FieldSTEM in Action
Skykomish School District Forest Education Kickoff
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It’s a late summer morning, right in that weather sweet spot when there’s a chill early in the day but it’s comfortable by lunch time. You sip a hot cup of coffee as you walk across a river, listening to the water as it flows over smooth, round rocks. As you arrive at a trail, you take in the towering trees overhead, wondering what types of trees they are and how long they’ve been there. A few minutes into your walk, you notice a frog tucked into the contours of a tree trunk. Careful not to disturb it, you snap a quick photo and move along.
This may not sound like a scene from a teacher workshop, but that’s exactly what it was.
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Dual Language Program
Woodard Bay Interpretive Walk a Hit in Both Spanish and English
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On August 24, PEI Regional Coordinators Lara Tukarski, Daniel Cuevas, and Molly Griffiths set up activity tables in preparation to receive enthusiastic participants during the Woodard Bay Bilingual Interpretive Walk at Woodard Bay Natural Conservation Area in Lacey, Washington. The team hosted families from North Thurston Public Schools as well as the Olympia, Tumwater and Shelton school districts at stations featuring leaf print art, sea birds’ natural history and observation of live plankton under a microscope.
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Special Event
Registration Closing Soon! 2023 FieldSTEM Celebration
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You're Invited!
Join us at the 2023 FieldSTEM Celebration on October 6th! The event is expanding. In addition to honoring the FieldSTEM Teacher of the Year, School of the Year, District of the Year, Community Partner of the Year, Legislators of the Year and Legacy Honoree, the event will include dinner, a silent auction and a live performance by Sturgeon Moon, an 8-piece band from Olympia! You won't want to miss it. Get your tickets here.
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Special Event
Sneak Peek: FieldSTEM Honorees
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FieldSTEM School of the Year: South Whidbey Elementary
South Whidbey Elementary School (SWES) is a “Farm, Forest and Sea” focused school - integrating our Field STEM learning with the local farms, forests and the Salish Sea surrounding South Whidbey. Principal Susie Richards brings a 30-year background as a formal and informal environmental educator with passion for outdoor inquiry based education for all students. SWES is fortunate to have had the amazing support of Molly Griffiths from PEI, as well as outstanding educators who have led this work - including Caris Tucker, Andrea Mitchell, Lori O’Brien, Andi Kopit and Terry Welch.
FieldSTEM Legacy Award: Nancy Skerritt
Nancy Skerritt has devoted fifty-plus years to her career in education. She worked as a middle school and high school counselor, a secondary language arts teacher, curriculum director, staff developer, author, and assistant superintendent for teaching and learning. She has taught numerous workshops locally and nationally in integrated curriculum, thinking skills, ELA standards, performance assessments, and Habits of Mind. Her work with sustainability education began in partnership with the Washington Forest Protection Association in the mid-nineties and then with PEI. She helped to author many curriculum units and performance assessments that taught students about environmental issues, actions they can take to remedy problems, and the importance of sustainability. These units were built on the commitment to outdoor learning experiences and meaningful field investigations. Nancy is thankful for the many people she has worked with over the course of her career: teachers, students, para-educators, administrators, and others.
FieldSTEM Teacher of the Year: Jordan Duncan, Orin C. Smith Elementary School, Chehalis
In his own words: When I think back to the most memorable times of elementary school, I remember the “solar oven” we built to make s'mores in third grade, the smokehouse we were able to crawl through in fourth grade, and of course - the field trips! With COVID the past few years, and budgets getting tighter, our focus this year was to bring field trips, or field experiences, to the school. In working with Sierra Pacific, Pacific Education Institute, WA Department of Natural Resources, the Lewis County Conservation District, and WA State Parks, we were able to bring experiences to the students in many cases, or found funding for transportation and ranger programs from local community-oriented organizations. Our pilot of the phenomena, “Why is Washington State having more wildfires?” really lit a spark for our students in learning about forest management and our changing climate.
FieldSTEM Legislator of the Year: Sen. Shelly Short (R-7th Leg. District)
Sen. Shelly Short, R-Addy, represents the 7th Legislative District in the state Senate, covering all or part of seven counties in north-central and northeast Washington. Elected to the state House in 2008, Shelly moved to the Senate in 2017. She is floor leader for the Senate Republican Caucus, coordinating motions and tactics for her team during Senate floor debate.
Natural resources, energy and agriculture are top issues for Sen. Short and the people of her sprawling rural district, largest in the state. She is a member of the Senate committee on Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources and Parks, as well as the Senate’s Environment, Energy and Technology Committee. Shelly sees FieldSTEM programs as a way to extend hands-on outdoor learning opportunities in applied sciences to students in all corners of the state.
Learn more about these and other honorees at the FieldSTEM Celebration on October 6th!
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Tools & Tips for Teachers
Paper Craft Ideas for Hispanic Heritage Month
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Make your own art, games, and instruments using recycled paper and cardboard!
Use these fun, hands-on kids craft ideas to highlight the diversity and beauty of Hispanic culture around the world and celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month and Latino Conservation Week.
Source: Project Learning Tree
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| Date |
Workshop |
Location |
| October 3/17 |
Designing High-Impact Field Experiences |
Statewide |
| October 11 |
Nature Journaling |
Statewide |
| October 19* |
Explore our Changing Climate with Children’s Literature |
E. Sound North, E. Sound South |
| October 24-27 |
Outdoor Schools Washington: Residential Outdoor Experiences Learning Program |
Statewide |
| January 25 & 26 |
Environmental & Sustainability Literacy Student Science Summit |
Statewide |
*Part of a series
Visit our calendar for more information.
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With Gratitude
Thank you to last month’s donors and funders!
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Bill Monahan
Gareth Waugh
John Ison
Lisa Perry
Nancy Skerritt
OSPI
Puget Sound Energy
Susan Kurtz
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