Teacher Workshops in Conservation Science, is a fully-funded 3-day, 2-night residential workshop for middle, high, and informal educators held each summer at the San Diego Zoo Beckman Center for Conservation Research in Escondido, CA.
Announcements:
Complete this form to be notified when the application for the 2027 workshops opens in early February. Any questions can be sent to TeacherWorkshops@sdzwa.org.
The tentative 2027 sessions are:
- June 28 – 30
- July 5 – 7
- July 12 – 14
- July 19 – 21
- July 26 – 28
View our 2027 Teacher Workshops flyer here!
Any questions can be sent to TeacherWorkshops@sdzwa.org
Teacher Workshop Overview
The Teacher Workshops in Conservation Science program was created with the desire to provide teachers, and by extension their students, with innovative lab and field-based conservation research experiences. In the summer of 2006, we invited 12 high school life science teachers from all over Southern California to experience a week in the life of a conservation biologist at the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s (SDZWA) conservation science headquarters in Escondido, CA. This pilot program showcased the Beckman Center’s role in saving species worldwide by highlighting the conservation history and successful recovery of the California condor.
This year, we are excited to celebrate 20 years of the Teacher Workshops program. Since 2006, it has grown to engage over 2,300 educators from all 50 states and 30 additional countries. Participants spend their days in intensive study in the Conservation Education Lab and their evenings at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, acquiring invaluable new skills to take back to their home campuses. During the workshop, teachers work together to frame content standards in the context of wildlife conservation and explore ways to challenge students to apply textbook knowledge of life science to current biodiversity challenges. Participants engage in activities that focus on critical issues facing endangered species using a variety of advanced technical tools and techniques; all activities support the Next Generation Science Standards and can be implemented back in the classroom.
Thanks to grant funding, the Teacher Workshops in Conservation Science can provide educators with all meals, lodging, materials, and special experiences at no cost to the participant. After full completion of the program, participants earn a $500 stipend to help offset travel, childcare, and other associated costs of attending. Upon completion, participants will have the option to purchase four Graduate-Level Extension Credits (GLEC), which include an official USD transcript issued through the University of San Diego’s Division of Professional & Continuing Education Credit Validation Program. GLEC are graduate-level extension credits that document completed professional learning and are recorded on an official University of San Diego transcript. Participants are responsible for confirming that GLEC meets their specific professional or educational requirements.
Video of TW Alumni by State
Video of Potential Student Impact of TW by State
If you are interested in donating to this program, please contact the Philanthropy team at 619-685-3219 or donations@sdzwa.org.
Eligibility
We welcome applications from informal, formal, and pre-service educators who work with 6 – 12 grade audiences. Applicants must either teach a life science or apply in a team of two to three educators with at least one science teacher anchor. We welcome cross-curricular teams!
Teacher Workshops in Conservation Science is a free, professional development program, but grant-funded positions can be competitive. We also offer a registration option for educators with access to professional development funds that can cover the cost of attending Teacher Workshops. Educators who wish to register (as opposed to apply for the workshop for free) and guarantee their spot will pay a $2,000 fee, which includes all the same experiences and accommodations as applicants, minus the stipend.
Program Time Commitment & Coursework
Participants can expect to spend approximately nine hours completing online assignments via Google Classroom prior to their in-person dates. For these traditional summer workshops, in-person dates include lodging, meals, conservation science modules, evening special experiences, and San Diego Zoo Safari Park exploration. A typical day starts with breakfast at 7 a.m., and wraps up for personal time by 8 p.m.
Teacher Workshops in Conservation Science Alumni
If you have any questions about the curriculum or kit program that you learned about during Teacher Workshops, please email us at teacherworkshops@sdzwa.org and we'll get back to you ASAP.
If your school or contact info has changed since you attended Teacher Workshops, please reach out to us with your new info so we can keep you in the loop about field trip and kit opening announcements.
If you are interested in field trips at the Beckman Center or the Advanced Inquiry Program Master's degree, head on over to those pages to learn more!
You are our number one asset in making conservation impact. Thank YOU for all you do as educators to inspire a passion for nature in your students, now more than ever. If there is any way we can support conservation science in your classroom, please email us and let us know. And thank you for spreading the word about Teacher Workshops every spring!
