Pacific Education Institute

Get Wild with WDFW! State of Salmon
2026-01-22 16:15 - 18:00, 2026-01-21 16:15 - 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Get WILD with WDFW’s State of Salmon Unit!
Virtual Workshop + 3rd Grade Science Unit
What’s going on with salmon in Washington state? In this interactive, NGSS-aligned unit, students become environmental problem solvers and solution seekers!
(Unit resources available in both English and Spanish)
Pair it with your salmon or trout-in-the-classroom program to bring lifecycles and local habitats to life!
Jump on in – and we can all become Salmonid Superheroes!
See Registration Page for Full Details – https://www.tfaforms.com/5201415
This is a live online ZOOM workshop, not a recording.
A solid internet connection is encouraged.
Attendance on both days is required to be eligible for clock hours.
Partial hours are not offered.
Please note: While this curriculum is designed for 3rd grade, the Science and Engineering Practices and Crosscutting Concepts work in the 3rd-5th grade band.
Questions about Content or the workshops – please email Megan Rivard, MRivard@pacificeducationinstitute.org

Taking Learning Outside 2025-26 Courses
2026-01-21 16:30 - 18:30, 2025-12-09 16:30 - 18:30
Welcome Educators
Discover how to turn your schoolyard into a dynamic space for curiosity, connection, and hands-on learning. Taking Learning Outside is a year-long professional learning series designed to help educators integrate outdoor experiences into everyday instruction. Each session explores practical ways to teach science, stewardship, and sustainability through topics such as birds, native plants, school gardens, and urban tree canopy.
Over the 2025-26 academic year, the Taking Learning Outside Series offers multiple sessions (both in-person and online) that cover a wide range of topics and grade levels. In-person sessions will happen at various locations across SW Washington. Sign up for one session, or sign up for multiple!
All sessions are free to register and offer STEM Clock Hours upon completion.
The Taking Learning Outside Series is a partnership of the Lower Columbia Nature Network, Pacific Education Institute, Lower Columbia School Gardens, Master Gardener Program at Washington State University Extension, Washington Science Teachers Association, and ESD 112.
Please see the details for each course offered and follow the appropriate registration links.

Dates of courses available:

12/9/25
1/21/26
2/26/26
3/10/26
4/22/26
5/21/26

FieldSTEM Implementation with Summit Valley SD
2026-01-21 12:00 - 15:00
Pacific Education Institute (PEI) is thrilled to be returning to your district team for a facilitated planning session for FieldSTEM implementation in the 2025-26 school year!
FieldSTEM® supports teachers and districts in embedding locally relevant environmental and community contexts into K–12 learning.
The model integrates:
-NGSS-aligned science instruction
-Outdoor and field-based learning experiences
-Career-connected learning and local workforce relevance
-Cross-disciplinary literacy and math practices
-Community partnerships
Please come with at least one potential community partner in mind who could support your students’ exploration of a topic/theme important to the Addy region (perhaps an individual/group you connected with for fall 2025 field trips). Where in your scope and sequence does it feel most exciting (and accessible) to localize an activity or lesson? With a little creativity and some district team brainstorming, we hope you leave this session with an actionable FieldSTEM implementation plan. I will continue to be support for you all in this collaboration!
This opportunity is only open to Educators in Summit Valley SD. Registration is not open to everyone. If you believe you should have been invited, please contact us, info@pacificeducationinstitute.org
If you are interested in having an event like this with your School or District, please reach out to us, info@pacificeducationinstitute.org. We look forward to working with you!

Honoring the Waters: Tribal Sovereignty, Salmon Recovery, and Co-Management in WA
2025-08-12 09:30 - 14:30
Live In-Person Workshop
Honoring the Waters:
Tribal Sovereignty, Salmon Recovery, and Co-Management in WA
Tuesday, August 12th – Starts @9:30AM – Olympia, WA
This workshop will engage teachers with salmon recovery efforts in Washington state through the lens of co management. Teachers will explore PEI resources for teaching about salmon, wetlands, and habitat restoration and view the documentary Fish Wars. Guest presenters will share diverse perspectives about fishery comanagement both from a historical and modern context. Snacks and lunch will be provided.
This workshop will engage teachers with fishery co management, the documentary Fish Wars, resources and curriculum to support teaching about salmon, wetlands, and the Salish Sea.
Registration is currently Full – You may sign up for the waitlist here – https://www.tfaforms.com/5184278
5 STEM Clock hours for Formal Educators who complete the workshop

Braiding Sweetgrass 2025 Book Study
2025-05-27 16:30 - 18:00, 2025-05-06 16:30 - 18:00, 2025-04-15 16:30 - 18:00, 2025-03-18 16:30 - 18:00, 2025-02-25 16:30 - 18:00
Braiding Sweetgrass 2025 Book Study
Welcome Washington Formal K-12 Educators!
Join PEI for a book study designed for K-12 teachers interested in reading and discussing the book “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants” by Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer. Beginning February 25th, each monthly book study session will include an asynchronous exercise and guided community discussion time via Zoom. Teachers will reflect on the applications of the book to their teaching practice and make progress towards meaningful integration of Indigenous ways of knowing into their teaching content.
Sessions will be held online, ZOOM, Tuesdays, 4:30PM to 6PM
Please join us; 2/25, 3/18, 4/15, 5/06, and 5/27
Earn – 15 WA State Approved Clock hours

You must attend all sessions and complete the assigned activities to earn clock hours. Partial clock hours are not available.

This Event is at Max Capacity. Registration is closed. We hope to see you at another workshop with us soon.

Please sign up for our mailing list or reach out to your Regional FieldSTEM coordinator to get information on the next Book Study or Workshop. If you have not connected with your Regional FieldSTEM Coordinator, please go here.

Building Observation Skills with Nature Journaling
2025-03-18 16:30 - 18:00, 2025-02-18 16:30 - 18:00, 2025-01-21 16:30 - 18:00, 2024-12-17 16:30 - 18:00, 2024-11-19 16:30 - 18:00, 2024-10-15 16:30 - 18:00
Join Pacific Education Institute for this virtual six-part workshop series focusing on bringing nature journaling to your classroom! Educators who attend all six sessions will receive 14 STEM Clock Hours at the end of the series and receive a nature journaling kit before the workshop begins.

This is a Multi Day Workshop : Oct 15, Nov 19, Dec 17, Jan 21, Feb 18, March 18
Time for each workshop: 4:30 – 6:00 PM

This event is not open to the public. If you are interested in having a workshop like this, please reach out to your Regional FieldSTEM Coordinator. If you are unsure who your coordinator is, please go HERE.

FieldSTEM Implementation for School and District Leadership
2024-12-11 09:00 - 12:00
Join Us for a Strategic FieldSTEM Action Planning Session!
Wednesday December 11th – 9am to 12pm

We invite school and district leadership teams to participate in a collaborative, in-person event designed to support the development of your 2025-2026 FieldSTEM implementation plans. This session will provide an opportunity for your leadership team to:
– Meet with your regional coordinator
– Deepen your understanding of the core beliefs of FieldSTEM
– Assess current progress along the FieldSTEM continuum
– Celebrate successes and identify growth areas
– Develop a comprehensive action plan for the upcoming school year
This session is an essential step in ensuring a cohesive, forward-thinking approach to FieldSTEM across your school or district. Bring your full leadership team, including all individuals responsible for FieldSTEM implementation, and leave with a clear plan to elevate FieldSTEM in your community.

This event is not open to the public. If you are interested in having a workshop like this, please reach out to your Regional FieldSTEM Coordinator. If you are unsure who your coordinator is, please go HERE.

Get Wild with WDFW: Green Crab Alert
2024-10-05 09:00 - 12:00
Prepare yourselves for a thrilling adventure into the world of the European green crab, the most notorious invader of our estuaries! This is no ordinary training session—it’s a journey into the unknown, where danger lurks beneath the waves and heroes are made in the classroom.
In this unit, students will:
Uncover the threat of European green crabs.
Explore the mysterious estuary and its inhabitants.
Predict the impact on the estuary food web.
Simulate the effects of these invaders.
Evaluate control methods in Washington state.
This mini unit can stand alone or supplement OpenSci Ed unit 7.5. Designed for easy implementation.
This workshop is open to all K-12 Educators. The material is designed for grades 6-8.
Click HERE to register!

Explore the Salish Sea: Migrations!
2024-09-28 09:00 - 15:30
Join Pacific Education Institute (PEI) and Skagit Watershed Council (SWC) for this FREE, one-day workshop focused on meaningful Salish Sea education for 3-8th grade educators. As part of this in-person professional learning experience, participants will assess the health of a local stream, learn from a Coast Salish Knowledge Sharer, and forge new community partnerships to nurture inclusive and locally relevant instructional practices.
Collaboration and planning time with grade level colleagues will be an integral part of this experience to directly support the design of meaningful field-based education for 3-8th grade students.
-Integrate stream ecology, Salish Sea animal migration topics, Explore the Salish Sea curriculum, and career-connected learning into your instructional practice
-Learn to be a more culturally responsive teacher and engage the concept of “Two Eyed Seeing”
-Participate in outdoor, field-based science
Date: Saturday, 28 September 2024
Time: 9am – 3:30pm
Location: Skagit County, Washington (in-person event)
Cost: FREE
6 STEM clock hours
Free Explore the Salish Sea curriculum!
Refreshments and snacks provided; please bring a packed lunch
Thank you to Skagit Valley College and Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Association for their support!
Register HERE

Engaging Communities in Climate Education: Forestry & Carbon Sequestration
2024-08-14 09:00 - 15:00, 2024-08-13 09:00 - 16:00, 2024-08-12 15:00 - 19:00
Engaging Communities in Climate Education: Forestry & Carbon Sequestration
8/12 : 3-7pm * 8/13 : 9am-4pm * 8/14 : 9am-3pm
Join Pacific Education Institute and our ClimeTime partners at Nature Bridge in Olympic National Park to learn more about teaching climate science through the lenses of forestry and carbon sequestration. This three day workshop will include a forestry tour, a panel discussion on carbon sequestration, and opportunities to learn about climate resources you can use in your classroom.
Teachers who attend all three days will receive:
– 14 STEM clock hours
– A selection of teaching materials and tools to use in their classroom
– An opportunity to receive an implementation stipend post-workshop
This workshop is FREE to attend for K-12 educators! Your credit card information will be collected, but participants will only be charged if you fail to attend without notification.
Register Here!

Engaging Communities in Forest Education: The Forests of Western Washington
2024-08-14 08:00 - 15:30, 2024-08-13 09:00 - 15:30
Engaging Communities in Forest Education:
The Forests of Western Washington
8/13 : 9am – 3:30pm & 8/14 : 8am – 3:30pm
Forests are an integral part of our lives in the Pacific Northwest. Join Pacific Education Institute, Mason Conservation District, and the Washington Tree Farm Program this summer for a FREE workshop for Washington K-12 educators from Mason and Grays Harbor Counties. As part of this two-day, immersive professional learning experience, you will develop a deeper understanding of forest resource science and management, learn from forestry professionals, and prepare to bring forest education to life in the classroom. Lunch and snacks will be provided both days.

Registration for this event is not open to the public. If you are interested in an event like this for your school or district, please reach out to your FieldSTEM Coordinator.

Tribes and Climate Change: Protecting the Circle
2024-08-06 08:00 - 17:00, 2024-08-05 08:00 - 17:00
Tribes and Climate Change:
Protecting the Circle
August 5th & 6th
What are the impacts? What is the response? Learn from some of the greatest tribal leaders from across the state. Discover a new curriculum, video interviews and a new documentary, all intended to support your efforts to introduce your students to the tribal perspectives on the existential challenge of climate change and related environmental and historical issues.

This workshop will introduce you to tribal culture, natural resource management and concerns/responses to climate change, as presented in the new curriculum, “Tribes and Climate Change.” There is no charge for this workshop. Lodging will be provided at the Tulalip Hotel the night of August 5. Some meals will be provided. Some limited funds may be available for those who require mileage reimbursement.

Registration for this event is closed due to limited capacity. Please check our calendar for other events.

Advanced Field Investigations 102
2024-05-21 16:00 - 18:00
Advanced Field Investigations 102
Tuesdays 4/30 & 5/21 from 4-6 PM

Welcome Washington K-12 Formal Educators

Expand meaningful outdoor learning with PEI’s Advanced Field Investigations 102 workshop, building on our foundational 101 session in this enriching two-part virtual series.
Discover ways our NGSS-aligned Field Investigations guide can be used to hone phenomena observation, data collection, and data communication with students. Connect with fellow educators and a community partner dedicated to advancing field-based education, exploring wildfire impact in Washington state as an example of how place-based connections can engage students in relevant learning experiences.
You won’t want to miss this dynamic professional learning opportunity to empower your students as stewards of the environment.

6 WA STEM Clock Hours will be offered to participants who attend both sessions on April 30th and May 21st from 4:00 to 6:00 PM and complete all asynchronous work.
A $75.00 stipend will also be available to participants who complete the optional advanced planning assignment.

Registration is first come, first served to our first 25 participants—reserve your spot now!

Solutions Oriented Learning Storylines: Food Waste (asynchronous)
2024-05-14 08:00 - 17:00
Solutions Oriented Learning Storylines: Food Waste (asynchronous) with ESD 105
The asynchronous course opens May 22 and closes Jun 16
Join Pacific Education Institute (PEI) and ESD 105 to take a deep dive into food waste in Washington state. Participants will learn about the Solutions Oriented Learning Storyline format, which includes: Indigenous connections, local anchoring phenomena, culturally responsive practices, NGSS three-dimensional student growth measures, and a solutions-oriented approach to drawing down greenhouse gases with opportunities to elevate student voices in their communities.
This workshop is an asynchronous course that includes seven self-paced modules on Google Classroom, and access to a PEI Regional FieldSTEM Coordinator for help during the course. Formal Educators who complete the course may earn 6 STEM Clock Hours.
*Teachers within the ESD 105 coverage region can earn entry in a raffle for a BRAND NEW tabletop composter upon completion of the course!*
Registration Closes 6/3/24 – Register Now

Getting WILD with PLT in Neah Bay
2024-05-04 09:00 - 14:30
Getting WILD with PLT in Neah Bay
5/4/2024 – 9AM to 2:30 PM

Are you looking for ways to further engage your students around forestry and conservation education? Well, look no further! Join Pacific Education Institute on May 4th for a fun-filled day of learning outdoors using Project WILD and Project Learning Tree lessons.
Attendees who attend the entire session from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM will receive a free Project WILD guide and five free STEM clock hours.

**This is a private event for Neah Bay educators. If you are interested in finding out more about this event and possibly having PEI bring this type of workshop to your school, please contact your Regional FieldSTEM Coordinator. If you are unsure who that is, please go here.**
