Shared Waters - Environmental Literacy Curriculum for Grades 3-6
2025-02-27 08:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Montour Preserve, 374 Preserve Road, Danville, Pennsylvania, 17821, United States
When: Thursday, February 27, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Montour Preserve, 374 Preserve Road, Danville, PA 17821

Audience: 3-6 classroom teachers.

Credits: Six Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free.

MWEE Designation: MWEE and EL&S Special Topics and Deeper Dives.

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Join us for an engaging and hands-on professional development day designed to empower elementary educators (grades 3-6) to bring the Shared Waters curriculum to life in their classrooms. This curriculum seamlessly integrates Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) into school programs, fostering environmental literacy and sustainability among students. As part of this training, teachers will receive a classroom kit (worth $1,000) of supplies to be able to implement in their classroom tomorrow!

Through interactive sessions, collaborative activities, and expert guidance, teachers will leave equipped with the tools and confidence to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards—all while meeting educational standards and creating meaningful learning experiences.

Let’s work together to transform classrooms into hubs for sustainability and real-world problem-solving!

Bringing MWEE to Life!
2025-03-18 09:00 - 15:30 | Raccoon Creek State Park, 3000 PA-18, Hookstown, Pennsylvania, 15050, United States
When: Tuesday, March 18, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: Raccoon Creek State Park, 3000 PA-18, Hookstown, PA 15050.

Audience: Grades 3-12 classroom teachers.

Credits: Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free.

MWEE Designation: Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador.

Register Now

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Join Intermediate Unit 1 (IU1) and Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit (BVIU) in partnership with Jennings Environmental Education Center and Raccoon Creek State Park for a FREE and engaging meaningful, relevant, and real watershed education experience! This session is limited to 20 participants due to available space.

Join us to learn how to successfully implement Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) in your classroom, while fully engaging in each element of a MWEE on-site. MWEEs fully support the Environmental Literacy and Sustainability domain in the new PA STEELS Standards.

Supporting Environmental Literacy Across the Curriculum With the MWEE Framework
2025-04-09 09:00 - 15:30 | Silver Lake Nature Center, 1306 Bath Road, Bristol, Pennsylvania, 19007, United States
When: Wednesday, April 9, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: Silver Lake Nature Center, 1306 Bath Road, Bristol, PA 19007.

Audience: Grades 3-12 classroom teachers and nonformal educators.

Credits: Six Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free, including lunch.

MWEE Designation: Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador.

Register Now

Download Flyer

The environment provides endless opportunities for authentic learning experiences that support your entire curriculum. When students learn through systemic and well-designed environmental education, they build background content knowledge to support literacy, experience authentic, hands-on learning that advances STEM and promotes career readiness.

Recognizing the complexities of implementing student-driven, authentic, and locally relevant environmental education that meets academic goals, we will explore the Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE). This well-established framework provides the structure and resources to support integrating environmental education in schools that aligns to Pa. STEELS Standards, including the Environmental Literacy and Sustainability domain.

This workshop will include an outdoor field experience — participants should dress appropriately. The MWEE team will follow up with site-specific details prior to the workshop date.

This workshop is provided in partnership with Heritage Conservancy and supported by their Department of Environmental Protection Environmental Education Grant.

Questions? Please contact Events@BucksIU.org.

Connecting Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences Across the Sciences
2025-04-24 09:00 - 15:30 | Stroud Water Research Center, 970 Spencer Road, Avondale, Pennsylvania, 19311, United States
When: Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: Stroud Water Research Center, 970 Spencer Road, Avondale, PA 19311.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, administrators and curriculum designers, preservice teachers, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Six Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free, including lunch.

MWEE Designation: MWEE Introduction.

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Explore the connections between Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) and key science disciplines, chemistry, physics, and biology, in this hands-on workshop. The day will begin with an in-depth introduction to MWEEs, followed by multiple outdoor learning experiences that highlight real-world applications of scientific concepts in watershed education.

Participants will also learn about local environmental issues and how they can be integrated into student investigations. With Pennsylvania’s STEELS Standards taking effect next year, this workshop will provide valuable strategies for incorporating three-dimensional learning into your science curriculum. Lunch will be provided, as well as, time to reflect on the day’s experiences.

Dive Even Deeper: Watershed Literacy and Tree Plantings
2025-04-28 00:00 - 2025-04-29 23:59 | Southeast Agricultural Research, 1446 Auction Road, Manheim, Pennsylvania, 17545, United States
When: April 28 and 29, 2025.

Where: Southeast Agricultural Research, 1446 Auction Road, Manheim, PA 17545.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers and administrators, preservice teachers, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: $15 to cover light refreshments and lunch each day.

MWEE Designation: Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador.

Register Now

Join Penn State Extension, the Ag and Environment Center, Pennsylvania Sea Grant, and fellow educators from across the Commonwealth for two days of immersive, hands-on watershed learning through the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) curricular framework. The Dive Even Deeper—MWEEs and Trees Workshop is an extension of Penn State Extension’s award-winning Dive Deeper Water Educators Summit. It is designed to enhance your understanding by offering a Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador workshop, an interactive session on tree species and planting protocols, and a comprehensive checklist for planning successful planting projects. This program is designed to equip educators with the tools and knowledge needed to create impactful environmental literacy experiences.

Participants may attend one or both days of the workshop for the same cost. Those who complete both days of in-person instruction, along with the online MWEE 101 course, will be designated as Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassadors. They will also receive program materials on tree identification and planting procedures to ensure the success of youth-led tree planting projects.

Registration fee covers light refreshments and lunch each day.

Space is limited. Preregistration is required.

Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience Training
2025-05-07 08:30 - 15:00 | Susquehanna University Freshwater Research Institute, 1250 W. Sassafras Street, Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, 17870, United States
When: Wednesday, May 7, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Susquehanna University Freshwater Research Institute, 1250 W. Sassafras Street, Selinsgrove, PA 17870.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, preservice teachers, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Six Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free.

MWEE Designation: Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador.

Register Now

Learn about the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) framework while following along with example MWEEs for each grade band — elementary, middle, and high school. This training also includes access to Shared Waters curriculum resources for K-6 teachers, as well as, suggested curriculum resources for middle and high school teachers. In addition, formal and nonformal educators will gain access to MWEE 101 course and have the option to become Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassadors.

Learner Outcomes

Participants in this course will learn how a MWEE can support STEELS educational standards and goals and the roles taken by students and educators to make the program successful. At the end of the course, participants will practice using the Audit Tool to review example MWEEs and the Think Cloud tool to outline their own MWEE program. Both tools are from the MWEE Planning Toolbox.

Science on the Lake
2025-05-07 09:00 - 15:00 | Canoe Creek State Park, 205 Canoe Creek Road, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, 16648, United States
When: Wednesday, May 7, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Canoe Creek State Park, 205 Canoe Creek Road, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers.

Credits: Five and a half Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free.

MWEE Designation: Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador.

Register Now

Download Flyer

Join us at Canoe Creek State Park on May 7th for a special Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) event, where we will be kayaking as part of our outdoor learning experience!

The MWEE is a learner-centered framework that empowers students to investigate local environmental issues and take informed action. MWEEs include multiple components that blend outdoor and classroom learning, designed to increase environmental literacy through hands-on, experiential learning.

By engaging with core ideas and practices from various disciplines, students explore the relationships between the natural world and society. These experiences help students connect with their local environment, equipping them to make decisions that contribute to stronger, sustainable, and equitable communities.

Supporting Environmental Literacy Across the Curriculum With the MWEE Framework
2025-05-08 09:00 - 15:30 | Nockamixon State Park, 1542 Mountain View Drive, Quakertown, Pennsylvania, 18951, United States
When: Thursday, May 8, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: Nockamixon State Park, Environmental Education Center, 1542 Mountain View Drive, Quakertown, PA 18951.

Audience: Grades 3-12 classroom teachers and nonformal educators.

Credits: Six Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free, including lunch.

MWEE Designation: Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador.

Register Now

Download Flyer

The environment provides endless opportunities for authentic learning experiences that support your entire curriculum. When students learn through systemic and well-designed environmental education, they build background content knowledge to support literacy, experience authentic, hands-on learning that advances STEM and promotes career readiness.

Recognizing the complexities of implementing student-driven, authentic, and locally relevant environmental education that meets academic goals, we will explore the Meaningful Watershed Education Experience (MWEE). This well-established framework provides the structure and resources to support integrating environmental education in schools that aligns to Pa. STEELS Standards, including the Environmental Literacy and Sustainability domain.

This workshop will include an outdoor field experience — participants should dress appropriately. The MWEE team will follow up with site-specific details prior to the workshop date.

This workshop is provided in partnership with Heritage Conservancy and supported by their Department of Environmental Protection Environmental Education Grant.

Questions? Please contact Events@BucksIU.org.

Connecting Classrooms to Community Action: MWEEs and PA STEELS Standards
2025-05-09 09:00 - 15:40 | Presque Isle State Park, 301 Peninsula Drive, Erie, Pennsylvania, 16505, United States
When: Friday, May 9, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.

Where: Presque Isle State Park, Rotary Pavilion, 301 Peninsula Drive, Erie, PA 16505.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, preservice teachers, school administrators, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Five and three quarters Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free, including lunch.

MWEE Designation: Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador.

Register Now

Download Flyer

Join us for an engaging professional development workshop hosted by Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit (IU5) in partnership with the environmental educators from DCNR Presque Isle. Learn how to implement Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) to meet the new PA STEELS standards while empowering students to take action in their communities through clean-ups and other impactful projects. Discover how to leverage local environmental education partners to enhance MWEEs and provide real-world learning experiences.

Participants will receive a tabletop hydroponics unit for their classroom, earn 5.75 ACT 48 hours, and enjoy a complimentary lunch and exciting giveaways. Don’t miss this opportunity to inspire your students to make a difference!

Shared Waters: Environmental Literacy and Sustainability for Grades 3-5
2025-05-20 08:30 - 15:30 | Delaware County Intermediate Unit, 200 Yale Avenue, Morton, Pennsylvania, 19070, United States
When: Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: Delaware County Intermediate Unit, 200 Yale Avenue, Morton, PA 19070.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, administrators and curriculum designers, preservice teachers, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Seven Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free.

MWEE Designation: MWEE and EL&S Special Topics and Deeper Dives.

Register Now

Join fellow teachers to learn about Shared Waters, an open educational resource specifically designed for STEELS standards, with one of the designers of the curriculum, Dr. Nanette Marcum-Dietrich!

The learning activities of the day will involve both indoor and outdoor investigations. Participants will leave with the confidence to plan and teach lessons aligned to the Environmental Literacy and Sustainability standards.

Learn Do-It-Yourself Electronics for Environmental Monitoring
2025-05-20 08:30 - 2025-05-21 17:00 | Stroud Water Research Center, 970 Spencer Road, Avondale, Pennsylvania, 19311, United States
When: Tuesday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 21, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: Stroud Water Research Center, 970 Spencer Road, Avondale, PA 19311.

Audience: Beginners and those with intermediate experience programming data loggers and using environmental monitoring equipment. State and federal agency staff; academic faculty; high school, undergraduate, and graduate students; and researchers from environmental NGOs and watershed organizations have attended previous workshops.

Cost: $135 per person. Registration is limited to 24.

Register Now

Learn More

EnviroDIY empowers researchers with innovative digital and electronic tools and training that enable cost-effective and customizable environmental measurements. This workshop is appropriate for beginners and those with intermediate experience programming data loggers and using environmental monitoring equipment. Topics include:

– Programming electronic data loggers and connection with environmental sensors.

– Transmission of data from data loggers to web-based data portals via cellular radio.

– Assembling data loggers, sensors, cellular radios, and solar panels into monitoring stations.

– Deploying, maintaining, and troubleshooting monitoring stations.

Attendees will acquire the skills necessary to assemble, program, and deploy a water monitoring station, but with the understanding that the DIY journey has just begun! We can’t cover the wide world of DIY technologies in a single workshop, but we’ll give you the foundational knowledge and resources to continue learning on your own.

Learning Without Walls: Western Pennsylvania Environmental Education Summit
2025-06-10 08:00 - 2025-06-11 16:00 | Waynesburg University, 51 West College Street, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, 15370, United States
When: Tuesday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

Where: Waynesburg University, 51 West College Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, preservice teachers, school administrators, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free.

Register Now

Download Flyer

The PA Environmental Literacy Network Southwest Regional Hub invites you to register for the Western PA Environmental Education Summit: Learning Without Walls.

This free outdoor learning and environmental education conference will bring together passionate educators from diverse backgrounds and environmental professionals to foster a community of environmentally conscious and engaged teachers who can, in turn, inspire and educate the next generation of environmentally responsible citizens.

The deadline to register is May 23, 2025.

What to Expect

– Enriching breakout sessions with community partners and fellow educators around best practices in outdoor learning and environmental literacy and sustainability.

– Site visit opportunities.

– Raffle prizes.

– Act 48 hours for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Inquiries and Application: MWEEs and the Watershed
2025-06-11 09:00 - 2025-06-12 15:30 | Curwensville Community Center, 11 Stadium Drive, Curwensville, Pennsylvania, 16833, United States
When: Wednesday, June 11 and Thursday, June 12, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: Curwensville Community Center, 11 Stadium Drive, Curwensville, PA 16833.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers.

Credits: Twelve Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free.

MWEE Designation: Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador.

Register Now

Download Flyer

Join us for a dynamic two-day professional learning experience focused on the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) framework. This hands-on training will center on the issue of abandoned mine drainage, with participants engaging in field-based learning, including water testing in both a river and a mine-impacted stream.

2025 Teaching Green Symposium
2025-06-17 10:00 - 14:00 | Fluxspace, 60 Buttonwood Street, Norristown, Pennsylvania, 19403, United States
When: Tuesday, June 17, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Fluxspace, 60 Buttonwood Street, Norristown, PA 19403.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, preservice teachers, school administrators, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Four Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free, including lunch.

Register Now

Download Flyer

The PA Environmental Literacy Network Southeast Regional Hub is excited to sponsor an end of the school year convening. Join us for a one-day convening of formal and nonformal environmental educators from our Southeast PA region. The goal of this learning experience is for participants to connect with, and learn about the Environmental Literacy and Sustainability (EL&S) domain of the PA STEELS Science Standards. Presentations will be followed by sharing of local resources and networking with local environmental organizations.

Register by May 31, 2025.

Pennsylvania Forests and Rivers Exploration - Summer 2025
2025-07-08 09:00 - 2025-07-10 16:00 | Pennsylvania
When: Tuesday, July 8 to Thursday, July 10, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Locations in and around the Gettysburg, PA area.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, preservice teachers, school administrators, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: $375.00. Some teachers may be eligible for discounts and scholarships.

MWEE Designation: MWEE and Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Special Topics and Deeper Dives.

Learn More and Register

Open to all teachers in DC, MD, VA, PA.

How can we inspire student action that conserves and protects our neighborhood and our watershed? Use interdisciplinary and multimodal approaches to investigate the connections between nature, culture, and history of south-central Pennsylvania. Throughout the course, we will develop creative practices to foster environmental literacy and student engagement in the classroom. We will begin with a local exploration at Sachs Bridge then travel to Codorus State Park to investigate the intersection between culture and ecology and its influence on the Chesapeake Bay. Experience the joy of learning, and design opportunities to connect students to outdoor investigations and community actions.

Length & Location: Three days of collaborative, outdoor learning in and around Gettysburg, PA. Please note, teachers from outside the course location area are encouraged to register but are responsible for their own travel and accommodation.

Registration closes June 17, 2025.

PA ELit Network Cross-Sector Partners Meeting
2025-07-10 13:00 - 14:30 | Pennsylvania
When: Thursday, July 10, 2025, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Where: Virtually via Zoom.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, school administrators, curriculum designers, preservice teachers, nonformal educators, and community members.

Cost: Free.

Join Meeting

We look forward to your participation in the Pennsylvania Environmental Literacy (PA ELit) Network’s Statewide Cross-sector Partners meeting.

Meeting Goals:

– Review current NOAA B-WET statewide environmental literacy (ELit) capacity building grant initiatives and celebrate progress

– Provide updates about Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement Environmental Literacy Outcomes and discuss potential effects in practice

– Updates on State Level STEELS, ELit, STEM initiatives and connections to PA ELit Network efforts

– Sharing of efforts and needs across all ELit hub regions

– Introduction of new educational resources and materials

Virtual Meeting Information:

– Join via Zoom: https://psu.zoom.us/j/92625278478?pwd=[REDACTED]

– Password: [REDACTED]

Aquatic WILD Educator Workshop
2025-07-17 09:00 - 16:00 | Pennypack Environmental Center, 8600A Verree Road, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19115, United States
When: Thursday, July 17, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Pennypack Environmental Center, 8600A Verree Road, Philadelphia, PA 19115.

Audience: Grades 3-12 classroom teachers, preservice teachers, nonformal educators, and community members.

Credits: Six Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: $10, as this workshop is not grant funded.

Learn More

Join Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and Pennypack Environmental Center educators for an in-person educator workshop. You will receive your own copy of the award-winning Aquatic WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide as well as lessons and activities to integrate wildlife education into your teaching. You’ll learn about fish biology, urban waterways, watersheds in Pennsylvania, and more!

Be sure to dress appropriately as we will be both indoors & outside. If you would like to be in the water during the stream study, bring waterproof boots or waders. Bring water and a bag lunch. Light refreshments will be available in the morning.

This workshop is suitable for both formal and nonformal educators and is targeted towards grade levels 3-12.

To register, contact Jordan Sanford, Wildlife Outreach Coordinator, at jorsanford@pa.gov or 717-787-4250 ext. 73337.

Payment may be cash, check, or money order made out to the City of Philadelphia. Payment may be mailed to Pennypack Environmental Center or brought to workshop day of. Register by Monday, July 14 to reserve your spot!

Lancaster Watershed Exploration - Summer 2025
2025-07-22 09:00 - 2025-07-24 16:00 | Pennsylvania
When: Tuesday, July 22 to Thursday, July 24, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Locations in and around the Lancaster, PA area.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, preservice teachers, school administrators, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: $375. Some teachers may be eligible for discounts and scholarships.

MWEE Designation: MWEE and Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Special Topics and Deeper Dives.

Learn More and Register

Open to all teachers in DC, MD, PA, VA.

How can we inspire student action that conserves and protects our neighborhood and our watershed? Use interdisciplinary and multimodal approaches to investigate the connections between nature, ecology, and history of the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area. Throughout this three-day course, we will develop creative practices to foster environmental literacy and student engagement in the classroom. We will begin with local explorations and travel to field sites to investigate the intersection between ecology and history and its influence on the Chesapeake Bay. Experience the joy of learning and design opportunities to connect students to outdoor investigations and community actions.

Length & Location: Three days of collaborative, outdoor learning in and around Lancaster, PA. Please note, teachers from outside the course location area are encouraged to register but are responsible for their own travel and accommodation.

Registration closes July 1, 2025.

Teachers on the Estuary: Science and Social Emotional Learning
2025-07-28 09:00 - 2025-08-01 16:00 | Karen Noonan Memorial Environmental Education Center, 1304 Phillips Gunning Club Road, Crocheron, Maryland, 21627, United States
When: Monday, July 28 to Friday, August 1, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Karen Noonan Environmental Education Center, 1304 Phillips Gunning Club Road, Crocheron, MD 21627.

Audience: Grades 6-12 classroom teachers and nonformal educators.

Credits: Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: $125.

Learn More and Register

Open to all middle and high school teachers in DC, MD, VA, PA. If you are a nonformal educator interested in attending, please join the waitlist. You will be contacted in early July if a spot is available. Priority will be given to classroom teachers.

Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences enliven learning and support social-emotional learning and wellness for students and teachers. This course is designed to model a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience for middle and high school students through participant-driven field experiences and authentic research conducted by a community of educators in an immersive, joyful, and supportive environment. To best utilize our time together, participants are encouraged to complete the MWEE 101 online course prior to the in-person event. This dynamic five-day program to explore cultural coastal habitats and iconic communities is offered in collaboration with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Length & Location: Five days of collaborative, outdoor learning at CBF’s Karen Noonan Memorial Environmental Education Center for a residential experience. We will prepare and clean up meals as a group. Shared dorm-style housing, food, and cooking supplies are provided while at the center.

Cost: $125.00, reduced fee due to support from generous sponsors and Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Registration closes July 7, 2025.

South Mountain Climate and Land Use Exploration - Summer 2025
2025-08-04 09:00 - 2025-08-08 16:00 | Pennsylvania
When: Monday, August 4 to Friday, August 8, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Locations in and around Shippensburg, PA.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, preservice teachers, school administrators, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: $575. Some teachers may be eligible for discounts and scholarships.

MWEE Designation: MWEE and Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Special Topics and Deeper Dives.

Learn More and Register Now

Open to all formal and informal educators and pre-service teachers in DC, MD, VA, PA.

How can we inspire student action that conserves and protects our neighborhood and our watershed? Use interdisciplinary and multimodal approaches to investigate the connections between nature, culture, and history of south-central Pennsylvania. Throughout the course, we will develop creative practices to foster environmental literacy and student engagement in the classroom. The five-day program will consist of local explorations that include a trip to the Carbaugh Run Rhyolite Quarry Site to investigate the intersection between culture and geology and its influence on the Chesapeake Bay. Experience the joy of learning, and design opportunities to connect students to outdoor investigations and community actions.

Length & Location: Five days of collaborative, outdoor learning in and around Shippensburg, PA. Please note, teachers from outside the course location area are encouraged to register but are responsible for their own travel and accommodation.

Registration closes July 14, 2025.

Teacher's Open House at John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove
2025-08-13 10:00 - 13:00 | John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove, 1201 Pawlings Road, Audubon, Pennsylvania, 19403, United States
When: Wednesday, August 13, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove, 1201 Pawlings Road, Audubon, PA 19403.

Audience: Classroom teachers. Grades 4-8 teachers are strongly encouraged to attend.

Cost: Free.

RSVP Now

Download Flyer

At the Teacher’s Open House held at the John James Audubon Center, teachers will learn about and participate in the educational offerings that students can experience on a field trip there. These programs support many of the new PA STEELS Standards. Come learn about enhancing your science teaching through experiencing nature in a new and educational way!

To RSVP, please contact Marcy Engleman at marcy.engleman@audubon.org.

Philly Connects 2: Agriculture and the Environment Working Together
2025-08-14 08:30 - 12:00 | Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School, 201 Spring Lane, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19128, United States
When: Thursday, August 14, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Where: Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School, 201 Spring Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19128.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers and nonformal educators, students, and community members.

Cost: Free.

Register Now

Download Flyer

The Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agriculture (PSPA) is delighted to launch its 2025-2026 Program Year with “Philly Connects 2: Agriculture and Environment Working Together”. Consistent with prior years of past agricultural presentations, PSPA welcomes expressions of interest from agricultural communities that support activities which focus on ecology, sustainability, agroecology, natural resource management, urban forestry, urban growing, agricultural education, and other issues, trends and ideas related to the greater Philadelphia region growing and greening.

Increasingly, the agriculture and environmental communities are realizing the commonality of their missions and coming together with policies and projects that are mutually beneficial. No place is that more evident than in Philadelphia where soil and water issues are not only paramount in the public space but also in the growing urban agriculture sector. This program offers multiple opportunities for persons from soil, water, and agriculture to raise and highlight some of those issues.

For more information, please contact Dr. Tiffany Turrentine at tmturrentine@philasd.org.

Introduction to MWEE
2025-09-19 09:00 - 15:00 | Little Buffalo State Park, 1579 State Park Road, Newport, Pennsylvania, 17074, United States
When: Friday, September 19, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Little Buffalo State Park, 1579 State Park Road, Newport, PA 17074.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, school administrators, curriculum designers, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free.

MWEE Designation: MWEE Introduction.

Learn More and Register

Interested in learning more about a MWEE? Join us for a dive into what a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience is, and how you can create one for your classroom. Act 48 hours will be available for classroom teachers. Any educator is welcome to attend this free workshop, but space is limited so registration is required.

Dive Deeper Summit
2025-09-24 10:00 - 2025-09-25 16:00 | Best Western Premier: The Central Hotel & Conference Center, 800 East Park Drive, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17111, United States
When: Wednesday, September 24 and Thursday, September 25, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Best Western Premier: The Central Hotel & Conference Center, 800 East Park Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17111

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, school administrators, curriculum designers, preservice teachers, nonformal educators, and community members.

Credits: Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: $80, including morning refreshments and lunch.

Learn More and Register

The Dive Deeper Summit is a biennial, multi-state environmental education conference designed for those who teach youth about water or seek engaging tools and resources to support water education. This full-day event features your choice of concurrent session presentations, dynamic exhibits, morning refreshments, a lunch buffet, networking opportunities, and even the chance to have your home drinking water tested. New for 2025, the summit will include a pre-conference field study and an evening reception featuring an educational film screening and expert panel discussion. Whether you’re an educator, interpreter, or informal learning professional, the Dive Deeper Summit offers innovative, hands-on strategies to inspire the next generation of water stewards.

Supporting Environmental Literacy Across the Curriculum with the MWEE Framework
2025-10-08 09:00 - 15:30 | Silver Lake Nature Center, 1306 Bath Road, Bristol, Pennsylvania, 19007, United States
When: Wednesday, October 8, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: Silver Lake Nature Center, 1306 Bath Road, Bristol, PA 19007.

Audience: Grades 3-12 classroom teachers, school administrators, curriculum designers, preservice teachers, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Six Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free, including lunch.

MWEE Designation: Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador.

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The environment provides endless opportunities for authentic learning experiences that support your entire curriculum. When students learn through systemic and well-designed environmental education, they build background content knowledge to support literacy and experience authentic, hands-on learning that advances STEM and promotes career readiness. Recognizing the complexities of implementing student-driven, authentic, and locally relevant environmental education that meets academic goals, we will explore the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE). This well-established framework provides the structure and resources to support integrating environmental education in schools that aligns to PA STEELS standards, including the Environmental Literacy and Sustainability domain.

This workshop will include an outdoor field experience. Participants should dress appropriately. The MWEE team will follow up with site-specific details prior to the workshop date.

This workshop is provided in partnership with Heritage Conservancy and supported by their Department of Environmental Protection Environmental Education Grant.

Aquatic WILD Educator Workshop
2025-10-13 09:00 - 15:30 | Pymatuning State Park, 2660 Williamsfield Road, Jamestown, Pennsylvania, 16134-3560, United States
When: Monday, October 13, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: Pymatuning State Park, Jamestown Marina Classroom, 2660 Williamsfield Road, Jamestown, PA 16134-3560.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, administrators, and curriculum designers, preservice teachers, nonformal educators, and community members.

Credits: Six Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: $10, as this workshop is not grant funded.

Learn More

Join Environmental Education Staff from Presque Isle, Pymatuning, and M.K. Goddard State Parks to dive into the Aquatic WILD K-12 Curriculum.

We will be showcasing various lessons for various grade levels in the book and be offering hands-on field experience in the afternoon. Hands-on activities include electroshocking fish with Mark Kirk from Allegheny College, macroinvertebrate collection and identification in Sugar Run, and using a seine net to catch fish in the lake.

There is a fee of $10 for the workshop. Participants will receive Aquatic WILD Curriculum & Activity Guide, 6 Act 48 hours, as well as multiple fish and plant identification guides. All equipment will be provided.

To register, contact Jared McGary at jamcgary@pa.gov or call 724-932-3142 ext. 109.

STEELS in Your Schoolyard: Teaching Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Through Place-Based Learning
2025-10-15 08:30 - 15:30 | Pennsylvania
When: Wednesday, October 15, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: 55 Miller Street, Enola PA 17025-1640.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, preservice teachers, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Six Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free.

MWEE Designation: Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador.

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Join the CAIU and Chesapeake Bay Foundation to transform your schoolyard into a powerful learning space where students can investigate, explore, and understand their local environment. In this hands-on workshop, educators will learn how to design and implement Environmental Literacy and Sustainability (ELS)-focused experiences that meet the Pennsylvania STEELS standards. Participants will explore strategies for connecting students to their local ecosystem, designing investigations that matter to their community, and fostering student action. You’ll leave with practical tools and a plan for bringing STEELS-aligned environmental learning outside.

MWEEs and the Leaf Pack Network
2025-10-15 09:00 - 15:30 | Stroud Water Research Center, 970 Spencer Road, Avondale, Pennsylvania, 19311, United States
When: Wednesday, October 15, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: Stroud Water Research Center, 970 Spencer Road, Avondale, PA 19311.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, school administrators, curriculum designers, and nonformal educators.

Credits: Six Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free, including lunch.

MWEE Designation: Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador.

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The Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) is a key component of the PA STEELS Standards for Environmental Literacy and connects seamlessly across all science disciplines.

Join us on October 15 for a special MWEE Ambassador Training featuring the Leaf Pack Network! Participants will:

– Learn the fundamentals of the MWEE framework.

– Explore how the Leaf Pack Network can bring stream ecology into the classroom.

– Connect STEELS standards with hands-on, outdoor learning experiences.

– Learn about environmental issues and outdoor learning.

This full-day outdoor training will be held at the Stroud Center, where you’ll step into their research stream to collect and identify macroinvertebrates — a fun, immersive way to engage with watershed science.

Please dress for outdoor exploration and fall weather! As the event approaches, we’ll share a detailed agenda and instructions.

We can’t wait to learn with you while enjoying the crisp air and vibrant fall colors!

MWEEs and the Watershed: Inquiry and Application
2025-10-15 09:00 - 15:30 | Pennsylvania
When: Wednesday, October 15, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Where: 200 Shady Lane, Suite 115, Philipsburg, PA 16866.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers.

Credits: Six Act 48 continuing education hours will be provided for Pa. Certified Teachers.

Cost: Free, including lunch.

MWEE Designation: Pa. Certified MWEE Ambassador.

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Explore how a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) can engage students in hands-on, real-world learning about local streams and rivers. Gain practical strategies to build environmental literacy, inspire stewardship, and spark critical thinking through immersive watershed experiences.

PA ELit Network Cross-Sector Partners Meeting
2025-10-17 10:00 - 11:30 | Pennsylvania
When: Friday, October 17, 2025, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Where: Virtually via Zoom.

Audience: K-12 classroom teachers, school administrators, curriculum designers, preservice teachers, nonformal educators, and community members.

Cost: Free.

Join Meeting

We look forward to your participation in the Pennsylvania Environmental Literacy (PA ELit) Network’s Statewide Cross-sector Partners meeting. We will discuss environmental literacy goals, initiatives, and outcomes in Pennsylvania.

Meeting agenda to come.

Virtual Meeting Information:

– Join via Zoom: https://psu.zoom.us/j/99784720757?pwd=[REDACTED]

– Password: [REDACTED]
