Happy ⛄ Holidays from

PA State Parks!

We hope that you find the time to rest, reflect, and get outdoors🌲during this busy month.

Because everyone was busy in November🦃, & now December⛄is even busier, we combined those months into one e-blast! Enjoy! A brand new year will be celebrated in the January 2023 edition of our e-blast🎉!

E-Blast Contents:

• Section 1: Teaching Ideas, Activities, & Lessons
• Section 2: In-Person & Virtual Educator Professional Development Workshops
• Section 3: Conferences, Student Competitions, & Grants for Educators
• Section 4: Explore the❄Outdoors!
• Section 5: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI)
• Capstone: PA State Park Updates

Section 1:

Teaching Ideas, Activities, & Lessons for Fall, the Holiday Season, and Climate Change + Free PLT Green Jobs Educator Guide!

• Relax & Learn via "Bob's Pennsylvania Wildlife Camera📸! Bob places outdoor cameras in wildlife🐻hot spots in the woods & then edits the footage for all to enjoy. Discover the diversity of animals in our state. Some of the footage is from PA State Parks!

• Icy❄Ornament Craft & Sensory Play - freeze❄ some natural items🌿and let the exploration begin! Perfect for STEM-based experiments too!  - from Little Pine Learners 

• Want to identify a Pennsylvania mammal skull💀? Check out this great Skully ID video from the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) Skulls can tell you a lot about how the animal lived. Presented by Dan Lynch (PGC Wildlife Conservation Officer, now retired).

• Go on a Winter❄Scavenger Hunt with your students! The PDF makes it easy for you & gets kids outside!

• Easy Ornaments Made from Nature! - from Little Pine Learners 

• Play some Candy 🍬Cane games with your students!

• Check out DEP's updated Citizen's Guide to Radon! Radon gas results from the breakdown of uranium in the soil. Radon enters houses and other buildings through cracks in foundations and other openings. Radon is the 2^nd leading cause of lung cancer (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Because of our soil and rock, Pennsylvania has some of the highest radon levels in the United States. Learn more about Radon - from DEP.

🍂Teaching About FALL!🍂 

Until the snow❄coats the ground, there's still time to teach about Fall. Go on a simple Fall🍁Scavenger Hunt & 5 Simple Autumn Nature Adventures with Kids!- from Run Wild my Child

Exploring the Phenomenon of Shadows and Seasons with the Exploratorium's Institute for Inquiry NGSS-aligned lesson for grades K-5. Includes lesson plan, video demo, slides, & more. FREE!

Teaching About Climate Change -Lessons, Resources, and Tips for Teaching Climate Change & Fighting Disinformation

The 27^th United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties (COP27) was recently held in Egypt. COP27 concluded with an historic decision to establish and operationalize a loss & damage fund. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that, “The world still needs a giant leap on climate ambition. The red line we must not cross is the line that takes our planet over the 1.5 degree temperature🌡limit,” he stressed, urging the world not to relent “in the fight for climate justice and climate ambition. We can and must win this battle for our lives!”

☀ One of the best NEW resources for teaching about Climate Change is SubjectToClimate! www.subjecttoclimate.org ☀

SubjectToClimate (StC) is a nonprofit, online connector for K-12 teachers of all subjects to find credible and engaging materials on climate change at no cost.

They offer 100's of verified, ready-made, FREE resources to save teachers time. Their goal is to make climate change teaching and learning accessible to all. Sign up for the StC newsletter.

StC materials consist of:

• Curated resources with added synopses, teaching tips, & scientist notes.
• Teacher-developed lesson plans that help educators integrate climate change into what they already teach.
• News articles for students that can be differentiated by reading level.
• Professional learning opportunities
• An interactive support center, developed in partnership with the MIT Climate Portal

View slides about StC & learn more.

☀ Check out the FREE-to-download Becoming a Climate Change (CC) Educator Toolkit. Use it to answer questions; find resources & activities to help you organize & lead a lesson; and build your confidence - YOU can teach about climate change! Spanish version coming soon!

☀ Are your students worried😟about climate change? Check out this short 7-minute NPR interview with helpful suggestions you can share.

☀ Stay up to date on the strategies that are being used to spread CC disinformation.

☀ Identify fake news with your students - use the Factitous Game created by the American University Game Lab. The game asks players to read a short article to determine whether it is fact or fake and provides tips for recognizing false information & untrustworthy sources.

☀ Dive into climate misinformation on the scientific consensus around climate change, and why there appears to be so much misunderstanding around it.

☀ Fact Check Like a Scientist using a great video📹from Raven the Science Maven. Ensure the news and information we share and digest is legit.

 💦Caring for Our Watersheds💦Action Proposal Application is OPEN!

•  Join the Chesapeake Bay's longest-running Environmental Action Challenge - an unparalleled opportunity for students to develop STEM knowledge, environmental literacy, and civic action skills as they create solution-oriented projects to improve their watershed. Groups of 10+ 5^th- 12^th grade students work with their teachers & Earth Force to investigate their community and develop civic action projects to answer the question, "What can you do to improve your watershed?"
• Students can get up to $1,000 💲 in implementation funding & win another 💲$1,000 for 1^st place! Proposals are due March 3, 2023. Sign up for an event here to get free Professional Development on our free resources. 
• Questions? Contact EarthForce Program Manager, Sarah Jennings at sjennings@earthforce.org or 508-717-9919

Project Learning Trees (PLT) Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers - FREE Educator Guide!

Green jobs represent one of the fastest growing and changing segments of the global economy. Today’s youth are seeking rewarding careers that move towards more sustainable lifestyles and greener economies. The next generation wants to work with purpose, and they want to feel like they are making a difference in the world.

The PA Department of Agriculture was awarded grant funds to distribute Project Learning Tree’s Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers guide FREE to Pennsylvania Teachers! If you are interested in receiving a free copy of this resource, please complete this survey. 

For more information about this resource visit the Project Learning Tree website. 

Project Learning Tree (PLT) is a program of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SF().

Section 2:

January & February In-Person/Virtual Educator Professional Development Workshops

Go to the DCNR Calendar for ALL Upcoming Educator Workshops

All COVID safety protocols will be followed for all in-person workshops.

Virtual Getting Little Feet WET with a MWEE Flair Educator Workshop

Thursday, January 26, 2023, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm on Zoom

Act 48: 2 hrs.

Fee: FREE! Pre-registration required

Virtually offered by Carissa Longo, PA State Parks Project WET Coordinator, Megan Fedor, Environmental Education Specialist from Nescopeck State Park, and Dr. Nanette Marcum-Dietrich, Millersville University

Join certified facilitators via Zoom to learn all about and experience Project WET's early childhood curriculum - Getting Little Feet WET (GLFW)! GLFW is a hands-on, standards-based early childhood activity guide that is all about WATER. It features 10 field-tested, interactive activities that utilize art, reading, music, math, and outdoor learning to teach children ages 3-6 about water. Dr. Nanette Marcum-Dietrich of Millersville University will also introduce the MWEE Framework in early childhood education.

This virtual workshop will be interactive, and attendees will get a chance to virtually participate in activities. This workshop is open to classroom teachers, pre-school teachers, non-formal educators, pre-service teachers (college students), homeschool parents, and more.

To be shipped your free GLFW Activity guide, attendees must register by January 11. Those that miss the 1/11/2023 registration deadline will not be guaranteed to receive workshop materials before the training. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. Register NOW! Questions? Contact Carissa Longo, EE Program Coordinator at calongo@pa.gov or 717-772-1807.

Virtual Growing Up Wild Educator Workshop

Saturday, January 28, 2023 at 9:00am to 12:00pm

Virtually offered by Presque Isle State Park, 301 Peninsula Drive, Suite 1, Erie, PA 16505

Act 48: 3 hrs.

Fee: FREE! pre-registration is required

Educators will receive training on the curriculum Growing Up Wild: Exploring Nature With Young Children Ages 3-7. This is a free virtual professional development opportunity for formal and non-formal educators of students in preschool to 3rd grade. Earn 3 Act 48 hours as we explore wildlife and the world around us. Pre-registered attendees will be shipped their own copy of the Growing Up Wild: Exploring Nature With Young Children Ages 3-7 book. Register NOW. Questions? Contact Ray Bierbower, EES at edbierbowe@pa.gov or call 814-833-0793.

Getting Little Feet Wet Educator Workshop

Saturday, February 25, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

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

Act 48: 2 hrs.

Fee: $10.00 payable in advance; pre-registration is required.

With a focus on all-things water, this award-winning, nationally recognized curriculum gives you hands-on, STEM-focused activities to bring to your Pre-K through 2^nd grade students. This workshop is open to all formal and non-formal educators including pre-service teachers, homeschool parents, and scout leaders. All participants will receive the Getting Little Feet Wet activity guide. Two Act 48 hours are available to educators holding Pennsylvania public school certifications. Registration for this workshop is limited & is required by Saturday, February 17, 2022. Register NOW. Questions? Contact Tony DeSantis, EES, at antdesanti@pa.gov or 570-945-7110.

Growing Up WILD Educator Workshop

Saturday, February 25, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

In-Person at Norristown Farm Park, 2500 Upper Farm Road East Norriton Pa 19403 

Fee: $10.00 payable day of in cash or check; pre-registration is required 

Act 48: 3.5 hrs. 

Growing Up WILD: Exploring Nature with Young Children is an early childhood activity guide (ages 2-7) 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 multi-modal activities and experiences, it provides a foundation for developing positive impressions about nature while also building lifelong social and cognitive skills. In this hands-on workshop, including outdoor activities, participants will be introduced to the curriculum, guided in its use, and shown the resources available through Growing Up WILD, Bureau of State Parks, and Montgomery County to help them implement it with their students. Register NOW! Questions? Contact Rebecca Blackletter, Environmental Educator at rblacketter@montcopa.org or 610-270-0215 ext. 6073. Registration deadline February 11^th.

Section 3:

Conferences, Student Competitions, & Grants for Educators

2023 Pennsylvania Association for Environmental Educators (PAEE) Annual Conference ~ ​Old Forests, New Lessons: Growing as Educators

• March 13 -14, 2023
• Act 48 hours provided!
• In-Person at Camp Hebron, Halifax, PA
• Register NOW for the Conference (overnight & commuter rates available)

PAEE Conference Scholarships:

Application Deadline for all scholarships: January 20, 2023!

1. For Pennsylvania K-12 Classroom Teachers or School Administrators - In partnership with PAEE, Stroud Water Research Center is pleased to announce that multiple PA K-12 teachers and/or school administrators will be awarded stipends to attend the 2023 Conference. Stipends are available as part of the professional development and outreach initiatives of the NOAA funded (Grant #NA17NMF4570274) PA Environmental Literacy Task Force & Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) Programming Capacity Building project.
2. For Environmental Educators (only 2 Scholarships available for EE).

Questions? Contact PAEE Administrative Coordinator Stacey Widenhofer at stacey@paee.net.

🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎

2022-2023 Pennsylvania Invention Convention - A FREE K-12 Student Invention Competition

Registration Opens: December 1, 2022

Submission Due Date: January 12, 2023

Creativity, critical thinking, innovation, teamwork, and communication skills are recognized as the skills that prepare students for increasingly complex school, work, and life environments. The Pennsylvania Invention Convention gives students recognition for creating inventions to solve real-world problems.

Every K-12 student in Pennsylvania is invited to participate including

• Public & Non-Public

• Parochial

• Charter

• Home-Schooled Students

How to Participate:

1. Review PA Invention Convention.

2. Read and understand the “Framework for Invention.”

3. Start an Invention Log (a journal of your process).

4. Find a problem to solve & determine solutions.

5. Create a prototype. Test & refine your prototype.

6. Make a short video about your invention (up to 3-minutes).

***Complete and submit the online application by 1/12/2023***

Prizes/Judging by Grade Band: K-3, 4-8, 9-12

• 1st Place – $100 💲 per student 2nd Place – $75 💲 per student 3rd Place – $50 💲per student

Students are invited to participate in the 6^th annual PennDOT Innovations Challenge, which encourages students to use their problem-solving and strategic-thinking abilities to solve real-world transportation challenges in a student competition. The Innovations Challenge is open to all students in grades 9-12.

Complete the Submission Form. Submission Deadline: January 27, 2023.

For 2023, students are asked to develop ideas to help address the shortage of commercial truck🚚parking along major interstate corridors in Pennsylvania. Trucks parking on highway shoulders and ramps is common during overnight hours, and it presents a significant safety issue. Students are to select one of PA’s interstate corridors where truck parking is a known issue and develop an innovative approach to increase commercial truck ⛟ parking availability in that area and offset costs incurred for construction. The solution must consider local ordinances and zoning laws for the area selected, commercial entity interaction in land development, community impact, restroom facilities, and space requirements for commercial trucks that are generally 70'-80' long.

Regional Innovations Challenge winners will be selected and invited to present their solutions to the PennDOT Secretary & a panel of judges, who will determine the statewide winner. The statewide winning team will be awarded 💲4,000! Donated by the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors (APC) ($2,500) & the American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania (ACEC/PA) ($1,500).

Section 4:

Explore the Outdoors!

Section 5:

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

- Learn more about DCNR's DEI efforts-

Book your virtual, in-person programs, and field experiences with PA State Park Education staff now! 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 with social distancing encouraged:

• Many Environmental Education programs require pre-registration. Explore the DCNR events calendar for details and to register.
• Plan your outing before you leave. Learn about facilities, download a park map, and review regulations here: Find park pages here
• Take care of & respect the resource. Park, hike, hunt, & more only in designated areas.
• Check the weather before you depart, wear layers & proper footwear, and bring water with you.
• Wear orange if hiking in designated hunting areas.
• Download a park map onto your phone before you leave or carry a park map with you!
• Please do not litter 🚮.
• Alcohol is not allowed in PA State Parks.
• Make a reservation at a PA State Park Campground, Camping Cottage, Cabin, or Yurt. Reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance.

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
• Stay on marked trails
• Clean up after pets 🐕

• Continue to practice social distancing (stay >6' apart)
• Take hand sanitizer with you and use it regularly
•  Avoid touching your face, eyes, and nose
• If you are sick or have been exposed to someone who is sick, stay home

🕎🎄 Happy Holidays! 🦃🥧

Carissa Longo, Environmental Education Program Coordinator

&

Christine Ticehurst, Recreation and Interpretation Coordinator

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