OPI Certified Trainings

Upcoming Trainings.

Our professional development sessions are split into two components:

1) Introduction to Conservation in the Classroom (CitC):

This 30-minute overview introduces the Conservation in the Classroom program, including access to online lesson resources, opportunities for partnership with local conservation and environmental education organizations, and information about available scholarships. This portion is facilitated by the CitC committee.

2) BEETLES-Based Pedagogical Professional Learning Session:

The main portion of the session is a 3–4 hour professional learning experience grounded in the Better Environmental Education, Teaching, Learning, and Expertise Sharing (BEETLES) framework. These sessions are designed to support teachers in integrating conservation and environmental education themes directly into their existing instruction. Aligned with the science of how people learn, each session models the same student-centered learning cycle we use with youth and is grounded in research-based best practices. A variety of session topics are available to choose from. Note that a number of sessions have outdoor components where participants may be taken outside. These sessions require a minimum number of 6 educators in attendance. These workshops are facilitated by the Education Director at the Montana Natural History Center.

• October 10th, 2025: Florence School District

• October 15th, 2025: Lone Rock School district

• January 30th, 2026: Corvallis School District