Happy Independence Month! We hope you were able to spend some time outside for July 4^th (if you could stand the intense heat!) Summer is supposed to be our time to recharge and for professional development. See Section 2 for July, August, & September Educator Workshops. We have lots of low-cost offerings that include Act 48 hours!

Do you take photos 📸 in Pennsylvania's State Parks & Forests? Consider entering your pictures in the PA Parks & Forests Foundation 2023 Photo Contest.

Categories: • Mirror Images • Meditation • What Parks & Forests Mean to Me • Conversations • Celebrations • Young Photographers (ages 12-17) Photo Contest Guidelines. Deadline: 9/30/23.

E-Blast Contents:

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

🏊‍♂️ Section 1: 🏊‍♂️

Summer Teaching Ideas, Activities, & Lessons

• 34 Summer Nature-Based Activities for Kids! These are perfect for summer school-based programs, day camps, & playing with your own children. Make Clay Nature Prints, Nature Puppets, Use Plants 🌿 as Paintbrushes 🖌, Save Mushroom 🍄 Prints, & so much more! - from To & Fro Fam

• Drawing to Learn - Drawing 🖋 and other visual methods have an important role to play in every discipline, not just art and design, but in science, social sciences, & many other subjects. Learn how to work with your students to draw field sketches, record botanical subjects under a microscope 🔬, use drawing as team building, & more! - from the University of Brighton

• Take the Vitamin N - Nature Challenge Pledge! Research shows that when children play in natural spaces, they’re far more likely to invent their own games than in more structured settings. We're all so busy that we need to schedule time for nature. Find Vitamin N ideas.

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Help Firefly Populations by Counting Them This Summer

Looking for a fun summer activity that will help with conservation efforts? Help scientists learn about the geographic distribution of fireflies (Pennsylvania’s state insect) & what environmental factors impact their abundance through the Firefly Watch Community Science Project.

The International Union of Concerned Scientists (IUCN) estimates that 14% of firefly species are either threatened or endangered. This is mostly due to habitat loss.

Make your yard firefly-friendly.

Anyone in North American can participate. All you need to do is spend at least 10-minutes once a week during firefly season (late June-August) observing fireflies in one location. All firefly sightings -- including none -- are valuable information. 🦟

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#ShowYourStripes Day 2023

June 21, 2023 was "Show Your Stripes Day" which seeks to educate all by graphically showing how temperatures have changed in your area over the past 120+ years. Each stripe represents the global temperature averaged over one year, from 1850 to 2022. Red stripes are years that were hotter than the 1971-2000 average; blue stripes are years that were cooler. 

In 2022, our planet was 2.0°F (1.1°C) warmer than the 1881-1910 baseline—dangerously close to the internationally-agreed goal of pursuing the global warming limit of 2.7°F (1.5°C) above pre-industrial levels. 🔆

🔆Summer 2023 will most likely be one of our hottest summers ever. June 2023 has now been verified as the hottest June EVER. 2023 may also be the hottest year on record. Sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic are at record levels, and temperatures in parts of Texas are already reaching above 110 F.

The graphic below is particularly meaningful. - from Climate Central

FREE! Climate Resilience in Your Community Activity Book 🔆

In this activity book, learn all about community resilience and discover ways that we can all make a difference. Keep track of your points in order to earn a badge at the end! Check out the accompanying Educator's Guide!

Climate 🌏 Change often seems to happen to others in other places, but all of us have recently been in strong storms. Have you also experienced flooding, a wildfire, or really hot days? These types of environmental hazards are happening more often because of our warming planet. Even though these events can be scary, there is so much we can all do in our own communities to make them better able to handle these challenges. When we work together to protect our communities from environmental hazards, we are building community resilience. - from NOAA & the Nurture Nature Center (Easton, PA)

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.

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.

Growing Up WILD🦝Educator Workshop

Wednesday, August 9, 9:00 am - 11:00 am

In-Person at Kinzua Bridge State Park, 296 Viaduct Road, Kane, PA 16735

Act 48: 2 hrs.

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

Growing Up WILD is an award-winning early childhood curriculum 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 which is designed for children between 3 & 7 years old. This workshop is available to formal & informal early childhood educators. All participants will receive the Growing Up WILD Activity Guide. Register by contacting Holly Dzemyan, EES at (814) 778-5467 or by emailing kinzuabridgesp@pa.gov.

Project Learning Tree: Teaching About Green🌲Jobs Educator Workshop

Wednesday, August 16, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

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

Act 48: 6 hrs.

Fee: $20.00, 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 & 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. It is a partnership between the Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group, Pennsylvania State Parks, Community Education Center of Elk/Cameron Counties, & 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 curriculum focusing on wildlife. It aids learners in developing awareness, knowledge, & 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 🦋. For more information or to register, contact Jeannie Carl, Naturalist at naturalist_eec@yahoo.com or 570-645-8597.

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

Friday, September 15, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

In-Person at Little Buffalo State Park, Pavilion 3, 1579 State Park Road, Newport, PA 17074

Act 48: 4.5 hrs.

Fee: $15.00, pre-registration required

Project Learning Tree (PLT) is a forest-themed environmental education curriculum created for both formal & non-formal educators and designed for K-8^th grades. Activities align to state & national standards and include subjects such as math, science, history, art, & social studies. Each participant will receive the new PLT Exploring Your Environment K-8 Curriculum Guide and an opportunity to participate in several lessons from the book in a fun a&interactive way.

Register NOW. Questions? Contact Mindy Wilt, EES at mewilt@pa.gov.

Go Teach: GPS 101 Educator Workshop 🗺🧭

Saturday, September 23, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm

In-Person at Raccoon Creek State Park, 3000 State Route 18, Hookstown, PA 15050

Act 48: 6 hrs.

Fee: $20.00

Learning how to use a GPS unit can open the door to many educational opportunities. Join us and explore the possibilities of using this technology to remake learning in your classroom or educational site. This workshop is open to formal & non-formal educators and is geared towards educators of K-12^th grade students that teach science, geology, or physical education. To register, contact Shane Miller, EES via email shanemille@pa.gov or phone 724-899-3611 ext 3.

Growing Up WILD🌿: Take Me Outside Teacher Workshop

Saturday, September 23, 9:00 am – 2:30 pm

In-Person at Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center, 3025 New Holland Road, Reading, PA 19607

Act 48: 5 hrs.

Fee: $15.00 payable in advance; pre-registration is required

Join our education staff as they share their best techniques for teaching children about the natural world. Participants will be outdoors for a large portion of the day as we model best practices for teaching outside while considering the safety of students & living things. Learn how to use the outdoors to engage students in Science & Engineering Practices and integrate Cross Cutting Concepts into your teaching. Lessons & resources from the Growing Up WILD Curriculum Guide - which all participants will receive, will be shared. This guide is filled with integrated thematic units for students in grades PreK-2 and focuses on teaching your students both inside & outside the classroom. This workshop is open to any pre-school teacher, elementary teacher, or school administrator. Register NOW! Questions? Contact Sarah Presogna, EES Supervisor at SPresogna@pa.gov.

Science🔭Learning: Beyond the Wall Educator Workshop

Saturday, September 30, 9:00 am – 2:30 pm

In-Person at Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center, 3025 New Holland Road, Reading, PA 19607

Act 48: 5 hrs.

Fee: $15.00 payable in advance; pre-registration is required

In this workshop for middle & high school educators, Environmental Education staff will model best practices for teaching science outdoors and demonstrate ways to engage students in Science & Engineering Practices and integrate Cross Cutting Concepts into your outdoor teaching practice. We will also share lesson resources from the curriculum guide - PA Biodiversity: Windows on the WILD - which all participants will receive. This workshop focuses on phenomenon-based learning using local Pennsylvania examples and is designed for middle & high school level classrooms. Register NOW. Questions? Contact Sarah Presogna, EES Supervisor at SPresogna@pa.gov.

Project WILD🦊Educator Workshop

Saturday, September 30, 9:30 am - 2:30 pm

In-Person at Bald Eagle State Park, 149 Main Park Road, Howard , PA 16841

Act 48: 4.5 hrs.

Fee: $15.00 payable in advance; pre-registration is required.

Project WILD is an interdisciplinary environmental education curriculum that focuses on wildlife. This workshop is open to all educators who work with students from grades K-12: formal teachers, homeschool parents, naturalists, scout leaders, and others! Project WILD activities help develop awareness, skills, & knowledge resulting in informed decisions and responsible behavior regarding wildlife and the environment. Participants will receive the updated Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide which now offers STEM activity extensions, field investigations, a WILD WORK career section, and more! Register NOW (Deadline: 9/20/23). The workshop fee can be paid via credit card by calling Bald Eagle State Park at 814-625-2775 or in-person at the park office. To participate, payment is required by 9/29/23. Questions? Contact Alicia Folk, EES at 814-625-0145 or afolk@pa.gov.

Section 3:

Conferences for Educators

DIVE DEEPER VII - An Award-Winning, Biennial Mid-Atlantic Water 💦 Educators Summit

Dive Deeper Summit - Thursday, September 28, 2023

New! Evening Reception & Film Screening Wednesday, September 27, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Best Western Premier Central Hotel & Conference Center, Harrisburg, PA

Fee: $75.00 (includes lunch)

Act 48 hours provided for PA certified Teachers.

Dive Deeper 💦 is a multi-state professional development summit spotlighting innovative teaching about water. It will feature hands-on workshops, inspiring guest speakers, diverse exhibitors, networking lunch, and more.

1. This conference's focus is to strengthen educators' capacity to teach youth (and adults) about water, water ecosystems, aquatic life, water use, & related topics.

2. Dive Deeper is attended by both formal & informal educators, academic researchers, water-related non-profit organizations, companies focusing on water, and government agencies.

REGISTER NOW! Registration deadline: September 15, 2023.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Fetter at 4Hwater@psu.edu or (717) 921-8803.

Section 4:

Explore the Outdoors!

Section 5:

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

- Learn more about DCNR's DEI efforts-

Latino Conservation Week is Here!

Saturday, July 15 - Sunday, July 23, 2023 Latino Conservation Week - Disfrutando y Conservando Nuestra Tierra is an initiative of Hispanic Access Foundation. It was created to support the Latino community getting into the outdoors and participating in nature-based activities. During this week, community, non-profit, faith-based, & government organizations/agencies hold events throughout the country.

In Pennsylvania, the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources has partnered with the Pennsylvania Parks & Forests Foundation to offer activities and learning experiences for the Latino community, including assistance with transportation and providing translators for programming at state parks & forests. Find programs being offered for Latino Conservation Week on the DCNR Calendar of Events.

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.

DCNR facilities and Programs are OPEN to ALL👐

• Many Environmental Education programs require pre-registration. Explore the DCNR events calendar for details & to register.
• Plan your outing before you leave. Learn about facilities, download a park map on your phone or print it, 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 clean up after pets 🐕
• Please do not litter 🚮.
• Alcohol is not allowed in PA State Parks.
• Make a reservation (up to 11 months in advance) at a PA State Park Campground, Camping Cottage, Cabin, Yurt, or Pavilion.

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
• Continue to practice social distancing (stay >6' apart), take hand sanitizer with you and use it
• 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.