Biotechnology Courses at the BTC Institute – stipends available
Looking to incorporate more biotechnology into your curriculum?
The BTC Institute in Madison is offering 3 summer courses to help you reach that goal! Biotechnology: The Basics (July 20-24, 2020) and Biotechnology: Beyond the Basics (July 27-31, 2020) will be offered again this year – find out why one 2019 participant wrote: “I want to come back next year for the second ‘round’ and bring a friend. Seriously, the best PD I have ever been part of.” New this year will be Biotechnology: Genetic Identity (June 29-July 1, 2020).
All courses are offered for stipends and optional graduate education credit.
Click here for details and registration.
Early Childhood Conference – April 3-4, 2020
The 42nd Annual UW-Whitewater Early Childhood Conference offers one hour, half day and full-day options featuring an amazing line up of presenters, artists, and early childhood educators!
Over the past 42 years, the conference has reached an estimated 200,000 people, and this year we can’t wait to share more fun and educational experience with you.
Keynote speaker: Holly Elissa Bruno
Early Bird Discount Ends February 24. Register here.
Spring Professional Development from the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education
- February 15th: Discovering Energy in Nature–School District of Flambeau
- March 11th: Fire and Our Forests–Treehaven
- March 28th: Step Outside and Into Health and Wellness Engagement: Outdoor Classroom Leadership–Menasha
- March 30th: PTL “Tremendous Science”–Superior
- March 31st: PTL “Carbon & Climate”–Superior
- April 8th: Solar Energy Using Your School’s Solar Dashboard–Treehaven
- April 17th: Discovering Energy in Nature–Green Bay
You can also find us at many upcoming spring conferences, including PEC, WTEA, WCSS, WSST, and ISN.
For more information about workshops, including times and registration links, click here.
MECCA Moon-shoe
Saturday, February 8, 2020 8:30 – 10 PM
Travel among the trees and shadows during this wonderful moonlit adventure along the MECCA trails at night! Your guide will engage you in observing the world in a different light.
Meet at the MECCA cabin in Mercer: take US Highway 51 to Beachway Drive (across the highway from the new Dollar General store). Beachway Drive will lead to Mercer Lake Circle, and then to Fierick Road. Continue south, following the signs. Limited spots available.
Registration is required by February 7. Saturday, 8:30 – 10 PM. This program is sponsored by the MECCA Ski Club and the SISU Ski Fest and is free to registered participants.
Nibbles ‘n’ Knowledge: Secret Love Lives of Animals Part 6
Thursday, February 13, 2020 5-7 PM
Join our Discovery Center program staff Emily, Annie, and Licia for the sixth installation of this hilarious and educational program. This is the time of year where love is in the air; come and learn about the secret love lives our Wisconsin wildlife participate in!
An evening of delicious nibbles and expanding your knowledge. Cash bar and complimentary appetizers from 5 – 6 PM, program from 6 – 7 PM.
Registration is required by February 11. Program held at Camp Jorn YMCA. Thursday, 5 – 7 PM. $17 ($14 members) $20 at the door.
Owl Prowl and Night Hike
Saturday, February 15, 2020 from 6-8 PM
North Lakeland Discovery Center
14006 Discovery Lane, Manitowish Waters, WI 54545
(715) 543-2085
MEMBERS ONLY PROGRAM- Join one of our Naturalists for a night hike searching for stealthy and elusive owls. Begin the evening by learning about owl adaptations and then travel to Van Vliet Hemlocks State Natural Area to listen and search for these nocturnal hunters.
This program is open to current NLDC members only. Space is limited. Registration is required by February 14. Saturday, 6 – 8 PM. $12 for NLDC members. Memberships at NLDC start at $30.
Snowshoe Hike with History
Presented by North Lakeland Discovery Center
Saturday, February 22, 2020 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Join local historian Jim Bokern and a Discovery Center Naturalist on a fascinating hike through history in the Toy Lake Swamp State Natural Area. We will explore the lives of the people that lived in this area over a century ago and walk in their footsteps. This is an off-trail, moderately strenuous snowshoe hike. Space is limited.
Registration is required by February 21. Saturday, 1 – 4 PM. $18 ($15 members of NLDC or MWHS).
Learning Naturally
Join us on March 3 for a Promoting Early Childhood Pre-Conference Workshop.
In this pre-conference workshop (8:00 – 4:30), educators will explore how outdoor play and nature-based learning enriches the whole child, as well as your teaching experience.
- Come dressed for the weather as Julie Jarvis with the Wisconsin Green Schools Network guides us to venture outdoors and dig into how time on our schoolyards, exploring the phenomena that are emerging, not only inspires wonder and joy, but also supports academic skills, sensory integration, grit, social emotional development, problem solving, creativity, and other skills critical to wellbeing.
- Learn with DPI how the standards support learning naturally and how your school can get recognized!
- Talk with leaders from Oak Learning Center, part of Green Bay School District, about how school districts and nature centers can partner to offer these experiences.
Register by 2/17: https://widpi.
Learn more about the PEC conference: https://dpi.wi.
NOLS WFA Training (National Outdoor Leadership School – Wilderness First Aid)
Prepare for the unexpected with this fun, hands-on introduction to wilderness medicine, taught over two days. If you like to take short trips relatively close to medical resources, work at wilderness camps, enjoy weekend family outdoor activities, or recreation outdoors, this course is for you. More info HERE.
Where: Outdoor UW at Memorial Union (800 Langdon St., Madison, WI)
Cost: $200 for Hoofer Club Member, $250 for guests
Available course dates:
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CLICK HERE
NOLS WFR Training (National Outdoor Leadership School – Wilderness First Responder)
If you work in outdoor recreation, or in other austere environments where access to medical care is delayed or communication is unreliable, our 9-day Wilderness First Responder course is for you! This certification represents the industry standard in wilderness medicine for professional guides, trip leaders, search and rescue team members, outdoor enthusiasts, and international travelers.
Cost: $790 for Hoofer Club Members, $850 for guests
Where: Outdoor UW at Memorial Union (800 Langdon St., Madison, WI)
Available course dates:
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Learn more about getting academic credit for this course HERE.
Wisconsin KidWind Events
These events will take place at the Wisconsin Energy Institute (1552 University Ave, Madison).
Wisconsin KidWind Challenge – Saturday, March 7th, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
The KidWind Challenge is a hands-on student wind turbine design competition that engages middle and high school students in STEM through the lens of wind energy. Student teams design and construct small wind turbines that they test in a wind tunnel, and present their design process and demonstrate their contextual knowledge of wind energy in front of a panel of judges. Read more about the Wisconsin KidWind challenge (now in its third year) here and check out our 2019 photo album here.
Although KidWind is still young in Wisconsin, the students involved are ever raising the bar. Last year the top two Wisconsin teams competed in the National KidWind Challenge in Houston, TX finishing in the top 5 out of 60 middle school teams.
We are super excited about all the partnerships and collaboration involved in making the Wisconsin KidWind Challenge possible.
Backyard Science Education
Great information for kids on the environment.
- What Is Environmental Education?
- About EE and Why it Matters
- What Is Environmental Education?
- How to Teach Respect for Wildlife
- Watch Out for Wildlife Activity Fun Book (PDF)
- Teach Your Kids About Wildlife Conservation
- Conservation Education Activity Guide
- Five Fun Activities for Teaching Kids About Conservation
- Build a Watershed
- In Your Watershed
- Drainage Basins and Watersheds
- Kids Make Great Citizen Scientists
- Kids Can Be Citizen Scientists: Here’s How
- Five Pro Tips for Talking to Kids About Climate Change (Without Freaking Them Out)
- Just for Kids: What’s Climate Change? And What Can I Do?
- Talking Climate Change With Kids
- How to Teach Kids About Sustainability
- Four Tips for Teaching Kids About Sustainable Living
(Site suggested by Hannah Ainsworth’s elementary science class – Jane, Michelle and Sam)
FREE- SCIENCE RESOURCES
Titled: “Bringing the Universe to America’s Classroom!” produced by WGBH- PBS LEARNING MEDIA. There are some great lessons dealing with climate, weather, and the solary energy from the sun… just to mention a few!
https://wpt.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/universe/
Each topical collection listed below includes a lesson plan and supplementary resources that feature a range of innovative media. Some of the media-rich education resources featured in these lessons include: IMAGES, INTERACTIVES, GAMES, VIDEOS, and DATA VISUALIZATIONS. Flexible support materials aid instructional use and integration into the classroom. The material contained in this product is based upon work supported by NASA.
There are units for all grades K-12.
K-2: Waves (light), Space, Earth’s Systems, and Weather/Climate
3-5: Space, Earth’s System
6-8: Space, Earth’s System, Weather/Climate
9-12: Space, Weather/Climate
Prairie Wetlands Learning Center
