, Wyoming. Don't miss the information signage on Highway 20 at the overlook to the dam, at the entrance to the tunnel, and also at the north end of the Lower Wind River Campground. Intriguing geological information signage is throughout the Wind River Canyon on U.S. 26 and at lakeside. Whether it's fishing, boating, or just relaxing, Boysen is a great place to visit.
Bear River State Park
Bear River State Park is located in the southwest corner of the state, near Evanston. Abundant wildlife including their own "herd" of bison afford rare viewing opportunities and give the visitor a taste of wild Wyoming. Hiking, skiing trails, picnic shelters and a lazy river all combine to make Bear River State Park a unique Wyoming experience.
Laramie River Station
The Laramie River Station, located east of Wheatland, WY, is one of the largest consumer-operated, regional, joint power supply ventures in the United States. The Missouri Basin Power Project (MBPP), a group of six electric utilities, owns the plant and adjacent facilities. Laramie River Station has three coal-based units, each with 550 megawatts of capacity. Units 1, 2 and 3 began operating in 1980, 1981 and 1982, respectively.
The electricity produced at Laramie River is sent to substations in Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado, where it is then delivered to MBPP Participants. Laramie River is unique because it delivers electricity to two separate electrical transmission grids. Unit 1 is connected to the eastern grid, while units 2 and 3 are connected to the western grid. These grids, which divide the United States into two sections, were developed independently and must be served separately.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway
Located at the heart of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the Rockefeller Parkway connects Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. The late conservationist and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr. made significant contributions to several national parks including Grand Teton, Acadia, Great Smoky Mountains, and Virgin Islands.
In 1972 Congress dedicated a 24,000 acre parcel of land as John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway to recognize his generosity and foresight. The parkway provides a natural link between the two national parks and contains features characteristic of both areas. In the parkway, the Teton Range tapers to a gentle slope at its northern edge, while rocks born of volcanic flows from Yellowstone line the Snake River and form outcroppings scattered atop hills and ridges.
California National Historic Trail
The California Trail carried over 250,000 gold-seekers and farmers to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840's and 1850's, the greatest mass migration in American history. Today, more than 1,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen in the vast undeveloped lands between Casper Wyoming and the West Coast, reminders of the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of early American travelers and settlers. More than 240 historic sites along the trail will eventually be available for public use and interpretation. The trail passes through the states of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, and California.
Devils Tower National Monument
The nearly vertical monolith known as Devils Tower rises 1,267 feet above the meandering Belle Fourche River. Once hidden below the earth's surface, erosion has stripped away the softer rock layers revealing Devils Tower. Known by several northern plains tribes as Bears Lodge, it is a sacred site of worship for many American Indians. The rolling hills of this 1,347 acre park are covered with pine forests, deciduous woodlands, and prairie grasslands. Deer, prairie dogs, and other wildlife are abundant. Proclaimed September 24, 1906 as the nation's first national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt.
Seminoe State Park
Seminoe State Park offers good fishing and excellent boating opportunities. Wildlife viewing is plentiful for the patient observer. Located in Sinclair, Wyoming
Hot Springs State Park
Located in Thermopolis, at Hot Springs State Park you'll enjoy soothing waters, views of the unforgettable bison, and some of the loveliest flower gardens in the state.
Curt Gowdy State Park
Curt Gowdy State Park has some excellent fishing, hiking, wildlife watching and wild flowers. Located in Cheyenne.
Grand Teton National Park
Located in northwestern Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park protects stunning mountain scenery and a diverse array of wildlife. The central feature of the park is the Teton Range — an active, fault-block, 40-mile-long mountain front. The range includes eight peaks over 12,000 feet (3,658 m), including the Grand Teton at 13,770 feet (4,198 m). Seven morainal lakes run along the base of the range, and more than 100 alpine lakes can be found in the backcountry. Elk, moose, pronghorn, mule deer, and bison are commonly seen in the park. Black bears are common in forested areas, while grizzlies are occasionally observed in the northern part of the park. More than 300 species of birds can be observed, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons.
Guernsey State Park
At Guernsey State Park, don't miss seeing the unique Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) building, including the park museum. Walk the enjoyable volksmarch and enjoy wonderful water recreation.
Keyhole State Park
Keyhole State Park, in Moorcroft, has activities for everyone to enjoy--swimming, sunbathing, hiking the volksmarch trail, boating, water-skiing, birdwatching, and fishing. Some of Wyoming's largest fish have been caught at Keyhole!
Fossil Butte National Monument
Located near Kemmerer, Fossil Butte National Monument is a 50-million year old lake bed and one of the richest fossil localities in the world. Recorded in limestone are dynamic and complete paleoecosystems that spanned two million years. Preservation is so complete that it allows for detailed study of climate change and its effects on biological communities.
Visitors discover that this resource displays the interrelationships of plants, insects, fishes, reptiles and mammals, like few other known fossil sites. The relevance and challenge of study and preservation of this ancient ecosystem are equal to those of a modern ecosystem. The surface topography of Fossil Butte is now covered by a high cold desert. Sagebrush is the dominant vegetation at the lower elevations, while limber pine and aspen occur on the slopes. Pronghorn, Mule deer and a variety of birds are commonly seen. Moose, elk and beaver are sometimes observed.
Buffalo Bill State Park
Buffalo Bill State Park offers opportunities for camping, picnicking, boating, and fishing. Located in Cody, Wyoming.
Sinks Canyon State Park
This unique park offers you hiking trails, abundant wildlife viewing, birdwatching, fishing and a puzzling geologic phenomenon...the sinks and the rise. Located in Lander, Wyoming.
Yellowstone National Park
About 640,000 years ago a massive volcanic eruption spewed an immense volume of ash that covered all of the western U.S., much of the Midwest, northern Mexico and some areas of the eastern Pacific. This was one of many processes that shaped Yellowstone National Park--a region once rumored to be "the place where hell bubbles up." Geothermal wonders, such as Old Faithful, are evidence of one of the world's largest active volcanoes. These spectacular features bemused and befuddled the park's earliest visitors, and helped lead to the creation of the world's first national park.
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Bighorn Lake extends approximately 60 miles through Wyoming and Montana, 55 miles of which are held within spectacular Bighorn Canyon. The Recreation Area is composed of 70,000+ acres, which straddles the northern Wyoming and southern Montana borders. There are two visitor centers and other developed facilities in Fort Smith, Montana and near Lovell, Wyoming. The Afterbay Lake below the Yellowtail Dam is a good spot for trout fishing and wildlife viewing for ducks, geese and other animals. The Bighorn River below the Afterbay Dam is a world class trout fishing area. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a lesser known treasure waiting to be discovered. It boasts breath-taking scenery, countless varieties of wildlife, and abundant recreational opportunities, such as boating, fishing, ice fishing, camping, and hiking. Bighorn Canyon offers visitors what few other National Park areas can, that of solitude, serenity, and beauty.
Hawk Springs State Recreation Area
Hawk Springs State Recreation Area has activities for everyone to enjoy—boating, waterskiing, fishing, birdwatching and just relaxing. Located in Goshen County, Wyoming.
Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park
At Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park in Evansville, birdwatching, walking, fishing are only a few of the numerous ways you can enjoy your stay.
Activities & Experiments
Handbook of Nature Study
Based on Charlotte Mason's method of education, this website offers ideas and resources for incorporation nature study into your homeschool.
Arbor Day National Poster Contest
Join over 74,000 fifth grade classrooms and home schools across America in the Arbor Day National Poster Contest. The theme chosen will increase your students’ knowledge of how trees produce and conserve energy. The free Activity Guide includes activities to use with fifth grade students to teach the importance of trees in producing and conserving energy. These activities correlate with National Science and Social Study Standards. The Guide also includes all of the information you need for poster contest participation.
How I Teach a Large Family in a Relaxed, Classical Way: Science
Family style learning is a great way to tackle lots of different subjects, including science.
ExploraVision
ExploraVision is a competition for all students in grades K-12 attending a school in the U.S., Canada, U.S. Territory or a Department of Defense school. Homeschooled students are eligible to enter. It is designed to encourage students to combine their imagination with their knowledge of science and technology to explore visions of the future. Teams of students select a technology, research how it works and why it was invented, and then project how that technology may change in the future. They must then identify what breakthroughs are required for their vision to become a reality and describe the positive and negative consequences of their technology on society. Winning ideas have focused on things as simple as ballpoint pens and as complex as satellite communications. The student teams write a paper and draw a series of Web page graphics to describe their idea. Regional winners make a Web site and a prototype of their future vision.
Featured Resources
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Explode The Code
Explode The Code provides a sequential, systematic approach to phonics in which students blend sounds to build vocabulary and read words, phrases, sentences, and stories. Frequent review of previously learned concepts helps increase retention. Each workbook in this series contains exercises that incorporate reading, writing, matching and copying. The consistent format of the books helps facilitate independent work. This series includes primers—Get Ready for The Code, Get Set for The Code, and Go...
Create! Press
Create! Press carries creative approaches to teaching creative writing and composition. Their products include the Create-A-Story game, Writing Adventures, Stepping Stones, and more.
A Reason For® Spelling
A Reason For® Spelling combines the latest research on how children learn to spell with all the strengths of traditional programs. It teaches highfrequency base words, plus hundreds of other word forms. Values-based stories set the theme each week and help make spelling fun. You'll find product information about A Reason For® Spelling here.
A Twaddle-Free Education: An Introduction to Charlotte Mason's Timeless Educational Ideas
Are you disappointed with dumbed-down reading material (“twaddle”) written for children? Do you wish for your children to feast their hearts and minds on noble ideas, fine art, and great literature? Are you hoping your children gain an appreciation of nature and a deep understanding of natural sciences? Most importantly, do you want your children to develop a lifetime love of learning? If you answered “yes,” you may discover a Charlotte Mason-inspired twaddle-free education is just what you’ve b...
So You're Thinking About Homeschooling: Fifteen Families Show How You Can Do It
Confused and intimidated by the complexities of homeschooling, many sincere parents never get past the "thinking about it" stage. Now Lisa Whelchel - herself a homeschooling mother of three - introduces fifteen real families and shows how they overcome the challenges of their unique homeschooling situations. This nuts-and-bolts approach deals with common questions of time management, teaching weaknesses, and outside responsibilities, as well as children's age variations, social and sports invol...