K-12 Partnership Spring Workshop: Our Connections to Plants – Nourishment

We invite teachers and educators of K-12 students to engage in science teaching professional development at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station.

In 2025 our theme: Our Connections to Plants will allow time and space to think deeply about plants in our lives. The plants that nourish us. Those that bring joy. Those that spark curiosity. Those that connect us to our people through cultural practices. And more. How do you connect with plants? 

K-12 Partnership Spring Workshop: Our Connections to Plants – Nourishment  

Thursday, March 13, 2025

8:30-3:30 pm EST

Thank you for a great event!

Click here to view the Agenda, access digital resources and recordings

Location: In-person at Kellogg Biological Station, 3700 East Gull Lake Dr., Hickory Corners, MI 49060 (link to directions) AND/OR online via zoom webinar (8:30 to 10:00 a.m. EST)

Audience: K-12 teachers and in/non-formal educators

Compensation: Free! Includes lunch, lodging, substitute cost reimbursement to district or personal stipend ($75/day stipend for in-person or $25/online plenary), continuing education hours and access to resources

What to Expect

Online: Log into the zoom webinar at 8:30 am to share in the morning’s introduction, the day’s plenary talk will start at 9 am and end at 10 am. We’ll have the chat function open so you can ask questions and interact with other virtual participants.

In-person: Dress to be comfortable inside and outside. Bring a refillable water bottle. Each workshop starts with a lecture from a local scientist, which is followed by interactive, experiential sessions, field trips and/or in-depth workshops presented by educators and scientists. We add in lunch, snacks, networking and reflective time.

Meet our Plenary Speaker

Hristina Petrovska, Food Systems Program Coordinator, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Food Innovation Center, hpetrovska@kvcc.edu 

Becoming Rooted in Place

Just like the trees spread their roots deep and wide under the surface of the soil, we human people need roots to thrive too. This is a story of an immigrant, building a life and a home in Kalamazoo, Michigan, through loving on plants, animals and people. 

Bio

Hristina Petrovska was born and raised in Macedonia and has called Kalamazoo home for the past 11 years. She is a registered dietitian nutritionist and works as a food systems program coordinator at Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s Food Innovation Center. She coordinates community classes and public events that are meant to bring people together around celebrating good food and building a just and sustainable future for all! She pulls inspiration from her homeland, Macedonia, her family, and her fierce love for the natural world! 

Session topics

Manoomin – the biology and history of Wild Rice in Michigan

Plant ID Hike – looking closely at structure and function of seeds

Maple Sugaring – how to share the science of this delicious Michigan food

Sowing seeds – learn how to sow and transplant seedlings using readily available materials 

About the KBS K-12 Partnership

The KBS K-12 Partnership is funded through the KBS Long-term Ecological Research (LTER) and the Michigan State University Graduate School. The KBS K-12 Partnership is a network of educators and scientists that come together to learn about the latest science at KBS and innovative pedagogies for classroom and outdoor teaching. The K-12 Partnership Leadership Team guides and coordinates this programming. The 2025 Team includes: Jenny Brenneman (Parchment); Shirley Brezzell (Detroit); Lauren Sullivan (MSU faculty); Gabriel Knowles (Whitehall); Kara Haas (MSU teacher educator); Liz Schultheis (KBS LTER, MSU); Misty Klotz (KBS Outreach); Jillian Osbourne (Ebersole/Lansing); Melissa Frost (Buchanan); Sara Syswerda (Pierce Cedar Creek Institute); Torrey Wenger (Bloomingdale) 

Questions? Email our team, k12partnership (at) kbs.msu.edu

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KBS K-12 Partnership offers professional development in science teaching! Learn more about the KBS K-12 Partnership.