Educator Workshops


The Central Platte NRD has scholarship money available for teachers.  The educator workshops below qualify for these scholarships.  Contact Marcia Lee at (308) 385-6282 for more information.

  Project Learning Tree (PLT) and Project WET

 For the next workshop date contact: Brooke Levey or Marcy Pummill at 402/472-1478   blevey1@unl.edu or mpummill2@unl.edu  

 


Healthy Water, Healthy People Workshop
for educators of grades 6-12

Dates: June 19-21, 2007         Registration Deadline is May 14, 2007
Lied Lodge and Conference Center, Nebraska City
Click Here for Brochure

Healthy Water, Healthy People offers innovative, easy-to-use materials designed to make complex water quality concepts understandable and relevant for both teachers and students.  The testing kits and publications were developed by teachers working with water quality experts and appeal to beginning and advanced educators alike.  Twenty-five hands-on, science-based activities are cross-referenced to the testing kits, testing kit manual, Web sites, and National Science Education Standards for grades 6-12.  Inquiry-based investigations promote individual understanding and integration of water quality principles.

Cost:  FREE!  Funding is provided by the Nebraska Environmental Trust.  (However, we are asking for a $30 check to hold your registration, upon completion of the workshop, your check will be returned to you.)

For more information contact: Brooke Levey at 402.472.1478 or blevey1@unl.edu   or visit website at www.healthywater.org


Leopold Education Project Workshops-Striving for a Land Ethic

June 4 & 5 2007   Time: 9:00am – 3:30pm     Place: Papio-Missouri River NRD, Omaha, Nebraska   Cost $50.00
June 27 & 28,
2007
 Time: 8:00am – 5:00pm     Place: St. Paul City Library, St. Paul,  Nebraska    Cost $100.00
July 14, 2007         Time: 9:00am – 3:00pm     Place: Sullivan Hills Camp, near Lodgepole, Nebraska  Cost $30.00

Educator Workshop   In this environmental education workshop, hands-on participation in a number of Leopold Education Project (LEP) activities will provide basic but highly useful information in Nebraska natural history and conservation ethics, preparing educators to successfully and efficiently use curriculum materials with students. Each participant receives lunch, the LEP Teacher’s Guide, A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold, and many additional supplemental materials. 

What topics will we cover?  This fast-paced, fun and fact-filled workshop will leave you laughing as you dive into the mating rituals of our native birds, fascinated as you study tracking and “reading the landscape,” inspired as you read and contemplate the words of Leopold, and confident in activities designed to help you lead your classroom outdoors.  These activities, correlated to Nebraska State Education Standards, cover plant, bird, and track identification, habitat studies, ecological relationships and more; they will also change your way of teaching the natural sciences – understanding becomes real when students can see, touch and experience the natural world around them.

 What is LEP?  The Leopold Education Project is an innovative, interdisciplinary education program based on Aldo Leopold’s classic writings in his book A Sand County Almanac.  Through reading about Leopold’s recorded discoveries and participating in meaningful hands-on activities, students are provided with opportunities to increase their appreciation for the land and to expand their ecological awareness.

 Who Should Attend?  5-12 grade educators (science, language arts, math, art, history), non-formal educators, natural resource professionals, 4-H and Scout leaders, conservation leaders and anyone interested in learning more about fostering a relationship between our youth and the natural world.  This is a great project for schools with outdoor classrooms or habitat sites, but they are not necessary – lessons can be taught in any outdoor area/playground. 

To register/receive more information, please mail or email the information to: Christine Jacobsen, Nebraska LEP State Coordinator:
8901 S. 154 Street, Omaha, NE 68138*  402-444-6222 #213   *   cjacobsen@papionrd.org

 Name __________________________________  Home Address____________________________________

City ________________________________            St ______   Zip______________ 

Home Phone____________________________________ E-Mail ___________________________________

Affiliation/School/Major______________________________Grade(s)/Subject(s)______________


Educator of the Year Award

Do you know an educator who has excelled in teaching a natural resources program?  The NRD would like to help you recognize these professionals by submitting an award nomination to the Nebraska Association of Resources District.

Purpose & Eligibility:  The purpose of the Natural Resources Educator of the Year contest is to recognize the outstanding Natural Resource education efforts in our state. Elementary (grades K-6) & secondary (grades 7-12) educators will be recognized in separate categories on national, state and local levels by their local NRD, the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts, and the National Association of Conservation Districts. All teachers in public, parochial and private schools in Nebraska may participate.

To be Eligible:  Educators must be teaching full-time in the classroom and be personally responsible for developing a natural resources education program.  Team teachers are eligible, but awards will only be made to the designated leader. Educators may only receive this award once every 10 years.  Entries may be resubmitted the following year if they do not win.

Criteria:  Information must be provided to NRD by May 20, 2007.

*Description of natural resources program for involving students in the betterment of natural resources.

*Areas of study incorporated in program, assistance received from community organizations or resource specialists.

*Documentation on how students have applied their knowledge of natural resource conservation to community projects.

          To request an application contact: Marcia Lee, lee@cpnrd.org or   Call: (308) 385-6282

The NRD will assist in typing up and submitting the application if information is provided!


EDUCATOR WORKSHOP 
Are you looking for ways to incorporate the local environment and agriculture into your programs and curricula? Are you looking for ways to get your students out of the classroom?

 Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, South Central Nebraska Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council and 
Nebraska Food, Land and People Coalition
 

Project WILD provides interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education curriculum and materials that focus on wildlife.  Project WILD programs and materials assist learners of all ages to develop the awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment to act responsibly in matters concerning wildlife.  Project WILD is correlated to the National Science Standards and can be used in schools, nature center, camp, and Scout programs, in zoos and many other settings.  For more information about Project WILD go to: http://www.nebraskaprojectwild.org  

 Project Food, Land & People promotes approaches to learning to help people better understand the interrelationships among agriculture, the environment and people of the world.  Resources for Learning, produced by Project Food, Land & People (FLP) is a collection of 55 Pre-K through 12th grade lesson plans for use in either a formal or non-formal education setting. All 55 FLP lessons have been correlated to Nebraska Education Standards.  Learn more about FLP at: http://www.foodlandpeople.org/

 This workshop will:  introduce local educators to the region’s surrounding landscape for learning about wildlife, wildlife conservation issues, wildlife management, interrelationships between local agriculture and the environment; link biologists and resources professionals to educators; and demonstrate related hands-on learning activities in the classroom and field.  Workshops are open to anyone interested in environmental and agricultural education.  Registration fee for the workshop is $30.00 per person which includes all meals, snacks, and field trips. 

Participants receive Project WILD and Food, Land and People curriculum guides and other educational materials.  One hour of college credit will be available from Chadron State College.  For the next workshop date, contact Randal Gunn at South Central Nebraska RC&D at 402-845-6678 or e-mail: randal.gunn@ne.usda.gov

**THE NRD HAS SCHOLARSHIP MONEY AVAILABLE.  CONTACT MARCIA LEE FOR SCHOLARSHIP $$  


LINKS

Project Learning Tree Website: www.plt.org

Healthy Water, Healthy People: www.healthywater.org
(Sponsored by Project WET and the Hach Scientific Foundation)

Leopold Education Website: www.lep.org

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