Want to build a nature play space, but don’t have loads of money, staff, or space? Learn from North Carolina! We’ll share success stories, tips, and resources from several facilities. We’ll also cover some basics for inclusive design, so everyone can come out and play!

This in-progress interdisciplinary and mixed-methods project combines elementary science education and sustainable architecture to better understand the ways in which 5th grade students understand green building elements, ecosystems, and the interrelationships between the two.

Teachers cite a number of barriers to teaching students outdoors, which can be mitigated through effective professional development in place-based environmental education. Gain insights into one successful program in which teachers integrate watershed-focused outdoor experiences into their curriculum, fostering opportunities to connect children with nature while meeting learning objectives.

After years of ineffective recruitment of Hispanic youth at an ecology summer camp in rural Florida, a partnership with an employer started a customized camp for the children of the employees. Learn the story of why the partnership worked and what we’ve learned after three summers.

Renewable energy production is on the rise, offering both benefits and challenges for our next generation. Learn about these technologies as well as strategies for incorporating them into STEM learning experiences for students.

Gray infrastructure is hard and angular. Green infrastructure is soft and rounded. Your students can transform gray into green, while learning myriad environmental concepts, life-long civic skills, and the practice of science and engineering. A bonus: improved water quality on your campus.

Naturalists’ interactions with school groups have a major impact on the next generation. By tweaking programs as school curriculum evolves, naturalists can expand their outreach. Learn about the Next Generation Science Standards and tips for modifying your EE programs.

Rainforest Alliance’s hands-on lessons to help students think critically about global ecosystems and sustainability while addressing the Common Core State Standards (English language arts and math) and NGSS.

Hive Alive! uses technology to provide the awesome – and slightly scary – experience of encountering honey bees from the safety of your classroom. See how this no-cost, media-rich resource hub for elementary teachers inspires wonder, sparks curiosity, and develops understanding and empathy for these amazing little creatures.

Learn more about becoming a Certified Phenology Leader in your community! Join us for a discussion of the Nature’s Notebook Local Phenology Leader Certification Program, bringing educators together with new audiences, natural resource managers, practitioners, and other leaders across the US who are teaching about climate change through citizen science.