Upcoming webinars & events

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• ECO Institute: Natural History Fundamentals for Educators

  • Start
    27 May 2022
  • End
    1 Jun 2022
  • Location
    North Branch Nature Center

  This course is a natural history deep dive tailored to the unique needs of teachers interested in building a greater familiarity with the environment in which they teach. Participants will:

  • Build a framework for viewing the land and its inhabitants that relieves the discomfort of not knowing how to identify everything.
  • Become familiar with common birds and their song, basic tree and plant identification, wild edible safety, geology, and stream ecology.
  • Practice seasonal lessons and routines that deepen a partnership with the land and align with NGSS and Common Core.
  • Practice strategies for bridging the gap between learning that takes place outdoors and in the classroom.

  Learn more and register here: https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/event/eco-institute-2-2022/

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• Spring SLOW Birding with Bridget Butler

  • When
    27 May 2022
  •  
    7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
  • Location
    North Branch Nature Center

  A casual morning of birding for all interests and experience levels facilitated by NBNC staff and guest leaders. These outings are about enjoying, learning about, and spending time with wild birds. No binoculars? No ID guide? No problem! The only requirement is an appreciation of birds (though we do have binoculars for those who would like them).

  Hosted by Bird Diva Bridget Butler, Slow Birding is a practice that builds a deeper observation of birds with the intention of knowing more about the whole bird in addition to identification. The Slow Birding approach is useful for beginner birders and experienced birders alike. Beginning birders find it a more relaxed approach to learning birds and experienced birders enjoy the feeling of letting go of the list and seeing birds with a fresh perspective. Bridget will share a variety of techniques that will help you look at birds, listen to them and interpret their behavior that will not only build your skills as a naturalist but will provide you with a practice that will allow you to slow down and reconnect with the natural world.

  Location: North Branch Nature Center
  Distance: This outing covers between 0.25 and .5 miles.
  Terrain and surface: The trails are 6’-wide grass paths over compacted dirt. The trails are flat with no cross-grade. One 20’ section of the trail has a 10% grade over a 100’ distance, and can be avoided. There are several benches along the route. Please let us know ahead of the program how we can better accommodate your accessibility needs.

  Learn more: https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/event/spring-slow-birding/

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• Relearning Place

  • Start
    31 May 2022
  • End
    2 Jun 2022

  The Maine Environmental Education Association is cohosting an exciting event with the Southern Maine Conservation Collaborative!

  Relearning Place:

  Join us as we gather with Black, Indigenous, other people of color, and folks with white privilege from across the Northeast who are engaged with the land and place through the environment, education, conservation, agriculture, spirituality, medicine, and recreation.

  This convening is an opportunity to build relationships with others through the common grounding factor of place within our communities, the environment, the land, and the networks we live and work in. Through our convening, we hope to articulate a collective vision of the future for our communities and our worlds.

  We strive to foster a space that addresses the need for BIPOC folks to gather, share resources, and build relationships while also providing folks with white privilege the opportunity to reflect, learn, and contribute.

  You can expect to:

  • Build relationships
  • Share space
  • Create art
  • Be in community
  • Practice self-care

  We recognize that everyone’s perspective is necessary for creating a just and livable future. This is also an opportunity for white privileged folks to share learnings and identify problematic behaviors within their predominantly white organizations in ways that are often inaccessible to BIPOC folks.

  This is an in-person event with an expected size of 30-50 folks.

  Dates:  The event is May 31-June 2 held at Ferry Beach Center in Saco Maine.

  Cost:  Free for BIPOC folks with stipends to offset travel, suggested donation for white privilege folks.

  Application Due March 25

  
  

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• Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup

  • When
    31 May 2022
  •  
    10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street Montpelier, Vermont 05602

  Recurs Tuesdays, April 5 - June 7 | 10:00 - noon 

  Robin's Nest Playgroup is a free, weekly activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.

  Learn more & register: 

  https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/event/robins-nest-spring-2022/2022-04-26/

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• Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup

  • When
    7 Jun 2022
  •  
    10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street Montpelier, Vermont 05602

  Recurs Tuesdays, April 5 - June 7 | 10:00 - noon 

  Robin's Nest Playgroup is a free, weekly activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and play.

  Learn more & register: 

  https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/event/robins-nest-spring-2022/2022-04-26/

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• Equity and Trauma-Informed Education

  • When
    7 Jun 2022
  •  
    5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom - registration required.

  Register

  This webinar will focus on trauma-informed education, which examines the ways trauma impacts how a student is able show up to learn or be present. Trauma-informed education takes bullying, poverty, racism, sexism, violence and other adversities into account when we are evaluating student behaviors and determining consequences. We will cover the principles of being trauma-informed, how to create nurturing relationships with students experiencing trauma, what consequences look like in this model, and more! There will be time for both listening and discussion with fellow educators.

  Facilitated by Rhiannon Kim, founder of Love at the Roots, LLC

  Rhiannon is in her third year of a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Vermont focusing on healing-centered anti-oppressive trauma-responsive practices and pedagogies. She has also served as an adjunct lecturer at UVM and at Saint Michael’s College and worked as a trauma-informed equity consultant. Learn more about Rhiannon and her work on the Love at the Roots website.

  VEEN Member Cost: $25 

  Non-Member Cost: $35 

  Registration required. There are free tickets for anyone who feels cost is a barrier.  We ask that you please pay for a ticket if you are able.

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• Immersion in Education for Sustainability 2022

  • Start
    5 Jul 2022
  • End
    12 Jul 2022
  • Location
    Shelburne Farms

  Dive into the essential questions of Education for Sustainability and deepen your understanding of sustainability work.

  Reflect, learn, and collaborate with a group of teacher colleagues from across the country and globe. Our Immersion program blends a design studio feel with self-directed learning.

  Each module will explore a different essential question:

  • Module 1: What is Education for Sustainability?
  • Module 2: How do we design and educate for sustainability?
  • Module 3: How is place part of who we are? How does who we are impact how we teach?
  • Module 4: What can I offer, what can I gain from a network of EFS leaders?

  This course is action-oriented with an expectation that participants will create an EFS portfolio that includes an EFS Action Plan, an EFS unit or project design, and a Sustainability Ethics and Values Statement.

  Meet the Instructors

  • Jen Cirillo, Director of Professional Learning, Shelburne Farms
  • Aimee Arandia Østensen, Professional Learning Facilitator, Shelburne Farms
  • Emily Hoyler, Professional Development Coordinator, Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education, The University of Vermont
  • Simon Jorgenson, Associate Professor, Elementary Education, The University of Vermont

  Questions?

  • Program and graduate credit inquires: contact Jen Cirillo at jcirillo@shelburnefarms.org or 802-985-0315
  • Registration and scholarship questions: email registration@shelburnefarms.org

  Meets online Tuesdays and Thursdays in July and August, with in-person retreat August 10-12.

  Participant Fee: $550. Optional graduate credits for an additional fee.

  Scholarships may be available on a need-based scale. Please fill out the scholarship application prior to registering for the program.

  Before registering or coming to the Farm for this program, please read our COVID Policies & Information.

  Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/immersion-in-education-for-sustainability-2022-tickets-222148160127

  
  

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• Project Seasons for Young Learners: Cultivating Joy and Wonder 2022

  • Start
    11 Jul 2022
  • End
    15 Jul 2022
  • Location
    Shelburne Farms

  Tap into your own curiosity and joy by connecting with peers, engaging with our farmyard, forest, lake, and wetlands, and learning practical activities and pedagogy you can easily employ in your own place. We’ll use hands-on activities, protocols, and shared learning to examine how the Big Ideas of Sustainability can instill a deep love and appreciation for the natural world in both you and your students.

  While we use the farm as a teaching tool, we've crafted this experience to support you no matter where you're located. You'll learn ways to utilize your community -- be it a city, the suburbs, or a rural area -- as a vital resource in your early education program. We'll use a variety of protocols and provide opportunities for rich conversations to enhance our shared learning.

  We look forward to this week every year because no program is the same and it brings together a wonderful community of learners from all over who share, inspire, and support each other.

  Meets all day, Monday, July 11, 2022 to Friday, July 15, 2022

  Participant fee: $575. Optional graduate credits for an additional fee.

  Scholarships may be available on a need-based scale. Please fill out the scholarship application prior to registering for the program.

  Before registering or coming to the Farm for this program, please read our COVID Policies & Information.

  Registration: www.eventbrite.com/e/project-seasons-for-young-learners-cultivating-joy-and-wonder-2022-tickets-225852309337

  
  

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• Foundations in Education for Sustainability 2022 (Summer Institute)

  • Start
    25 Jul 2022
  • End
    29 Jul 2022
  • Location
    Shelburne Farms 1611 Harbor Road Shelburne, VT 05482

  Spend five rich days with colleagues around the country at an informative and restorative institute created to give you the opportunity to deepen your understanding of education for sustainability. This week is part conference, part workshop, part retreat. 

  Designed to be dynamic and democratic, the Institute offers teachers the time and space to develop projects of personal interest while providing opportunities to learn from colleagues and other leaders in field of Education for Sustainability. Interactive sessions will feature a blend of individual work time, peer-to-peer feedback, resource sharing, hands-on learning experiences, and large and small group discussions. Our overall goal is to ensure participants have the opportunity to develop connections between curriculum and community, work and dialogue together, and reflect in an inspiring setting that models sustainability and systems-thinking.

  Participant Fee: $600 includes tuition, tax, daily light breakfast and lunch.  Fee does not include travel or graduate credit. Optional accommodations are available on site; double occupancy. 

  Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/foundations-in-education-for-sustainability-2022-summer-institute-registration-161162000883

  Optional 3 graduate credits are available for an additional fee.  Please let us know if you're interested in graduate credits.
  

  Before registering or coming to the Farm for this program, please read our COVID Policies & Information.
  

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• Vermont Biodiversity Educators Institute

  • Start
    25 Jul 2022
  • End
    29 Jul 2022

  This week-long investigation of Vermont biodiversity is designed for 7-12th grade teachers and educators looking to incorporate nature-based concepts and activities across their curricula. Each day is spent immersed in a different ecosystem, exploring the species, systems, and processes driving local ecology. We’ll practice field-based activities and classroom-based extensions aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and Proficiency-Based Learning frameworks.

  A typical day may include a “BioBlitz” of a local forest, an online biodiversity mapping session, a conversation with state ecologists about conservation and climate change, and picking blueberries during a soggy walk through a beautiful bog.

  By the end of the week, participants will be equipped with a range of resources, activities, and frameworks to understand and teach about Vermont biodiversity and its conservation. This course is about reconnecting with local ecology, re-imagining nature-based teaching and learning at the middle and high school level, and cultivating a community of educators passionate about exploring and understanding our wild world.

  More information and to register: https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/event/vt-biodiversity-institute-2022/

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• Teen Conservation Weekend

  • Start
    5 Aug 2022
  • End
    7 Aug 2022
  • Location
    Edward F. Kehoe Green Mountain Conservation Camp, Castleton VT

  Teens ages 15-17 are invited to spend a weekend full of fun and adventure at the Edward F Kehoe Conservation Camp. Participants will spend the weekend participating on activities taught by department biologists, wardens and other staff. We’ll spend the first night in the cabins, and then head out to a remote campsite with meals cooked on an open fire and campers sleeping in tents under the stars. Activities throughout the weekend will be centered around aquatic ecosystems this year, and will include fishing, boating, aquatic biology, and fish processing and cooking. Non-aquatic actives will include 3-D archery, telemetry, wildlife biology, and more!

  This is a perfect way to unplug and engage with peers outdoors before heading back to the classroom. Space is limited so register today! Please note: Teen Conservation Weekend is a co-ed event.

  Date:  Friday, August 5 through Sunday, August 7, 2022

  Location: Edward F. Kehoe Green Mountain Conservation Camp, Castleton VT 

  Arrival/Departure: Drop off at 6:45pm Friday and pick up at 4:00pm on Sunday  Cost: $125.00 (Scholarships available upon request)

  Requirements:

  • Applicants must be between 15 and 17 years old.
  • Teens will be expected to only bring gear that they can carry themselves, as they will participate in a backpacking trip to a remote pond for camping and fishing. 

  More information & registration: https://vtfishandwildlife.com/learn-more/conservation-education/teen-conservation-weekend

  
  

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• ECO Institute: Nature-Based Routines for Outdoor Classrooms

  • Start
    8 Aug 2022
  • End
    12 Aug 2022
  • Location
    North Branch Nature Center

  This introductory ECO (Educating Children Outdoors) Institute course acquaints participants with the routines and protocols that structure a successful outdoor learning and play experience. Participants will:

  • Develop a knowledge base and skill set to incorporate nature immersion practices into your program in a way that meets the needs of your students.
  • Learn how to conduct site assessments and how to manage hazards and risks within an outdoor classroom space.
  • Explore foundational math and literacy skills in nature with nature. Learn how to partner with the natural world to bring the curriculum outdoors and nature indoors while meeting NGSS, Common Core and Vermont Early Learning Standards.
  • Build upon existing strengths and opportunities within a school community to support learning with nature.

  More information & registration: https://northbranchnaturecenter.org/event/eco-institute-1-2022/

  
  

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• Summer Institute 2022

  • Start
    15 Aug 2022
  • End
    19 Aug 2022
  • Location
    Hybrid online & in-person

  VEEP is excited to announce this year's Summer Institute theme:

  Jumping from Joy to Action: Empowering energy and climate changemakers through play, hope, and wonder. We are inviting all educators to join VEEP as we inspire change through play, wonder, and joy. 

   Learn more and register here: https://veep.org/for-teachers/professional-learning/summer-institute 
  

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