Happy Vernal Equinox! Spring is now technically here. You can hear the Spring Peepers, see songbirds starting to build nests, & smell it in the air. The Spring Equinox happens when the tilt of our Northern Hemisphere brings more warming sunlight 🌞. One persistent myth claims it's one of the few days of the year when you can balance an egg 🥚 on its end. In reality, you can do this on any day of the year with this simple trick.

Revive your lessons! Download a Free Owl 🦉 Poster! Make realistic fake frog 🐸 eggs. Register for our upcoming PD workshops! Plus, see us at NSTA!

Happy March Madness 🏀 to all who celebrate!

PA State Parks Educator E-Blast Contents -

• Section 1: Spring Teaching Ideas + FREE STUFF!
• Section 2: In-Person Educator PD Workshops
• Section 3: Conferences & PD Webinars
• Section 4: Explore the Outdoors!
• Section 5: Striving Towards Inclusion - Women's History Month!
• Capstone: PA State Park Info. & Updates

Section 1: Winter & More Teaching Ideas!

Make your own Nature art frames! Encourage creativity and fine motor skills in students of all ages & abilities. You just need a recycled piece of cardboard, a pen, & scissors!- from ChildsPlayABC

Even though St. Patrick's🍀Day is done, we can still do this super fun Four-Leaf Clover Hunt with Kids! - from Run Wild My Child

March and the coming of Spring means AMPHIBIANS 🦎 & searching for them in Vernal Pools & Wetlands!

Check out these wonderful Frog Activities & Crafts - make frog 🐸 art using potatoes 🥔, cardboard tubes, egg cartons, & natural objects! (ignore the section on Frog Surveys & Community Science as it is for the UK 🙂)

• Make Your Own Fake Frog 🐸 (or Salamander) Eggs! Simply make up a batch of plain jelly using agar or gelatin powder. When the jelly has set, gently stir to break it up slightly, then gently mix in some black beans, peppercorns, or seeds.
• Download this Free Frog 🐸 Foods sheet - from Preschool365

🦉Owls are fierce predators of the night sky, but they show their softer side when tending to their nests. Check out the live stream of Great Horned Owl Athena & her mate at The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, TX. Watch live as she tends to 2 eggs, laid on 2/6 & 2/9. 

🦉Free Poster Download: Explore Owls🦉Worldwide

🦉"Who Cooks for You? Who Cooks for You All?! Listen in to the conversation of a pair of Barred Owls!

Section 2:

Educator Professional Development Workshops

View ALL of the Upcoming Educator Workshops on the DCNR Calendar

Project WILD🐻Educator Workshop

Saturday, March 22, 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM

In-person at Moraine State Park, Park Region 2 Conference Rm., 195 Park Rd., Prospect, PA

Act 48: 5.5 hrs.

Fee: $20; pre-registration required

Project Wild is a hands-on, wildlife-focused conservation education curriculum designed for educators working with students from kindergarten through 12^th grade. This workshop is open to all educators, from formal teachers to naturalists, scout leaders, & homeschoolers. Earn 5.5 Act 48 hours while experiencing hands-on activities near the shores of Lake Arthur. Participants will explore & receive the updated Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide which offers STEM activity extensions, field investigation activities, a WILD WORK career section, & more! Register NOW! Questions? Contact Natalie Simon, EES at morainesp@pa.gov or 724-368-8811.

Growing Up WILD🐇Educator Workshop

Thursday, March 27, 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM

In-Person at Bald Eagle State Park, 149 Main Park Road, Howard, PA 16841

Act 48: 3 hrs.

Fee: $15.00 pre-payment & pre-registration required (via phone or in-person)

Connect young learners to nature with hands-on, engaging environmental experiences. Lessons offer exciting teaching ideas for incorporating nature-based exploration, art, math, & outdoor play into early childhood education programs. Participants will receive the Growing Up WILD Curriculum Guide with over 25 standards-aligned lessons. This workshop is geared toward early childhood educators, & it is open to formal classroom teachers & informal educators such as naturalists, scout leaders, etc. Register NOW! Questions? Contact Michelle White, EES at miawhit@pa.gov or 814-297-5317.

Project WILD🐻Educator Workshop

Friday, April 11, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PA

In-Person at Prince Gallitzin State Park, 966 Marina Road, Patton, PA 16668

Act 48: 7.5 hrs. 

Fee: $10.00 payable in advance or day of; pre-registration required 

A PD for K-12 Educators, this teacher workshop centers around the national, award-winning curriculum, Project WILD. Project WILD connects youth to the living systems around them. Educators will engage with the Project WILD content by participating in activities & investigate Prince Gallitzin State Park's bat, bird, rodent, & insect populations to create a Meaningful Wildlife Educational Experience (MWEE) to use with their students. Register NOW! Questions? Contact, Suzann Rensel, EES at slenhartre@pa.gov or 814-674-1000 ext 105.

Project WET💧Educator Workshop

Saturday, April 12, 8:45 AM - 2:45 PM

In-Person at Little Pine State Park, 4205 Little Pine Creek Rd., Waterville, PA 17776

Act 48: 5.5 hrs.

Fee: $15; pre-registration required

Project WET - Water Education Today is a national curriculum that strives to educate, empower, & activate students in grades K-12. This PD, 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 & pre-payment by 4/5/2025. Register NOW! Questions? Contact Ian Loewen, EES at LittlePineSP@pa.gov or 570-753-6000.

PA Songbirds🐦Educator Workshop

Saturday, April 12, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

In-Person at French Creek State Park, 843 Park Road, Elverson, PA 19520 

Act 48: 6 hrs.

Fee: $15.00; pre-registration required

Formal & non-formal educators are invited to a PA Songbirds Curriculum Workshop! Participants will receive the Pennsylvania Songbirds K-8 Teacher’s Guide, experience a sampling of activities from the guide, & learn tips and tricks for teaching students outdoors. Register NOW! Questions? Contact Jared Brandt, EES at jabrandt@pa.gov or 610-582-9691.

PA Songbirds🐦Educator Workshop

Thursday, April 17, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

In-Person at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Hawk Mountain Rd, Kempton, PA 19529

Act 48: 6 hrs.

Fee: $15.00; pre-registration required

Join PA Game Commission & Hawk Mountain Sanctuary educators for an educator workshop all about birds! Pennsylvania Songbirds is a hands-on, interdisciplinary, K-8 resource & activity guide developed by DCNR - Bureau of State Parks & Audubon Mid-Atlantic. Participants can enhance their skills of observing & identifying songbirds, learn about bird biology, habitat, migration, & much more! This workshop is open to classroom teachers & non-formal educators including pre-service teachers, homeschool parents, naturalists, youth leaders, & more. All participants will receive the newly updated Pennsylvania Songbirds K-8 Teacher's Guide. Register NOW! Questions? Contact Jordan Sanford, Wildlife Outreach Coord. at jorsanford@pa.gov or 717-787-4250 ext. 73337. 

Project Learning Tree (PLT)🌳Explore Your Environment: K-8 Educator Workshop

Thursday, April 17, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM

In-Person at Asbury Woods Nature Center, 4105 Asbury Rd,. Erie, PA 16506

Act 48: 6 hrs.

Fee: FREE! pre-registration required

The Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group (AHUG), DCNR - Bureau of Forestry, Asbury Woods, & The Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park are pleased to offer a one-day professional development workshop for K-8 formal or informal educators. Experience fun, hands-on activities that engage students in learning about trees, forestry, & the environment. Each participant receives the new PLT Explore Your Environment K-8 Activity Guide ($35 value). Registration required by: 3/31/25. Register NOW! or email your name, affiliated organization or school district, & contact information to jgroshek@ahug.com.

Dive Even Deeper: Watershed Literacy & Tree Plantings Workshop

Monday, April, 28, 9:00 AM - 3:30P M

Tuesday, April 29, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

In-Person at Southeast Agricultural Research, 1446 Auction Rd, Manheim, PA 17545

Act 48: Up to 18 hrs. available for participants who complete both days & the free, online MWEE 101 course

Fee: $15 pre-registration required; includes light refreshments & lunch each day.

Join Penn State Extension, the Ag and Environment Center, & PA Sea Grant for two days of immersive, hands-on watershed learning through the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) curricular framework. This workshop is an extension of Penn State Extension’s award-winning Dive Deeper Water Educators Summit. It is designed to further enhance your understanding with a PA-Certified MWEE Ambassador workshop, an interactive session on tree species/planting protocols, & a comprehensive checklist for planning successful planting projects. It is designed to equip educators with the tools & knowledge needed to create impactful environmental literacy experiences.

Participants may attend one or both days for the same cost. Those who complete both days of in-person instruction + the online MWEE 101 course will be fully certified as PA MWEE Ambassadors. They will also receive materials on tree ID & planting procedures to ensure the success of youth-led tree planting projects.

Registration required by: 4/24/2025. Register NOW!

Connecting Classrooms to Community Action: MWEEs & PA STEELS Standards Workshop

Friday, May 9, 2025, 9:00 AM - 3:40 PM

In-Person at Presque Isle State Park, Rotary Pavilion, 301 Peninsula Dr, Erie, PA 16505

Act 48: 5.75 hrs.

Fee: FREE! Includes lunch!

Join us for an engaging professional development workshop hosted by Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit (IU5) in partnership with Environmental Educators (EE) from Presque Isle State Park. Learn how to implement Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) to address the new PA STEELS standards while empowering students to take action in their communities through clean-ups & other impactful projects. Discover how to leverage local EE partners to enhance MWEEs & provide real-world learning experiences. Participants will receive a tabletop hydroponics unit for their classroom & exciting giveaways. Register NOW! Questions? Contact Judy Baker at judy_baker@iu5.org or 814-734-8389.

PA Songbirds🐦Educator Workshop

Saturday, May 10, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

In-Person at Susquehannock State Park, 1880 State Park Drive, Drumore, PA 17518

Act 48: 5.5 hrs.

Fee: $15.00 payable in advance; pre-registration required

Join us for a fun-filled workshop that focuses on teaching environmental science through birds! PA Songbirds contains dozens of lessons that include music, art, math, science, social studies, & more. Lessons support STEELS standards. Participants will receive the Pennsylvania Songbirds K-8 Teacher’s Guide. Register NOW! Questions? Contact Kelly Ford, EES at kelford@pa.gov or 717-252-1134. Payment can be made by calling 717-252- 1134, M-F 8 AM – 4 PM.

More Educator PD Trainings are scheduled.

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

Section 3:

Conferences & Trainings for Educators

Come see us next week at the National Science Teaching Associations (NSTA) 2025 Conference in Philadelphia!

• Meet DCNR - PA State Parks at the NSTA Conference Informal Science Share-a-Thon on Friday, March 28^th from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM!

• Learn from us & partners by attending the Professional Learning in Informal Science: Making connections to the NGSS session on Friday, March 28th from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

Educator PD from PAEE - Experiencing Hydroponics: How Indoor Agriculture 🌱is Paving the Way for a Better Future

Tuesday, April 1, 5:00 - 7:00 PM EST

In-Person at Fluxspace, 401 Greentree Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15220

Free for PAEE Members, $5 for non-members

Join Fluxspace Pittsburgh to learn more about how schools & community orgs utilize hydroponics to teach environmental literacy & sustainability. Dive into how hydroponics works, look at real-world data on its environmental impact, & discuss how it is being implemented across western PA. 

The Blueberry🫐Literary Award Winners Webinar

Thursday, April 3, 12:00 PM ET

The webinar is free & open to all. Pre-registration required. Register NOW!

The Natural Start Alliance is excited to continue partnering with the Evanston Public Library to bring you this webinar Announcing the Blueberry Literary Award Winners. The Blueberry 🫐Award is a literary award that honors children's books about nature connection & environmental stewardship--the first of 1^st of its kind. Learn more about the Blueberry Award & resources.

The webinar will provide:

• Librarians' ideas on how best to use these books
• An overview of the 2024 Blueberry Winner & notable books
• Booktalks on the Blueberry Honor & Blueberry Changemaker books

Tick Safety & Tickborne Disease Train-the-Trainer for PA Educators

Choose one - all sessions are from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

• Eastern Region April 1, 2024, Muhlenberg College, Miller Forum, Allentown, PA
• Central Region April 3, 2025, Little Buffalo State Park Reception Hall, Newport, PA
• Western Region April 4, 2025, RLA Conference Center, Cranberry Township, PA

FREE! Light food options provided.

Act 48 Eligible Content. Schools may upload training hours.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health is hosting regional trainings for PA educators on tick safety & tickborne disease. Training is geared towards teachers of 2^nd - 6^th grade students, elementary & MS school health/phys education teachers, as well as homeroom teachers & school nurses. Registration deadline: 3/24/2025. Register NOW!

Section 4:

Explore the Outdoors!

March 30^th is Take a Walk in the Park Day

• Exploring State Parks with Kids - Find A PA State Park near you!

Trailblazing Women: Honoring Black Women♀️Who Paved the Way in the Outdoors

Celebrate International Women’s Month by learning about Black women who have broken barriers, defied expectations, & paved the way for more inclusive outdoor spaces. From conservationists & mountaineers to environmental activists & outdoor educators, these trailblazers have shaped the way we all connect with nature today. - from Outdoor Afro

Section 5: Striving for Inclusion

- Learn more about DCNR's DEIB efforts-

Celebrate Women's ♀️ History Month!

Both celebrated in March, International Women's Day (IWD) & Women's History Month serve to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of women, bring attention to gender inequality, & raise awareness of bias. 

♀️ Why Do We Celebrate Women's History Month? Video - 2:25 min.

♀️ 6 fun kids activities to celebrate Women's History Month- from Family education

♀️ Ready-to-use lesson & unit plans covering the role of women in fighting inequality, environmentalism, & earth action - from SubjectToClimate

♀️ 50 children's books about mighty children & women from around the world - from A Mighty Girl

PA State Parks are YOURS!

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 before you depart, dress in layers, wear proper footwear, & bring water. 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 Women's History Month! ♀️



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, & Project WET Curricula for PA State Parks)

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