WOW!: The Wonders of Wetlands is an instructional guide for educators that provides a resourceful and creative collection of wetland activities, information, and ideas. WOW! includes: over 50 hands-on multidisciplinary activities in lessonplan format, extensive background information on wetlands, ideas for student action projects, and a wetlands resource guide.

Table of Contents

Sample Activity

Purchase a Copy

Schedule a Course

Facilitator Network

While you are not required to take a workshop to purchase a copy of WOW!, attendance at a workshop is highly recommended to build a strong foundation in wetland ecology and confidence in utilizing the activities.

WOW! For Educators: The 1-day, 1/2 day or 2 hour workshop will introduce you to the three parameters of wetlands (vegetation, soils, hydrology), wetland functions and values as well as management options all through fun and engaging activities. WOW! incorporates wetlands into reading, math, social studies, art or physical education lessons.

• Construct a dip net with a kitchen sieve and a broom handle
• Build a watershed model using a paint pan
• Get heart rates racing with a nutrient tag game
• Explore urban planning with hydropoly and regulation rummy.
• Reinforce the concept of metaphors with a pillow case
• Dissect a cattail
• Study soil percolation rates with a coffee tin and kitty litter
• Identify wetland soil, critters and vegetation

WOW! For Facilitators: Become a certified WOW! Facilitator and join a national network of wetland educators eligible to teach WOW! Workshops and the Wetland Youth Leadership Program, receive discounts on the purchase of WOW! books and earn points for educational resources.

Who Should Attend a WOW! Workshop?
Educators of all levels from schools, outdoor education centers, wildlife refuges, and non-traditional programs will benefit from this hands-on introduction to WOW!: The Wonders of Wetlands. Whether you are already familiar with wetlands or consider yourself a novice, there is much here for you.

WOW! Correlation with Standards
A committee of educators has correlated WOW! Activities with the National Science Education Standards developed by the National Academy of Sciences.  In addition, the WOW! activities have been correlated with science content standards in several states. 

Copies of these correlations with national and state standards are available with the purchase of a new WOW! book through Envionmental Concern Inc. or upon request by contacting the Education Department by phone at (410) 745-9620 or by email at WOW@wetland.org.

WOW@wetland.org