Wow! Watershed Association Collaborates On “Wet” and “Wild” Teacher Workshops

Great Swamp Watershed Association is facilitating several interesting and useful workshops for K-12 formal and non-formal educators. Educators will experience activities they can use back in the classroom or Nature Center to teach across the educational curriculum. The workshops are hands on, led by an experienced Naturalist educator and provide participants with activity guides for each workshop.

The 6 hour workshops are offered at little or minimal cost, and often include breakfast and lunch. They confer 6 NJDOE professional development credits too!

For more information call Hazel England, Director of Outreach and Education, ( 973) 538 3500 ext 20, e-mail hazele@greatswamp.org or contact workshop location directly to register.

January 28, March 31, May 10, 2006
Schoolyard Habitat Enhancement Workshops
1/28, 5/10 at Trailside Nature Center, Watchung Reservation (908) 789-3670;
3/31 at Morris County Outdoor Education Center, Chatham (973) 635-9391
Enhancing your school ground creates habitat for wildlife, can help improve water quality, and offers students areas to study without costly field trips. You don’t need a country setting for habitat enhancement to work, and to offer teaching opportunities! Learn about the process of creating an outdoor place for learning including mapping, site design, and correlation to your existing curriculum. This workshop suited for k-12 educators in all subject areas. Leave armed with ideas for your own site. Cost $20 including breakfast.

March 29, 2006
Project WILD Workshop
Trailside Nature Center, Watchung Reservation (908) 789-3670
Go WILD about leaning, as you experience one of the leading supplemental environmental education curricula. The Project WILD activity guide contains hands-on activities that K-12 teachers across the curriculum can use to teach about wildlife and Natural resources. The activities take students from awareness to action, and are designed to be incorporated into most major subject areas, strengthening basic skills while teaching existing curricula. Activities can be used to meet state standards for core course proficiencies. Best of all, the activities are enjoyable and educational. Cost $25 including breakfast.

April 28, 2006
Project WET Workshop
Trailside Nature Center, Watchung Reservation (908) 789-3670
The workshop is an interdisciplinary, supplemental water education program for formal and non-formal educators, K-12. It is hands-on, action packed and informative!! Educators will learn by doing; experiencing activities they can use to teach all kinds of water concepts from the water cycle, to water properties, aquatic ecosystems and water pollution prevention. Participants will receive a copy of the curriculum and activity guide. The guide is a collection of innovative, water-related activities that are hands-on, easy to use and incorporate a variety of educational formats. Cost $25 including breakfast.

May 3, 2006
Wonders of Wetlands (WOW) Workshop
Morris County Outdoor Education Center, Chatham (973) 635-9391
WOW is an instructional guide for educators that provides a resourceful and creative collection of wetland activities, information, and ideas. WOW! includes: over 50 hands-on multidisciplinary activities in lesson plan format, extensive background information on wetlands, ideas for student action projects, and a wetlands resource guide. WOW! has been called, “the most comprehensive introduction to wetland issues and definitions”. Well suited for those educators who have access to, or are considering creating their own wetland educational site. Free workshop includes breakfast and lunch.

#######
25 Years of Protecting Water & Land In Your Town!

Great Swamp Watershed Association was created in 1981 to protect the Great Swamp watershed basin. Now in its 25th Year as a non-profit organization, the Watershed Association relies solely on membership and contributions to protect the continued health of our watershed area. The Association concerns itself with issues covering the 55 square miles, ten municipalities and two counties that make up the Watershed — not just Great Swamp itself. We are a regional organization devoted to preserving water and land in your town! For more information visit the Watershed Association website at www.greatswamp.org.
#######