Did we mean to get this to you earlier? YES! Did our fancy 'Holiday Anxiety' get us?! YES!

In this shortened e-blast, we seek to provide you with quick nature-based activities for use with anyone - your students, your kids, & your family this season.

Happy Winter 🔆 Solstice! On Saturday, we officially welcomed the winter solstice—the longest night of the year & a beautiful reminder to embrace the darkness. Nearly every culture on Earth acknowledges this event in some way. Below, you'll find lots of Solstice & winter activities. Embrace the New Year! Check out First Day Hikes!

PA State Parks Educator E-Blast Contents -

• Section 1: Winter & Holiday Teaching Ideas! + FREE STUFF!
• Section 2: In-Person Educator Professional Development Workshops
• Section 3: Webinars & more
• Section 4: Explore the Outdoors! '12 Days Wild! + First Day Hikes!
• Section 5: Striving Towards Inclusion
• Capstone: PA State Park Info. & Updates

Know Before You Go! Check the State Parks Winter ❄ Report

The Pennsylvania State Parks Winter Report allows winter outdoor recreation enthusiasts to learn snow ❄ & ice ⛸ conditions in state parks. The Winter Report is updated weekly (at a minimum) during the winter season 🎿. It lists lake ice/trail snow thickness & what ice/snow activities are available at parks. The report is searchable by park & winter recreation activity.

Section 1: Winter, Holidays, & More Teaching Ideas!

Winter Solstice

"Solstice" comes from the Latin "sol," meaning "sun," & "stit," meaning "to stand still." Right now, the sun's appearance on the horizon at sunrise & sunset seems to occur at the same spot, before it starts drifting to the north or south again.

Many cultures recognize the solstice as

the “rebirth” of the sun ☀ and celebrate it with festivals & other holiday celebrations. 

What Is a Solstice? video from National Geographic (2:01 min.)

*Get the image! Download this free, quick guide to the Winter Solstice which can be colored & used as you make observations of the sun & the sky. - from Super Nature Adventures

On January 4, 2025, we will be at Perihelion, when the earth & sun will be closer than on any other day of the year. Perihelion occurs ~2 weeks after the solstice, and is further evidence that "summer" & "winter" in the Northern Hemisphere are NOT caused by how "close" or "far" we are from the Sun.. 

Get outside & explore the sun's relative position in the sky at this time of year. Measure the sun's altitude at solar noon with Height Sight Science - from The Exploratorium Snac

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🐦Free Poster Celebrates a World of Woodpeckers! Brighten up the winter with woodpeckers! Enjoy illustrations & facts about woodpeckers worldwide in this beautiful poster - from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

❄Learn all about snow & ice with these fun & easy science - craft activities - from ChildsPlayABC

❄Make simple waxed-paper Luminaries 🕯, Frozen Suncatchers, or Ice Lanterns with kids! - from Little Pine Learners

❄ Snowflake Science builds on children's natural curiosity about this winter phenomenon to teach the 6-sided structure of snowflakes. - from Tiny Bean

❄Check out a curated list of 40+ nature-based Winter Children's Books! - from Little Pine Learners

🤧 Cold and flu season is upon us! Follow up on National Handwashing Week (December 1-7) with FREE handwashing & soap science activity downloads developed by Project WET, a leader in water education. The Project WET team even created an online soap science activity for students at DiscoverWater.org.

Section 2:

Virtual & In-Person Educator

Professional Development Workshops

See ALL of the Upcoming Educator Workshops on the DCNR Calendar

GO Teach Snowshoeing⛄Educator Workshop

Saturday, January 25, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

In-Person at Raccoon Creek State Park, Wildflower Preserve Interp. Center, 3000 State Route 18, Hookstown, PA 15050-1605

Act 48: 5.5 hrs.

Fee: Free; pre-registration is required.

Winter is a great time to get outdoors and explore the natural world on snowshoes. Learn how to motivate your students to get active during the winter through an interdisciplinary set of lessons created by PA State Parks. Lessons focus on health; fitness & preparedness; snow; weather; climate; and history. This workshop addresses Physical Education, Health, History, & STEELS Standards. Ideal for PE teachers, the workshop is also open to anyone teaching or interested in snowshoeing. Register NOW! Questions? Contact Pat Adams, EES at paadams@pa.gov or 724-899-2200.

Project WILD🦊Educator Workshop

Saturday, February 5, 8:30 am - 2:30 pm

In-Person at Kinzua Bridge State Park, 296 Viaduct Road, Kane, PA 16735

Act 48: 5.5 hrs.

Fee: $15; pre-registration & prepayment required.

Join us for a national, award-winning wildlife focused conservation education K – 12 curriculum featuring hands-on activities – Project WILD! Participants will receive the updated Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide which now offers STEM activity extensions, field investigations, a WILD WORK career section, & more. To register, contact the park office at (814) 778-5467 or kinzuabridgesp@pa.gov.

Project WET💧Educator Workshop

Saturday, February 22, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

In-Person at Lackawanna State Park, 1839 Abington Rd., North Abington Twp., PA 18414

Act 48: 5.5 hrs.

Fee: $15; pre-registration is required.

Project WET - Water Education Today - is a national curriculum that strives to educate, empower, & activate students in grades K-12. This professional development workshop, designed for classroom teachers & non-formal educators alike, will help you teach about water resources through hands-on, investigative, & easy-to-use activities. All participants will receive the Project WET 2.0 Educator Guide & access to Project WET's online resources. Registration required by 2/15/2025. Register now! Questions? Contact Tony DeSantis, EES at antdesanti@pa.gov or 570-945-7110.

More Educator Professional Development Trainings are scheduled.

Visit the DCNR Events Calendar- Teacher Workshops to find additional training opportunities!

Section 3:

Grants, Conferences, & Trainings for Educators

Walking Softer Education: Empower Youth, Activate Change Webinar

Wednesday, January 15, 12 PM - 1:00 PM

Free for PAEE Members, $5 for non-members

Walking Softer Education teaches high school students about environmental solutions & empowers them to implement community-based environmental projects with funding up to $2,000. Educators who take their students through the program will receive a $1,000 stipend. Participating juniors & seniors can apply for a scholarship of up to $20,000 to support further education. In this webinar, learn everything you need to know about signing up, participating in the program, & helping your students through their journey! Register NOW.

Section 4:

Explore the Outdoors!

Pennsylvania's First Day Hikes 🥾🎉❄🌲

Kick off the New Year with fun, fresh air, and scenic views by participating in a First Day Hike at PA State Parks & Forests! These guided hikes are organized annually as part of the National First Day Hike Initiative encouraging individuals & families to start the year on the right foot -- by getting outside & connecting with nature. This January 1, 2025, consider joining one of the guided hikes that are scheduled at one of the 63 participating Pennsylvania State Parks & Forests. Find your Hike! Visit the First Day Hike section of the DCNR Calendar of Events.

Go 12 Days WILD! December 25th - January 5th!

12 Days Wild encourages you to do one wild thing a day from 12/25 through 1/1 each year. In those quiet days, winter wildlife is just waiting to be explored! Your wild acts could be little things to help nature - like recycling your holiday greens🌲 or feeding the birds 🐦 – or connect to the natural world, like stargazing. Download the free 12 Days WILD Digital Pack of activities & more! So much good, free ideas! - from The Wildlife Trust (resources also available in Welsh)

Section 5: Striving for Inclusion

- Learn more about DCNR's DEIB efforts-

Celebrating Nature through Literature by Indigenous Authors - A Curated List

Project Learning Tree (PLT) compiled a book list (PreK-12) about nature. Each book was written &/or illustrated by an Indigenous author, reminding us of our strong connections with nature!

Honoring Holidays, Inclusively

December and early JanJanuary is a celebratory time of year for many cultures and religions. 20 celebrations this holiday season besides Christmas

• Bodhi Day is an annual Buddhist holiday that celebrates the enlightenment of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. It is celebrated on December 8^th & recognizes the foundation of the Buddhist faith.
• Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday otherwise known as the Festival of Lights. This year, Hanukkah falls on the evening of December 25^th - January 2^nd. 
• Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration in honor of African heritage & culture. It is annually celebrated from December 26^th - January 1^st. Kwanzaa observes 7 key principles known as the Nguzo Saba. Each day celebrates a different principle.
• Las Posadas is a traditional Mexican & Latin American Christmas celebration. It is observed from December 16^th - December 24^th. This 9-day celebration includes a nightly reenactment of trips to neighboring homes filled with candles & caroling symbolizing Mary & Joseph’s search for shelter in Bethlehem.

PA State Parks are YOURS!

The Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) recently unveiled a new, upgraded website which is more navigable on-the- go & accessible.

Check it out - https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks.html

Book your virtual, in-person programs, and field experiences with PA State Park Educators! Find a PA State Park. Need help connecting to a PA State Park with an Educator on staff? Reach out to Carissa Longo at calongo@pa.gov.

DCNR facilities and Programs are OPEN to ALL👐

• Many Environmental Education programs require pre-registration. Explore the DCNR events calendar for details & to register.
• Plan your outing before you leave. Learn about facilities, download a park map on your phone or print it, & review regulations here: Find A Park
• Take care of & respect the resource. Park, hike, hunt, explore, & more only in designated areas.
• Check the weather & the State Parks Winter Report before you depart, dress in layers, wear proper footwear, and bring water/hot beverages. Wear orange if hiking in designated hunting areas. Please clean up after pets 🐕.
• Do not litter 🚮.
• Alcohol is not allowed in PA State Parks.
• Make a Reservation (up to 11-months in advance) at a PA State Park Campground, Camping Cottage, Cabin, Yurt, or Pavilion.

You can help keep state parks safe for all by following these practices:

• Use the restroom before you leave your house 🏡
• Bring a bag and either carry out your trash or dispose of it properly
• Continue to practice social distancing, take hand sanitizer with you & use it
• If you are sick or have been exposed to someone who is sick, stay home

❄ Happy Holidays! ❄



Carissa Longo, Natural Resource Program Specialist

(Coordinating Project WILD & Pennsylvania Songbirds Curricula for all of PA)

&

Christine Ticehurst, Natural Resource Program Specialist

(Coordinating PLT & DCNR's GO Teach Curricula for PA State Parks)

&

Kim Lott, Natural Resource Program Specialist

(Coordinating DCNR's Watershed Education, PA Land Choices, and Project WET Curricula for PA State Parks)

Visit the DCNR Events Calendar- Teacher Workshops to find additional training opportunities! Click the arrows to see upcoming months.