We invite K-12 teachers and educators to join us for our three-day professional learning experience where we will reflect on our 25-year history and the power of partnerships!

The 2024 K-12 Partnership Summer Institute will include daily plenary speakers, concurrent sessions (Tuesday), field trips (Wednesday) and extended workshops (Thursday). Across the session formats you’ll explore long-term data sets, build awareness of community resources and be supported to engage in scientific practices and interdisciplinary lessons.

Thank you for an amazing event! Please refer to the interactive agenda for links to resources and recordings of the plenary sessions. 

Details

Times and dates: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST Tuesday, June 25 through Thursday, June 27

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 each morning)

Audience: K-12 teachers and informal educators

Compensation: up to 15 SCECHs, lunch, lodging and personal stipends ($75/day stipend for in-person or $25/online plenary)

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 9am and end at 10am. 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 each day. Bring a refillable water bottle. Each day 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.

Highlights

AGENDA – click here

Meet our plenary speakers:

*From Partnership to Practice: How the K-12 Partnership Shaped My Teaching

Jennifer Doherty, Partnership roles, 2009-2014: Postdoctoral Research Associate – Carbon TIME, Building Level Scientist and RET Mentor; Now: Assistant Professor, Lyman Briggs and Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, Lab website

*How the KBS K-12 Partnership inspired global data literacy resources

Liz Schultheis, Partnership connection: Graduate Student fellow (2010-2015), co-founder of Data Nuggets, Now: KBS Long-term Ecological Research program (LTER) Education and Outreach Coordinator

Melissa Kjelvik, Partnership connection: Graduate Student Fellow (2008-2015), co-founder of Data Nuggets, Now: co-founder of Data Nuggets, Senior Education Research Specialist, Michigan State University

Melissa and Liz will share updates on their years since the Partnership as they’ve grown the Data Nuggets program into a globally used resource made up of 100 data literacy activities that share scientist stories and “messy data” with students across the world. They will present how the K-12 partnership inspired other facets of their careers in science education and community engagement.

*Wherever You Go, There You Are:  Adventures in Teaching and Learning

Lisa Wininger, Partner teacher (2004-2016)

Lisa Wininger started with the Partnership as a newby 2nd grade teacher over 20 years ago.  Since that time, she has taught in six different grades and community college, served an Einstein Fellowship with NASA, worked as a State of Michigan STEM Director, and now as an Educational Specialist with NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement. Lisa will discuss her adventures along the way, how it has benefited her and the populations she works with, and how she has maintained her connections with the Partnership in many contexts.

Field Trips – Wednesday, June 26

• Food Webs and Eagles @ Kellogg Bird Sanctuary
• Sustainable Agriculture @ KBS Fields
• Invasive Species Walk
• Nature Journaling
• Insects and biodiversity @ Kellogg Bird Sanctuary Pollinator Gardens

Workshops – Thursday, June 27

Choose 1!

A. Project Learning Tree (K-8 formal and in/non-formal educators)

Project Learning Tree’s new flagship curriculum Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide includes 50 hands-on, multidisciplinary activities to connect children to nature and increase young people’s awareness and knowledge about their environment.

B. Think Global, Teach Local: Michigan-based Curriculum for Climate Change Education (Middle and High School formal, non/informal educators and community partners); Organizer: Eileen Boekestein, Environmental Education Coordinator, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) 

Discover how a place-based approach can make climate change education relevant and engaging for students as you explore newly updated Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support (MEECS) Climate Change lessons.

C. Exploring Civic Science Education through Project-Based Learning (Upper Elementary and Middle School Teachers (4th to 8th grade); Organizer: Maggie Demarse, Doctoral Student, Curriculum, Instruction and Teacher Education, Michigan State University

Description:In this session, teachers will get an introduction to Civic Science Education and Project-Based Learning through centering the story of Vanessa Nakate, a climate change activist from Africa.

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.

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

Join our mailing list to keep up to date on K-12 Partnership happenings!

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