These workshops will give you insights on how to connect kids to the garden, and create, maintain and sustain youth garden projects. Also check out these helpful resources:
Just like a garden, our community is GROWING! Learn how to become an official partner, advertiser, and more! Contact us.
Square Foot Gardening Foundation Certified Speaker / Teacher Course
As you become certified, not only will you become more knowledgeable and able to create your own spectacular Square Foot Garden, but you will also have the opportunity to officially teach in your community and elsewhere.
Green Teacher Network 2009-2010 Workshops
Chicago's educational resource network for schools with gardens or “growing windowsills" that use gardening activities to support curricular goals.
IDNR ENTICE Workshop: Climate Change and Its Effect on Illinois Plants
Saturday, March 27, 9 am - 3 pm, Chicago Botanic Garden, Fee: $10
Grade level: 6-12, CPDU credits: 5
Join scientists and instructors of the Chicago Botanic Garden as they share their research on the effects of climate change on the plants in our state. Targeted to teachers of grades 6-12, you’ll take part in hands-on activities related to the topic and learn about citizen science programs like Project Budburst and the Floral Report Card. This workshop is part of the ENTICE (Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education) workshop series from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Discovering the Garden in Early Childhood
March 27, Life Lab's Garden Classroom on the UC Santa Cruz Campus, Fee: $150
This one-day workshop, located at the amazing Garden Classroom or at your school site, is designed to give you the opportunity to see the garden through the eyes of a young child. Learn to set up a garden space that will encourage children to explore, ask questions, and connect to the natural world around them. Learn activities to engage children’s curiosity and enthusiasm while introducing them to fundamental ideas in environmental science.
Chicago Conservation Corps (C3) Student Club
The Chicago Conservation Corps is now recruiting teachers to attend our Spring 2010 orientations in anticipation of the 2010-2011 school year. Learn how to start and run an after-school environmental service club for 8th-12th grade CPS Students. Club projects include recycling, worm composting, water conservation, and anti-idling campaigns. Teachers involved receive a stipend, materials, project guides, training and other resources from the Chicago Department of Environment. Attend one of the orientations listed below to learn more. For questions or to reserve a seat, please contact (312) 743-9283 or conservation@cityofchicago.org.
Tuesday, April 13 - 5pm-6pm Chicago Center for Green Technology 445 N. Sacramento Chicago, IL 60612
Wednesday, April 14 - 4:30pm-5:30pm Vaughn Occupational High School 4355 N. Linder Chicago, IL 60641
Thursday, April 15 - 4:30pm-5:30pm Neil High School 8555 S. Michigan, Chicago, IL 60620
Occidental Arts & Ecology Center: School Garden Teacher Training and Support Program
All applications must be received by April 15, 2010. Program dates: June 14-18
July 12-16, August 2-6
Since 1997 OAEC's School Garden Program, housed at the 80-acre site in western Sonoma County, has trained over 450 teachers, principals, and core parent volunteers in 173 school garden programs in Northern California, the Greater Bay Area, and beyond. The foundation of the program is the five-day residential summer training which offers a combination of lecture, resource materials and hands-on sessions on organic gardening, permaculture, cooking from the garden, team building, garden design, fundraising, art in the garden, and more.
New! Wetland Flora and Fauna
Saturday, April 24 at the Shedd Aquarium, Saturday, May 1 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Fee: $150 ($140 for Educator Members), Grade level: K-12, CPDU credits: 15
Wetland study provides fascinating opportunities for outdoor investigations and hands-on exploration. This multidisciplinary course will utilize resources at the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Shedd Aquarium to enhance participants’ knowledge and experience in wetland ecology. The Garden’s lakes provide an opportunity to identify critters and learn about plants and their vital roles in aquatic ecosystems. At the aquarium, both local and worldwide aquatic animals will be featured.
The Growing Classroom: An Introduction to Garden Based Learning
April 29-30, Life Lab's Garden Classroom on the UC Santa Cruz Campus, Fee: $300, Credit: 1 unit
This two-day workshop, located at the amazing Garden Classroom or at your school site, is ideal for those interested in supplementing their existing science program with garden-based learning. Using The Growing Classroom activity guide for grades 2-6, you’ll experience hands-on activities, learn basic science concepts and gardening techniques, and develop management strategies for a school gardening program. Find out how to teach the standards while you guide students through the natural cycles of the garden. You’ll receive Life Lab’s 480 page book, The Growing Classroom as well as many other ideas and resources. Two days 9:00-3:30. One-day Growing Classroom workshops can also be arranged.
Plant It! Grow It! Eat It! Garden-Based Nutrition Education Workshop
May 14, Life Lab's Garden Classroom on the UC Santa Cruz Campus, Fee: $150, Credit: 1 unit
Make the connection from seed to table in this fun and delicious workshop. We will explore ways to teach nutrition to elementary and middle school students through gardening, harvesting, and meal preparation.
New! Frank Lloyd Wright and Other Greats: Integrating Natural Landscapes into Architectural Design
Saturday, June 5, at the Frederick C. Robie House, Saturday, June 12 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Fee: $150 ($140 for Educator Members), Grade level: K-12, CPDU credits: 15, CPS Lane credit: 1, Graduate credit: 1
Does life imitate art, or art imitate life? Come explore how nature influenced the work of the great Midwest designers Frank Lloyd Wright and Jens Jensen. Spend one day with the staff of the Chicago Botanic Garden and one day with the staff of the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust. Teachers will learn how to use architecture and design to teach history, math, science, reading, and art.
Climate Change Workshop: Grades 4 – 6
July 7 & 8 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Fee: $150 ($140 for Educator Members), Grade level: 4-6, CPDU credit: 15, Lane credit: 1, Graduate credit: 1
This two-day workshop introduces a new climate change science curriculum developed by the Chicago Botanic Garden. It covers the differences between weather and climate, introduces earth systems and how they are changing, and identifies the impacts of those changes on ecosystems. Connections between climate and ecosystems will be illustrated through plant adaptations, measuring and monitoring changes in plant life-cycle events, and exploring how climate has historically impacted civilizations. Learn how you and your students can contribute to a national research project on climate change by participating in Project BudBurst. Five weeks of curriculum and materials are provided.
Garden Camp for Teachers I: Botany Basics Summer Institute
July 12 – 14 at the Garfield Park Conservatory, July 15 – 16 & October 2 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Fee: $225, Grade level: PreK-12
CPDU credit: 45, Lane credit: 3, Graduate credit: 3
The Chicago Botanic Garden and Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance present this popular weeklong, hands-on institute focused on plant fundamentals and the plant life cycle. Learn how plants function, adapt, and interact with their environment; then incorporate active plant-related activities into subjects across the curriculum. Reduced fees may be available for underserved districts, pending funding.
Climate Change Workshop: Grades 7-9
July 21 & 22 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Fee: $150 ($140 for Educator Members), Grade level: 7-9, CPDU credit: 15, Lane credit: 1, Graduate credit: 1
This two-day workshop introduces a new climate change science curriculum developed by the Chicago Botanic Garden for grades 7-9. Biodiversity and ecosystem shifts will be demonstrated by comparing historical climate cycle data, temperature data, and fossil records to current ecosystems and plant adaptations. You and your students can contribute to a national research project on climate change by participating in Project BudBurst. Five weeks of curriculum and materials are provided.
Earth Partnership for Schools (EPS) Summer Institute
July 26 – 30 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, December 11 at Ryerson Woods, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Fee: $225, Grade level: K-12, CPDU credit: 45, Lane credit: 3, Graduate credit: 3
We invite dedicated teacher teams of three or more to apply for this outdoor, hands-on institute. Teams are trained to facilitate ecological restoration programs within their classroom, leading up to a schoolyard native plant landscape project. As part of the program, participants will receive more than 30 cross-curricular lesson plans aligned with state standards. Teachers will also build a working partnership with the education staff from the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, the Lake County Forest Preserves, and the McHenry County Conservation District. Reduced fees may be available for some districts, pending funding. Please note that individual teachers cannot register for this institute. If interested in the institute, teachers must recruit colleagues and register as a school team to ensure the success of the schoolyard project. Teams can be made up of teachers, administrators, and school board members. Teams must have the support of the school administrator and each team is required to send a signed administrator letter (found on the website) to Chicago Botanic Garden, Attn: Teacher Programs, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL, 60022. Call (847) 835-8253 with any questions regarding registration policies.
Climate Change Workshop: Grades 10-12
August 4 & 5 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Fee: $150 ($140 for Educator Members), Grade level: 10-12, CPDU credit: 15, Lane credit: 1, Graduate credit: 1
This two-day workshop introduces a new climate change science curriculum developed by the Chicago Botanic Garden for grades 10-12. Content will cover biochemical cycles including the carbon cycle, carbon sequestration, land cover, and ecosystem change. Learn how to delineate present conditions and historical changes using GIS technology. Explore how changing climates impact economic, social, political, and societal conditions and what it means to become a sustainable society. You and your students can contribute to a national research project on climate change by participating in Project BudBurst. Five weeks of curriculum and materials are provided.
Small Hands in the Garden: A Workshop for Early Intervention Providers
August 11 at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Fee: $75, Grade level: Birth-PreK, CPDU credit: 7, Early Intervention credit: 6, Lane credit: NA, Graduate credit: NA
Join us for a fun-filled day open to anyone who works with infants and toddlers. This workshop will focus on the importance of introducing nature to our youngest explorers. Participating in hands-on learning “stations” will inspire you to incorporate nature into your daily routine. This class is designed for persons who work with infants to three-year-olds, and is adaptable for those who work with preK children.
From Seed to Seed: Plant Science for K-8 Educators
National Gardening Association, At-home study
Natural Teachers Network
Whether you are a Natural Teacher in schools, parks, nonprofit organizations, or government agencies, or someone who wants to learn more about the process, the Children & Nature Network invite you to join the Natural Teachers Network. By joining, you will find support for your efforts, through teacher-to-teacher connections and sharing. Additionally, C&NN plans to provide a Natural Teachers toolkit, with resources that will help you continue to act on your conviction that “nature is often the best teacher."
Michigan Recycling Coalition Recyling Cerfication Program
Register your school! MRC Certified Recyclers will stand apart from their peers as they demonstrate a commitment to make choices that conserve resources, reduce waste, recycle, and purchase green.
