DEQ - Environmental Education Events

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

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Environmental Education Events

The Department of Environmental Quality is committed to sharing information about special dates,upcoming events, conferences and training related to Environmental Education. This page is regularly updated so be sure to check it often.

Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support (MEECS) Calendar


Date/Location	Event Information

November 2011 to May 2012 Royal Oak, MI	Humane Partners Professional Development Series The Detroit Zoo will hold Humane Partners workshops once a month throughout the school year. The workshops will focus on Humane Education topics and how teachers can integrate them into their own curriculum. Attendees will receive animal welfare and environmental stewardship materials, activities, and resources for their classrooms. Attendees will also complete one humane education project with their class, assisted by the Zoo's Human Education Specialist. The workshops, held on the second Thurday of the month, will take place from 4:40 pm to 6:30 pm and cost $50 each. Call 248-541-5717, ext. 3800 to register. For more information, send an email to education@detroitzoo.org.

February 10, 2012 Royal Oak, MI	Project WILD and Project Aquatic Project WILD and Project Aquatic are designed to supplement science, social studies, language arts, math, art, music and physical education curriculum. These one-day workshops will demonstrate how to easily incorporate Project Wild and Project Aquatic into classroom curriculums through hands-on activities. Each participant will receive the Project WILD and Project Aquatic texts. Project WILD costs $40 and will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Project Aquatic costs $40 and will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Attend both events for only $60. Lunch will be provided to all-day attendees. Call 248-541-5717 ext. 3800 to register. For more information, email education@detroitzoo.org. SB-CEUs will be available to participants who attend the combined, all-day workshop for an additional fee.

February 25, 2012 Owosso, MI	Early Childhood Workshop This workshop is great for educators, parents, daycare staff and more. The workshop takes place from 9:00am-4:00pm and will certify you in 2 great educational curriculums that will help you connect your kids with nature with hands on science activities. The books include hundreds of ready to go activities that kids just love. The cost of this event is $70, and includes lunch, 2 curriculum guides and 0.5 SB-CEUs. To register, call 989-723-3365. The deadline for registration is February 12, 2012.

February 11, 2012 Owosso, MI	Early Learner Workshop - All about Nature DeVries Nature Conservancy will be holding an Early Learner's Workshop on February 11, from 8:45am until 4:00pm. This workshop is perfect for preschool and kindergarten teachers, daycare staff, special education teachers, scout leaders, stay at home moms, grandparents or anyone who plays with 2-7 year olds! Be certified as an instructor in TWO great environmental education curriculums - Growing Up WILD from the DNR's Project WILD; and Project Learning Tree's "Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood." Both sets of lessons are appropriate for ages 2-7, and will help you get comfortable getting kids outdoors, or bringing nature in! This workshop is offered to teachers for 0.6 continuing education credits (SBCEUs), or for 6 instructional hours. Check out the two guides at: www.projectwild.org/growingupwild.htm and www.plt.org/environmental-experiences-for-early-childhood-ages-3-6 The workshop is located at DeVries Nature Conservancy, 2635 N. M52 in Owosso. DNC's Environmental Education Coordinator, Tracy McMullen, will be the instructor. Cost of the workshop is $70, and includes all materials and lunch. Please register by February 8. Email info@devriesnc.org or call 989-723-3365 to register. For more information, visit the Web site at www.devriesnature.org and go to the "Teachers Resources" page.

February 11, 2012 Lowell, MI	Beekeeping 101 Are you interested in starting your own bee hives but have no idea where to begin? If so, this class is for you. Join us on Saturday, February 11th, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm! Local apiarist Don Snoeyink teaches the basics of beekeeping and helps you decide what you need to get started, where to buy it and how much it all costs. Included in the registration fee is a book for new beekeepers (one per registration), handouts, a link to an e-book and a spring visit to Don's hives to watch him work with live bees. A snack is included but participants are asked to bring a lunch (microwave and refrigerator available onsite). Registration is required. Call 616-987-2565, email mjohnson@lowellschools.com, or visit our website at Wittenbach/Wege Center for more information.

February 25, 2012 Detroit, MI	Project WET Workshop Environmental Education in Urban Schools Initiative present Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) 2.0, which is a newly updated K-12 curriculum and activity guide for the classroom and the outdoors to help teach students about water resources. The 64 interdisciplinary activites align to the GLCEs and are teacher tested and classroom-ready. Topics include: Physical and Chemical Characteristices, Water Quality and Conservation, Water Management, and Water Sheds and Earth Systems. Presenting will be Joan Chadde, Water Resources Specialist, and Kathleen Dougherty, Education Specialist. The workshop takes place at the Belle Isle Nature Zoo Conference Room from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 25, 2012. The cost for Detroit teachers is $10, which includes lunch and the Project WET Activity Guide. The cost for all teachers outside of Detroit is $45. The program offers 0.5 SB-CEUs for credit. To register, call Joan Chadde at 906-487-3341 or email at jchadde@mtu.edu with your name, school, grades/subjects taught, email, and phone number.

February 26, 2012 Lowell, MI	All About Owls Owls are amazing animals. Unfortunately, many of us don't know a lot about them due to their nocturnal nature. Lori Martin, animal care specialist from Blandford Nature Center, is coming to the Wittenbach/Wege Center to teach us about these awesome animals on Sunday, February 26th, 2:30 pm. Visitors will learn about various owl adaptations that help them to be efficient predators. Several live owls will be on hand so you won't want to miss this great program. Call 616-987-2565, email mjohnson@lowellschools.com, or visit their Web site at Wittenbach/Wege Center for more information.

February 29, 2012 Lowell, MI	Organic Gardening 101 Don't let the snow and cold weather prevent you from thinking about gardening! The next growing season is right around the corner and winter is the perfect time to start planning your next vegetable garden. Have you wanted to garden organically and didn't know where to start? On Wednesday, February 29th, 6:00 - 7:00 pm, Kurt Lardie from Fresh Start Farms, LLC will host an introductory class on how to begin to garden organically. Kurt will cover topics such as soil preparation, composting, seed starting, seed selection and organic pest controls. Cost is $5 and covers all handouts. Registration is required. To reserve your seat, call 616-987-2565, email mjohnson@lowellschools.com, or visit the Web site at Wittenbach/Wege Center for more information.

March 4, 2012 Bloomfield Hills, MI	Volunteer Opportunity at the Cranbrook Institute of Science The Cranbrook Institute of Scienc invites you to volunteer for the 38th Annual Members Only Maple Breakfast and Festival on Sunday, March 4, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Volunteers are needed to guide tours of the sugar bush on campus. The tour begins at Cranbrook Institute of Science and continues to the sugar maple grove and back to the building. Tour guides will be needed to provide information about various Michgian plants/trees and the maple sugaring process. Training and pre-printed information will be provided. Tour guides are asked to lead three tours: 10:05 am, 11:05 am, and 12:05 pm, each lasting 30 minutes. Tour guides must be prepared to walk in Michigan weather conditions (range from snow to sun). Continental breakfast will be provided. Please contact Helen Harding at hharding@cranbrook.edu or 248-645-3228, if you are interested in volunteering for the event.

March 9-10, 2012 Lansing, MI	MSTA Conference The Michigan Science Teachers Association (MSTA) will be hosting Pure Michigan Science at its 59th Annual Conference, March 9-10, 2012, at the Radisson Hotel and Lansing Center in Lansing, Michigan. Join us as we make changes "...to stimulate, support, and provide leadership for the improvement of science education throughout Michigan." NEW THIS YEAR! The New Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support (MEECS) unit trainings are scheduled during this conference. Trainings will be held on each updated MEECS unit. New MEECS training and materials are free to MSTA conference registrants; however, you must register for both! To register for MEECS training, visit www.michigan.gov/deqworkshops. Note: Early Registration Deadline is February 14, 2012. For more information about the show, visit www.msta-mich.org. Contact MSTA at: MSTA, 1390 Eisenhower Place, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Phone: 734-973-0433, Fax: 734-677-3287. E-mail: scampbell@ManagedByAMR.com.

March 10, 2012 Royal Oak, MI	Project Learning Tree Certification Through hands-on, interdisciplinary activities, Project Learning Tree helps young people learn how to think, not what to think, about complex environmental issues. Developed to meet state and national standards, Project Learning Tree provides the tools educators need to bring the environment into their classrooms and their students into the environment. Each participant will received the Project Learning Tree test. The workshop, which rums from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., costs $35 and includes lunch. Call 248-541-5717, ext. 3800 to register. For more information, send an email to education@detroitzoo.org. SB-CEUs will be available to participants for an additional fee.

March 10, 2012 Royal Oak, MI	Wildlife-Friendly Gardens for Schools This workshop will help teachers learn how to start a school garden and incorporate natural lessons that meet state and national curriculum guidelines. Participants will receive basic gardening supplies and lunch will be provided. The cost for this workshop is $15 and will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call 248-541-5717, ext. 3800 to register. For more information, email education@detroitzoo.org. SB-CEUs will be available to participants for an additional fee.

April 21, 2012 Auburn Hills, MI	Project Learning Tree Workshop Register now for the Project Learning Tree Workshop presented by the Environmental Education in Urban Schools Initiative. The Project Learning Tree Curriculum provides K-8 educators with a wide variety of classroom and outdoor activities to help teach students about Michigan's forests and environment. The 96 interdisciplinary activities align to the GLCE's and are teacher-tested and classroom-ready. Topics include: Diversity, Interrelationships, Systems, and Patterns of Change. Presenting will be the Mike Mansour, Director of the Hawks Woods Nature Center and Lisa Perez, the Detroit Urban Connections Coordinator. The workshop takes place at the Hawks Woods Nature Center from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 21. The cost for Detroit teachers is $10, which includes lunch and the Project Learning Tree Activity Guide. For all teachers outside of Detroit, the cost is $35. The program offers 0.5 SB-CEU's for credit. To register, call Mike Mansour at 248-672-0682 or email mmansour001@comcast.net with your name, school, grades/subjects taught, email, and phone number.

June 21, 2012 Bloomfield Hills, MI	Teachers: Be trained on the NEW MEECS Water Quality Unit! Join us to learn how to use the new Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support (MEECS) Water Quality Unit in the classroom, 8:30 am-noon at Cranbrook Institute of Science. The MEECS Water Quality Unit helps students discover the essential role that water plays in Michigan's economy and in everyone's lives. Students calculate how much water they use, investigate the link between land uses and water quality, and discover how water is monitored and standards are set. Cost for half-day session is $35.00 which includes curriculum binder, materials and snacks. Visit our Web site for more information at www.greatlakeswatershed.org/events.html or call 248-645-3210. This workshop is offered as a Harris Family Great Lakes Environmental Education Program.

June 22-24, 2012 Ludington, MI	Great lakes Renewable energy Association: Michigan Energy Fair The Great Lakes Renewable Enerkgy Association (GLREA) is a non-profit organization with the goal of promoting renewable energy in the Great Lakes Region. The GLREA was founded in 1991, originally headquartering in Traverse Cityl. This year, the GLREA will be holding their seventh annual Michigan Energy Fair. The Michigan Energy Fair is a networkign opportunity for all those interested in renewable energy to discuss the matter. The fair combines speakers, food, activities and workshops, and music into a fun and educational weekend. Previous speakers at the Michigan Energy Fair have been Senator Debbie Stabenow, former Governor Jennifer Granholm, Lt. Governor John Cherry, and Matt Rogers, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy. For more information, visit their Web site at http://www.glrea.org/.

October 12-14, 2012 Tustin, MI	2012 Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education ConferenceThe 2012 MAOE Conference is taking place on October 12, 13, and 14 at the Kettunen Center in Tustin, Michigan. This yearly professional development event provides outstanding training and networking opportunities for environmental educators statewide. More information will be available at www.michiganenvironmentaled.org.

Saturday Mornings in Ann Arbor (Ongoing)	Saturday Morning Physics The University of Michigan is proud to be starting their 14th year of Saturday Morning Physics on October 10. Topics include: How Fast is Evolution, The Museum of Zoology: A Priceless Collection of Life, Protein, Fat, or Politics? Big-Game Hunting in Human Evolution, Light of the Living Dead: The Remarkable Radiation from Neutron Stars, and more.

Ongoing in Various Locations Throughout Michigan	Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) Project WET is an award winning program that promotes awareness and appreciation of water resources and management. Project WET strives to instill core beliefs about water such as the importance of water education and sustainable water management. There are a variety of workshops that last 6 hours each, and consist of exploring wetlands, water conservation, and groundwater. To sign up for a workshop, contact Janet Vail at vailj@gvsu.edu, or at 616-331-3048.