Our goal is to help you bring science to life for you and your students through the use of authentic research and data collected in your regional estuary. Numerous field based programs are offered throughout the Reserve’s components and these national and state standards based programs are designed to be modified to meet the needs of the program participants. In addition to the field programs CBNERR-MD and the NERRS also provide professional development opportunities, high quality classroom based activities and curricula that focus on estuarine issues and environmental literacy.

Field Programs
CBNERR-MD and the component sites offer many hands-on, standards based field investigations for students of all ages.  Contact the Education Coordinator or Component education staff for more information on these programs or to book a field program

Professional Development
CBNERR-MD offers professional development opportunities for teachers during the summer break.  The courses are designed to provide participants with an understanding of estuaries and methods for incorporating estuarine issues into their classroom and field work.  For more information on professional development opportunities contact the Education Coordinator.

Data in the Classroom
The NERRS has just released a new curriculum that uses scientific data collected within the Chesapeake Bay, and in other estuaries throughout the nation, to teach science in middle and high school classes. These lessons are closely tied to the state and national education standards and promote inquiry-based learning. Contact our Education Coordinator at (410) 260-8731 or E-Mail csnow@dnr.state.md.us if you would like more information on NERRS curricula and resources.

Estuary Live!
NOAA's National Estuarine Research Reserve System and EPA's National Estuary Project jointly sponsor virtual field trips to estuaries around the country. Chesapeake Bay NERR hosted a one-hour segment of the program in 2005. You can watch the archived field trip, and find out about this year's field trips, at www.estuaries.gov.

Curriculum
NOAA's National Ocean Service offers "Discovery Kits" with free standards-based curricula for classroom teachers, including lesson plans. (http://www.oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/estuaries/welcome.html)