A common perception among educators is that taking instruction outdoors will lead to increased behavior issues and challenges with classroom management. In addition, many educators are not comfortable in nature. These fears actively prevent teachers, even those who understand the value of outdoor education, from taking learning beyond
In collaboration with Pacific Shellfish Institute (PSI), South Sound Bird Alliance and Olympia Community Sailing (OCS), PEI hosted a bilingual community engagement event on June 4. The goal was to increase community engagement among Latino Heritage communities and the general public with local watersheds. Approximately 50 community members
In 2023, the City of Spokane received a USDA USFS Urban Forestry grant aimed at expanding tree canopy, with a goal of reaching 30% coverage city-wide by 2030. The focus is on planting in low-canopy neighborhoods and maintaining existing trees. As part of this initiative, Urban Forestry is
California has one. So does Virginia. But when Sageview High School science teacher Amanda Helland went looking for a Career and Technical Education (CTE) framework for teaching Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Washington State, she came up empty. “GIS has always been embedded into other courses,” says Helland,
Teachers attending a Youth Engaged in Sustainable Systems (YESS) program workshop in May had an energizing start to their first day when an Emmy Award-winning geologist provided the keynote address. Central Washington University professor Nick Zentner, host of the ‘Nick on the Rocks’ PBS-TV geology series, provided a
Tricia Goode has heard the message before: find community partners to supplement your classroom instruction. Often, it comes with no practical tips on where to look or how to get started. Fortunately, during a Forest as a Classroom Workshop in Yacolt Burn Forest this May, she found herself
Megan Klinich has attended multiple professional development workshops where participants debated the merits of teaching about forestry. As an Advanced Placement Environmental Science teacher in the process of creating a forestry course from scratch, she found those discussions counterproductive; she already knew the relevance of this critical industry
Hannah Gomes and Emma Sweazy are just freshmen at Onalaska High School, but they’ve already presented at a statewide conference, sharing their experience as part of the school’s aquaculture & fisheries Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. “We want more people to know that this program is a
The word ‘engagement’ is right there in the title of Youth Engaged in Sustainable Systems (YESS). Students who participate in YESS contribute to their local watersheds, forests and marine ecosystems through three to six weeks of project work, guided by industry professionals. In March, students from four YESS
At its best, professional development doesn’t just introduce content, it inspires teachers while providing them with clear strategies and resources they can use right away. Even better, it includes potential avenues for student civic engagement. That’s what middle school teacher Kate Schrock took away from a March workshop
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