NEW ENGLAND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ...Join your NEEEA Conference friends for a late night movie and cozy spaces for conversation. Get your dance on after dinner on Saturday night

NOW IS THE TIME MINDFUL ACTION TOWARDS PROGRESS

NEW ENGLAND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ALLIANCE CONFERENCE

2016

NOVEMBER 4-6, 2016 | WISDOM HOUSE, LITCHFIELD, CT

Envisioning Trans-Disciplinary Approaches and Re-Solutions to Advancing EE Outcomes

For more information please visit www.neeea.org or coeea.org

WELCOME to the 2016 Annual New England Regional Conference. Environmental educators are part of a diverse group of professionals dedicated to enhancing lifelong learning. It is our collective challenge and honor to increase environmental literacy, encourage love of outdoors, teach meaningful environmental content to youth and adults of all ages and inspire environmental stewards to contribute to healthier, environmentally sustainable communities. How can we address the large scale challenge of providing relevant environmental education that will inspire change and create solutions to a diverse audience? How can we encourage creative re-solutions by collaborating with other disciplines and expanding opportunities? Join us as we explore what drives individual and collective involvement of environmental action through natural science, psychology, art, advocacy, faith, mindfulness, research, spirituality and media. Together, we will discover what motivates us to move to action within a dynamic, transdisciplinary system.

To register, go to www.neeea.org/register.html

NOVEMBER 4-6, 2016 | WISDOM HOUSE, LITCHFIELD, CT PAGE 2

CONFERENCE SITE Located in the foothills of the Berkshires in Northwestern Connecticut, Wisdom House Retreat and Conference Center is a resort for the spirit. Nestled among the beauty of the Litchfield Hills, Wisdom House is designed as a country gathering place, a wonderful environment to focus on setting priorities and new directions. Described in Yankee Magazine as a site “with activist overtones,” Wisdom House welcomes seekers and learners from every walk of life to reflect, exchange ideas that go beyond the surface, and consider solutions for a better world. A recipient of prestigious sustainability awards, Wisdom House boasts 80 solar panels and practices water and energy conservation, reduction of waste, land care and historic preservation. Guests enjoy delicious meals prepared on-site using locally sourced products. Bedrooms are quiet and comfortable. Diverse and unique meeting spaces include sunporches, farm house living room, art barn and formal, tech-ready workshop rooms. Outdoor property is spacious and appealing, with a seven circuit labyrinth and places to wander, relax and enjoy nature.

CONFERENCE STRANDSOur conference is organized around four strands: Mindful Action – Pathways from knowledge to attitudes to behavior are complex and require re-solutions. What works to motivate people emotionally and scientifically to engage in mindful action and personal choices within communities and systems? Environmental Education Impacts – What new or expanded programs and projects consider a multidisciplinary approach to increase awareness and understanding of climate impacts, phenology and resource use. How does this lead to mindful action that creates meaningful change in environmental outcomes? Fueling the Passion – What connects us to our professional and personal missions? How can we best share ways to expand this connection with others and effectively craft our EE message through traditional and emerging methods of communication? Generational Engagement – What projects and leadership development that focus on social learning and multigenerational approaches create and sustain commitment and more robust stewardship projects?

NIGHTTIME ENTERTAINMENTSparkling with energy, wit and whimsy, Jackson Gillman will perform his interactive and informal show Nature in Action – Story & Song on Friday evening. Jackson’s unique style of personal theater will draw you in and make you smile. His blend of storytelling, music and comedy originates with his Pledge to the Planet: I pledge allegiance to the web of life of which we’re each a strand and to our planet earth on which we stand one ecosystem under the sun interdependent with diversity and respect for all.

Not ready for bed? Join your NEEEA Conference friends for a late night movie and cozy spaces for conversation.

Get your dance on after dinner on Saturday night at our community-spirited Contra Dance. The Reel Thing is a western Connecticut-based band specializing in music for social occasions, events and gatherings of all kinds. The group is made up of experienced, professional musicians who have a passion for folk music, dancing and performing. Our Contra Dance especially encourages everyone with no dance partner and two left feet to join the fun!

Our conference is a BYOB event. Feel free to bring wine, beer or spirits to enjoy and share. Pass up the paper cups have fun at our GLASS SWAP. Bring a few interesting glasses to share and pick out a few new-to-you ones to take home!

WELCOME



by his school’s littering problem. First, Charles began staying afterschool to pick up the litter in order to meet his school’s community service requirements; however, it did not take long before Charles’s inquisitive nature kicked in and he began learning more about environmental issues in his free time. Charles began realizing that our world is facing even greater issues than just littering. Overpopulation, climate change, animal extinction – Fifth-grader Charles Orgbon III wanted to change the world and no one was going to stop him.

He started a student club that would help lead campus beautification projects. After three years of founding and leading school-based projects, Charles was off to high school but wanted to show even more young people how they could create similar campaigns. Therein lays Charles’s impetus for creating an organization that would support young environmental changemakers across the globe: Greening Forward.

Greening Forward youth partners come from all over the world and find Greening Forward’s +120 curriculum resources, grant programs, skill-building tools, and mentorship opportunities helpful in their youth-driven campaigns to effect environmental change at the local and global level. Currently,

Greening Forward directly serves more than 2,000 young leaders who plan rallies, events, and workshops that engaged 10,000 other community members. Greening Forward youth are advocating for bike-friendly communities in Denver, bringing organic foods to low-income communities through aquaponics in Makiki Valley, developing young leaders through capacity-building conferences in Atlanta, and protecting the Lowcountry’s vital estuaries in South Carolina.

Charles holds a number of national leadership positions and awards in the youth service and environmental fields. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has dedicated a piece of the Power of Children permanent exhibit to Charles’s efforts in order to inspire more young people to make a positive difference in the world. Charles is published in numerous books and is currently one of 48 “People of Character” featured in school agenda books. An UNESCO projecteven took Charles’s profile to create a trading card game that will teach students about entrepreneurship and leadership. President Barack Obama, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and former EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson have also commended Charles’s efforts.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERCharles Orgbon IIICEO, Greening Forward

Greening Forward champions young people as the environmental problem-solvers of today in New York, Georgia, and thirteen other communities

Fifth-grader Charles Orgbon III was troubled



Empowering Volunteers To Interpret Complex Wildlife IssuesLaura Rogers-Castro, Natural Resource Educator | CT DEEP Wildlife Division

This presentation will include an introduction to the Connecticut Master Wildlife Conservationist Program, an overview of why people volunteer for the CT DEEP Wildlife Division, and an example of an activity used in the program training series to address a controversial subject, resulting in increased awareness of the topic and a change in attitude for some participants. The presentation also will include information on select wildlife species.

eesmarts-A CT Energy Education InitiativeGio Koch, Program Manager-eesmarts | eesmarts, Co-Presenter(s): Lisa Sarubbi eesmarts Program, Administrator The United Illuminating Company

eesmarts is a Connecticut, K-12 energy education initiative whose vision is to facilitate students’ understand of the science, math and technology related to energy, electricity and conservation in order to build an energy- efficient ethic among students.

Expanding the Vision: Going Beyond the Guided HikeDavnet Schaffer, Associate Director, Denison Pequotsepos/Coogan Farm Nature and Heritage Center, Molly Check Education Director

The Campaign to Save Coogan Farm inspired programs that are actively engaging new participants in nature through gardening, recreation and art. We’ll discuss intentionally expanding a vision to go beyond the guided hike, make emotional connections and encourage meaningful experiences.

Earthlings Enrichment Workshop: Classroom Wildlife ConservationDeanna Novak, Educational Consultant

We will workshop stewardship activities using microclimates, small green spaces as a venue to practice greet important wild characters we often encounter outdoors. Try a “mindful action” rubric with small classroom plantings, that can help you practice loving, kindness and compassion when you need it most.

Minding Our Energy Use at School and Home: KiloWatch and the Cape Light Compact BEES ProgramTodd Rogers, President | Energy Training Solutions, Deborah Fitton, Energy Education Program Coordinator Cape Light Compact

Learn about and experience our innovative, hands-on energy education approach. Learn about the KiloWatch program where students monitor energy use and then deploy social intervention strategies to decrease consumption. Session includes hands-on science activities that demonstrate principles of heat transfer and air movement. You’ll also measure energy use of the facility and learn strategies for implementing a student-led energy management initiative that leads to lasting behavioral change.

A Greener School: The Road to Stewardship and Environmental Action in Elementary EducationTina Morris, Sustainability Director/biology teacher, The Pike School

The Pike School, a Pre-K to 9 independent school, has implemented a comprehensive Sustainability Initiative since 2007, encompassing environmental literacy, energy conservation, resource management, and the construction of a 1.3 mile nature trail on campus, thereby involving both school and town in all its facets.

Advancing Climate Change Education in New EnglandAll across New England, the six state environmental education associations hosted conferences and other programs in the past year that highlighted successful climate change education programs and strategies. Workshops and presentations with the green bar on their titles are featured programs that focus on climate change education. “Advancing Climate Change Education in New England” is made possible in part by an environmental education grant from the U.S. EPA Region 1.

SESSION A: FRIDAY, 2:00-3:15 PM



What Do We Know and When Do We Know It?David Chase, Consultant | DRC Consulting, Adrian Ayson | NEEEA

In the past year, an environmental education grant from the U.S. EPA enabled the New England states to hold a coordinated series of conferences, all focused on climate change education. Using evaluation data gathered before and after those conferences, we will look at methods for analyzing data and discerning what outcomes and conclusions we can legitimately attribute to similar types of educational activities. This workshop spans sessions A and B, 2:00-4:45.

Your School’s Emissions Inventory and a Forest to CompensateHerster Barres, Director of Research & Environmental Education | Reforest The Tropics

Climate change occurs because of our release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Do you know how much CO2 your school emits? How much CO2 do your buses emit? And what can we do about it?

Reforest The Tropics can work with you to develop a CO2-emissions inventory and develop a forest on a farm in Costa Rica that can extract tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere and store them in a forest for 25-100 years, thus balancing those school emissions. RTT is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that manages a UNFCCC climate change research program to facilitate the use of tropical farm forests to extract and store CO2 for U.S. emitters.

Magic as a Means of Environmental EducationCJ May, Recycling Coordinator / Municipal Magician | City of Waterbury / Better World Magic

CJ May will share how he has developed magic routines and shows to convey a wide variety of environmental topics over more than a decade. He will also share Evidence for the efficacy of magic as a tool of environmental education Ways in which magic may be tailored for specific purposes Resources for educators interested in learning small or large amounts of magic Power of magic to reach adult audiences as well as young audiences

Green Student Leaders-Green Jobs Now Robin Organ, Executive Director | Green Schools, two Green Student Delegates from Conn will Co-Green Schools

Climate Change, the greatest crisis of our civilization, threatens a sustainable environment that supports life on Earth. With optimism, action, and shaping a mindful next generation, we can begin a new way of teaching and living. To meet this tasks ahead, a profound reorientation of our relationship to the earth and its resources is imperative. Underpinning this shift is a transformation of consciousness from seeing the world as an object to exploit, to knowing and living our profound interconnection of all things body, mind, and planet. Join Green Schools and our Green Student Leaders, as together we work to create a healthier future for all.

How Is New Research On Climate Change Impacts Used In Environmental Education?Chris Field | UCONN, Dr. Chris Elphick, Professor, UCONN | Dr. Ashley Dayer, Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech

We will present recent research on how presenting scientific information on climate change impacts affects the attitudes and behaviors of landowners, setting up a discussion of the perceived role of scientists and research in encouraging environmental behaviors and mindful action.

The Incredible Complexity Of TreesHenry Lappen, Committee Chair | Amherst Public Shade Tree Committee

Come hear about the fascinating inner life of trees, from their hormonal and hydraulic systems, to the defensive mechanisms that enable them to live and thrive, and how the town of Amherst, MA is putting street trees to use in the fight against climate change.

Making the Connection: How the Humanities Can Benefit ScienceAriel K. Burgess, Artist | BlackBurgeArt

How can trans-disciplinary projects to bridge the gap between knowledge of, and emotional response to environmental issues? Can they be an effective way to inspiring and motivating positive change towards a better human-nature relationship?

SESSION B: FRIDAY, 3:30-4:45 PM



Creating Stewards of the Environment in Your Classroom: Lessons from the Research and In the FieldDana McNamee, High School Teacher | Hingham High School

This presentation will demonstrate a few key examples of how my lessons can be used to guide middle and high school science teachers to promote long term meaning and relevance for students, and help to engage and connect them to their local environments. I will include examples from my direct experience teaching hands-on oceanography and environmental science courses.

The River Bend Farm Project: Using Ecology and Community to Create Meaningful ChangeMeg Edstrom, Education Director | The Ecology School, Drew Dumsch, Executive Director, Bryan Matluck, Development Director

The Ecology School’s ground breaking “River Bend Farm Project” will create the nation’s most sustainable environmental education center as a model for meaningful change. The RBF project will allow us to create a fully immersive, interactive, and “living” laboratory that models thriving human and natural systems.

Urban Forest Exploration: Using i-Tree to Capture ImaginationsDavid Bloniarz, Urban Forest Research Scientist, USDA Forest Service, Co-Presenter(s): Susan Cox, Environmental Educator, USDA Forest Service, Durham, NH

This presentation will outline the use of i-Tree software tools, developed by the US Forest Service to explore urban landscapes, ecosystems and tree cover in a community.

Addiction and the ActivistRobert Klotz | 350 Maine

The realities of addiction are prominent, familiar, and often not fully evident in our society. The nature of activism is a risk factor for addictive behaviors – both for those who have defined addictions and those who do not. This presentation will consider such realities in detail.

Foster and Support Emerging Environmental LeadersOlivia Griset, President | Maine Environmental Education Association, Adrian Ayson, Executive Director, NEEEA, and others

How can we amplify the voice of emerging environmental leaders? Are you implementing youth empowerment initiatives and experiences to share? Join us in this roundtable to share strategies that engage and empower the next generation of environmental leaders. We will highlight the outcomes of the Youth Leadership Summits conducted this year by NEEEA and Common Ground (New Haven), and by the Maine Environmental Education Association with Cultivating Community (Portland) and Maine Audubon.

The Changing Climate of Conservation WorkDan Brown, Climate Change Education and Outreach Coordinator, Mass Audubon

It takes a lot of organizational work, collaborative thinking, and growth to effectively engage and activate audiences about climate change. We’ll introduce Mass Audubon’s four-part climate change strategy: leading by example with interpreted sustainable features, advocating for public policy and resilient community planning, conservation and land protection, and climate change messaging in our visitor materials and educational programming. We’ll describe the process and educational resources being developed, implemented, and evaluated for engaging students, teachers, sanctuary visitors, and the general public in climate literacy and solutions.

Ecological Foundations in STEM EducationSusan Rauchwerk, Associate Professor | Lesley University

Encounter materials and methods that help you challenge the ways you think about teaching and learning, and about how we teach for ecological literacy through environmental and science education.

ENVIROTHON for All StudentsEdmund Smith, Exploratory Science Teacher | Capitol Region Education Council/Two Rivers Magnet Middle

ENVIROTHON – preparing teachers and their students to compete successfully in the nation’s premiere environmental academic competition while expanding the training and competition to middle and elementary schools. A mini-ENVIROTHON will be given for participants to engage in.

SESSION C: FRIDAY, 5:00-6:00 PM

SESSION D: SATURDAY, 9:15-10:45 AM



Activities for the AnthropoceneKaren Beitler, Science Teacher | James Hillhouse High School

Combine history and environmental science in this hands-on session exploring how humans have shaped the earth and atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution. Discover how to build and present interdisciplinary lessons that bring human ecology concepts into the social studies, math and science classrooms.

Saving Water at Camp: An Educational Entertainment ApproachJoanne Zygmunt, Sustainable Living Consultant | Fountain Collaborative, MA

What do gameshows and cartoon camels have to do with environmental education? Come learn about how an educational entertainment approach to water conservation led to real, measured changes in knowledge and behaviors at summer camps.

How Kids Can Become Bird BrainsPhilip Kyle, Head Naturalist-retired teacher, Barnstable Harbor Ecotours

Large photos, bird carvings, professional sports bird mascot logos, binoculars and field guides, use of other tools including Identiflyer and IBird+ on cell phone, bird flash cards and feathers, plus migration map will convert teachers and students into Bird Brains. All activities will be reproducible in the classroom. Bird posters and decoys and carved birds will set ambience.

Affect Change by Writing from the Deep VoiceThea Iberall, Author, educator, Jewish Climate Action Network Co-Presenter: Rabbi Katy Z. Allen President, Jewish Climate Action Network

We want to convey our environmental passion to make a real difference. In this workshop, you’ll learn step-by-step techniques to connect to your authentic self, accessing the emotional undercurrent of your knowledge. Go out and light a fire under your students. Guidance for non-writers.

The Rewards of Working Together: The Hornaday Awards Program, Multi-generational Projects, and Planning for the FutureBrenda Hawkins, Hornaday Award Committee Member, Narragansett Council of BSA, Jackson Hawkins Hornaday Award Recipient Tabor Academy Grant Van Eck Field Staff Member Narragansett Council of BSA Grant.

During this interactive workshop, participants will learn about the BSA Hornaday Awards for outstanding leadership in environmental protection, conservation efforts, and stewardship of natural resources.

Participants will collaborate to discuss and plan multigenerational projects for implementation within their own communities.

Building(s) for Climate Change SolutionsKenneth J. Filarski, Founder and Principal | FILARSKI/ ARCHITECTURE+PLANNING+RESEARCH

Learn about strategic framing, a research-based approach to communicating about climate change, and how school infrastructure and instruction equally contribute to the solution. We will also present what others are already doing to mitigate climate change using an engaging and unique technique.

Communication and Team BuildingRobert Klotz | 350 Maine, Sarah Lachance | 350 Maine

As key leaders associated with ongoing communication team building and communication efforts related to 350 Maine and other regional efforts, we will consider our personal individual and group experience with the many practical aspects of such activities. Issues of organizational communication, on internal and external levels–with examination of the various tools that exist–will be expanded on via audience feedback regarding their experience.

Group Decision-Making Techniques for Teams and Groups With Big AspirationsAdrian Ayson, Executive Director | New England Environmental Education Alliance

Before mindful action, we need mindful decisions. How can you create action plans grounded on shared vision and group ownership? How can agendas be framed strategically? We will sample effective facilitation and strategizing techniques that get everyone behind a plan. We’ll try out processes that engage everyone, reduce over- participation and reach enthusiastic consensus.



Climate Change Education in the RoundParticipate in an open space session, learning about the results of New England state projects from the past year that focused on identifying success stories and replicable models in Climate Change Education. All the New England States participated in a two year collective effort to increase climate change awareness and action. Participants are welcome to learn about the success stories and results from across the region. Great place to engage with others to share environmental literacy and action. The Advancing Climate Change Education project is made possible by a EPA Region One Environnmental Education Grant to the New England Environmental Education Alliance. Refreshments will be provided at each state’s table to support the fruits of their labor this past year and encourage networking throughout the room.

Games to Illustrate Human Sensation, Perception, Assumptions, Learning, Decision Making and RespondingDr. Ronald G. Shapiro, Speaker and Consultant | Ronald G. Shapiro, PhD, LLC

Game show which demonstrates how people process information. Come, participate, learn and have fun while becoming a better teacher, student and communicator. Leave with more than a dozen activities you can use too!

Mapping Nest Success in Migratory BirdsDaniel Bisaccio, Director of Science Education, Brown University

Students craft artificial nests and eggs (and you will too!) of migratory birds and investigate the impact of forest fragmentation on nesting success. Locations of the nests are then mapped using GPS and nest disturbance analyzed. Through this hands-on field exercise students learn about global habitat connections and conservation issues for migratory birds. Students as researchers may then share their data with other students around the country using HabitatNet. Learn how to visualize nest disturbance data using maps while creating a nest and eggs to take home with you.

Visualizing Change: Connecting Learners to Climate Change and Community SolutionsAnnette Brickley, Science Education Consultant | Independent, Carrie Hawthorne, Buttonwood Park Zoo Jennifer West, Narragansett Bay Research Reserve Sylvia Scharf, New England Aquarium

The Visualizing Change project, funded by NOAA, connects learners to why climate change matters to all of us, to mechanisms that drive it, and to ways people can work to address it. This demonstration will point to where participants can access “visual narratives” and the supporting information needed to use these well-tested messages in their institutions and classrooms. These scripted programs combine data visualizations with well- tested metaphoric language that begins the discussion on community-level solutions to climate change.

Expressing Nature Relatedness Through ArtNicole Kras, Academic Program Director, Human Services, Associate Professor | Lincoln College of New England

The term “nature relatedness” describes the cognitive, affective, and experiential aspects of the relationship that each human being has with nature. A person’s nature relatedness can be reflected on and expressed in a variety of ways. This hands-on workshop will provide participants the opportunity to explore their own nature relatedness through art making.

Conflict RecoveryRobert Klotz | 350 Maine, Sarah Lachance | 350 Maine

Conflict is inevitable - and “recoverable”. We’ll examine the common themes associated with group and organizational conflict. Via an interactive, group, practical planning approach, we’ll consider viable tools and resources for conflict recovery and prevention.

How to Tell a Darn Good StoryJohn Porcino, Storyteller Musician | Self Employed Storyteller/Musician

A participatory journey to find, learn, build and polish darn good environmental stories. The emphasis will be on bringing out unique storytelling voices. Participants leave with at least one new story and a template for creating many more.

SESSION F: SATURDAY, 2:00-3:30 PM

SESSION E: SATURDAY, 10:45 AM - NOON



STudent Estuarine Monitoring (STEM): Students Supporting Aquaculture through Water Quality Research in Montsweag BayLisa Packard, Director of Outdoor Classroom | Chewonki Foundation, Kathleen Thornton, Research Specialist, Darling Marine Center

Delve into water quality testing through a partnership with University of Maine’s Darling Marine Center. Work in small groups to explore test instruments and how citizen science can connect students to a broader network of research.

BioBlitzEdmund Smith, Exploratory Science Teacher | Capitol Region Education Council/Two Rivers Magnet Middle

Learn about the record setting (national and world) Connecticut BioBlitz and how to run your own events. In addition we will blitz around the grounds and return with some specimens to identify using keys and dissecting scopes.

Creating Schoolyard HabitatsCynthia Corsair, Fish and Wildlife Biologist | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Katie Blake, Bird-Friendly Communities Coordinator, Audubon Connecticut; Francesca Williams, Curriculum & Evaluation Consultant, Audubon Connecticut

This workshop will provide an introduction to the USFWS Schoolyard Habitat Program, a hands-on brainstorming session, and ideas for outdoor curriculum integration.

Mapping Local Data for FreePeter Stetson, Science Teacher | Coventry High School Session

Using any computer, laptop or tablet, participants will create a public account on ArcGIS.com. After joining an online group, they will then collect local temperature data, enter that data into a spreadsheet. The data will be imported into an online map which will be saved and shared with the group. Participants will be shown several different types of story maps and see the basic steps to creating their own based on the interests of their own organization or agency.

Continuing the Keynote ConversationsCharles Orgbon, Greening Forward

A session that digs deeper into the topics and ideas that bubbled up from the keynote talk.

Close Encounters of the Natural KindJackson Gillman, CEEO-Chief Educational Entertainment Officer | Jackson Gillman

One’s love of nature is often sparked by a memorable encounter. Whether it being witness to a dramatic sighting, or a pastoral outdoor experience, share your tale. In so doing, we’ll help each other widen our appreciation of natural wonders.

Forty Years of Learning By Design and the E’s of EcologyKenneth J. Filarski, Founder and Principal | FILARSKI/ ARCHITECTURE+PLANNING+RESEARCH

For over 40 years, Ken has engaged audiences in design thinking and environmental education, from pre-school to the elderly, in formal classroom settings and community workshops. This session will present that work, its evolution over time, and the relationship of environment and ecology in a very easy to understand format.

Action First Environmental EducationJohn Anderson, Director of Education | New England Aquarium, Lucy Indge, Youth live blueTM Service Coordinator New England Aquarium; Heather Deschenes, Manager of Youth Development Programs New England Aquarium

Educators face challenges to engaging large numbers of people to take action. People’s inner stories of being busy with jobs, grocery shopping, laundry, preparing meals, homework, etc., often prevent effort toward environmental protection. We’ll consider an action-first approach that may help to overcome barriers.

Piloting Environmental Stewardship Opportunities in Middle and High SchoolAndrea Freed, PhD, Science Educator | Hall-Dale Middle School, Jeff Cleaveland | Hall-Dale High School Science

Middle and high school environmental educators are piloting a collaboration between middle and high school students (grades 6-12). This will include a focus on environmental issues, community outreach and creating a sustainable garden at Hall-Dale Middle/High School in Maine.

SESSION H: SUNDAY, 9:00-10:15 AM



Community Culvert Youth ExperienceShawn Brodeur-Stevens, 7th grade Science Teacher | Charlestown Middle School, Caitlin Wright-6th Grade Science Teacher Charlestown Middle School, Erica Wood 8th Grade Science Teacher Charlestown Middle School, Students from Charlestown Middle School

The presentation will give the audience an overview of this year’s summer program which consisted of students collecting data to assess the overall condition of Charlestown’s culverts. This project provides a model for other educators to connect their school with the larger community. We hope to demonstrate how schools can help to create better relationships within a community, and foster a multidisciplinary approach to increase awareness and understanding of climate impacts in their communities.

Developing New Leaders for EEAdrian Ayson, Executive Director | NEEEA. with New England EE leaders

A lively round-table dialogue to explore successes in cultivating and empowering new leaders to spearhead the environmental education field’s growth and continuing innovation. In particular we’ll examine strategies to strengthen our professional associations like NEEEA and the state EE associations with the passion and vigor of new leaders.

The Work That ReconnectsColeen O’Connell, Director/Faculty Ecological Teaching and Learning MS Program | Lesley University

This workshop is experiential, engaged and facilitated by a trained facilitator of the work. The Work That Reconnects is a cycle that moves us from gratitude through pain for our world, into seeing with new eyes, and then going forth into our world to make a difference. Participants will be led in exercises in each of these areas and will go forth inspired and ready for behavior change and action. This workshop spans sessions H and I, 9:00am-10:15am.

Citizen Science: STEM to STEAMMelissa Guillet, Interdisciplinary Arts Instructor | A.M. Waddington Elementary

This workshop will highlight STEM to STEAM projects and include take-home lesson plans to help you recreate our activities and citizen science at your school. There will be examples from K-5, with spotlights on an extended unit on insects in second grade, frogs and crayfish in third grade, and water pollution and native species in fifth grade. There will also be a section on how to connect with outside groups, coordinate school visits and field trips, and how to get additional resources and grants.

Mindfulness as a Strategy for Student EngagementSusan Cusato, Associate Professor Dept. of the Environment, Geography and Marine Sciences, Southern Connecticut State University

Building on Henri Nouwen quote “You don’t think your way to a new way of living–you live your way to a new way of thinking”, this presentation will help participants to transition from information based teaching to mindful actions.

NGSS and Environmental Education from a Public School Teacher PerspectiveKimberly Scantlebury, Science Teacher | The Founders Academy

What does the Next Generation Science Standards and environmental education look like in a traditional classroom? This presentation will show one freshmen science teacher’s story using examples and student work with an Earth systems content focus.

Expanding Your Impact: How EE Programs Can Be Designed to Make a Difference in the CommunityJen Cummings, Executive Director | Natural Resource Trust of Easton

Every environmental educator hopes to be able to make a positive difference in their community. In this presentation, learn how EE programs can be more mindfully designed and scheduled to have an impact not only on direct participants, but on the greater community as well.

SESSION I: SUNDAY, 10:30-11:45 AM



Birding Basics Hike on Point FollyCarrie Szwed, Education Director | White Memorial Conservation Center

Join Carrie Szwed, White Memorial Education Director, at Point Folly Campground, a birding hotspot on White Memorial Foundation’s 4,000 acre property here in Litchfield, for a leisurely hike. Carrie will identify birds on and off shore while offering techniques on how to provide introductory birding programs to audiences of all ages.

Mapping Tools for Mindful Climate Change EducationJane Heinze-Fry, Special Projects Director | Museum Institute for Teaching Science

This workshop will include the presentation and further development of two mapping tools (a concept map and a strand map) to assist educators in addressing climate change in both formal and informal settings.

Are We Really Inspiring Appreciation and Stewardship of the Natural World?Keith Crowley, Director of the Traveling Natural History Programs | Chewonki Foundation

We all strive to deliver the most meaningful experiences to our audiences, but how can we ensure those experiences are fully aligned with our mission? Join Chewonki as we share how thoughtful research fueled a program redesign steeped in self-reflection, improved mission alignment, and more impactful programming.

Climate Change Stories: Learning from the Wisdom of Our EldersJennifer Trapani, Graduate Student | Antioch University New England Department of Environmental Studies/ Community Garden Connections

Climate change disproportionately impacts older adults, yet this burgeoning population is vital to community well-being. This presentation highlights pilot research that captures climate change perspectives among older adults (65+) engaged in community gardening initiatives.

Litchfield History Museum (Offsite Workshop)Does environmental education have a place in a history museum? The Litchfield Historical Society is re- imagining the landscape of the historic Tapping Reeve House and Law School as a community resource for learning, relaxation, and reflection. Rather than a strict interpretation of a time period, the project incorporates aspects of land use seen on the site and in Litchfield from the 18th -20th centuries. Learn more about the project with a tour of the exhibit Re-imagining the Tapping Reeve Landscape and a visit to the site. Take part in discussions on how creating new programming to educate visitors about the use and care of natural surroundings in the past can lead to meaningful action today.

FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

Empowering Volunteers to Interpret Complex Wildlife Issues

Session A: 2:00 - 3:15 pm

The Work that Reconnects Session H-I:9:00 - 11:45 am

eesmarts - A CT Energy Education Initiative


Ecological Foundations in STEM Education

Session D:9:15 - 10:45 am

Close Encounters of the Natural Kind

Session H:10:15 - 11:45 am

Expanding the Vision: Going Beyond the Guided Hike


ENVIROTHON for all Students Session D:9:15 - 10:45 am

Forty Years of Learning by Design and the E’s of Ecology

Session H:10:15 - 11:45 am

Earthlings Enrichment Workshop: Classroom Wildlife Conservation


Activities for the Anthropocene Session D:9:15 - 10:45 am

Action First Environmental Education

Session H:10:15 - 11:45 am

Minding Out Energy Use at School and Home: KiloWatch & the Cape Light Compact BEES Program


Saving Water at Camp: An Educational Entertainment Approach


Piloting Environmental Stewardship Opportunities in Middle and High School

Session H:10:15 - 11:45 am

A Greener School: The Road to Stewardship and Environmental Action in Elementary Education


Group Decision Making Techniques for Teams and Groups with Big Aspirations


Session H:10:15 - 11:45 am

What Do We Know and When Do We Know It?

Session A-B: 2:00 - 4:45 pm

How Kids Can Become Bird Brains Session D:9:15 - 10:45 am

Community Culvert Youth Experience

Session H:10:15 - 11:45 am

Your School’s Emission’s Inventory and a Forest to Compensate

Session B: 3:30 - 4:45 pm

A�ect Change by Writing from the Deep Voice


Citizen Science: STEM to STEAM Session I:10:30 - 11:45 am

Magic as a Means of Environmental Education


The Rewards of Working Together: The Hornaday Awards Program, Multigenerational Projects, and Planning for the Future


Mindfulness as a Strategy for Student Engagement

Session I:10:30 - 11:45 am

Green Student Leaders – Green Jobs Now


Building(s) for Climate Change Solutions


NGSS and Environmental Education from a Public School Teacher Perspective

Session I:10:30 - 11:45 am

How is New Research on Climate Change Impacts Used in Environmental Education?


Communication and Team Building Session D:9:15 - 10:45 am

Expanding Your Impact: How EE Programs Can Be Designed to Make a Di�erence

Session I:10:30 - 11:45 am

The Incredible Complexity of Trees Session B: 3:30 - 4:45 pm

Climate Change Education in the Round

Session E:10:45 am - noon

Birding Basics Hike on Point Folly Session I:10:30 - 11:45 am

Making the Connection: How the Session B: 3:30 - 4:45 pm

Games to Illustrate Human Sensation, Perception, Assumptions, Learning

Session F:2:00 - 3:30 pm

Mapping Tools for Mindful Climate Change Education

Session I:10:30 - 11:45 am

Creating Stewards of the Environment in Your Classroom: Lessons from the Research & in the Field

Session C: 5:00 - 6:00 pm

Mapping Nest Success in Migratory Birds


Are We Really Inspiring Appreciation and Stewarship of the Natural World?

Session I:10:30 - 11:45 am

The River Bend Farm Project: Using Ecology & Community to Create Meaningful Change


Visualizing Change: Connecting Learners to Climate Change and Community Solutions


Urban Forest Exploration: Using i-Tree to Capture Imaginations


Expressing Nature Relatedness Through Art


Climate Change Stories: Learning from the Wisdom of our Elders

Session I:10:30 - 11:45 am

Addiction and the Activist Session C: 5:00 - 6:00 pm

Foster and Support Emerging Environmental Leaders



The Changing Climate ofConservation Work


How to Tell a Darn Good Story Session F:2:00 - 3:30 pm

STudent Estuarine Monitoring (STEM): Students Supporting Aquaculture


BioBlitz Session F:2:00 - 3:30 pm

Creating Schoolyard Habitats Session F:2:00 - 3:30 pm

Continuing the Keynote Conversation Session F:2:00 - 3:30 pm

Mapping Local Data Session F:2:00 - 3:30 pm

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Developing New Leaders for EE



CONFERENCE SCHEDULEFriday, November 4

1:00 – 2:00 pm WELCOME: Arrival and Check In

2:00 – 3:15 pm Session A: Workshops

4:3:15 – 3:30 pm Snack Break in the Art Barn

3:30 – 4:45 pm Session B: Workshops

5:00 – 6:00 pm Session C: Workshops

6:00 pm Dinner7:30 pm Jackson Gillman: Nature in Action – Story and Song

8:45 pm Late Night at the Movies

Saturday, November 5

8:00 am Breakfast with Morning Welcome Address

9:15 – 10:45 pm Session D: Workshops

10:45 am – 12:00 pm Session E: Full Conference Session - Climate Change in the Round

12:00 pm Lunch1:00 pm Keynote Address

2:00 – 3:30 pm Session F: Workshops

3:30 – 5:00 pm Session G: Reception with Tour at White Memorial

5:30 pm Awards Dinner and Silent Auction

7:00 Contra Dance

Sunday, November 68:00 am Breakfast 9:00 – 10:15 am Session H: Workshops

10:30 – 11:45 am Session I: Workshops

11:45 am Lunch

1:00 pm Conference Closes



ABOUT THE AREAThe Litchfield Hills, a popular tourist destination, is rich in beautiful landscape, natural settings and trails, vineyards, nature centers, historic gardens, cultural and performing arts, farms and boutique shopping. Come early, stay late and enjoy all that the area has to offer. We will have brochures that highlight local farms, vineyards, bakeries and shops where you can explore the vast array of local, sustainable products. For more information, visit http://www.litchfieldhills.com/.

REGISTRATIONRegistration is online at www.neeea.org through October 25. All information, including scholarship assistance, special dietary needs and payment options, is included on the online registration form. A detailed conference welcome packet will be emailed to registrants.

FEESWe are pleased to offer a comprehensive, affordable, value-based conference packet this year that includes comfortable overnight accommodations, all meals, workshops and social activities.

Full Conference (2 night/ 6 meals) $349Full Conference COMMUTER (6 meals) $279Friday - Saturday (1 night lodging/4 meals) $289Friday - Saturday COMMUTER (4 meals) $179Saturday – Sunday (1 night/ 5 meals) $289

Saturday Day Rate $119Saturday – Sunday COMMUTER (5 meals) $179

REGISTRATION DEADLINERegistration Deadline is October 25, 2016. Space is limited and overnight accommodations are first come, first served. We recommend that you register early. Those paying by check will not be fully registered until payment is received by NEEEA. Checks must be received by October 21.

CANCELLATION POLICYRefunds, less a $35 administrative fee, can be issued for cancellations received by October 15, 2016. No refunds can be issued after that date.



CONFERENCE HOSTSConnecticut Outdoor and Environmental Education Association (COEEA)COEEA is a network of classroom educators, naturalists, environmental educators, youth leaders, administrators, professors, and students who work toward a future where there is an appreciation for and understanding of the environment as an integral part of all community education. Members include educators, environmental professionals and organizations and agencies that are well informed and willing to work together to maximize resources to promote environmental literacy and stewardship.

The New England Environmental Education Alliance (NEEEA)The New England Environmental Education Alliance has a 47-year record of success: strengthening environmental education networks, building capacity, providing professional development, and raising the profile of environmental education in New England. A leading affiliate of the North American Association for Environmental Education, NEEEA was honored in 2013 as NAAEE’s Outstanding Affiliate for its excellence in advancing the field of environmental education. The Alliance is composed of the six New England Environmental Education organizations: Connecticut Outdoor & Environmental Education Association (COEEA), Massachusetts Environmental Education Society (MEES), Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA), New Hampshire Environmental Educators (NHEE), Rhode Island Environmental Education Association (RIEEA) and Vermont’s State-Wide Environmental Education Programs (SWEEP).

Thank you to the NEEEA 2016 Conference Committee:Abby Peklo, Conference Co-Chair Emily Carreiro, Conference Co-Chair Adrian Ayson, NEEEA Executive Director Cynthia Menard, NEEEA President Michelle Eckman, COEEA President Amy Cabaniss Tara Carvalho Jill Keating-Herbst Nicole Kras Geoff McCann Alberto Mimo Sue Quincy Wendy Sabol Sarah Wilby

Although this conference and its presentations and information were funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under assistance agreement 00A00072 to the New England Environmental Education Alliance, it may not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.

Documents

NEW ENGLAND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ...Join your NEEEA Conference friends for a late night movie and cozy spaces for conversation. Get your dance on after dinner on Saturday night