Research and the Classroom
Research is fun, helps you grow, builds skills, and is rewarding!
The steps of conducting a research project remain the same whether you are in a middle school or high school classroom — or in the field of conservation studying habitat and population dynamics or more. The impact from results of a well-planned research project can be vast. Make a difference in your community and help solve the natural mysteries around you!
Research in the Department
Ever wonder … ? Check out the ongoing research projects within the Missouri Department of Conservation. The staff at MDC delve into a wide range of topics from the Missouri Black Bear Project to the Population Genetics of Walleye. They research and monitor diverse ecosystems including caves, rivers and streams, and grasslands. They also study how people tie into natural resource use with projects such as Forest Economics in Missouri and Elk and Tourism. Under each research project, you can find a project summary, related papers and presentations, and any project updates. Or you can get in touch with the project team members directly.
The steps to conducting a research project are usually the same whether you work in the Missouri Department of Conservation or in a middle school, high school, or college classroom.
The steps to research include:
- Asking a question
- Literature review
- Creating a hypothesis
- Developing a research procedure
- Safety and ethics
- Conducting the research
- Analyzing and interpreting the results
- Presenting the results
Careers in MDC
The Missouri Department of Conservation Wild Jobs webpage provides a listing of current jobs available across the state including both hourly and salaried (full-time), along with volunteer opportunities. There’s a job for most skill levels; some require a high school diploma, others an advanced degree. Many jobs relate to natural resources management, but there are also jobs in education, administration, maintenance, IT and more, so check out what’s available!
Bring Science to Life through Classroom Field Investigations Using Discover Nature Schools Nature Unbound (Grades 9-12) Curriculum
The Missouri Department of Conservation Teacher Portal provides all MDC curricular resources for easy access to classroom teachers. By participating in free training, teachers are certified for a field experience grant that reimburses transportation costs for students visiting a Missouri natural area and classroom materials supporting inquiry-based lessons. Find a teacher workshop and sign up today.
Nature Unbound (Grades 9-12) curriculum materials including Nature Unbound Teacher Guide Sample and sample Student Guide along with engaging videos following the student text; all support learning of Missouri’s ecology. Lessons are designed to get students outdoors and exploring, investigating, and asking questions about natural areas around their schools. Students ask questions, then collect and record data and analyze the results connecting classroom learning with hands-on experiences.
Create a teacher account to download all Nature Unbound content and order education materials for your classroom.
