Teacher Workshops   Discovery Boxes  EE Links

Check back here next spring for more Summer 2010 workshops!

Earth Partnership for Schools Summer Institute, June 7 - 11, 2010

The Dyck Arboretum of the Plains, in Hesston, Kansas, is inviting K-12 teachers to apply for the 2010 Earth Partnership for Schools (EPS) Program. The program begins with a one-week institute, June 7-11, 2010 in which school teams of 2-4 teachers/staff are trained in prairie restoration. Learn about prairie cultural and natural history while doing hands-on curricular activities.

This 40-hour Summer Institute shows teachers how to restore a native habitat garden on school grounds and teaches a broad range of subject matter. The EPS teacher professional development model has been proven effective in increasing teacher collaboration and improving student learning. While focusing on ecology, native habitat gardening also incorporates subjects such as mathematics, history, science, social studies, language arts, art, and music. EPS works with schools restoring schoolyard habitats and improving K-12 education by engaging students in hands-on/minds-on learning.

EPS offers teachers substantial support, training, a well-developed curriculum that corresponds to
state standards, and expertise to create a native habitat garden with students on school grounds.

Attend the Institute and receive:
- Three Friends University graduate credits
- An extensive, easy-to-use curriculum
- Professional, on-site consultation by Arboretum staff
- Ongoing curriculum development support to participating schools
- Guidance and leadership for a prairie field trip
- School-wide in-service opportunity
- Assistance with acquiring funds for plants

For more information, contact: Brad Guhr, Kansas EPS Coordinator at 620-327-8127 or bradg@hesston.edu

DISCOVERY BOXES

Discovery Boxes are available for check-out within the Wichita area.   Each box is full of printed and hands-on materials.  Boxes are checked out for two weeks.  (Exception:  The Kansas Box may only be checked out for one week in the month of January.)  Call 683-5499 to make a reservation.

If you want to know what is in each box, you may download the contents checklists by using the links next to each title. (On a Windows system, download the file by right-clicking on the link and choose "Save Target As" to save it to your hard drive, then open it from there.)  Some titles have duplicates.  The lists are slightly different for each one.

Boxes available are:

Check out the links to Environmental Education web sites below!

RESOURCES AND WEB LINKS

Connie Leger, a Naturalist at the Great Plains Nature Center, is a facilitator for Project Learning Tree, Project Wild and Project WET (see below).   If you are located in the Wichita area and are interested in attending a training workshop for one of these programs contact her by email Connie@gpnc.org or phone (316) 683-5499 x107.

Project Learning Tree
- A multi-disciplinary Environmental Education program, focusing on plants and trees in particular as aids in environmental education.

Project WILD and WILD Aquatic
- Companion programs to Project Learning Tree, focusing on wildlife.

Project WET
- This program focuses on aquatic habitats.

Leopold Educational Project
- The Leopold Education Project is an interdisciplinary conservation curriculum based on the classic writings of renowned conservationist, Aldo Leopold.

The State coordinator for PLT, WILD, WET and LEP in Kansas is:
Melissa Arthur
Education Programs & Outreach Director
Kansas Association for Conservation & Environmental Education (KACEE)
Phone: (785) 597-5452
Email: marthur@kacee.org

Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE)
- hosts an annual training workshop in the fall.  Wide membership from government, the private sector and the E.E. community.
Write:   KACEE, 2610 Claflin Rd., Manhattan KS 66502-2743
Call:   (785) 532-3322
Fax:  (785) 532-3305
Email: Laura Downey ldowney@kacee.org

Kansas Association of Teachers of Science (KATS)
- Hosts an annual training workshop in the spring.  It is a state chapter of the National Science Teachers Association.
Check the website for current contact information.

Kansas Association of Biological Teachers (KABT)
-  Fall meeting, spring field trip, Internet listserve, newsletter, regional workshops & seminars and The Kansas Biology Teacher journal.
Check the website for current contact information.

National Association for Interpretation
- The professional organization for the interpretive field. 
The web site for the regional section (Region 6) for the southern Great Plains area may be reached by clicking here.

E E Link
- A website devoted to environmental education links on the internet. 
It is maintained by the North American Association for Environmental Education, with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has an online listing of EE resources.

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Last revision: 12/22/2009

Questions or comments?  Send Email to Jim Mason
Or write us at: 
Great Plains Nature Center
6232 E. 29th Street North
Wichita, KS 67220-2200             Call:  316-683-5499            Fax:  316-688-9555