Happy Heart Month from PA State Parks!

To some, February is the heart ❤ of winter. The time to get outside to enjoy the quiet of freshly, fallen snow on skis🎿, snowshoes, and more. To sit by the fire 🔥 and read a good book📘. For others, February provides that glimmer of hope that spring 🌸 is closer, and we are almost to the midpoint of winter! According to the 2022 Farmer's Almanac, TODAY (Thursday, Feb. 3rd) is the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox!

Get those Act 48 hours!Professional Development is BACK! We have lots of PD to offer you (in-person & virtual). See below for all that is coming up.

February is a busy month! The entire month is Black History Month (see the special section below for teaching ideas). We started it all off by celebrating the Chinese New Year, and we just hoped for spring during Groundhog Day. Plus, we still have President's Day, Galentine's Day, Valentine's❤Day, and more to come!

Do you take photos📸in Pennsylvania's State Parks & Forests? Consider submitting your photo(s) to the PA Parks & Forests Foundation's 2022 Photo Contest! In celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the Clean Water💦Act and in recognition of the importance of forests for water quality, the theme of this year’s photo contest is Clean Water and Forested Ecosystems. The submission deadline is September 30, 2022.

Valentine's💘Day Learning

Quick Valentine's 💘 Day Kahoot! Quizzes for...

GO Teach: Snowshoeing Educator Workshop ❄

Winter is a time when most people stay inside and remain sedentary. However, it is a great time to get outdoors and explore on snowshoes! Learn how you can motivate your students to get up and active during the winter❄ through an interdisciplinary set of lessons primarily for P.E. teachers and created by the PA Bureau of State Parks. Lessons focus on health, fitness and preparedness; snow, weather and climate as well as history. The lessons meet Physical Education & Health PA Academic Standards as well as standards for History and Science & Technology. Register with Patrick Adams, EES at paadams@pa.gov or 724-899-3611 by February 4. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

Get Outdoors Ohiopyle - Winter❄Educator Workshop

In-person at Ohiopyle State Park, 124 Main St., Ohiopyle, PA 15470

Get Outdoors Ohiopyle is an educational, interdisciplinary, winter-based program for grades 4-12. It encourages the study of the winter❄environment, both inside and outside of the classroom. Participants will gain information on how NASA studies our planet's climate and the cryosphere. Teachers will be given the tools and training to facilitate a comprehensive study of ⛄winter in their classroom. This includes investigating snowflakes , thin sectioning ice, viewing ice crystals under polarizing sheets, determining snow density and temperature in the snow pack, the albedo effect, and investigating winter through the use of thermochrons. Attendees will also participate in a winter❄ecology snowshoe hike and spend time using snowshoes during a history activity. The majority of the lessons will be hands on both in the classroom and outside.

Participants in this program will spend a great deal of time outside. Educators should be prepared for the out of doors. Participants will be required to complete a homework assignment, a pre/post test, and a plan for using the curriculum in their classrooms. Register NOW. Questions? Contact Barb Wallace, EES at bawallace@pa.gov or 724-329-0986. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

In-person at Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, 400 Belfast Rd, Nazareth, PA 18064

Fee: $10.00, payable at the workshop with cash or check made payable to the "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania"

Educators attending this workshop will receive the chemistry portion of the Bureau of State Parks award-winning Watershed Education (WE) curriculum and their own water quality test kit. Registration is required. Register NOW. Questions? Contact Lauren Forster, EES Supervisor at laforster@pa.gov. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

GO Teach: Snowshoeing Educator Workshop ❄

In-person at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle State Park, 301 Peninsula Dr., Erie, PA 16505

Educators in traditional and non-traditional settings are invited to Go Get Outdoors with a winter-themed professional development training. A mix of indoor and outdoor activities will highlight snowshoeing and guide you in introducing this exciting pastime to your students. If conditions are favorable, outdoor snowshoe❄adventures will be included. PA Academic standards focus on physical education/health, history, and science. Online registration is required by February 12- http://events.dcnr.pa.gov/presque_isle_state_park or call 814-833-7424. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

Are you a college student, pre-service teacher, classroom teacher, environmental educator, or homeschool provider seeking lessons and skill-building to engage early childhood students (ages 3-7) in nature? Dive into wildlife education activities, receive a Growing Up WILD Activity Guide with 27 field-tested lessons for little learners, experience a sampling of activities from the guide, and learn tips and tricks for working with little ones outdoors.

In an effort to reduce the cost of this workshop, organizers are asking registrants to pick up their books & resources from a nearby state park or forest office. The two primary parks will be Black Moshannon (near Phillipsburg) and Hills Creek (near Wellsboro). Register NOW (by Friday February 18^th). Spaces are limited! Questions? Contact Tim Morey, Natural Resource Specialist at tmorey@pa.gov.

Moraine State Park, Workshop location: In-Person at State Parks Region 2 Office, 195 Park Road, Prospect PA 16052

Project Learning Tree🎍(PLT) is an award-winning environmental education curriculum designed for educators working with students from pre-K to 8^th grade. This workshop is open to all educators, from formal teachers to naturalists, scout leaders, and others! Earn 6.5 Act 48 hours between completing at-home activities before the workshop and while experiencing hands-on activities near the shore of Lake Arthur. Participants will explore and receive the PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide. Dress for the outdoors as we will spend most of the in-person time outside, including a short hike in the woods. Registration is required. For more information or to register, please contact Moraine State Park at morainesp@pa.gov or 724 368-8811. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

Virtual via MS Teams from Presque Isle State Park, 301 Peninsula Dr., Erie, PA 16505

Presque Isle State Park is offering a free virtual professional development opportunity for formal and non-formal educators of students in preschool - 3^rd grade. Growing Up WILD (GUW) is an award-winning early childhood education program that builds on children’s sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them. Educators will receive training on the Growing Up WILD: Exploring Nature with Young Children ages 3-7 curriculum. The GUW guide will be sent to participants. Register NOW. Questions? Contact Ray Bierbower, EES at edbierbowe@pa.gov or 814-833-7424.

MWEE (Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience) Ambassador Teacher Workshop💦

In-Person at Nixon Park Nature Center, 5922 Nixon Dr., York, PA 17403

A Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) is a strategy for incorporating inquiry, student voice, civic action, and environment/ecology learning into K-12 classrooms that is aligned with the 3 Dimensional science learning. This is a full day workshop designed to help certified teachers prepare to launch a MWEE with their students. Participants of this workshop will engage in two learning phases: Phase I: All participants must complete NOAA's MWEE 101 online course prior to March 24. This course is made up of three lessons: Why MWEEs, What Makes a MWEE, and Planning and Evaluating MWEEs. These lessons will introduce you to the MWEE, explore what MWEEs can look like, highlight the MWEE components, & introduce the tools that support the development and implementation of MWEEs.

Phase II: A one-day workshop that will model inquiry-based instruction in the MWEE framework to explore local watershed education topics. Engage in a field investigation that will include a water quality survey, a stream study, forest ecosystem investigation, & exploration of the human impact on the natural ecosystem. Investigations will be done at the Nixon Park Nature Center and park. IU 12's registration & cancellation policy. Workshop is presented by the Lincoln Intermediate Unit (IU12) and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF). Register NOW. Questions? Reach out to Abbey Lichtenberg, IU12 at allichtenberg@iu12.org. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

In-person at the Elk Country Visitor Center (ECVC), 950 Winslow Hill Rd, Benezette, PA 15821 (use for navigation)

Join PA Game Commission, PA State Park, and Keystone Elk Country Alliance Educators at the Elk Country Visitor Center to learn all about Eastern Wild Turkeys🦃. This workshop is for formal and non-formal educators primarily teaching grades 6-12. During this workshop, we will explore the Eastern Wild Turkey through its natural history, how it is managed in Pennsylvania, and fun, standards-based ways to teach about turkeys. All participants will receive the award-winning Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide! Participants should dress for both indoors and outdoors. Register via email KecaConEd@windstream.net or call 814-787-5173. Registration deadline: March 21, 2022. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

In-person at Washington Crossing State Park; actual workshop location - Historic Buckstone Farm, 1201 Taylorsville Rd., Washington Crossing, PA 18977

Join the Environmental Educators of Delaware Canal State Park and Washington Crossing Historic Park at the Buckstone Farm in Washington Crossing, PA, for a free Project Learning Tree (PLT) Educator workshop! Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an award-winning environmental education curriculum designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth from preschool through grade 12. This workshop is for formal and non-formal educators teaching grades K-2. During this one-day workshop, you will become trained in the nationwide curriculum, Project Learning Tree (PLT)! All participants will receive a copy of the PLT K-12 Curriculum and Activity Guide. Register NOW by emailing, Gabrielle Lent, EES at glent@pa.gov. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

In-Person at Olewine Nature Center at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, PA 17110

The diversity of life is astounding and important to the health of people and the environment. Yet, biodiversity at all levels – genetic, species, and ecosystem – is a current issue poorly understood. In this workshop, participants will explore PA’s biodiversity, experience hands-on activities, and examine local and global issues relating to biodiversity. All participants will receive the PA Biodiversity guide. The activities modeled in this workshop are best suited to teachers of grades 5-10, however the specific background information about Pennsylvania species & ecosystems, and the hands-on exploration of forest and wetland environments are of value to teachers of all grade levels, K-12. Register NOW. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

Facing Challenges and Addressing Local Issues Virtual Educator Workshop Series💦

Workshop 1: March 3, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Workshop 2: March 31, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Increasing commercial and residential development affects more than the environmental health of a community. Integrated science lessons can contextualize student learning to understand the impacts of land use and development. This three-session series will model how teachers can work with their learners to identify local issues, implore inquiry learning principles, and activate learner voice in real world, authentic learning. Additional tips, tricks, and resources will be shared to help teachers manage field investigations and stewardship projects regardless of your setting! Participants should plan to attend all three online, synchronous sessions. Register NOW by emailing Jackie Ford at jford@caiu.org. This workshop is presented by professional educators from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and the Capitol Area IU. It is open to classroom teachers and non-formal educators. Questions, email Tarrea Potter, PA Education Outreach Coordinator for CBF at tpotter@cbf.org. Participants are encouraged to complete NOAA’s MWEE 101 online course prior to the sessions.

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

Project WILD is an interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education curriculum that focuses on wildlife🐇and habitat. The goal of Project WILD is to develop awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment resulting in informed decisions, responsible behavior, and constructive actions concerning wildlife and the environment. In this hands-on workshop participants will be introduced to the curriculum, guided in its use, and shown the resources available to help implement it in their classrooms. Educators will also be given their own copy of the Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide. Register by calling the Park Office at (814) 765-0630. Deadline - April 4. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

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

Growing Up WILD: Exploring Nature with Young Children is an early childhood education activity guide (ages 2-7) that builds on children’s sense of wonder about nature🐻and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them. Through a wide range of activities and experiences, it provides a foundation for developing positive impressions about nature while also building lifelong social and cognitive skills. In this hands-on workshop, including outdoor activities, participants will be introduced to the curriculum, guided in its use, and shown the resources available through Growing Up WILD, Project WILD, and the Bureau of State Parks to help them implement it in their classrooms. Please register and pay by contacting the Park Office at (814) 765-0630. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

In-Person at Olewine Nature Center at Wildwood Park, 100 Wildwood Way, Harrisburg, PA 17110

Pollinating insects 🦋 are vital to our survival! Join educators from DCNR - PA State Parks and Wildwood Park for a fun, interactive and educational workshop on pollinators🐝. Discover the many species of pollinating insects and their crucial role in the food chain for both wildlife 🦇 and people. Explore why we should be concerned about the threats to pollinators and how we can help. Participants will engage in hands-on activities from the Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide, all participants will receive the guide, and more resources. Register NOW. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

In-Person at Gifford Pinchot State Park, 2200 Rosstown Rd., Lewisberry, PA 17339

Fee: FREE! Course costs covered by a NOAA/B-WET 💦grant

Act 48: Successful completion of the course and final project will qualify participants for 27 Act 48 hours. Certified Pennsylvania classroom teachers working in IU13 and IU15 are also eligible for a participation stipend and reimbursement for funds connected to a student action project through a NOAA/B-WET grant.

Do you want to expand your student-centered learning projects to include stewardship and action in your local community? Do you want to learn outside? Join the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and DCNR- PA State Parks for this three-day course that focuses on the management of action projects, from issue identification to project implementation. This course will walk participants through the essential MWEE💦elements and how to connect local resources to their content to create rich learning opportunities outside of their classroom walls while incorporating student voice and managing the process. Portions of the workshop will include stream/lake water investigations and a paddling experience. Participants are asked to complete NOAA's MWEE 101 online course prior to the start of the in-person course. Registration will open in early March. To be added to an alert list to receive an email when registration goes live, complete this Google Form. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

In-Person at Kings Gap Environmental Education Center, 500 Kings Gap Rd., Carlisle, PA 17015

Act 48: Successful completion of the course and final project will qualify participants for 27 Act 48 hours. 

Are you interested in motivating your learners to think outside the box, take risks, and demonstrate their learning through real-world, hands-on, project-based learning that happens within their community? By blending hands-on investigations modeled on professional research methodologies, educators will participate in data collection💦and analysis, community networking and partnerships, stewardship, and service-learning activities—all skills that can be transferred back to the school setting. Join the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) and DCNR- PA State Parks for this three-day institute. Registration will open in early March. To be added to an alert list to receive an email when registration goes live, complete this Google Form. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

Plant 🌿Camp for Teachers!

In-Person at Pymatuning State Park, 15573 Marina Dr., Jamestown, PA 16134

Join professional PA State Park Educators and other partners for a unique educator workshop based at Pymatuning State Park. This is a three-day, hands-on workshop will focus on educators (formal and non-formal) teaching high school students. The workshop will explore a variety of water💦resources in Northwestern Pennsylvania and participants will be immersed in aquatic ecology lab and field experiences. Participants will receive the PA Biodiversity Curriculum & Activity guide and many other resources. Cabin accommodations, transportation to all field trips, and all meals (except for one dinner) will be provided. Cost for the workshop is $75 for each teacher selected to attend. Submit your application to attend NOW. Participants must attend all three days. Questions? Contact Emily Borcz, EES at eborcz@pa.gov or 724-932-3142 ext. 106. All COVID safety protocols will be followed.

Virtual PA KidWind🌪Challenge Educator Workshop

Wind🌪is the fastest growing energy resource in the United States today. In this workshop you will engage in virtual modeling activities that will introduce you to the science behind wind energy while putting easy-to-use tools in your hands. Activities include investigations of turbine blade designs and turbine placement in a wind farm. You will leave this workshop with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to introduce students to wind energy concepts. You can use the activities from the workshop with your students to get them excited about the KidWind Challenge. This workshop is aligned to the PA Science and Technology standards, Engineering Education Standards, and the Next Generation Science Standards. Visit the registration page to apply. Questions? Contact Amber Cesare or call 814-867-1137. 

2022 PA KidWind🌪Challenge

This year Penn State CSATS is going to offer two ways to participate in the Pennsylvania KidWind🌪Challenge! Teams may choose to participate in the virtual challenge, the build and test challenge, or both challenges.

Virtual Challenge: An online simulation-based challenge that is in sync with KidWind's 🌪National Simulation Challenge. CSTAS will cover the first 50 teams of 5 students registration costs! After the first 50 teams, $25 registration fee per team.

Build & Test Challenge: Teams will design and build their own blades from recycled materials and incorporate into a turbine system, including a generator, hub, and possibly a gearbox. Teams will have the opportunity to come test in the KidWind 🌪 tunnel during a scheduled timeslot on the PSU campus on March 30, 2022, or they can submit testing results from their own school's experimental set up. There is no registration fee to participate in the build & test challenge.

Various Placements: Virtual, Penn State University Park, NC State, & Iowa State

Fee: Free to teachers – Participants receive a $5000 stipend for summer work and $1500 stipend for academic year project implementation

Act 48: hours available upon request

CSATS Summer Research Experiences for STEM Teachers Program is a six-week summer research program for middle and high school teachers through Penn State University. Teachers selected for the program will participate in ongoing research projects with researchers and work with CSATS faculty to develop a classroom research project based on their research experience. Visit the registration page to apply. Questions? Contact Matt Johnson or call 814-863-6607. Registration deadline April 17, 2022.

Expanding YIELD in Agriculture🐔Educator Workshop

Fee: Free to teachers or informal educators, Participants receive a $300 stipend

To address the challenge of food production for the world’s increasing population, we need to train our youth in state-of-art technology to satisfy the needs of the agricultural industry. The Expanding Youth Involvement in Exploring Exciting EmpLoyment Directions in Agriculture (Expanding YIE3LD in Ag) professional development workshop allows teachers to explore the agricultural industry through academic research labs and two tours to food & agricultural industries. Visit the registration page to apply. Questions? Contact Tiffany Lewis. Registration deadline April 17, 2022.

Drawing on Nature: Sketching & Observation Skills Webinars 🎨

Part I for Formal & Non-Formal Elementary Educators - Wednesday, February 9, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm EST

Part 2 for Formal & Non-Formal Middle & High School Educators - Wednesday, February 16, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm EST

Act 48: Hours may be available for PA certified teachers

Project WILD and the Federal Junior Duck🦆Stamp program are hosting two hour-long Drawing on Nature webinars which will focus on techniques for developing students’ knowledge and skills in observation, illustration, and nature journaling. In these hands-on sessions, participants will practice illustrating objects from nature. Participants should join the meeting with paper, pencil ✏, an eraser, and colored pencils. A set of watercolor paints is optional. During each webinar, one participant in attendance will be randomly selected to win $100 worth of art supplies🎨from Blick Art Materials. Part 1 will be led by four-time Maine Duck Stamp artist and children's book author/illustrator Rebekah Lowell. Part 2 will be led by wildlife artist, Rebekah Knight.

Forever Chemicals in our Water💧: Threats and Solutions Webinar

Fee: Free, pre-registration required - Register NOW

Speaker: Seetha Coleman-Kammula, Ph.D., co-founder and president of PFAS Solutions

Have you heard of forever chemicals like PFAS and wondered where they come from, and why there is so much concern about them? Join this webinar to learn answers from one of the world’s experts on this insidious pollution threat and the latest technologies for cleaning it up. Webinar provided by Stroud Water Research Center.

NOAA’s Environmental Science Training Center is hosting a series of free virtual workshops for educators this winter.

Fee: Free! Learn more & Register NOW.

Join NOAA for facilitated conversations around each of the NAAEE Community Engagement Guidelines for Excellence, specifically in relation to how organizations can employ these in the context of MWEE programs.

The PAEE Annual Conference is an opportunity to celebrate and grow in the ​fantastic environmental education field in Pennsylvania! Questions? Contact PAEE Administrative Coordinator Stacey Widenhofer at stacey@paee.net.

The Federal Junior Duck 🦆 Stamp Art Contest invites Pennsylvania K-12 students to create a 2-D work of art depicting a native duck, goose, or swan, while learning about the importance of conservation. Entries are judged at the state level (culminating in an awards ceremony with prizes!) with the Best in Show from each state advancing to the national contest.

Contest is FREE to enter! Entries are due by March 15, 2022. Entry forms, drawing paper, and curriculum guides are available for educators! Contact Kelly at Kelly_Quain@fws.gov. Learn more about the federal Jr. Duck Stamp Contest.

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office is announcing the availability of ~$1.35 million in funding for new NOAA Chesapeake Bay-Watershed Education & Training (B-WET) grants through two funding opportunities. Projects supported by these funding opportunities will support school districts efforts to deliver Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) to students, help school districts increase their capacity to facilitate environmental education, and advance statewide environmental literacy initiatives.

Contact Elise Trelegan at elise.trelegan@noaa.gov with any questions or to discuss project ideas. Chesapeake B-WET program; Recently funded education partnerships

Have snow❄ in your area? Looking for a fun and artistic way to spend time outdoors? Take a look at this yard igloo🧊 built by a family in Minnesota. Talk about commitment and creativity!🌈

Even though Phil saw his shadow🖤, it doesn't mean we can't still continue to celebrate Groundhog Day with Outdoor Shadow Activities & Fun Facts on the Get the Kids Outdoors website!

Virtual Women's Intro. to Ice Fishing Program 🎣🧊

Virtual Fee: FREE! Register NOW

Ladies, have you ever wondered what it would be like to ice fish🎣? Now is your opportunity to learn about ice fishing alongside other women! Join PA Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) staff & certified PFBC Fishing Skills Instructors for this FREE, virtual program, designed to introduce women to the basics of ice fishing🐟!

Participants who register and attend the program, will receive a FREE! ice fishing packet, that includes recipes, where to go, ice safety, and more via email. Thanks to Wellsboro Tackle Shack for their continued support of PFBC's Intro to Ice Fishing programs!

Before heading out to recreate at a PA State Park this winter❄, check winter conditions using the State Parks Winter❄Report

The commonwealth is joining a number of states putting a focus on the connections between having fun outdoors, the health of people and communities, and the outdoor industry. To learn more check out this Good Natured article.

Book your virtual, in-person programs, and field experiences with PA State Park Education staff 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.

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.