New Year, New Opportunities from LEAF | |
Happy New Year, and congratulations on getting to the halfway point of your school year! As we move into second semester, this issue of the LEAFlet contains some exciting announcements as well as reminders of the services that the LEAF Program offers. |
NEW Online Course: Step Outside Into Learning
REVISED AND UPDATED! Curious about teaching outdoors, but unsure what you need for success with learning outside the four walls of a classroom? LEAF's Step Outside Into Learning course will provide you with lesson ideas, classroom management strategies, and development of an implementation plan to provide you with confidence facilitating outdoor instruction. Participants will learn how to conduct class outside on any type of school grounds (from urban concrete to rural forests) in order to engage and inspire students in learning. In this updated version of our popular course, participants will receive instruction in Project Learning Tree’s new Explore Your Environment guide, as well as an introduction to LEAF’s revised Forestry Education Lesson Guides. You'll also receive a Step Outside kit in the mail for hard copies of resources and supplies for creating a project-based environmental education product.
Participants have 45 days from registration to complete the module. It should take approximately 8 hours to complete, and can be done at your own pace. This course satisfies the DPI's environmental education stipulation. Cost: $50
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Whatever Your Forestry Education Needs,
LEAF Can Help!
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Got questions?
Wondering what the benefits are to becoming a registered school forest? Stumped on tree identification? Looking for an idea to teach about forest history? Need tree planting pointers? Reach out to us at leaf@uwsp.edu, or call (715) 346-4956. We're here to help!
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Need a professional?
Looking for assistance with a bigger forestry-related issue and not sure who to turn to? We can help connect you to the appropriate forestry professionals. Email leaf@uwsp.edu and we will get your question where it needs to go.
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Looking for curriculum?
LEAF's grade-specific, standards-based forestry education curriculum is available for free download anytime at this link. Themed curriculum bundles in Google folders can also be found here. Whether you need a quick ecology game to engage students, or a full unit of study compete with hands-on field experiences, LEAF curriculum has what you need.
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Want to try out tools?
LEAF has kits to support you in engaging students with real-world tools. Favorites include the Forest Education Kit, Wildland Fire Kit and LEAF K-8 Grade Level Lesson Kits. LEAF also has a new Tree ID Kit! Kits are FREE for educators to use and for the remainder of the school year, LEAF is covering shipping costs for all K-12 school programs! Visit our kit webpage today.
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Need school grounds assistance?
No matter your location, the grounds around your school can be a powerful tool for teaching and learning. If you need support in developing or using your school grounds, contact LEAF School Grounds Specialist Jonathan Ismail.
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Curious about PLT?
Did you know that Project Learning Tree has updated many of their award-winning curriculum materials? PLT's forest-focused interdisciplinary activities match well with LEAF curriculum, and can be obtained by attending PLT training. Visit our PLT calendar or contact Nicole Filizetti today for more information.
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Wisconsin Schools Use LEAF for In-service Learning
LEAF staff have been busy providing customized training for teachers and administrators eager to integrate forestry concepts and outdoor learning opportunities into their curriculum. At Summit Elementary in La Crosse, teachers have been reinvigorating their school forest and school grounds learning plans during ongoing visits from LEAF. In Bayfield School District, teachers and support staff worked together to connect forestry education to their school's cultural learning goals. And at Central Sands Community High School in Amherst, teachers built forestry concepts and a connection to place into their sustainability education plan.
Is the 2023-2024 school year the right time for your school or district to plan an inservice with LEAF? We have limited late-summer and fall slots available, so contact us today for more information or to reserve a date.
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NEW Opportunities for School Forest Professional Development | |
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School Forest Foundational Planning Workshop: Bring a team and join us for a day of foundational planning where we look at the steps needed to integrate the forest into your district’s learning objectives, gain resources, and network with other school forest educators who are looking to develop, use, and sustain their school forest programming. More info at this link.
Cost: Free!
Date: Thursday, February 9, 2023
Time: 9:30am – 2:30pm
Where: Schmeeckle Reserve in Stevens Point
Lunch: Bring your own.
Substitute reimbursement of up to $125 is also available.
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Calling all school forest coordinators and educators who teach at a registered Wisconsin School Forest! LEAF, Friends of the Merrill School Forest, and Merrill School Forest Coordinator Russ Noland are hosting the Wisconsin School Forest Summit the week of July 24th - 28th, 2023. The summit will take place over 2-3 days that week at the Nels P. Evjue Memorial School Forest in Merrill. There will be opportunities for networking, professional development and recreation.
Whether you teach at a large forest with well-developed programming or a small forest with no established trails, we look forward to seeing you this summer! Mark your calendar!
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REMINDER: School Forest Award Nominations Due Soon!
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2022 School Forest Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations that have provided leadership for local school forests registered through Wisconsin's School Forest Program. LEAF will recognize individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to a school forest program(s) over a period of years.
Awardees receive an engraved plaque, recognition on the LEAF School Forest website, and formal recognition within the honoree’s local school district or community. List of previous awardees found here. Nominations due Friday, January 27, 2023.
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Save the Date:
Midwest Environmental Education Conference
| The Midwest Environmental Education Conference (MEEC) is coming to Wisconsin! The Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education (WAEE) will be hosting the conference in La Crosse on November 2nd - 4th, 2023. Mark your calendar and plan to join LEAF staff at this educational event. WAEE is also looking for volunteers to help plan the conference. If you're interested in volunteering, go to this page for more information and to complete an interest form. | | |
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Reminder:
Wheels to Woods Travel Grants
| The Wheels to Woods program through the Wisconsin Society of American Foresters (SAF) provides grants up to $350 for transportation costs to and from a forest or forestry industry field tour for any WI K-12 classroom, with priority funding for underrepresented student populations. Review of applications for spring/summer trips will consider proposals submitted prior to January 31, 2023. Visit our website for grant application, links to educational resources, and grant timelines. | | |
Professional Development from LEAF | |
In-Person Events
Online Professional Development Opportunities
Project Learning Tree Online Offerings
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Have questions or need additional resources? Contact us at leaf@uwsp.edu. We are here to support educators and students with forestry opportunities. | |
Published for January 2023 | | | | |
