Free Professional Development Training
For teachers in Minnesota, grades 6-12 science and agriculture
Help students build a deeper understanding of bird migration by participating in Flyway Fellows trainings. This year- long professional development experience provides curricula, resources, and activities that support standards-based instruction throughout the academic year in grades 6-12 science and agriculture classrooms. Flyway Fellows trainings, which are jointly led by bird experts and trained lead teachers, have special emphasis on engaging teachers in Greater Minnesota.
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
Flyway Fellows Cohort 1
Two immersive professional development training weekends and one field trip day take you to critical bird migration sites across the Twin Cities Metro. Each session combines hands-on training in bird migration education and participatory science with direct experience at regionally significant stopover habitats. Woven throughout the experience, you will have structured time and guidance to develop your implementation plan: the bird-focused curriculum and activities you will bring back to your students. Cohort 1 will have 16 middle and high school science teachers from Central Minnesota join the program, with ongoing mentoring to support you as you put your learning into practice into your classroom (your implementation plan).
You will build skills in bird identification, scientific data collection, and student investigation design — all grounded in real migration monitoring contexts.
Where is Flyway Fellows Cohort 1?
Cohort 1 will be based out of the Twin/Cities Metro area at critical migration sites.
- September 19-20, 2026
- Fall migration location will be at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, Zimmerman, MN.
- February 6, 2027
- 1 day on the UMN St. Paul campus and partner site visit with programming at the Raptor Center
- May 15-16, 2027
- Spring migration location will be at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Bloomington Education and Visitor Center, Bloomington, MN
Flyway Fellows and you
Goals for educator-participants
- Grow and deepen your understanding of bird migration and the Mississippi Flyway, including how migratory patterns connect to Minnesota's ecosystems and the conservation challenges facing bird populations
- Design a bird migration–focused scientific investigation using inquiry-based approaches aligned to Minnesota Science Standards, guided by the research-tested Driven to Discover: Birding and eBird curriculum
- Develop skills for engaging students in migratory bird research, participatory science through eBird, and authentic field monitoring practices that contribute real data to bird conservation efforts
Benefits
- Curriculum materials and field supplies (~$200+ value)
- $1,200 stipend ($150 per workshop day)
- One free University of Minnesota graduate credit (optional)
- Ongoing support throughout the school year for implementation of curriculum
- Free lunches at sessions
- For the summer session, all participants must stay onsite Saturday night.
Participants must meet requirements (see below) to receive benefits.
Resources
- Driven to Discover curriculum by University of Minnesota Extension
- STEAM and arts-infused lesson plans, activities, and materials for nature journaling
- Field supplies to help implement Flyway Fellows curriculum with students
- Guidance using eBird and other bird migration data tools and websites
Requirements
- Attend the two weekend and one weekend day field trip training sessions, timed to key migration periods throughout the year
- Specific dates TBD based on migration timing and venue availability
- For the summer session, all participants must stay onsite Saturday night. For the other three sessions, staying onsite Saturday night is optional.
- Work collaboratively with fellow cohort members during bird identification activities, field monitoring, and scientific discussions
- Conduct bird monitoring observations at or near your school throughout the cohort year using eBird (we'll show you how)
- Maintain a personal field journal throughout the program, recording bird sightings, migration observations, and reflections
- Meet virtually with cohort members prior to the Spring workshop to collaborate on a group project
- Create and submit an Implementation Plan for incorporating bird migration curriculum, eBird data collection, and monitoring activities into your classroom(s)
- Complete an end-of-training online evaluation after each session
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
