Volunteers sought to help with class tours of Great Bay

Volunteers assist with student tours along the shores of Great Bay. (Courtesy photo)

GREENLAND -The Great Bay Discovery Center is holding its annual spring educator training on April 11 at the Great Bay Discovery Center, 89 Depot Road in Greenland.

The training runs from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and includes a complete run-through of the actual school program offered April through June to students throughout the Seacoast region and beyond.

The training will prepare volunteer educators for teaching small groups of schoolchildren about the natural history of the Great Bay Estuary, including the wild and wonderful plants and animals that call it home. Once trained, educators lead a variety of lessons throughout the grounds. A favorite of students is the shorefront exploration where prehistoric horseshoe crabs can often be found. Students create "estuary soup" in a simulated cooking class and travel the quarter-mile boardwalk past towering trees, vernal pools, and into the salt marsh. Finally, a visit to the Center's discovery tank lets students enjoy a hands-on experience while learning about estuary creatures such as crabs, flounder, eels, mud snails, and more!

All spring school programs are mornings only - April, May, and June - and run about three hours each. Most of the classes attending the program are in grades one through five. Volunteers sign up for dates that are convenient for them. The training session is free, with snacks, lunch, and all teaching materials provided. Registration for the training is required by calling the Center at (603) 778-0015 or emailing Beth.Heckman@wildlife.nh.gov.

The Great Bay Discovery Center is managed by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and is the Education Headquarters for the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, a state and federal partnership between NHFG and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It is located just off Route 33 at 89 Depot Road, Greenland.