2007 Teacher Institute Overview
Rogers Environmental Education Center's
6th Summer Teacher's Institute on the Environment
During the week of August 13 - 17, 2007, 25 teachers from around central New York participated in Rogers Center's 6th annual Summer Teacher Institute on the
institute participants
Environment. During the week, participants experienced Project Learning Tree, a forest ecology workshop and WOW- The Wonders of Wetlands, a wetlands workshop. Each of the programs have curriculum guides with activities for use in
group hunts for fossils in local gorge
the classroom. River of Words, a nature poetry workshop, was offered by Rich Parisio, a DEC educator at Stony Kill Farm. Participants took part in a macroinvertebrate study on the Chenango River, descended deep into a nearby gorge and learned about geologic history by hunting for fossils and experienced the striking gorge microclimate. A visit to historic Berry Hill Fire Tower allowed for a watershed discussion followed by watershed activities and an overview of map and compass skills. Mark Wysocki from Cornell University presented on climate change and weather patterns.
In addition, teachers received many other resources and handouts about forest ecology, rivers, wetlands, geology and schoolyard explorations, energy and water conservation, macroinvertebrates and climate change.
sampling macroinvertebrates in the Chenango River
forest management activity from PLT
The week culminated in small group presentations demonstrating ways to share this information with students in the fall. The participants left inspired to bring their students outdoors to learn about the natural world.
exploring watersheds in NY
