YOU MADE IT (or almost made it!) through your school year! Summer is Here! (It is officially here on the Summer ☀ Solstice - June 21, 2023). For many non-formal Educators, the day camp and busy programming season has begun.

You may not want to be thinking about Act 48 hours or professional development right now, but our educator trainings fill fast. Plus, they're fun and super low cost. See Section 2 for June, June, & August Educator Workshops. We have lots of offerings!

June is National Great Outdoors Month. We already celebrated National Trails 🥾 Day (6/4/2023) and National Get Outdoors Day. (6/11/23).

The Great American Campout is this Saturday, June 17. Camp 🏕 in your backyard or reserve a campsite at a PA State Park! While you're camping or hiking with kids, print out & use this nature-based scavenger hunt!

E-Blast Contents:

• Section 1: Summer is Here! Teaching Ideas
• Section 2: June, July, & August In-Person Educator Professional Development Workshops
• Section 3: Trainings & Conferences for Educators
• Section 4: Explore the Outdoors!
• Section 5: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
• Capstone: PA State Park Updates

😎 Section 1: Summer is Here! 😎

Teaching Ideas, Activities, & Lessons

• Magnifying🔎Glass Scavenger Hunt - No more fumbling around with a magnifying glass, clipboard, scavenger hunt sheet , & pencil! This scavenger hunt has everything you need right there! - from Little Pine Learners
• 17 Creative STEM Activities Using Sticks🌿with Students & Beyond! Fun, brain-building activities such as constructing stick towers, making mini-rafts, bird nest challenge, making stick catapults, & more! The diversity in sticks means every hands-on activity may look a little different. No two sticks are the same. This promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, & creativity, all key components of a well-rounded STEM activity.  - from Project Learning Tree (PLT)
• Make Your Own Homemade Pencil ✏ Cases With Nature Prints - a beautiful way to keep those lovely bits of summer with you! - from Little Pine Learners
• The recent smoke from the huge Canadian wildfires 🔥 that made Pennsylvania a challenging place to breathe may have made you think about how climate change is going to change our state. Check out 1001 Blistering Summers - 1001 cities & what their summers will be like by 2100. By 2100, Harrisburg, PA will feel like San Antonio, TEXAS. 😔
• Our news covered a lot about our air & air quality alerts, but they did not cover much about the Wildfires 🔥. Learn about The Science & Effects of Wildfire - from the National Academies.
• What can YOU and I do about our warming state? Check out Project Drawdown & their Drawdown Solutions Library which links to individual solutions, filterable by sector & area of action.

Check out the new Paint (or Color) by Number from the PA Parks & Forestry Foundation (PPFF). These kayaks are ready for a day in the sun!

Painting Credit: artist Melodie Schwarz-Higgins

Photo credit: Ready to Launch, Jaclene Devine, Lackawanna State Park

Section 2:

Summer In-Person Educator

Professional Development Workshops

Go to the DCNR Calendar for ALL Upcoming Educator Workshops

COVID safety protocols will be followed for all in-person workshops.

MWEE💦Ambassador Training

Tuesday, June 20, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

In-Person at Memorial Lake State Park, 18 Boundary Road, Grantville, PA 17028

Act 48: 6 hrs. + 3 hrs. for required MWEE 101 pre-work

Fee: FREE! This is a partnership between IU13 & PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR).

Join colleagues for a day outside to engage with the new PA STEELS (Science, Technology & Engineering, Environmental Literacy, and Sustainability) standards and explore connections to a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE). The workshop will provide hands-on experiences and resources for educators to increase environmental literacy and connect students to the world around them. Target Audience: This training is focused for educators within Lebanon & Lancaster County, but it is open to all K-12 Science Teachers, Administrators, Curriculum Coordinators, Environmental Educators, & more! Completion of the MWEE 101 online training is required to become a MWEE Ambassador. Register NOW. Questions? Contact, Keira London at 717-947-1940 or keira_london@iu13.org.

WILD About Bears🐻Educator Workshop 

Thursday, June 22, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm AND Friday, June 23, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm; Must attend both days.

In-Person at the PA Game Commission Southwest Region Office, 4820 Rt. 711, Bolivar, Pa. 15923

Act 48: 11.5 hrs.

Fee: Free! Pre-registration is required.

Join PA Game Commission (PGC) educators and biologists for an in-depth and up-close educational experience with Black Bears! You will receive your own copy of the award-winning Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide as well as lessons & activities to integrate bear🐻lessons into your teaching. You'll learn about Black bear physiology, biology, & management in Pennsylvania. How the PGC handles nuisance bears and research trapping efforts will be discussed as well as the reasons for tagging and relocating Black Bears in the Commonwealth.

Although not guaranteed, all efforts will be made to have at least one live Black Bear on site to be safely processed & tagged. Day 2 of the workshop includes a field trip to nearby PGC game lands to demonstrate trapping & snaring techniques. This workshop is targeted to grade levels 3-12. Register NOW by contacting Seth Mesoras, Information & Education Supervisor at smesoras@pa.gov or 1-833-PGC-WILD ext. 20208. Register by Friday, June 16^th. 

Project WILD🦊Educator Workshop

Friday, June 23, 9:00 am- 3:00 pm

In-Person at Mount Pisgah State Park, 28 Entrance Road, Troy, PA 18214

Act 48: 5.5 hrs.

Fee: $10.00, pre- registration is required

Participants who attend this Project Wild Educator Workshop will receive the award-winning Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide along with other great materials. The guide is filled with a variety of hands-on, interdisciplinary lessons. The workshop is open to both formal & non-formal educators. The training agenda includes both classroom & outdoor activities. Pre- Registration is required. To register for the workshop please contact Mt. Pisgah State Park at 570-297-2734 or Email: mt.pisgahsp@pa.gov

Dive Into K–8 MWEEs💦in the New Pa. STEELS Standards Training

Tuesday, June 27, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

In-Person at Stroud Water Research Center, 970 Spencer Road, Avondale, PA, 19311

Act 48: 6 hrs.

Fee: $10.00 Pizza & salad lunch will be provided.

Who: K–8 classroom teachers, school curriculum coordinators/admins., & non-formal educators.

Prepare for the move to the new Pennsylvania Science, Technology & Engineering, and Environmental Literacy & Sustainability (STEELS) standards in 2025! This practical workshop will provide you with more than a theoretical understanding of these new standards. It will show you what real classroom instruction looks like using the new standards.

Register NOW & PAY.

Session Objectives:

• Become oriented to the new Pennsylvania STEELS standards and MWEE Essential Elements.
• Dive into a MWEE unit for grades 4–8 that is aligned to the Pennsylvania STEELS standards
• Identify how the MWEE and new standards can be incorporated into instruction.

Questions? Please contact Dr. Steve Kerlin at skerlin@stroudcenter.org

Growing Up🦊WILD Educator Workshop

Saturday, July 8, 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm

In-Person at Lackawanna State Park, 1839 Abington Road, North Abington Township, PA 18414

Act 48: 2.5 hrs.

Fee: $10.00 payable in advance; pre-registration is required.

Growing Up WILD is an award-winning early childhood education program that builds on children’s sense of wonder about nature and encourages them to explore the world around them. Join us for this hands-on training to explore wildlife & the environment through the Growing Up WILD curriculum. This workshop is available to formal & informal educators of children between 3-7 years old. All participants will receive the Growing Up WILD Activity Guide. Register NOW. Registration will close on July 1. Questions? Contact Tony DeSantis, EES at antdesanti@pa.gov or 570-945-7110.

Pennsylvania Land Choices / PLT Places We Live Educator Workshop

Tues, July 11, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm 

In-Person at Columbia Crossing, 41 Walnut St. Columbia PA, 17512

Act 48: 5.5 hrs.

Fee: $15.00 payable in advance

Pennsylvania Land Choices is an educational curriculum developed by the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks as a tool for teachers to educate their students about land use, land conservation, and sustainable communities. The lessons provide hands-on, standards-based activities for students in grades 6-12. From comparing aerial photographs to designing a park, PA Land Choices provides activities aligned to state academic standards. Project Learning Tree’s Places We Live provides educators with a useful tool for place-based education to help create a bond between young citizens & their communities. Each participant will receive the DCNR PA Land Choices curriculum, the Project Learning Tree (PLT) Places We Live Secondary Ed. Module, & other resources. Pre-registration is required. REGISTER NOW. Questions, contact Kelly Ford, EES at kelford@pa.gov or (717) 252-1134.

Project Learning Tree (PLT): Explore Your Environment K-8 Educator Workshop 🌳🔎📗

Thursday, July 13, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

In-Person at Sinnemahoning State Park Wildlife Center, 4843 Park Rd, Austin, PA 16720

Act 48: 6 hrs.

Fee: $20, pre-registration required; free lunch!

Have fun while experiencing hands-on activities that engage students in learning about trees, forestry, and the environment at this one-day professional development workshop. Each participant will receive the brand new PLT curriculum Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide (value $35), the opportunity to participate in hands-on demos of sample lessons, an introduction to other PLT curriculum options, a chance to explore the PA Woodmobile, plus a free lunch! This workshop is a partnership between the Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group (AHUG), Pennsylvania State Parks, the Community Education Center, & the Discover Partnership of Cameron and Elk Counties. Participants should be prepared for hands-on, active learning in both indoor & outdoor settings. Pre-registration is required. Register NOW (by June 30^th). Questions? Contact Amy Goode, Community Education Center at (814)781-3437 or amy@communityedcenter.com.

Watershed💦Focused: Reptile🐢& Amphibian🐸Educator Workshop

Thursday, July 20 & Friday, July 21, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm each day; participants must attend both days

In-Person at Cook Forest State Park, 100 RT 36, Cooksburg, PA 16217

Act 48: 15 hrs.

Fee: $125.00 payable via cash or check to the ‘Commonwealth of PA’

This workshop will emphasize hands-on activities and in-depth field identification surveys in a variety of habitat types. This course is an advanced DCNR Watershed Education workshop emphasizing hands-on activities and in-depth field identification surveys in a variety of habitat types.  We will car-pool to various sites along & within the National Wild & Scenic Clarion River and Allegheny National Forest drainages to sample for snakes, turtles, lizards, frogs, toads, and salamanders. Attendees will receive a copy of Amphibians and Reptiles of Pennsylvania & the Northeast, the Peterson’s Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern & Central North America, & copies of some of the DCNR Watershed Education curriculum lessons.

The first day will mostly be terrestrial work, proper hiking footwear & long pants are suggested. Much of Day 2 will be spent within aquatic habitats, so sturdy river footwear is a must (old sneakers are good, flip-flops and sandals are bad). A sturdy “river-walking stick” will be useful. Send payment to: Cook Forest State Park, ATTN: Reptiles & Amphibs, P.O. Box 120, Cooksburg, PA 16217 Register by 7/7/23 by contacting Dale Luthringer, EES at (814)744-8475 or dluthringe@pa.gov.

Project WET💦/Wonders of Wetlands (WoW) Educator Workshop

Friday, July 21, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

In-Person at Ricketts Glen State Park, 695 State Route 487, Benton, PA 17814

Act 48: 6 hrs.

Fee: $10.00 payable in advance; pre-registration is required.

Project WET & Wonders of Wetlands (WoW!) are hands-on, interdisciplinary resources and activity guides which integrate water & wetland education into every school subject. This workshop is open to all educators who work with students from grades K-12, from formal teachers to naturalists, scout leaders, & others! Earn 6 Act 48 hours while experiencing hands-on activities related to water & wetlands. Participants will receive both the Project WET & the WOW!: K-12 Teacher’s Guides for Activities in the Classroom & other relevant resources. Pre-registration is required. Register NOW (by 7/14/23). Questions? Contact Rhiannon Summers, EES at rhsummers@pa.gov or 570-477-7780.

PLT Exploring Energy ⛮ Educator Workshop

Wednesday, August 3, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

In-Person at Parker Dam State Park, 28 Fairview Road, Penfield, PA 15849

Act 48: 10 hrs. (7 hours in-person, 1.5 hours pre-workshop assignment (exploring your personal energy use) , & 1.5 hours post-workshop activity)

Fee: $10.00, payable in advance

Energy ⚡ drives technology, transportation, and quality of life. Energy generation sources are expanding to keep up with increased demand. Today’s students require an understanding of what drives their daily activities and what the future of energy sources looks like. Learn how to explain basic concepts of electrical generation, the history of energy development, and the current trends of energy sources.

During the workshop, we'll explore Project Learning Tree's (PLT) Energy & Society Guide, and each attendee will receive their own copy. Activities in this guide will help your students to understand the different types of energy, their sources, different modes of transportation & the energy used to power them, and examine their fuel efficiency. You will also explore an array of hands-on STEM kits available to classrooms, from solar to wind to water and then develop your own inquiry-based worksheet to take with you. A post-workshop assignment will help you find ways to conserve energy & demonstrate that to your students. Register NOW (by 7/27/23) or call Parker Dam State Park at (814) 765-0630. Questions? Email Suzann Rensel, EES at slenhartre@pa.gov.

Project Wild🐇Educator Workshop

Friday, August 4, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

In-Person at Little Buffalo State Park, 1579 State Park Road, Newport, PA 17074

Act 48: 4.5 hrs.

Fee: $15.00

Project Wild is a wildlife-based conservation curriculum that teaches the importance of conservation and protection of our natural resources to children K-12. Lessons are fun, interactive, and fit into various subjects, including art, science, history, music, and math.

Educator Workshops are not strictly for teachers. Anyone from scout leaders to summer camp instructors can participate and learn the activities. All participants will receive their own copy of the Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide. Register NOW! Questions? Contact Mindy Wilt, EES at mewilt@pa.gov or 717-567-9255.

Project Learning Tree: Teaching About Green🌲Jobs Educator Workshop

Wednesday, August 16, 2023, 9:00 AM- 3:30 PM

In-person at Seneca Highlands IU, 119 Mechanic Street, Smethport, PA 16749

Act 48: 6 hrs.

Fee: $20, pre-registration required; includes Free Lunch!

Project Learning Tree (PLT) 🌲 created a new resource for helping learners explore green careers in forestry and conservation - PLT's Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers is designed for adults working with youth in settings ranging from community youth programs to school classrooms. Discover new techniques for teaching your students about some of the most exciting and perhaps greenest careers in Pennsylvania – jobs that promote the health of our forests and our planet while providing sustainably produced forest & wood products we use every day. Each participant will receive the new PLT Green Jobs Educator Guide (value $25), an opportunity to participate in hands-on demos of sample lessons, an introduction to other PLT curricula, plus a free lunch! This workshop is open to all formal & non-formal educators working with students ages 12-25. This workshop is a partnership between the Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group, Pennsylvania State Parks, Community Education Center of Elk/Cameron Counties, and the Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit. Pre-registration is required. Register NOW (by July 26^th. Questions? Contact Cindy Murphy, Seneca Highlands IU at 814-887-5512 ext. 121 or csmurphy@iu9.org.

Project WILD: Wild About Pollinators🦋Educator Workshop

Wednesday, August 16 at 9:00am to 3:00pm

In-Person at Carbon County EE Center, 151 E. White Bear Drive, Summit Hill, PA 18250

Act 48: 5.5 hrs.

Fee: $20.00 payable in advance

Project WILD is an interdisciplinary education program focusing on wildlife. It aids learners in developing awareness, knowledge, and skills resulting in informed decisions, responsible behavior, and constructive actions regarding wildlife & the environment. This workshop will focus on pollinators and highlight the WILD lessons relating to the topic. All participants will receive the "Project WILD: K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide" and other resources. Special presenters will focus on bees 🐝 , bats 🦇, and butterflies 🦋 as pollinators. For more information or to register, contact Jeannie Carl, Naturalist at naturalist_eec@yahoo.com or 570-645-8597.

Section 3:

Trainings & Conferences for Educators

Summer Institute for Climate Change Education

VIRTUAL: July 17, 18 & 20, 2023

Registration is $250 (full scholarships are available)

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office is co-leading a cohort of mid-Atlantic educators which is hosted by Climate Generation in partnership with NOAA’s Climate Program. Participants will gain the skills, tools, & resources to teach climate change concepts and empower students in all subject areas, and receive on-going support throughout the year. This year’s theme—“Shared Purpose, Shared Future”—centers the Institute on building collective strength to inspire hope & action in our communities. Learn more & Register NOW.

Section 4:

Explore the Outdoors!

Section 5:

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

- Learn more about DCNR's DEI efforts-

• Juneteenth Why All Americans Should Honor Juneteenth video (7:12 min)
• Teaching About Juneteenth June 19*

It's PRIDE Month! June is a time to commemorate the LGBTQ+ community's achievements, promote inclusivity, and raise awareness.

• Educate yourself & your colleagues - Check out NPR's A Guide To Gender Identity Terms
• Check out the Human Right's Campaign's excellent Checklist for creating safe environments for LGBTQ+ youth
• Learn about the 500 Queer Scientists project
• 8 Ways to Celebrate Pride Month With Kids

LGBTQ Outdoor Group Map

• Find an LGBTQ Outdoor Group near you using this interactive map by Pride Outside & The Wilderness Society. Check it out.

Book your virtual, in-person programs, and field experiences with PA State Park Educators now! Find a PA State Park. Need help connecting to a PA State Park with an Educator on staff? Reach out to Carissa Longo at calongo@pa.gov.

The fire 🔥 danger in Pennsylvania right now is quite high (even with recent rains). There has been so little rain that many counties (and the state parks & forests contained in them) are advising against outdoor burning, including campfires. It is a good idea to keep an eye on the DCNR Wildfire website for the latest on burn bans & fire 🔥 danger. 

DCNR facilities and Programs are OPEN to ALL👐

• Many Environmental Education programs require pre-registration. Explore the DCNR events calendar for details and to register.
• Plan your outing before you leave. Learn about facilities, download on your phone or print a park map, and review regulations here: Find A Park
• Take care of & respect the resource. Park, hike, hunt, & more only in designated areas.
• Check the weather before you depart, wear sunscreen & proper footwear, and bring water. Wear orange if hiking in designated hunting areas.
• Please do not litter 🚮.
• Alcohol is not allowed in PA State Parks.
• Make a reservation at a PA State Park Campground, Camping Cottage, Cabin, Yurt, or Pavilion. Reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance.

You can help keep state parks safe for all by following these practices:

• Use the restroom before you leave your house 🏡
• Bring a bag and either carry out your trash or dispose of it properly
• Stay on marked trails
• Clean up after pets 🐕

• Continue to practice social distancing (stay >6' apart)
• Take hand sanitizer with you and use it regularly
•  Avoid touching your face, eyes, and nose
• If you are sick or have been exposed to someone who is sick, stay home

Happy Summer!

Carissa Longo, Environmental Education Program Coordinator

&

Christine Ticehurst, Recreation and Interpretation Coordinator

Visit the DCNR Events Calendar- Teacher Workshops to find additional training opportunities! Click the arrows to see upcoming months.