Upper Valley Teaching Place Collaborative Fall Conference

Vital Communities

The UVTPC conference is an opportunity for Upper Valley educators, and place-based ecology practitioners to learn together.

Lake Morey Resort

The <a href="https://vitalcommunities.org/upper-valley-teaching-place-collaborative/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Upper Valley Teaching Place Collaborative</a> (UVTPC) is a network of education professional development providers and practitioners who work together to advance high-quality place-based and ecological education (PBEE) in all Upper Valley Schools. Join a community of place-based ecology educators to learn, play, support, contribute, and connect. With two morning sessions and one afternoon session, participants will select from a variety of hands-on learning workshops, many led by their peers. There will be sessions for early childhood, elementary, middle and high school educators with opportunities to learn new curriculum ideas and contribute to regional initiatives! You will meet a powerful network of like-minded educators, be inspired, and leave rejuvenated as you return to implement new ideas in your classroom and community. Amazing food, a beautiful venue, and locally sourced giveaways make this an unforgettable day. Participants will receive a certificate of participation for 6 hours of professional development. Co-hosted by the Sullivan County Conservation District, Four Winds Nature Institute, Shelburne Farms, and Vermont Institute of Natural Science. Sponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of the NH Charitable Foundation

If you require an accessibility-related measure (e.g.: sign language interpretation, captioning, accessible parking, specific dietary requirements, or any other accessibility-related measure) please contact leona@vitalcommunities.org

<h2>The Sliding Scale Fee Explained </h2>The Upper Valley Teaching Place Collaborative strives to remove barriers to participating in our fall conference. While we receive generous funding from the Wellborn Ecology Fund to significantly offset the costs of hosting the conference, there are additional costs such as stipends for presenters, and sourcing food from local producers that help make the conference so special. To facilitate this, we charge a small registration fee and utilize a sliding scale. $50 - If your school/organization is paying and can comfortably afford this cost. $25 - If your school/organization is not paying for your registration and you typically have funds available for purchases other than food, transportation, housing and other essentials, OR if your school/organization is paying and has limited funding for professional development. $0 - If your school/organization is not paying for your registration and you typically experience food, housing, and/or transportation insecurity, select this option Check out this great infographic to dive deeper into economic justice and where you are located on a sliding scale: <a href="https://www.wortsandcunning.com/blog/sliding-scale" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Worts and Cunning blog by Alexis J. Cunningfolk </a>

<h2>Workshop Descriptions</h2>CRAFT-ing Community: One framework for elevating hope and joy through place-based, hands-on connected learning Presenters: Kat Robbins, Janis Boulbol, and Abbie Castriotta Woodstock Union High SchoolWoodstock High School has created an educational pathway called CRAFT (Community and Climate Resilience through Agriculture, Forestry, and Technology). We will use the process of growing and eating microgreens as well as examples of community science in action to explore the tenants, systems, and value of CRAFT that have cultivated a community of students and teachers who feel invested in their learning and their future.Vermont Envirothon Presenters: Adelaide Dum and Casey Spencer, Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District, and Jennifer Bryne, White River Natural Resources Conservation District The Vermont Envirothon is a state-wide competition. High school students put their knowledge of forestry, wildlife, soil and water resources to the test, using hands-on STEM learning and connecting with professionals. The team that demonstrates the greatest overall knowledge is selected to represent Vermont at the North American Envirothon event held later this year in New Brunswick, Canada. Join us in 2023 by registering a team! Gathering for Our Planet &amp; Young Children Presenter: April Zajko, April’s Teaching Tree and a 2023 Fellow for the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children Engage in a facilitated conversation of the findings about the current state of nature based early childhood education (NBECE) in Vermont. We will focus on challenges in implementing nature-based approaches and identify supports or resources fpr overcoming barriers. Participants will play a nature connection game to identify one action to take to widen our circle to support this critical work. Using Favorite Picture Books in the Outdoor Classroom Presenters: Leslie Connolly, Michelle Landry, Bernice A Ray School, Hanover, NH, Use favorite picture books as springboards to outdoor classroom learning and activities. Make connections between curriculum, outdoor classroom teaching principles, and opportunities for play in the forest. Gain access to a google doc of resources, lesson plans, and links. Suitable for K-3 educators. Coming to Our Senses Presenter: Em Shipman, KidsGardening Increasingly, we’re finding that children are demonstrating sensory integration challenges that present as behavioral challenges, anxiety, and overwhelm. Join garden educator and KidsGardening executive director Em Shipman to learn garden-based activities to help young children integrate and organize their senses. She’ll also share sensory garden design tips. Mycelium Meets: Making the Connections with Regeneration CorpsFacilitators: Cat Buxton, Karen Ganey, Henry HarrisStudents and educators need to prepare for immediate adaptation to climate change through a just transition, centering those who are most deeply affected socially and environmentally, while creating opportunities to reduce redundancies, effectively collaborate, pool resources, and generally lift each other up! Join us for a live version of The Mycelium Meets – usually a biweekly virtual place to connect the hyphae of the social mycelium of educators working to shift the paradigm of how education is practiced and delivered. Come to hear about our featured community resilience projects: Super Compost and Justice Trees – and to share yours!Planting Seeds for Learning &amp; Connection Presenter: Dawn, Dextraze, Sullivan County Conservation District &amp; Natural Resources Department Learn about seed-based activities that connect with math, science, art, social studies, and language art. Hear how seeds help connect people to their communities. Share your own activities using seeds for learning. VINS Science Symposium Presenter: Eleanor Hitchings, Vermont Insitute of Natural Science The VINS Science Symposium brings science investigations to life in our community. Each year, classrooms investigate a local issue, design hands-on projects, conduct research, and present their findings. This culminating event brings various environmental stakeholders, from students to community leaders, to engage in an exciting day of interactive science activities. Waterbugs: Important Stream Health Indicators Presenter: Dan ‘rudi’, Ruddell, White River Partnership Join us for a field outing to explore “waterbugs” (macroinvertebrate) sampling as one lens for understanding stream and river health. Meet an array of marvelous creatures, and discuss why they are important indicators, how they fit with other measures of ecosystem health, and how you can monitor important changes. Cool Projects Right Here! A Showcase of Equitable Climate Action Projects Presenters: Andrew, Powers, PEER Associates Get inspired by stories from educators and gain connections, ideas, and practical tools from the recently published Right Here! An Educator’s Guide for Equitable Climate Action in the Upper Valley and Beyond. Become a part of our community’s new initiative for climate resilience! Active, Arts-infused Games for Social and Ecological LearningPresenter: Edith Couchman Experience how active, art-filled play and games can transmit empathy and positive attitudes towards both learning and the marvelous NE forestlands. Explore how such Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-aligned activities can enhance social and emotional learning, executive function skills, physical health, and the acquisition of 21st century knowledge. Microscopy to Molecules: a Choose Your Own Adventure LabPresenters: Alyson Michael, Olivia Streit, Jesse Mast, New Hampshire Academy of ScienceWalk through water quality based labs that can be done as a series or as stand-alone labs using NHAS loaned equipment in any secondary school classroom. This workshop is a hands-on experience of water quality assessment including chemical analysis, microplastic quantification, macroinvertebrate microscopy, bacterial isolation, and bacterial genetic identification.

Agenda

Check In and Welcome

Morning Workshop Sessions

Lunch and Teacher Celebration

Afternoon Workshop Sessions

Closing 

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Upper Valley Teaching Place Collaborative Fall Conference

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Upper Valley Teaching Place Collaborative Fall Conference

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