Massachusetts Environmental Education Society

STEAM and Earth Science A Hybrid Focus Workshop - Grades 4-6 Educators
2023-01-18 15:30 - 18:30 (America/Halifax)
Dive into an exploration of space as you explore Earth’s systems and the Earth’s place in the universe. Using current research and recent discoveries in the field of astronomy, including images from NASA space exploration and telescopes, participate in phenomena and inquiry-based investigations that will bring creativity to astronomy through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math). During the remote sessions the elements and principles of art will help guide our exploration of space and planetary bodies, and help us make sense of landscape scale processes on Earth. During an in-person session at the Springfield Science Museum, we will have the opportunity to use telescopes to expand our understanding of the scale and relationship of the planets, sun and other stars to the Earth. You will leave the program with inquiry-based STEAM investigations to share with your students, as well as connections to a community of learners and informal science institutions.

Using the lens of STEAM we will:

use images from space exploration to develop an anchoring phenomenon
explore commonalities between Earth’s geological features and those on other planet/planetary bodies
identify patterns in motion within our solar system, galaxies and the universe.
apply examples of, and resources for, place-based and phenomena-based unit planning to create a storyline driven unit outline
use physical models and digital interactives to make sense of the Earth-Sun-Moon system
explore how drawing forms are connected to geological land forms through review and interpretation of telescopic and space exploration images
create “stories” for planetary bodies using common drawing forms
explore the lunar surface using telescopes and digital images using elements of art to aid interpretation

Suggestions for accessing/purchasing classroom telescopes and engaging in amateur astronomy will be included in the program materials.

Registration Information:
Dates and Times:
Remote Sessions: Wednesday, January 18th and Wednesday, February 15th, 2023 (3:30 PM – 6:30 PM ET)
On-Site Planetarium Session: Saturday, January 28th (2:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET)
Location: Springfield Science Museum
Cost: FREE for eligible MA educators that qualify through MA DESE’s OAPL program and includes a $150 stipend. $200 per educator from non-qualifying schools.
PDPs and Optional Graduate Credit: 12 PDPs are available without graduate credit. 22.5 PDPs and 1 graduate credit from Cambridge College are available for $75.
Collaborating Partners: Springfield Science Museum; Bassett Planetarium (part of the Beneski Museum at Amherst College)

EPA DEADLINE: President's Environmental Youth Award submission
2023-01-11 08:00 - 17:00 | Environmental Protection Agency
The President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship projects developed by K-12 youth. The PEYA program promotes awareness of our nation’s natural resources and encourages positive community involvement. Since 1971, the President of the United States has joined with EPA to recognize young people for protecting our nation’s air, water, land, and ecology. It is one of the most important ways EPA and the Administration demonstrate commitment to environmental stewardship efforts created and conducted by our nation’s youth.

Each year the PEYA program honors a wide variety of projects developed by young students, school classes and clubs, youth camps, and youth organizations to promote environmental awareness and action in schools and communities. Thousands of young people from all 50 states and the U.S. territories have submitted projects to EPA for consideration. Winning projects in the past have demonstrated impact in schools and communities in a wide range of subject areas. Participation in the PEYA program is frequently a life-changing experience for many of the young people and their project sponsors.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators
2023-01-11 08:00 | Environmental Protection Agency
The Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators recognizes outstanding kindergarten through grade 12 teachers who employ innovative approaches to environmental education and use the environment as a context for learning for their students. Up to two teachers from each of EPA’s 10 regions, from different states, will be selected to receive this award.
The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers this award to honor, support and encourage educators who incorporate environmental education in their classrooms and teaching methods.
About the Award

Teacher awardees will receive a Presidential award plaque and an award of up to $2,500 to be used to further the recipient’s professional development in environmental education. Teacher awardees will also receive a congratulatory letter from a senior official from EPA and/or the White House.
The teacher’s local education agency will also receive an award of up to $2,500 to fund environmental educational activities and programs (and not for construction costs, general expenses, salaries, bonuses, or other administrative expenses).
Honorable Mention recipients will receive certificates of recognition.

Growing Up WILD Professional Development Workshop
2022-12-10 09:00 - 15:30 | Ada & Archibald MacLeish Field Station, Bechtel Environmental Classroom, 80 Poplar Hill Road, Whatley, MA, United States
Growing Up WILD is an early childhood education activity guide that builds on children’s sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them. Through a wide range of activities and experiences, it provides a foundation for developing positive impressions about nature while also building lifelong social and cognitive skills. Workshop participants will receive a copy of the guide and a certification of completion.
To register contact Pam Landry, MassWildlife, pam.landry@mass.gov. Registration deadline is December 1, 2022. Space is limited, so register early.

MEES Conference Workshop Proposal Deadline
2022-11-22 08:00 - 2022-12-12 17:00
MEES is seeking workshop proposals that engage environmental education best practices, advance justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and tackle complex environmental and social issues.
The DEADLINE to submit a workshop proposal is MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2022.

Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers Annual Conference
2022-11-09 08:00 - 17:00 | Best Western Royal Plaza, Marlborough, MA

Using Your Community as a Teaching Resource: Connect Your Students to the Heart of Their Community
2022-10-27 13:00
Join us for a powerful and intimate day of new learning and inspiration, as we dig deep into the pedagogy and methods for using the community as a classroom. Participants will explore and apply teaching strategies that help students connect with, understand, and engage with their community, with personal perspective and new eyes. Learn to employ innovative field tested strategies from veteran innovative educators. We will also make connections to the significant Social Emotional Learning impact we see when students feel a sense of Identity, Belonging, and Mattering—a perfect compliment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals. A design based planning guide and essential readings will be provided. There will also be opportunities to workshop your own context, thinking, and curriculum ideas for feedback and support in smaller community of practice groups. Followup support is available.

Inside - Outside Conference | Promising Practices in Nature & Place-Based Education
2022-10-22 09:00 - 16:00 | Chesterfield School Chesterfield, NH, Chesterfield, NH, United States
The Inside-Outside conference is a celebration of nature- and place-based education and all who are redefining what is possible in elementary education. As we build school programs around place-based studies, outdoor science lessons, Forest Fridays and more, we are connecting children to the natural world, their local communities and big ideas.

Farm to School Advocacy Training
2022-10-18 16:00 - 17:00, 2022-10-18 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-09-29 10:00 - 11:00, 2022-09-28 18:00, 2022-09-28 15:00 - 16:00
Help get the Massachusetts Farm to School Grant bill passed next session. Join Coalition members across the state during Farm to School Month in meeting with legislators in October at the Statehouse, in district, or virtually. One of the most important things you can do is have a conversation with your legislators or their staff. Join us, along with advocacy experts from Action Circles, for a short training on how to prepare for and have a successful meeting. Join in on this training and learn how to ask for the meeting, what the (short) agenda should be, how to prepare, and how you can begin to build, or deepen your relationship with your legislators. Register for one of the virtual trainings here:

Wednesday, Sep 28, 2022, 3 – 4pm
Wednesday, Sep 28, 2022, 6 – 7pm
Thursday, Sep 29, 2022, 10 – 11am
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2022, 12 – 1pm
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2022, 4 – 5pm

Sharing the Fruits (and Veggies) of our Labor...From Farm to Fork
2022-10-15 09:00 - 15:00 | Nourse Farm, 80 Jasper Street, Westborough, MA, United States
Register for a Saturday adventure at the rolling farmland of historical Nourse Farm in Westborough. We’ll offer a chance to discover fun ways to explore the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future as we share the fruits (and veggies) or our labor. As you might imagine, Nourse Farm provides a large scope for learning given its age (300 years!) and family contributions to the business (members of the 8th, 9th, and 10th generations work there!)
​Tasting the harvest from a school garden is a popular way to encourage students (& their families) to try new foods, especially vegetables. As such, MAC will offer hands-on participatory opportunities and resources for ways teachers and students (& their families) can better connect agriculture, food, and nutrition. Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (& 9th generation family member), Catherine Nourse runs Veg Out @ Nourse Farm –(a plant-forward food truck) and will be on hand to share her perspectives as an educator and foodie. Her use of agricultural and nutritional science to create menu items and education activities ensures that when you’re better connected to your food, you’re more inclined to eat ( and enjoy it. We believe that this farm-to-fender experience will amplify your own appreciation of locally grown produce and provide ideas to boost student, family, (even school) nutrition.
​Dress appropriately for the weather (warm jackets & walking shoes) as we explore the farm’s Story Walk and self-guided Historical Hike. There is a tent available so the workshop will be held rain or shine on Saturday, October 15.
​Breakfast snack & VERY locally sourced lunch will be served.
10 PDP’s may be earned at this workshop.
REGISTER TODAY for this workshop.

NAAEE 2022: Educating for Change Conference
2022-10-12 08:00 - 2022-10-15 17:00 | Westin La Paloma Resort, 3800 E. Sunrise Drive, Tucson, AZ, 85718, United States
The 2022 conference will focus on the powerful role education can play in creating healthier communities and tackling today’s complex environmental and social issues. We’ll dig into vital topics in our field such as climate change education and climate justice, the benefits of connecting to nature, building a green workforce, protecting biodiversity, and centering equity in our work. We’ll explore creative new approaches that have emerged from the pandemic and delve into ways in which current research can increase our effectiveness as we work to transform communities so they are more sustainable and just.

NAAEE 2022: Educating for Change Symposium
2022-10-11 08:00 - 2022-10-12 17:00 | Westin La Paloma Resort, 3800 E. Sunrise Drive, Tucson, AZ, 85718, United States

Growing Up WILD Professional Development Workshop
2022-10-01 09:00 - 15:30 | Turn Back Time (Barn), 250 Marshall Street, Paxton, 250 Marshall Street, Paxton, MA, United States
Growing Up WILD: Exploring Nature with Young Children is an early childhood education activity guide that builds on children’s sense of wonder about nature and invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them. Through a wide range of activities and experiences, it provides a foundation for developing positive impressions about nature while also building lifelong social and cognitive skills. Workshop participants will receive a copy of the guide and a certification of completion. Registration deadline is September 23, 2022. Space is limited, so register early.
.5 CEU’s pending *Please bring your own snacks, bag lunch & beverage *Wear clothes and shoes appropriate for indoor and outdoor activities * We will follow the local & state recommended COVID-19 guidelines

Farm-Based Education Network Berkshire Region Learning Journey
2022-09-30 09:45 - 2022-10-01 17:00 | Western Mass, MA, United States
Join peer farm-based educators for a series of farm tours around Western MA.
You’re invited to a Learning Journey! This series of farm tours will offer a deep dive deep into program strengths and attributes, while you take in the sights, sounds, and smells of each host farm. We’ll share activities, meals and reflections as we explore together. To accommodate varying schedules and interests, registration is offered on a per farm basis, so you can customize your itinerary. Group transportation is not provided. Participants should plan to drive yourself from farm to farm, and we’ll meet up at each site once everyone has arrived. Please prepare for being outdoors all day in all weather! And remember if you are experiencing symptoms from any illness, please stay home.
Interested in carpooling? A van will be leaving from Berkshire Botanical Garden on Friday morning, returning Friday evening after the Hawthorne Valley visit. If you’re interested in hopping in the van, please contact Bridgette Stone: bstone@berkshirebotanical.org

Deeper Learning Boston 2022
2022-09-30 08:00 - 2022-10-01 17:00
Share space with regional change-makers ready to explore place-based learning, environmental justice, and creativity through the arts. We will bring a regional spin to dialogue, reflection, and inspiration that are part of the original Deeper Learning conference with teachers, educational leaders, facilitators, and artists from Boston and the surrounding Northeast region.
We’re excited to partner with Hale Education in hosting this inaugural Deeper Learning Boston conference in Westwood and Dover, MA. The DL Boston Experience will take place at Hale’s 1,000-acre outdoor campus and at the Westwood High School campus.
Day 1 is all about connecting and experiencing deeper learning for yourself through immersive deep dive sessions. This entire day is spent outdoors with minimal technology at Hale and is filled with opportunities to engage with other attendees in smaller group sessions as well as a whole group conference kick-off and reception.
Day 2 will build on the connections from Day 1 through advisory and the Share Your Learning Showcase where you will reflect and engage in dialogue. This day will be held at the nearby Westwood High School campus. You’ll be inspired to keep the momentum going by our den talks and closing keynote.

Trails & Sails: Essex National Heritage Area
2022-09-16 - 2022-09-25
Mark your calendars! Trails & Sails 2022 takes place from September 16 to September 25. Discover special places in your backyard during Trails & Sails! Be guided through unique landscapes on land and sea, explore historic properties, and take in cultural experiences of all kinds. Find what makes Essex County like nowhere else during Trails & Sails!
Trails & Sails is organized and coordinated by Essex Heritage, the regional non-profit working to preserve and enhance natural, cultural, and historic resources around Essex County. Essex Heritage relies on many non-profit, community, and small business partners to offer a taste of heritage during Trails & Sails.

MEES Board Meeting
2022-09-13 15:30 - 17:00, 2022-08-09 15:30 - 17:00

Mass Ag in the Classroom Mini-Grant Deadline
2022-09-01 08:00 - 17:00
Goals of the Mini-Grant Program
The mini-grant program aims to fund agriculture-related education projects that:

Connect students to the local and sustainable food movement

Provide students with hands-on experience of good agricultural practices including in the school garden

Develop instructional materials and methods for teaching science through the lens of agriculture

Enable students to see connections between agricultural practices and human health, nutrition, environment, community, and sustainability

Integrate sustainable agricultural literacy into science, math, social studies, language and literature, and arts curricula

Promote an understanding of the challenges faced by present-day farmers

Introduce ideas in creative ways that promote agricultural literacy both inside the classroom and beyond it

Increase knowledge and understanding of the contributions of agriculture in Massachusetts to the people of the state, the nation, and the world

Youth Innovation Challenge: Tackling Marine Debris
2022-09-01 00:00
The Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) is excited to announce the launch of the 2022 Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC): Tackling Marine Debris. This challenge invites people between the ages of 15–30 from around the world to share fresh ideas for tackling marine debris issues. Three winners will receive a $1,000 USD prize. Submissions will be collected from June 29 to September 1, 2022. Learn more: https://thegeep.org/youth-innovation-challenge

eeINSPIRE Webinar: Mapping the Landscape of K–12 Climate Change Education Policy in the United States
2022-08-30 03:00 - 16:00
Join NAAEE and Monitoring and Evaluating Climate Communication and Education Project (MECCE) for an eeINSPIRE webinar to learn more about the findings of a comprehensive analysis of K–12 Climate Change Education Policy in the United States, including the next steps for supporting these recommendations.

ANCA Member CONNECTS: DEI Book(+) Club — Organizational Change
2022-08-21 14:00 - 15:00
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Book(+) Club
This group is a space for ANCA members to come together to discuss relevant DEI resources, deepen our DEI learning, find support and inspiration from each other, and make plans for action. The group will gather quarterly to discuss books, articles, podcasts, and/or videos around a particular theme. The idea is that whatever format works best for you, you’ll have a way to engage! Participants will also be assigned to small “accountability buddy” groups, who will check in between the quarterly gatherings to help us all keep moving forward with our own DEI goals. Participants aren’t required to attend all meetings, so you can register for individual meetings as you are able.
The ANCA DEI Book(+) Club Registration Fee is $5 per meeting.

NAAEE Conference Scholarship Deadline
2022-08-19 08:00
Each year, NAAEE offers a variety of scholarships to help educators and students attend our annual conference. NAAEE remains committed to providing as much assistance as possible to keep registration fees from being a barrier to conference attendance.

Affordability Scholarship

Arizona Academic Scholarship

Rising Leader Scholarship

William B. Stapp Student Scholarship

Young Professionals Scholarship

ee360+ Community Environmental Education Scholarships

Distinguished College and University Programs Accreditation Scholarship

Conference Scholarships

The Bee's Knees Workshop
2022-08-09 09:00 - 15:00 | University of Massachusetts – Agricultural Learning Center (ALC) farm 911 North Pleasant St, 911 North Pleasant St, Amherst, MA, 01002, United States
Meets at the State Apiary hives in Amherst. You will have the chance to “suit up” and be
up close and personal with a hive. The Massachusetts Apiary staff will guide you and
explain the happenings in the hive. Leave with lessons and resources for your class.

Natural Start Alliance - Nature-Based Early Learning Conference 2022
2022-07-27 08:00 - 2022-07-30 17:00
Registration is open for the largest national gathering of nature-based early education professionals!
This year’s Nature-Based Early Learning Conference is hybrid, giving attendees two ways to join the event: in-person in Cincinnati or online.
In-person attendees have access to workshops, site tours of high-quality nature-based programs in Cincinnati, interactive indoor and outdoor sessions, networking, and high-impact plenaries that will expand your ideas about nature-based early learning and sustainability. In-person registration includes access to all online conference content.
Online attendees have access to live-streamed plenaries, select live online sessions, a live online workshop, and access to 50+ on-demand sessions until July 2023.
Live and in-person events take place July 27-30. Visit conference.naturalstart.org to learn more and register.

Pride in the Outdoors Webinar
2022-07-20 14:00 - 15:00
Celebrate Pride with Rethink Outside™ as they honor and spotlight organizations working to remove barriers to outdoor access for folx in LGBTQIA2S+ communities. Although LGBTQIA2S+ folx have always been in the outdoors, they have historically been made to feel unsafe, marginalized, and oppressed in these spaces. These organizations – The Venture Out Project, Mariposas Rebeldes, Ten Oaks Project, Queer Out Here – straddle the focus areas of ecology, outdoor recreation and adventure, food autonomy, place-based skills, and educational opportunities that empower communities to reconnect with the natural world.
Featured Speakers:
SJ Lupert, The Venture Out Project
Israel Tordoya Henckell, Mariposas Rebeldes
Lux, Ten Oaks Project
Ailish Breen, Queer Out Here
This is an open webinar – all are welcome and registration is required. The webinar will be recorded.
