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Employees at Olympia School District’s central office would have seen an unusual sight if they looked out their windows on December 11th: a group of middle school teachers repeatedly walking around the building, looking up and down, as they attempted to determine how stormwater flowed from the roof

Setting up a salmon tank in your classroom is intimidating, especially for teachers who have never done it before. The assembly process alone is daunting, not to mention the required care and maintenance that follow – and that’s before any consideration of integrating curriculum.  But what if an

Visitors to PEI’s table at the Washington Science Teachers Association (WSTA)/ E3 Washington conference in October were inspired to explore free resources and experiment with a hands-on activity. Many tried a mock quadrat survey of two sageland areas, one with cheatgrass and one without. “Participants loved the idea

The benefits of nature journaling are well-documented. They include sharpened observation skills, stress relief, increased creativity, a near-meditative state that increases focus, and an ability to track seasonal changes and behaviors over time.  As a long-time nature journalist, writer, and facilitator, Julie Tennis is well aware of those

As 2024 winds down, we are celebrating the ongoing transformation of education in our state and the role we get to play. Thank you for being part of our community and understanding the value of education that doesn’t just teach content but transforms students’ lives. Highlights of our work

The pigeon guillemot took center stage at the October Outdoor School Washington (OSWA) training on Whidbey Island. Described by The Cornell Lab as ‘an attractive auk with velvety dark brown plumage,’ the bird was celebrated in dance, drawing, and skits.  “Throughout the week, the pigeon guillemot kept getting

Since Time Immemorial tribal sovereignty curriculum (STI) has been mandated in Washington State schools since 2015, but many Career and Technical Education (CTE) directors still feel intimidated about where to begin the integration process, especially if they don’t already have relationships with local tribes.  In October, the Office

For every teacher who felt daunted by the sheer volume of resources and training opportunities PEI offers during November’s introductory workshop series, a seasoned veteran was there to talk about how they use PEI materials and the difference they make.  “While some new people were thinking, ‘Wow, this

Take a moment and look around your house. How many products would you estimate include some kind of tree product? Odds are that shampoo and windshields are not on your bingo card, but they are indeed made of wood products, as a group of educators at a K-8