TURNING THE TIDE TOWARD ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

FEBRUARY 25, 2012

Cape Henlopen State Park, Officer's Club

Conference Agenda

8:00-9:00 am                    Registration and Networking

9:00-10:00 am                  Welcome/Keynote: Tom Horton

10:00-10:30 am                DAEE Business Meeting

10:30-10:45 am                BREAK

10:45am-12:20 pm          BLOCK A SESSIONS

                                          10:45-11:30          Session I

                                          11:35-12:20          Session II

12:20 -1:15 pm                 LUNCH

1:15-2:50 pm                    BLOCK B SESSIONS

                                          1:15-2:00               Session III

                                          2:05-2:50               Session IV

3:00-400 pm                  Evaluations & Wrap Up

* Please enter the front entrance to the Cape Henlopen State Park (google maps is not displaying the correct physical location of the address listed)

CONFERENCE SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

Capitalizing on Citizen Interest in Active Recreation: A Look at the State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan and Public Opinion Survey              10:45am-11:30am

In August 2011, the Division of Parks and Recreation conducted a telephone survey of Delaware residents to gather information and trends on outdoor recreation patterns and preferences as well as other information on their landscape perception.  These findings are the foundation of the 2009-2011 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) providing guidance for investments in needed outdoor recreation facilities. 

Today’s presentation will discuss statewide outdoor recreation participation trends, outline current barriers to active recreation in Delaware and identify the public’s demand or outdoor recreation facilities.

Presenter: Kendall Sommers, Outdoor Recreation Planner, Division of Parks & Recreation

Green Eggs & Sand  10:45am-11:30am 

Looking to infuse a globally-significant, in-our-own-backyard, ecological phenomenon and current real-world resource management controversy into your classroom?   Care to know about a weekend workshop this spring that will put you in direct touch with leading scientific experts, stakeholders and educators immersed in these issues?   Interested in taking home an award-winning, newly-revised-for-2012, curriculum loaded with engaging lesson plans, video segments and other supporting materials to help you translate that learning to your students?     

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then come to the Green Eggs & Sand session and treat yourself to a preview of the riches a workshop and curriculum centered around Delaware’s official state marine animal promises.  Using video clips, slides, and snapshots of selected curriculum components, presenters will provide an overview of the compelling Delaware Bay horseshoe crab-shorebird-human connections story and what it has to offer for educators who aspire to teach to it.

Presenters:   Gary Kreamer, Aquatic Education Specialist, Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, and co-founder of the Green Eggs & Sand project; Jennifer Holmes, Education Coordinator, Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, and partner in the Green Eggs & Sand project; and Sharon Kreamer, Science Teacher, The Tatnall School, and member of the Green Eggs & Sand curriculum revisions team for 2012

Creating Habitats, Discovering Cultures, and Getting Outside with Marvelous Monarchs 10:45am-11:30am 

Now is the time to plan and prepare for welcoming butterflies into your Schoolyard or Nature Center gardens.  Join presenters from the Delaware Monarch Educator Workshop to find out more about how to incorporate butterflies into your curriculum and programs.  Discover the fun in ‘inquiry and arthropod based curriculum’ from Monarchs in the Classroom.  

Presenter:  Barbara Woodford, Interpretive Program Manager, Alapocas Run and Wilmington State Parks.

From around the globe to coastal Delaware: UD’s world-class marine research (95 minute field trip) 10:45am-12:20pm 

Join Delaware Sea Grant education/outreach specialists as they introduce you to UD’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes. Participants will receive a brief introduction and tour of the research facility, which includes labs, greenhouses, and state-of-the-art digital media displays, and then participate in interactive sessions with UD scientists. You will also be able to visit their native plant and rain gardens, as well as have a look at their 256' two-megawatt wind turbine. Classroom resources will be available. There is no additional cost for this field trip. Transportation will be provided. 25 person max. 

Presenter: Chris Petrone, Marine Education Specialist, Delaware Sea Grant

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge Outdoor Classroom - Exploring Habitats and Wildlife 11:35am-12:20pm 

Stretching eight miles along Delaware Bay and covering 16,251 acres, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge provides habitat for wildlife.  Four-fifths of the refuge is tidal salt marsh with a mix of cordgrass meadows, mud flats, tidal pools, rivers, creeks, and tidal streams.  The upland area includes forests, freshwater impoundments, brushy and timbered swamps, and fields of herbaceous plants. 

Bombay Hook offers hands on nature studies for grades one through twelve, allowing students to experience the several habitats on the refuge.  Come find out how your classroom can experience the outdoor classroom.  Lesson plans will be available and scheduling procedures will be discussed. 

Presenter: Tina Watson, Visitors Services Manager, Bombay Hook

Nature Walk: In tune with the dune 11:35am-12:20pm  

Explore the back dune areas at Cape Henlopen to discover the diverse ways that organisms survive in this demanding environment. Take a closer look at the habitat and learn how Native Americans utilized these natural riches.  Gather tips on how to ignite a connection between children and the outdoors by going beyond names and uncovering the hidden stories of these coastal dwellers.  Dress for the weather and bring binoculars if you have them. 25 person max. 

Presenter: Jason Beale, Manager, Abbott’s Mill Nature Center

Ashland Hawk Watch: Taking Advantage of Citizen Science 11:35am-12:20pm

 Ashland Hawk Watch is an annual raptor migration hot spot in Delaware’s Piedmont complete with a daily staff of volunteers and a paid Hawk Watcher who tally the birds as they go by.  Species are identified and individuals are tallied according to Hawk Migration Association of North America protocols.  Weather conditions are recorded and the height of each raptor flying past is noted for future wind farm concerns.  Scientific data collection, a real-world wildlife spectacle, a staff of knowledgeable and friendly people, at one of the most scenic sites in Delaware…find out how we use this site for environmental education and ways you can do the same thing! 

Presenter: Joe Sebastiani, Seasonal Program Team Leader, Delaware Nature Society

An Introduction to HOFNOD (Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs) and incorporating the program into fishing events (1.5 hours) 1:15pm-2:50pm

 Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs (HOFNOD) is an education program designed and sponsored by the Future Fisherman’s Foundation.  The program is widely used in more than 30 states and teaches angling skills, conservation ethics and social skills. 

In this workshop, participants will get an introduction to the program and how it can be used in schools, camps, education programs and special events.  Participants will create a take home craft and get ideas on how to plan and run a successful fishing program/event. Participants will also be invited to participate in a full-day, certification workshop in early Spring. 

Presenter: Tess Belcher,  Trainer/Educator,  Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Aquatic Resource Education Center (AREC)

Delaware Sea Grant Data-Activity: Sea Breeze 1:15pm-2:20pm

Sea breezes can provide a welcome break from summertime temperatures and spark afternoon thunderstorms; however, their formation and strength are greatly affected by changes in land-use. In this inquiry-based activity, participants will explore environmental observing system data and radar to identify sea breeze fronts; infer and interpret graphs; evaluate real time data; and discuss coastal development from different viewpoints. The activity is aligned to Delaware Science Content Standards and the Ocean Literacy Essential Principles.

Presenter: Chris Petrone, Marine Education Specialist, Delaware Sea Grant

Outdoor Woodland Classrooms 1:15pm-2:00pm

Have you ever wished you could take your students or family to a designated area in Delaware for an "Outdoor Woodland Classroom" experience? Well, you can! Participants in this workshop session will be guided through a path of different experiences that an outdoor woodland classroom offers, along with obtaining insight on the many opportunities that exist in our state.

Presenters: Dr. Susan Yost, Educator, Delaware State University, Claude E Philips Herbarium and Dorothy Abbott, Renewable Resources Agent,  University of Delaware Cooperative Extension

Marine Education, Research, and Rehabilitation Institute (MEER) 95 minute field trip 1:15pm-2:50pm

Located in Nassau Delaware, the MEER Institute is a non-profit stranding response and rehabilitation organization dedicated to the conservation of marine mammals and sea turtles. It is MERR’s commitment to contribute to the preservation of these species through research and rescue efforts, and to foster greater understanding and appreciation of these species and their habitat through education and enhanced public awareness. There is no additional cost for this field trip. Transportation will be provided. 25 person max. 

Presenter: Suzanne Thurman, MEER Director

Nature Walk: In tune with the dune 2:05pm-2:50pm

Explore the back dune areas at Cape Henlopen to discover the diverse ways that organisms survive in this demanding environment. Take a closer look at the habitat and learn how Native Americans utilized these natural riches.  Gather tips on how to ignite a connection between children and the outdoors by going beyond names and uncovering the hidden stories of these coastal dwellers.  Dress for the weather and bring binoculars if you have them. 25 person max.

Presenter: Jason Beale, Manager, Abbott’s Mill Nature Center

Field Trip Fun in Delaware State Parks 2:05pm-2:50pm

Get an overview of the different field trips Delaware State Parks has to offer schools, camps and community groups.  Then, experience the fun, hands-on learning for yourself in our round-robin style activity which will include a live animal, mineral testing, rock climbing belts and more!

 Presenters: Angel Burns, Naturalist, White Clay Creek State Park and Dorothy Sheehan, Manager, Indian River Life-Saving Station, Delaware Seashore State Park