Although our education programs may be on pause, there are still tons of free resources available to help keep your students educated about wetlands, waterfowl, and conservation!
On this page, we provide a variety of materials for parents, teachers, tutors and childcare providers to use on their own: worksheets, lessons and presentations for grade levels Pre-K -12. Some require access to the outdoors, but others can be done in the home.
Due to staffing changes, all education programs are being put on pause until a new strategy is implemented. For more information, please contact Hunting and Education Director, Jeff Smith at jsmith@calwaterfowl.org.
Learning materials on this page
Junior Duck Stamp (Grades K-12). An art project rooted in admiration of waterfowl.
What Are Waterfowl? (Grades 3-5). A video with an accompanying worksheet.
Drake or hen? (Grades Pre-K -5). Video, worksheet with answer key (3-5), and game. (Pre-K -3)
How to build a nest without hands, just like a bird! (Grades Pre-K -5). Video, worksheets and answer keys.
Invertebrate identification (Grades 6-12). A bug is a bug is a bug? No way!
Habitat Fun Packs (Grades K-6). Waterfowl- and wetland-oriented craft projects and activities.
Water Quality Lab (Grades 4-12). Check out the bugs in a local pond and discover what they tell you about water quality.
Crafts (Grades Pre-K -5). Just for fun!
Games and Movement Activities (Grades 2-8). Here's an educational way to burn some of that pent-up energy and test your knowledge!
Activity pages (Grades K-12). Puzzles rooted in wildlife knowledge, and a field journal for those who can get out to a marsh without violating shelter-in-place orders.
Coloring pages (Grades K-3). Just what it sounds like!
Sprig Tales archive (Grades K-10). This is the quarterly magazine published for our junior members - lots of knowledge in here that will help your kids with all of the above!
Other educational resources (Grades K-12). Curriculums and videos (including wood duck duckling jumps!)
Proper gun storage - Practicing safe and proper gun storage at home.
Junior Duck Stamp (Grades K-12)
The Junior Duck Stamp program is an incredible art contest that happens annually, where K-12 students can enter waterfowl artwork into the Junior Duck Stamp Contest in the hopes of becoming the next Junior Duck Stamp artist. Check out a video on the program here, and watch a video tutorial about how to draw a duck here.
Junior Duck Stamp Curriculum Guides (Grades K-12)
Junior Duck Stamp Homeschool Guide (Grades K-12)
Junior Duck Stamp Non-formal Educator Guide (13MB) (Grades K-12)
Junior Duck Stamp Teacher Guide (Grades K-12)
Junior Duck Stamp Youth Guide (Grades K-12)
Junior Duck Stamp Entry Forms (Grades K-12)
JDS entry form English & Spanish (Grades K-12)
Reference form (Grades K-12)
Reference form Spanish (Grades K-12)
Junior Duck Stamp Helpful Resources (Grades K-12)
Frequently Asked Questions - at-home submissions (Grades K-12)
Eligible Species List (Grades K-12)
How to fill out the JDS entry form (Grades K-12)
Parent JDS entry form example (Grades K-12)
Parent JDS entry form example-WITH CIRCLES (Grades K-12)
Waterfowl Drawing Guide (Grades K-12)
What Are Waterfowl?
Ideal for children in grades 2-5, this video explains what makes waterfowl special in the bird world. Be sure to check out the worksheet (PDF), too!
Drake or hen?
Ideal for children in grades Pre-K -5, this video explains how to tell the difference between drakes and hens. Scroll below the video for the worksheet and game!
Drake or hen worksheet (PDF) - grades 3-5
Drake or hen worksheet key (PDF)
Drake or hen game (PowerPoint - 34MB) - grades Pre-K -5
How to build a nest
Types of nests worksheet (PDF)
Types of nests-ANSWERS (PDF)
Life cycle worksheet (PDF)
Life cycle-ANSWERS (PDF)
Invertebrate identification
Learn how to use a dichotomy key to identify a variety of insects with this lesson!
Dichotomy key practice outline, worksheet and key (Grades 6-12)
Dichotomy-Key-Practice-PowerPoint (12MB) (Grades 6-12)
Habitat Fun Packs
For grades K-6, habitat fun packs feature primarily educational craft projects and/or games.
Habitat Fun Packs (Grades K-3)
Habitat Fun Pack Part 1 (Grades 4-6)
Habitat Fun Pack Part 2 (Grades 4-6)
Water Quality Lab
Go out and catch some bugs in your local puddle/pond and see what the water quality is like!
Water Quality Lab lesson & Critter Score Card worksheet (Grades 4-12)
Water Quality Lab (4MB) (Grades 4-12)
Crafts
Feeling artsy? Check out these fun wetland- and waterfowl-related craft projects!
Duck Plate Craft (Grades Pre-K -3)
FoodCraft-BeaverLodge (Grades K-3)
Paper Duck Call Craft (Grades K-5)
Food Craft - Chocolate Nests (Grades Pre-K -3)
Magnetic Duck Pond Craft (Grades K-5)
Duck Outlines for Magnetic Duck Pond Craft
Snow Goose Paper Plate Craft (Grades K-3)
Games and Movement Activities
Need to get out some squiggles? Want to test your knowledge? Check out these fun movement games and quizzes!
Build A Nest Motor Skill Activity (Grades Pre-K -2)
Wetland Yoga (Grades Pre-K -5)
Drake or Hen Game (Grades Pre-K -3)
Game: Predator-Prey (Grades 2-5)
Pollution Tag (Grades 4-6)
Roadkill (Grades 4-8)
Waterfowl Identification Quiz Level 1
Waterfowl Identification Quiz Level 2
Key for Waterfowl Identification Quiz 1 + 2
Activity pages
Check out these great activity pages and field journals! Print out and have some fun; learning about wetlands and waterfowl.
Trekking the Marsh Field Guide Journal (Grades K-12) Note: Please do not violate any shelter-in-place orders to travel to a wetland.
Tricky Tracks Worksheet (Grades 1-3)
Tricky Tracks Answer Sheet (Grades 1-3)
Food Web Activity Sheet (Grades 4-8)
Coloring pages
Want to color some ducks? We have a ton of great coloring pages made by students! Download and print to color.
A Kid's Guide to Mallards Coloring Book (Grades K-3)
Mallard Coloring Pages (Grades K-3)
Other Duck Coloring Pages (Grades K-3)
Pintail Coloring Pages (Grades K-3)
Wood Duck Coloring Pages (Grades K-3)
Sprig Tales archive
Below are the Sprig Tales magazines that have been published for junior members going back to 2014. These have great articles, games and puzzles that are all focused on wetland and waterfowl conservation education geared toward youth. Feel free to download and print out for your kiddos! If you are interested in getting the Sprig Tales magazine in the future, please check out our Junior Membership options here.
2020 Winter
2020 Fall
2020 Summer
2020 Spring
2019 Winter
2019 Fall
2019 Summer
2019 Spring
2018 Winter
2018 Fall
2018 Summer
2018 Spring
2017 Winter
2017 Fall
2017 Summer
2017 Spring
2016 Winter
2016 Fall
2016 Summer
2016 Spring
2015 Winter
2015 Fall
2015 Summer
2015 Spring
2014 Fall
2014 Summer
2014 Spring
Other great educational resources
Junior Duck Stamp information
Project Learning Tree Curriculum
Project WET Curriculum
Project WILD Curriculum
Aquatic WILD Curriculum
US FWS Educator Resources
National Wildlife Federation Educator Resources
WWF's Educational Resources
Waterfowl and wetland videos
Wood Ducklings Jumping 1
Wood Ducklings Jumping 2
Wood Ducklings Jumping 3
Junior Duck Stamp Competition
Information About Ducks
Wood Duck Research
Migration Video
Goose Chick Jumping (this one is harrowing!)
Tundra Swans Jumping
Diving Ducks
We teach classrooms about waterfowl and the importance of the habitat they need to thrive. Through it all, we emphasize hands-on, interpretative learning that highlights respect, health and the sustainability of the outdoors.
Presentations are curated to best fit students' curriculum and standards. Students will learn about waterfowl through various specimens and fun activities!
JUNIOR DUCK STAMP: NEST MANIA!
Learn all about nests and nesting behavior through hands-on activities in science and art. Look at real nests, play a game with your special presenter, and at the end, learn how to draw your very own duck!
Length: 40-45 minutes
Grades: K-2nd
JUNIOR DUCK STAMP: WHAT ARE WATERFOWL?
Learn what it means to be a waterfowl through hands-on activities in science and art. Look at real skulls and feet from various birds and learn how to draw your own duck!
Length: 40-45 minutes
Grades: 3rd-5th
Click here to learn more about CWA's Junior Duck Stamp Program.
