👋 WELCOME 😁 
I am traveling the USA in my Chevy Silverado pulling my Avion Travel-Trailer for the next two years and I don't want to keep all of this fun and adventure to myself!  
If this is your first class with me, use this coupon code: VANCEFIRSTCLASS10

CLASS SYNOPSIS
     • Explore and discover on-site and in nature as I travel to the United States National Parks to learn and teach about their beautiful environments, wild animals, history, science, plants, hikes, and camping.
     • Have your students join me as I learn about and teach about the 49 National Parks that I will be visiting, the 40 states I will be traveling through, and every bit of wildlife, history, science, survival skills, backpacking tips, and whatever other information happens to cross my path.  

OVERVIEW
     • Each class will begin with a short geographical update: where was I last week, where am I now, why is that significant?
     • We will then dive into a lesson about whatever outdoor lesson I happened to encounter that week!  
     • This means each week offers something different, for example, Why was Petrified Forest National Park (in Arizona) established?  What is the best gear to bring before backpacking overnight in the Mesa Verde Mountains?  What can we learn about the Southern Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog I crossed paths with while hiking in the Mountains of California?  Who are the men on Mount Rushmore and why were they chosen? What exactly ARE the Northern Lights? What are the best knots to tie for fishing, setting up a shelter, or cooking? 
     • If I can be WITH or IN whatever it is I am teaching, I will do it to make sure each lesson is fresh, engaging, and REAL - not just photos from a textbook.
     • The learning and excitement doesn't start and end with the live lessons either! Photographs of animals, plants, and beautiful views (I am seeing) will be posted a handful of times throughout the week on the classroom page (with tips, tricks, and mini-lessons to go along with them!) 

TEACHING STYLE
    • I hope my class is HIGHLY interactive. 
    • Any and all questions, suggestions, and comments are very much encouraged and appreciated 
    • I love interacting with my students!  😁
    • While I will have a lot to say, I also love to get to know each student personally and professionally which means plenty of fun conversation and interaction.
    • While students will be challenged to think deeply, their perspective will always be encouraged and celebrated.  
    • Lecture will take place and perspectives of the instructor will be shared.  I hope that students feel as welcomed to think as they are challenged in their thinking. 

SCHEDULE 
X March 30 / March 31 / April 1  POPCORN ROCKS *personal video recordings* from inside Wind Cave National Park
X April 6 / April 7 / April 8: AMERICAN BISON aka BUFFALO in Theodore Roosevelt National Park
X April 13 / April 14 / April 15: BE PREPARED! How to be prepared for an on-foot outdoor adventure
X April 20 / April 21 / April 22: POWER AND RESILIENCE of nature from northern MN
X April 27 / April 28 / April 29: ***WEEK OFF***
X May 4 / May 5 / May 6: TAKE A HIKE! from Pictured Rock National Lakeshore
X May 11 / May 12 / May 13: SONGBIRDS! from Indiana Dunes National Park
X May 18 / May 19 / May 20: THE BEAUTY OF RESTORATION from Cuyahoga Valley National Park
X May 25 / May 26 / May 27: AMERICA'S BIGGEST CAVE from Mammoth Cave National Park
X June 1 / June 2 / June 3: BIODIVERSE BOTANY from Great Smoky Mountain National Park
X June 8 / June 9 / June 10: SUN & SEASHELLS! Myrtle Beach
X June 15 / June 16 / June 17: BUGS & BAYS! from Oyster Point Campground 
X June 22 / June 23 / June 24: MOVING LIGHTHOUSE! from Cape Hatteras National Seashores
X June 29 / June 30 / July 1: KAYAK LESSONS from Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
X July 6 / July 7 / July 8: WILD HORSES! from Assateagues National Seashore
X July 13 / July 14 / July 15: BE PREPARED! (2) New Jersey
X July 20 / July 21 / July 22: LIGHTHOUSE from Fire Island National Seashore
X July 27 / July 28 / July 29: SUNKEN FOREST from Fire Island National Seashore
X Aug 3 / Aug 4 / Aug 5: ***WEEK OFF***
X Aug 10 / Aug 11 / Aug 12: CLASS ON A MOUNTAIN from Black Mountain Natural Area VT
X Aug 17 / Aug 18 / Aug 19: A DAY IN BOSTON *personal video recordings* from several National Historical Landmarks
X Aug 24 / Aug 25 / Aug 26: HUMPBACK WHALES *personal video recordings* from the Atlantic Ocean outside of NY
X Aug 31 / Sept 1 / Sept 2: GONE FISHING from the Connecticut River VT
X Sept 8: A DAY IN NEW YORK *personal video recordings* from Statue of Liberty National Monument NY
X Sept 15: ***CANCELED because of Hurricane Lee***
X Sept 22: KAYAK LESSONS 2 from Spofford Lake VT
***The Adventure is on a one month break!  See you in November!***
X November 10: THE VALLEY from Shenandoah National Park (VI)
X November 17: THE GORGE from New River Gorge National Park (WV)
X November 24: CYPRESS TREES from Congaree National Park (SC)
X December 1: WATER BIRDS from Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (GA)
X December 8: A BIT OF HISTORY from Timucuan National Preserve (FL)
X December 15: MANATEES from Blue Spring State Park (FL)
x December 22: THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE from Biscayne National Park (FL)
X December 29: WHAT'S IN THE WATER? from Key Largo (FL)
X January 5: ALLIGATORS & CROCODILES from Everglades National Park (FL)
X January 12 WILDLIFE DRIVE from Big Cypress National Preserve (FL)
X January 19 FRESHWATER SPRING Lithia Springs (FL)
X January 26 CARNIVOROUS PLANTS from Bayou State Park (FL)
X February 2 FORT PICKENS from Gulf Shores National Seashore (FL)
X February 9 SPANISH AND SAND DOLLARS from Gulf Shores National Seashore (FL)
X February 16 MORE BIODIVERSITY from Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge (LA)
X February 23 RARITIES & RECORDS from Padre Island National Seashore
X March 1 HOT SPRINGS from Hot Springs National Park (AR)
X March 8 A YEAR IN REVIEW AND A YEAR IN PREVIEW from Omaha (NE)
X March 15 TOUR MY HOME-ON-WHEELS + MOBILE LIFE TIPS & TRICKS from Omaha (NE)
X March 22 THE EXPEDITION from Lewis and Clark Monument (IA)
X March 29 BUFFALO BILL from Buffalo Bill Historic State Park (NE)
X April 5 THE DUNES from Great Sand Dunes National Park (CO)
X April 12 FOSSILS from Petrified Forest National Park (AZ)
X April 19 DESERT PLANTS from Joshua Tree National Park (CA)
X April 26 SEA LIONS from La Jolla Cove San Diego (CA)
X May 3 TORREY PINES from Torrey Pines State Beach San Diego (CA)
X May 10 KAYAK LESSONS 3 from Pyramid Lake (CA)
X May 17 VOLCANIC ISLAND from Channel Islands National Park (CA)
X May 24 GIANT TREES from Sequioa National Park/Kings Canyon National Park (CA)
X May 31 THE VALLEY from Yosemite National Park (CA)
X June 7 THE PINNACLES from Pinnacles National Park (CA)
X June 14 FOG from Point Reyes National Seashore (CA)
X June 21 ERUPTIONS from Lassen Volcanic National Park (CA)
X June 28 WORLD'S TALLEST TREES from Redwood National Park (CA)
X July 5 THE CRATER from Crater Lake National Park (OR)
X July 12 THE COLUMBIA RIVER from Portland (OR)
X July 19 HOH RAINFOREST from Olympic National Park Part 1 (WA)
X July 26 TIDAL LIFE from Olympic National Park Part 2 (WA)
X August 2 SOCKEYE SALMON from Olympic National Park Part 3 (WA)
X August 9 SURPRISE SUMMIT from Mount Rainier National Park (WA)
X August 16 HYDRO from North Cascades National Park (WA)
X August 23 KAYAK LESSONS 4 from Lake Pend Oreille (ID) 
X August 30 FARM ANIMALS from Sandpoint (ID)
X September 6 *CANCELED FOR CAMPER BREAK-DOWN*
***THIS WEEK:
• September 13 OLD FAITHFUL from Yellowstone National Park (WY)
• September 20 Grand Teton National Park (WY)
• September 27 Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (CO)
• October 4 Mesa Verde National Park (CO)
• October 11 Canyonlands National Park (UT)
• October 18 Arches National Park (UT)
• October 25 Capitol Reef National Park (UT)
• November 1 Bryce Canyon National Park (UT)
• November 8 Great Basin National Park (NV)
• November 15 Zion National Park (AZ)
• November 22 Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
• November 29 Las Vegas (NV)
• December 6 Death Valley National Park (CA)
• December 13 Pheonix (AZ)
• December 20 Saguaro National Park (AZ)
• December 27 White Sands National Park (NM)
• January 3 Carlsbad Caverns National Park (NM)
• January 10 Guadalupe Mountains National Park (TX)
• January 17 Big Bend National Park (TX)
• *THE FOLLOWING ARE TENTATIVE PLANS.  OFFICIAL CLASS PLANS WILL BE UPDATED AS GIVEN DATES DRAW NEARER:
- January (2025): Welcome to My Home OMAHA NEBRASKA! (NE) // Chimney Rock (NE) // Nebraska National Forest (NE) // Homestead National Historic Park (NE)
- February (2025): Sandhill Crane Migration (NE) // Gateway Arch National Park (MO) // Hot Springs National Park (AR)
- March (2025) Haleakalā National Park (HI) // Volcanoes National Park (HI)
- April Gulf Shores National Seashore (FL) // Cumberland Island National Seashore (GA) // Biscayne National Park (FL) // Dry Tortugas National Park (FL) 
- SUMMER 2025: Voyageurs National Park (MN) // Isle Royale National Park (MN) // Apostle Islands National - Lakeshore (WI) // Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (MI) 

*PLEASE NOTE*
• The life I lead is a crazy one full of bad weather, car problems, and poor phone service! Because of this, class content is subject to change on short notice
• Lessons intended to be taught in front of wildlife are not guaranteed! The animals are, after all, wild and are living in expansive land! I can promise to do my best to teach in front of them, but I cannot promise that they will always be there!  Lessons will take place regardless of whether wildlife is there or not.  
• I am very excited to teach international learners but keep in mind that due to time differences, class for students from around the world may end up being at a later or earlier hour for me, and therefore, the nature and wildlife I am teaching about may not be visible in the dark (I will do my best to supplement with video!... You may also get to see a beautiful sunrise or sunset!)