The Salato Wildlife Education Center in Frankfort is hosting several professional development workshops in June for educators. These classes are ideal for scout, youth and home school educators.

The first in the series of workshops is Project WILD Aquatic. Explore the wonderful world of water with activities that use critical thinking skills while highlighting water’s importance to people, wildlife and habitat. This workshop is from 9 a.m. n 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 25. The afternoon concludes with a tour of the Pfeiffer Fish Hatchery near Frankfort and sampling in Elkhorn Creek. Be sure to bring appropriate shoes for sampling near water. The cost is $10.

Learn how to connect kids with nature by creating an outdoor classroom in the next class of the series from 9 a.m. n 3:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26. Children need guidance when learning about ecology and an outdoor classroom provides an informal learning place with a “hands-on” approach to formal learning. This can be an environmentally green project for schools, community centers and churches. There are many projects you can include in an outdoor classroom and the Salato staff will assist you with ideas and a landscape design for your outdoor classroom. The cost is $20.

Project WILD concludes the series with a program scheduled from 8:30 a.m. n 4 p.m. Friday, June 27. This highly acclaimed, award-winning curriculum teaches students how to think, not what to think. Project WILD offers KERA-compatible hands-on activities emphasizing wildlife and the environment. The cost is $10.

All participants will receive the appropriate curriculum with each workshop. Lunch is on your own for each session. Space is limited, and registration and pre-payment required for all workshops.

For more information, call 1-800-858-1549, ext. 4445. Learn more about upcoming events at the Salato Center on the Internet at fw.ky.gov. The Salato Center, operated by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, is located at the department’s headquarters on U.S. 60 in Frankfort, 1.5 miles west of U.S. 127. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. The Center is closed Sundays, Mondays and state holidays.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources manages, regulates, enforces and promotes responsible use of all fish and wildlife species, their habitats, public wildlife areas and waterways for the benefit of those resources and for public enjoyment. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, has an economic impact to the state of $4.8 billion annually. For more information on the department, visit our web site at fw.ky.gov.