Community Calendar

January 21 – March 18, 2025

This course is designed to actively involve educators in understanding and building skills in how to investigate and evaluate environmental issues and topics with their learners. The course models a variety of effective strategies educators can use to assist learners in exploring and seeking responsible courses of action toward the resolution of environmental issues. Participants will explore how to effectively teach about environmental issues and topics, and will start to develop their own classroom and/or program plans and outlines about teaching environmental issues and/or topics – with an emphasis on local issues. This course should take approximately 10-12 hours to complete.

PREREQUISITES: 

• Experience working in formal or nonformal education is not required but highly encouraged.

REQUIRED MATERIALS: 

• Access to reliable internet and a desktop computer or laptop.

GRADING:

• Assignments must be completed with a score of 2 as indicated on the scoring guide provided.
• To receive a certificate of completion for 10 hours of work, you must complete all assignments and receive the scores as indicated above.

IMPORTANT DATES:
This course runs for 8 weeks, from January 21 – March 18, 2025.

Three scheduled Zoom meetings are an essential part of this course. These times could be adjusted by 30 minutes earlier.
Tuesday, January 21, 7:30 – 8:00 pm
Tuesday, February 18, 7:30 – 8:30 pm
Tuesday, March 11, 7:30 – 8:30 pm

If you are interested in the course, but have a conflict with the Zoom dates, contact Sophia Stephenson at director@arkansasee.org.

COST:

AEEA members: $65
Nonmembers: $100

REGISTER HERE

Receive training in two award-winning curricula.

Growing Up WILD is a Project WILD curriculum for early childhood educators to help children ages 3-7 connect with the outdoors. All activities include a Take Me Outside section that offers specific suggestions for getting children active outdoors with nature walks, physical games and other activities. Curriculum includes center extensions, art projects, music and movement, and home connections.

Project Learning Tree’s Trees & Me contains hundreds of ideas for fun, easy-to-do, hands-on experiences to connect young children to nature, with a focus on trees and forests. Through both outdoor and indoor activities, children explore nature through their senses, experience trees throughout all four seasons, and connect with their community. Activities redesigned for families and teachers to use with children ages 1–6 in a range of settings, including preschools, childcare centers, nature centers, at home, or with families and friends spending time together.

Registration

$10 per person payable at the door. To register: email your name, workshop date and location to rbeadel@arkforests.org. Lunch is not provided; please bring a sack lunch.

https://www.arkforests.org/resource/resmgr/plt/1-30-25_plt_wild_ec_flyer.pdf

Contact

Rob Beadel, 501-374-2441

rbeadel@arkforests.org

January 21 – March 18, 2025

This course is designed to actively involve educators in understanding and building skills in how to investigate and evaluate environmental issues and topics with their learners. The course models a variety of effective strategies educators can use to assist learners in exploring and seeking responsible courses of action toward the resolution of environmental issues. Participants will explore how to effectively teach about environmental issues and topics, and will start to develop their own classroom and/or program plans and outlines about teaching environmental issues and/or topics – with an emphasis on local issues. This course should take approximately 10-12 hours to complete.

PREREQUISITES: 

• Experience working in formal or nonformal education is not required but highly encouraged.

REQUIRED MATERIALS: 

• Access to reliable internet and a desktop computer or laptop.

GRADING:

• Assignments must be completed with a score of 2 as indicated on the scoring guide provided.
• To receive a certificate of completion for 10 hours of work, you must complete all assignments and receive the scores as indicated above.

IMPORTANT DATES:
This course runs for 8 weeks, from January 21 – March 18, 2025.

Three scheduled Zoom meetings are an essential part of this course. These times could be adjusted by 30 minutes earlier.
Tuesday, January 21, 7:30 – 8:00 pm
Tuesday, February 18, 7:30 – 8:30 pm
Tuesday, March 11, 7:30 – 8:30 pm

If you are interested in the course, but have a conflict with the Zoom dates, contact Sophia Stephenson at director@arkansasee.org.

COST:

AEEA members: $65
Nonmembers: $100

REGISTER HERE

Free 60 minute virtual webinar.

Teaching about climate change can be daunting for educators. With science-backed, action based approaches – especially those that engage the imagination through play, you can engage learners without instilling fear and inspire them to feel empowered as they learning about climate and sustainability. Whether it’s on a board or through hands-on activities, teaching about climate and sustainability has never been more fun!

REGISTER HERE

Nature journaling is a fantastic way to get away from our everyday hustle, bustle, and rush; and a great way to practice patience, observational skills, and creative expression. It provides an opportunity to get outside and experience our natural world.

Join us to make your own nature journal and learn basic journaling techniques. Attendees will also participate in activities to enhance journaling skills. This will be a hands-on, interactive program conducted both indoors and out (weather permitting) and will include arts, crafts, and journaling ideas.

Presenter: Rob Beadel is the Director of Forestry Education for the Arkansas Forestry Association Education Foundation and serves as the Project Learning Tree State Coordinator. Rob is a Certified Interpretive Guide and has over 29 years experience in the environmental field. Rob is recognized by John Muir Laws as a certified Nature Journaling Instructor.

Registration

Workshop, instruction, and materials are free. Registration link.

https://www.arkforests.org/resource/resmgr/plt/1-30-25_plt_wild_ec_flyer.pdf

Contact

Rob Beadel, 501-374-2441

rbeadel@arkforests.org

Free 60 minute virtual webinar.

Join Julie and Kristie, two accessibility consultants, as they provide a foundation on what Disability Justice is and how it can be used to create accessible and inclusive learning experiences in nature. Disability Justice is a movement and a framework that can guide educators on how to assess and create inclusive nature experiences, as well as how to support disabled and neurodivergent learners. This virtual workshop will review one of the disability justice principles and show you step-by-step how to incorporate the principle into your work. Audience members are encouraged to come with all of their accessibility and inclusion questions! Julie and Kristie’s favorite part of presenting is providing support during Q&A. 

REGISTER HERE

Free 60 minute virtual webinar.

Explore the plethora of Indigenous resources available to support all youth in developing core skills in reading, writing, science all while nurturing social and emotional wellness skills. This workshop will share with educators how authentic Indigenous resources can connect students to place through evidence based literacy, numeracy and science curriculums. The new Decodables series, developed in conjunction with Dyslexia Canada also specially supports those will challenges like dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. Join to get inspired on how to embed Indigenous resources into your Early and Elementary education practice.

REGISTER HERE

WHO: Formal classroom teachers, homeschool parents, nonformal educators i.e. Master Naturalists, State Park Staff, Natural Resource Professionals, County Extension Staff, 4-H and Scout Leaders – and anyone involved in youth education.

Trees are living, breathing organisms and require some of the same things that people and other animals need to survive – plenty of air, water, nutrients, and room to grow. If these requirements are not met, a tree may become stressed and more susceptible to pests and pathogens.

Interested in incorporating activities on tree health, invasive species, or dendrochronology (tree ring data) into your classroom lessons or camp programs? Then join us for this 3-hour PLT workshop focusing on activities and lessons related to healthy forests.

Participants will engage in hands-on, interactive lessons designed for youth in grades K-8. Each paid participant will receive PLT’s Explore Your Environment K-8 Activity Guide containing 50 interdisciplinary activities correlated to state and
national education frameworks (retail value $35). Handouts and resources will also be provided. This workshop also qualifies for three hours of ADE-approved professional development.

Registration

$10 per person payable at the door. To register: email your name, workshop date and location to rbeadel@arkforests.org.

https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.arkforests.org/resource/resmgr/plt/2-22-25_plt_k-8_forest_healt.pdf

Contact

Rob Beadel, 501-374-2441

rbeadel@arkforests.org

Exploring Forest Careers

WHO: Formal classroom teachers, homeschool parents, nonformal educators i.e. Master Naturalists, State Park Staff, Natural Resource Professionals, County Extension Staff, 4-H and Scout Leaders – and anyone involved in youth education.

Workshop qualifies for 3 hours of ADE-approved PD and provides career readiness experiences for educators and counselors.

Green jobs represent one of the fastest growing and changing segments of the global economy. At the same time, today’s youth are seeking rewarding careers that help us move toward more sustainable lifestyles and greener economies.

Join us for this fun, interactive and educational professional development focusing on forestry and natural resource careers.
PLT’s Green Jobs activity guide includes four hands-on, NGSS aligned, instructional activities to help youth research forestry and natural resource careers, and practice managing and monitoring natural resources. Each participants will receive PLT’s Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers guide; a $25 value plus The Journeys of Black Professionals in Green Careers guide as a
bonus.

Registration

$10 per person payable at the door. To register: email your name, workshop date and location to rbeadel@arkforests.org.

https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.arkforests.org/resource/resmgr/plt/2-25-25_plt_green_jobs_flyer.pdf

Contact

Rob Beadel, 501-374-2441

rbeadel@arkforests.org

Free 60 minute virtual webinar.

Sitting in nature with students is not just a way to pass the time. The sit spot pedagogy is grounded in educational research literature and proven to engage students, deepen their core subject and interpersonal skills and build relationships with themselves and the world around them. 

In this workshop Lauren will build on her picture book work ‘Me and My Sit Spot’ to share her new educator’s guide on how to implement the sit spot pedagogy, whatever your experience level of outdoor learning is. Suitable for primary and intermediate level educators, Lauren will introduce the framework beneath sit spot pedagogy, how to get started, and how to build your practice including weekly sit spot activities and connections to the First Peoples’ Principles of Learning

REGISTER HERE

January 21 – March 18, 2025

This course is designed to actively involve educators in understanding and building skills in how to investigate and evaluate environmental issues and topics with their learners. The course models a variety of effective strategies educators can use to assist learners in exploring and seeking responsible courses of action toward the resolution of environmental issues. Participants will explore how to effectively teach about environmental issues and topics, and will start to develop their own classroom and/or program plans and outlines about teaching environmental issues and/or topics – with an emphasis on local issues. This course should take approximately 10-12 hours to complete.

PREREQUISITES: 

• Experience working in formal or nonformal education is not required but highly encouraged.

REQUIRED MATERIALS: 

• Access to reliable internet and a desktop computer or laptop.

GRADING:

• Assignments must be completed with a score of 2 as indicated on the scoring guide provided.
• To receive a certificate of completion for 10 hours of work, you must complete all assignments and receive the scores as indicated above.

IMPORTANT DATES:
This course runs for 8 weeks, from January 21 – March 18, 2025.

Three scheduled Zoom meetings are an essential part of this course. These times could be adjusted by 30 minutes earlier.
Tuesday, January 21, 7:30 – 8:00 pm
Tuesday, February 18, 7:30 – 8:30 pm
Tuesday, March 11, 7:30 – 8:30 pm

If you are interested in the course, but have a conflict with the Zoom dates, contact Sophia Stephenson at director@arkansasee.org.

COST:

AEEA members: $65
Nonmembers: $100

REGISTER HERE

SAVE THE DATE

March 7 & 8, 2025

Arkansas Tech University, Russellville

Join AEEA for interactive, interesting, and fun professional development. More details coming soon.

For more details and registration, see the conference page.

Arkansas Envirothon is open for all 9th-12th graders, ages 14-19 years old. Five member teams compete in areas of forestry, aquatics, soils, wildlife and a current topic.

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Registration form

Delia Haak
arkansasenvirothoncoordinator@gmail.com

SAVE THE DATE

March 7 & 8, 2025

Arkansas Tech University, Russellville

Join AEEA for interactive, interesting, and fun professional development. More details coming soon.

For more details and registration, see the conference page.