NATURAL HISTORY with Rudy Mancke

Special Note of Tribute: Rudy Mancke - October 21, 1945 - November 7, 2023

Rudy Mancke, our South Carolina renowned and talented naturalist/teacher, passed away after a short illness in early November 2023. Rudy’s SCETV colleagues and many others, including many SC educators who learned so much from him over the years, grieve his loss but we celebrate his passion to inspire us to learn and teach about our natural world.

Rudy’s legacy will live on through the nature programs on SCETV and SC Public Radio and the content produced for K-12 students, plus the knowledge he imparted in nine professional development courses that Rudy helped ETV Education design and create for South Carolina teachers. We honor Rudy and his legacy by sharing what we learn from him with our students, family members and friends.

Below is the message (Nov. 2023) from SCETV President/CEO Adrienne Fairwell about his passing:

“SCETV lost a giant. Rudy was the host of Nature Scene along with co-creator Beryl Dakers, and later, Jim Welch. The first episode debuted on SCETV in 1978 and ran for 25 years, ending in 2003. NatureScene also aired as a national series beginning in 1986 and was one of the first television shows to take viewers on expeditions to learn about a variety of plants and animals. It became an educational tool for people of all ages, in and out of the classroom. Mancke’s unconventional field trips helped shape the ecological perspective of all manner of nature enthusiasts and spanned multiple generations.

Rudy Mancke had a long career serving the citizens of this state through his career at the SC State Museum, SCETV, including SC Public Radio, and the University of South Carolina. He was also a teacher and has helped develop programming for K-12 students and professional development courses for hundreds of South Carolina educators.

Earlier this year, we were fortunate to honor him at the SC Public Radio 50th Anniversary Luncheon. Rudy Mancke's work will also be honored through induction into the SC Hall of Fame in January 2024.” 
 

20 Renewal Credit Courses

The “Register Now” links below only work during valid registration periods.

 

EXPLORING NATURALISTS IMPACTING SC & BEYOND (New course! - offered Winter 2024)

6-8 week session  
Recertification: 20 Renewal Credits
Cost: $75.00

This ETV LEARN course Exploring Naturalists Impacting SC & Beyond with naturalist Rudy Mancke, host of SCETV’s NatureScene (on PBS 25 years), examines key naturalists – those who came early and ones that followed – who made an impact in the Carolinas and beyond, exhibiting connections between humans and the natural world. The study of naturalists combines history, natural history, art, and science … rolled into one, an interdisciplinary approach. Highlighting key naturalists from the 1700s to today, including Lawson, Catesby, Linnaeus, Bartram, Abbot, Audubon, Bachman, Muir, Leopold, Carson, Humboldt, and Wilson, plus related NatureScene programs with “Rudy Xtras” and online resources for K-12 classroom use, the course provides enlightening, informative PD for educators of all subjects/grade levels.

*The Exploring Naturalists Impacting SC & Beyond course cannot be used to satisfy undergraduate or graduate degree program requirements. It is the EDUCATOR'S RESPONSIBILITY to contact your professional development coordinator PRIOR TO REGISTRATION to determine if this course meets your professional development plan and/or certificate renewal requirements.

For details on the course structure and general information concerning ETV online courses please click here.

REGISTER NOW

 

Making Connections with Natural History Featuring Rudy Mancke, Series I

6-8 week session  
Recertification: 20 Renewal Credits
Cost: $75.00

Making Connections with Natural History Featuring Rudy Mancke, Series I is offered for 20 renewal credits and designed for South Carolina educators on all grades levels, in all subject areas. This first course - Series I - features new “Natural History Connects” segments where Rudy talks about naturalists and more, along with special programs about birds and butterflies, sea creatures and Hurricane Hugo. Plus, we’ll look environmental education in our schools and explore video/online resources. This course will allow teachers to engage K-12 learners and discover how they can help students make connections with the world around them. This is another opportunity for SC teachers to learn from Naturalist Rudy Mancke!* (Recommended for teachers of all grade levels)

Please note: Educators who have taken the 60 renewal credit course Natural History In and Out of Classroom with Rudy Mancke may take both “Making Connections …” Series I and Series II. These two 20 renewal credit courses contain different content from the Natural History 60 renewal credit course.

REGISTER NOW

 

Making Connections with Natural History Featuring Rudy Mancke, Series II

6-8 week session  
Recertification: 20 Renewal Credits
Cost: $75.00

Making Connections with Natural History Featuring Rudy Mancke, Series II is an ETV Teacher Recertification online course offered for 20 renewal credits and designed for South Carolina educators on all grades levels, in all subject areas. This second course - Series II – features other “Natural History Connects” segments where Rudy talks more about diversity, connections and resiliency, and a special series of programs with experts who talk about how nature came back after the Chernobyl event. Participants will utilize ETV’s free resources, including content available online in StreamlineSC and Knowitall. This course allows teachers to engage K-12 learners and discover how they can help students make connections with the world around them and is another opportunity for SC teachers to learn from Naturalist Rudy Mancke!* (Recommended for teachers of all grade levels)

*NOTE: It is recommended that educators participate first in Series I and then in Series II.  Also, educators who have taken the 60 renewal credit course Natural History In and Out of Classroom with Rudy Mancke may take both “Making Connections …” Series I and Series II. These two 20 renewal credit courses contain different content from the Natural History 60 renewal credit course.

For details on the course structure and general information concerning ETV online courses please click here.

REGISTER NOW


 

Natural History North America and Beyond, Series I

6-8 week session  
Recertification: 20 Renewal Credits
Cost: $75.00

Natural History in North America & Beyond, Series I, the first course in a series of ETV Teacher Recertification online courses with renowned Naturalist Rudy Mancke, focuses on the Natural History of North America, highlighting areas in the four regions of the United States – the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest. We examine the biodiversity of the area, looking at the distinctive geography and the great variety of plant and animal life forms along with their remarkable habitats to understand how they are connected. Award-winning NatureScene programs produced on location provide a rich, up-close experience with unprecedented access and exceptional photography. Naturalist Mancke conveys additional information in separate compact content segments to extend, reinforce and connect. This study will allow K-12 educators to integrate Natural History into their teaching, making connections students can relate to anywhere in the world.

REGISTER NOW

 

Natural History North America and Beyond, Series II

6-8 week session  
Recertification: 20 Renewal Credits
Cost: $75.00

Natural History in North America & Beyond, Series II, the second course in a series of ETV Teacher Recertification online courses with renowned Naturalist Rudy Mancke, focuses on the Natural History of North America, highlighting other areas in all regions of the United States – the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest. We examine the biodiversity of the area, looking at the distinctive geography and the great variety of plant and animal life forms along with their remarkable habitats to understand how they are connected. Award-winning NatureScene programs produced on location provide a rich, up-close experience with unprecedented access and exceptional photography. Naturalist Mancke conveys additional information in separate compact content segments to extend, reinforce and connect. This study will allow K-12 educators to integrate Natural History into their teaching, making connections students can relate to anywhere in the world.

Please note: Not required to complete series I prior to taking this course.

REGISTER NOW

 

Natural History North America and Beyond, Series III

6-8 week session  
Recertification: 20 Renewal Credits
Cost: $75.00

Natural History in North America & Beyond, Series III, the third course in this series of ETV Teacher Recertification online courses with renowned Naturalist Rudy Mancke, focuses on South Carolina looking at geographic regions of our state from the mountains to the sea. We examine the biodiversity of all regions in South Carolina, looking at the distinctive geography and the great variety of plant and animal life forms along with their remarkable habitats to understand how they are connected. Award-winning NatureScene programs produced on location provide a rich, up-close experience with unprecedented access and exceptional photography. Naturalist Mancke conveys additional information in separate compact content segments to extend, reinforce and connect. This study will allow K-12 educators to integrate Natural History into their teaching, making connections students can relate to anywhere in the world. 

Please note: Not required to complete series I or II prior to taking this course.

REGISTER NOW

 

Natural History North America and Beyond, Series IV 

6-8 week session  
Recertification: 20 Renewal Credits
Cost: $75.00

Natural History in North America & Beyond, Series IV, the fourth course in a series of ETV Teacher Recertification online courses with renowned Naturalist Rudy Mancke, focuses on the Natural History of North America and beyond our borders. This course highlights other areas across our nation and areas in Canada, Costa Rica and Russia. We examine the biodiversity of the area, looking at the distinctive geography and the great variety of plant and animal life forms along with their remarkable habitats to understand how they are connected. Award-winning NatureScene programs produced on location in the United States and other countries provide a rich, up-close experience with unprecedented access and exceptional photography. Naturalist Mancke conveys additional information in separate compact content segments to extend, reinforce and connect. This study will allow K-12 educators to integrate Natural History into their teaching, making connections students can relate to anywhere in the world.

Please note: Not required to complete series I, II or III prior to taking this course.

REGISTER NOW