Phase I of The Teachers’ Conservation Institute (TCI) will be held twice in 2015, with the first session held June 21-26. The second runs July 12-17, 2015.
The weeklong course uses the forest to teach environmental education with activities led by foresters, educators, natural resource conservationists and industry professionals.
During the first phase, A Complete Natural Resource Cycle, educators participate in interdisciplinary workshops that focus on the environmental, economic, and social well-being of the state that comes through the scientific stewardship of its natural resources. Sessions take place indoors, in the forest, and on a variety of field trips. Elementary, middle school, and secondary teachers participate in field trips together. Teachers are divided into grade level groups for afternoon curriculum sessions.
Activities for Phase I include Project Learning Tree, Project WILD, Tree and Leaf Identification, Evening Natural History Programs, Morning Nature Walks with field trips to Forest Nursery, Seed Orchard, Logging Operation, Sawmill, Tree Farm, and the Texas Forestry Museum.
At the completion of Phase I, participants receive certification in Project WILD and Project Learning Tree, the award-winning environmental education curricula with over 90 interdisciplinary activities each, as well as TEKS Correlations, 45 hours of State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) Continuing Professional Education, 45 hours of Texas Environmental Education Advisory Committee (TEEAC) credit, Professional Development Appraisal System (PDAS) hours, as described in Links I and II, and Gifted/Talented credit through area districts is also available.
Registration for Phase I per person, including all teaching materials and instruction, food, lodging, and transportation during the workshop is $250.
For more information on TCI or to register, please visit texasforestry.org.
ABOUT:
Texas Forestry Association, the voice for forestry for 100 years, promotes an economic, social and political climate that will advance forestry in Texas through education, political action and public relations, as well as serving the broad needs of the forest resource of landowners, producers and consumers, and to enhance and perpetuate the Texas forest resource.
PHOTO:
Educators from around the state of Texas tour a sawmill during their participation in Phase I of the 2014 Teachers’ Conservation Institute.
