Environmental Education Alliance
Conference Schedule
Technical Support
Registrants should receive conference links by Wednesday or Thursday. Having technical problems? Confused about how to get into a session? Feel free to send an email to eeaconference@outlook.com or text (757) 373-0930 during the conference for assistance.
- Conference Chair LeAnn Rutledge
- Conference Chair LeAnn Rutledge
LAND acknowledgement
photo credit: Native American Net Roots . location: Etowah Mounds
The land that surrounds us is part of who we are; it reflects our histories.
In Georgia, we are on land where these people lived for centuries:
Cherokee / Eastern Band
Muskogee / Creek
Yamasee
Timucua
Indigenous people are not relics of the past. They are still here.
We recognize their presence and appreciate their ancestors, who were the original stewards of this land.
See what Indigenous groups lived in any area of the country by using the Native Land map
Learn about the importance of Land Acknowledgement
In Georgia, we are on land where these people lived for centuries:
Cherokee / Eastern Band
Muskogee / Creek
Yamasee
Timucua
Indigenous people are not relics of the past. They are still here.
We recognize their presence and appreciate their ancestors, who were the original stewards of this land.
See what Indigenous groups lived in any area of the country by using the Native Land map
Learn about the importance of Land Acknowledgement
THURSDAY EVENING MARCH 11
Thursday 6:00 pm Fireside Gathering - Storytelling, socializing and Conference Preview
Join us for a fireside gathering at 6:00pm on March 11th!
Join us for our first quarterly "Fireside Member Gathering" on Thursday, March 11, 2021 from 6:00 - 7:30 PM. Bring your favorite beverage or snack and get ready for some stellar connections with other EEA Members! We will preview the EEA 2021 Virtual Conference, network and make connections, discuss topics in small groups, and listen to guest storyteller Jerry Hightower. Hear the crackle of the fire and see the sparks of creativity ignite!
The Fireside Member Gatherings will be hosted quarterly for all current EEA Members.
- If you are already registered for the Conference, join us by following the link in the program you will receive
- If you are a member who would like to join us and are not registered for the Conference, just send an email to our Member Services Committee at membership@eealliance.org to receive the link:
- To join EEA, go to the Become a Member web page, choose your own dues and join for any amount, or use the eeacovid19 code to become a member for free.
- Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/93873907886
TENTATIVE AGENDA (Final agenda will be sent to those who register)
6:00 PM Gathering and Icebreaker
6:05 PM Introduction to evening and Conference Preview
6:15 PM First round of breakout rooms and icebreaker responses
6:30 PM Speaker storytelling session: Jerry Hightower, National Park Service
6:45 PM 2nd round of breakout rooms to discuss EE in the past year
7:15 PM Breakout room reporting to the entire group
7:25 PM Wrapup and Thank You
7:30 PM Program Ends
FRIDAY MORNING MARCH 12
FRIDAY WELCOME and KEYNOTE by David Sobel: "Why 21st century children need nature"
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WELCOME by EEA President Michael O-Shield
The 2021 virtual Environmental Education Alliance Conference will kick off with a Welcome from President Michael O'Shield.
Michael works for the DeKalb County Watershed Management Department and is a two-time President of EEA. His involvement with environmental education began as a Boy Scout merit badge instructor, summer camp teacher, and troop leader. He earned a Bachelor's degree in geography from the University of Georgia and, while in college, interned with Gwinnett County's Adopt-A-Stream program to learn more about the effects of land use on water quality. Michael is the longest serving Adopt-A-Stream trainer in Georgia. |
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KEYNOTE by David Sobel:
Why 21st Century Children Need Nature David Sobel has spent the last forty years working in the field of child development, place-based education, and parenting with nature. He currently serves as professor emeritus in the Education Department at Antioch University New England in Keene, New Hampshire. His expertise and passion led to being identified as one of the “gurus and rock stars of environmental education” by Teacher magazine and one of the 2007 Daring Dozen educational leaders in Edutopia magazine. David is the author of Beyond Ecophobia, Nature Preschools, Wild Play: Parenting Adventures in the Great Outdoors, Forest Kindergartens and his latest: The Sky Above and the Mud Below. These articles provide some insight into David’s work and the research that supports engaging children in nature from an early age. |
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FRIDAY 9:30 SESSIONS
EE is Essential: E-Ranger Erica Lanier / Panola Mountain State Park Throughout 2020, we grew accustomed to hearing the phrase "during these trying times" when referring to the impacts of the pandemic. Beginning in mid-March, GA state parks closed their gates just as many schools went virtual. So, how do you connect to an audience that is sheltering in place? How do you ensure that Environmental Education always remains essential? Georgia State Parks initiated a state-wide program called the e-Ranger Series, comprising short videos from our Interpretive Rangers. The series has reached over 1 million viewers. Find out how closing physical doors can open a window into the World Wide Web and keep the connection strong between humans and the natural world. This is a 1 hour presentation |
Fostering the Human - Nature Relationship:
The Foundation of Environmental Literacy Linda May / GA DNR Wildlife Division Fostering environmental literacy requires more than sharing facts or honing skills. A personal, meaningful connection with nature is essential. Through an assessment of childhood experiences, sensory awareness inventory and other activities, participants will learn how to become more present and alive in nature. These skills will enrich your teaching and will inspire students to connect more intimately with nature. Strong human-nature relationships are correlated to greater personal well-being as well as increased stewardship -- ultimately leading us towards healthier lives and a healthier planet. Sometimes naturalists inadvertently skip over the foundational mentoring steps that lead to environmental literacy.This session will give tips on how to foster awareness and a personal connection with nature, rather than just delivering facts, to help students grow into environmentally literate adults and effective stewards. This is a 2 hour workshop |
Higher Education Summit
Zipa Vokhiwa Mercer University There are two different opportunities on Friday to join this session. College professors, faculty, administrators and others who work in university and college settings are invited to participate in this Higher Education Summit. Topics may range from biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, waste management, environmental justice, and sustainable watershed and natural resources management to:
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FRIDAY 10:30 sessions
Good Golly Goldenrod!
Jerry Hightower & Penny Hightower / National Park Service The galls of goldenrods offer amazing opportunities for interdisciplinary investigations dissecting, measuring, and recording findings involving predators, prey, and parasites. Educators will discover that three types of galls, created on the stems of goldenrods by fly, midge, or moth, offer extraordinary opportunities for investigating the complexities of ecological interactions. These investigations may be conducted in a classroom, an outdoor learning area, or a student’s home. Different galls will be shown along with the corresponding insect or midge, but the Goldenrod Fly ball gall will be the focus. After collecting data from gall dissections, we will construct graphs of our findings. An analysis of our data leads to conclusions about the ecological importance of metamorphosis, the forces of natural selection and coevolution, and the tremendous value goldenrod offers as a free educational resource. This is a one hour workshop |
Fostering the Human - Nature Relationship: The Foundation of Environmental Literacy Linda May / GA DNR Wildlife Division This is the 2nd hour of a 2 hour workshop Fostering environmental literacy requires more than sharing facts or honing skills. A personal, meaningful connection with nature is essential. Through an assessment of childhood experiences, sensory awareness inventory and other activities, participants will learn how to become more present and alive in nature. These skills will enrich your teaching and will inspire students to connect more intimately with nature. |
FRIDAY BREAK: 11:30 - 12:00 Enjoy lunch on your own
FRIDAY NOON & AFTERNOON SESSIONS
FRIDAY NOON SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS
Cracker Barrel Sessions
various presenters (See individual session descriptions at bottom of page) The CRACKER BARREL is a very short session repeated three times in 55-mins. The presenter provides a brief introduction to the topic, and participants are invited to comment and ask questions. After 15 minutes, participants move on to another virtual table with a 5 minute period for re-grouping, and each presenter will repeat the presentation to a new group. Three groups will pass by each table in a 55-mins period. Most sessions are available both Friday and Saturday, unless otherwise noted in the description. This is a one-hour session. See full descriptions of all cracker barrel sessions below. |
Just Language: Invasive Species
Danielle Bunch / Clayton Co. Water Authority & Chris Widmaier / Green Collar Collaborations The language we use to describe the world around us plays a role in creating the framework we use to understand it. While we share a common connection to the natural world, the way we teach and talk about it can prevent us from having conversations that include all perspectives. Introduced species provide us with a starting point for an exploration of how ecological education can be an inclusive and just endeavor by considering how words like, “invasive” and “alien” convey cultural concepts that can be designed to be exclusive. During this discussion, we will use the Cycle of Inquiry to break down our perspectives on introduced species and work toward an action plan to address inequities in our language and actions surrounding introduced species education. Participants would benefit from reading one or more of these articles before the workshop:
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FRIDAY 1:00 SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS
Re-imagining Outdoor Learning
Korri Ellis, Sustainability Coordinator The Paideia School This session offers strategies for safer and more equitable learning and a rationale for teaching outdoors during the pandemic. Explore EEA's COoL Toolkit for teaching outdoors. Learn more about safety protocols for outdoor learning during the pandemic, tips for creating schoolyard infrastructure, and where to find outdoor lesson resources on the EEA web site. Korri will also spotlight the Paideia School, where students go outside everyday to conduct their science investigations on tables in large tents, while practicing social distancing, wearing masks, and dressing for the weather- whatever it may be. |
Just Language: Invasive Species Workshop
Danielle Bunch / Clayton Co. Water Authority & Chris Widmaier / Green Collar Collaborations This is the second hour of a two hour workshop. |
FRIDAY 2:00 SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS
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Water Ed on the Web:
Creating Live, Virtual EE Chrissy Rubel & Shaundon Moore / Cobb County Water Learn how Cobb County Water System’s Education Program transformed in-person environmental lessons into visually engaging, interactive virtual lessons that leave students and teachers wanting more! This presentation will focus on how it is possible to create engaging and interactive environmental programming for the virtual or blended / hybrid classroom. |
Don't Litter Lotts:
Tales of a Trash Trap Melanie Sparrow / Ogeechee Riverkeeper A tale of litter collection and prevention devices and volunteer clean ups on Little Lotts Creek in Statesboro, Georgia. . . this session focuses on how to make river clean-ups fun and accessible to all! Learn more about trash traps and how they help prevent litter from entering creeks and rivers. River clean ups are a great way to help the environment and get time outdoors. They are also a great service project for student volunteers. No equipment needed except for gloves, bags and trash grabbers. |
Guidelines for Excellence in EE Facilitator Training - Part 1
Bora Simmons National Project for Excellence in EE The Guidelines for Excellence in Environmental Education training is intended to prepare facilitators to conduct any of the six Guidelines for Excellence workshops. The training will be conducted by Bora Simmons, founder of the National Project for Excellence in EE from the North American Association of Environmental Educators (NAAEE). The prerequisite for this session is participation in a previous Guidelines for Excellence workshop. This is part one of two, with the second session occurring on Saturday afternoon. |
FRIDAY 3:00 SESSIONS & WORKSHOPS
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Monarch Biology and Ecology
EEA's Monarchs Across Georgia Susan Meyers and Sharon McCullough The monarch is likely the most readily-identified and widely-studied butterfly. Explore their fascinating life cycle and impressive long-distance migration. Discover the citizen science projects to track their journey south and north, tag the migrants, and test adults for a debilitating parasite. Learn about reasons for their population decline and what you can do to help in their recovery. |
Teens as Environmental Leaders
Kasey Bozeman, Jenna Daniel, Melinda Miller, Deron Rehberg, & Lisa Pollock / Georgia 4-H Realizing the value of youth as environmental leaders, Georgia 4-H trained middle and high school students to serve as Pollinator Ambassadors in their communities. During this session, participants will learn how we leveraged resources to train and empower youth to teach their peers and community about the global concern of pollinator species decline. Promising practices, implementation strategies, and research-based materials provided. |
Guidelines for Excellence in EE
continued from the previous hour |
FRIDAY 4:00 SESSIONS & WORKSHOPs
Nature Yoga
Melanie Sparrow Ogeechee Riverkeeper "Take a tour" of the Ogeechee Watershed through physical education! This watershed ecology class is formatted as a gentle flow yoga class. Participants will try this *beginner friendly* yoga in a unique combination of introductory poses and watershed topics. The class is appropriate for all ages, can be done in any indoor or outdoor location, does not require specific props, and can easily be done at home. |
EEA’s New EE Resources, Workshops & Self-Pacrd Courses
Nicole Ford / Fulton Co School District K-5 Science Program Specialist Nicole Ford, K-5 Science Program Specialist for Fulton County Schools and an EEA Board Member, will provide an overview of the new online short courses and workshops being launched by EEA to provide professional learning opportunities for K-12 teachers and non-formal educators. These self-paced courses interspersed with synchronous webinars and collaborative projects with an online cohort, will strengthen participants’ understanding of effective environmental education, culturally-responsive instructional strategies, and ways to facilitate student driven learning. |
Higher Education Summit
Zipa Vokhiwa Mercer University There are two different opportunities on Friday to join this session. College professors, faculty, administrators and others who work in university and college settings are invited to participate in this Higher Education Summit. Topics may range from biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, waste management, environmental justice, and sustainable watershed and natural resources management to:
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FRIDAY EVENING SOCIAL SESSIONS, AWARDS & FILM FESTIVAL
Friday 5:00 SOCIAL - PRIZES, FRIENDS AND FUN!
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Grab a drink and a snack and join us for environmental trivia, a scavenger hunt, socializing and festivities!
Wear hip, groovy clothes and accessories - maybe you will win a crazy contest! Connect with friends from past Conferences and meet new ones. This session is sure to make you smile. |
FRIDAY 6:00 AWARDS & FESTIVITIES
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You bring the dinner. We'll bring the awards!
Help us celebrate excellence in the field of environmental education as we recognize winners in each of these categories:
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FRIDAY 7:00 FILM FESTIVAL
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Screening of BACKYARD WILDERNESS
Originally released as an IMAX film, Backyard Wilderness film reveals that nature is much closer than we think. This 45 minute educator cut is a joy to behold. Following the seasons in one backyard, we are transported inside dens and nests and in ponds that uncover the creatures within. We are reminded that Wi-Fi is not the only connection that matters and that in ordinary places, we can discover extraordinary things – if we just step outside. |
View the 1 minute trailer (above) to get a sense of this film's powerful themes. Those who attend the film screening and post-film educator session will gain access to the film, its teaching resources, and the SEEK app, for free.
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FRIDAY 7:45 POST-FILM EDUCATOR GUIDE and FREE RESOURCES
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During the short post-film session, educators will learn how to:
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SATURDAY MORNING SESSIONS
SAturday 8:00 sessions
Networking
Feel free to join our networking space and mingle with other conference-goers, meet new people, or connect with old friends. Just self-select breakout rooms to visit with people in smaller groups. Participants must upgrade their own Zoom accounts to 5.3.0 for this functionality, or else they can only visit with people in the main room. We look forward to seeing!
Networking
Feel free to join our networking space and mingle with other conference-goers, meet new people, or connect with old friends. Just self-select breakout rooms to visit with people in smaller groups. Participants must upgrade their own Zoom accounts to 5.3.0 for this functionality, or else they can only visit with people in the main room. We look forward to seeing!
SATURDAY 9:00 SESSIONS
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Environmental STEM
Karen Garland Clark Creek Elementary STEM Lab After decades as an Environmental Educator for Georgia Conservancy, Karen Garland took the elementary school world by storm when she began teaching grades K - 5 at the STEM Lab in Clark Creek Elementary. Having won Teacher of the Year for her school as well as Ag Teacher of the Year, Conservation Teacher of the Year, and EEA Dragonfly Grant Winner, Karen will share some of her favorite environmental STEM lessons for hands on and virtual learning. This is a 1 hour session |
JEDI Heart and JEDI Path Course Previews
Karan Wood Environmental Education Alliance Preview a new self-paced course developed by the Center for Diversity and the Environment, Eco-Inclusive, EENC, KACEE, KAEE, and Youth Outside. It is intended as an introduction to spark further interest in centering Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) in environmental education. Then check out the JEDI Path workshop series that EEA is developing as a follow-up to the JEDI Heart course. In this workshop series - part asynchronous, self-paced course work and part interactive live zoom sessions - participants will deconstruct curriculum materials to create more culturally-responsive lessons; try out instructional strategies that focus on equity and inclusion; investigate "swaps" that make it easy to transform your teaching practice; and explore environmental justice from the standpoint of case studies that engage students in relevant, real world problem-solving. This is a 1 hour session. |
SATURDAY 10:00 SESSIons
Interpreter, Educator, Marketer? Erica Lanier, Panola Mountain State Park Congratulations! You've just landed your dream job, but before you head out to deliver your first program, you need to promote it, market it, and send it to the masses. What? You're an educator not a marketer, right? The truth is educators frequently wear different hats and Chief of Marketing frequently tops the list. What exactly is marketing? Participants will be introduced to the basics of marketing, learn about free tools that they can use for marketing, and how it can benefit your bottom line. This is a 1 hour session. |
Assessing Connection to Nature
Bruce Young, NAAEE This is the 1st hour of a 2 hour workshop. Are you interested in understanding your audiences’ relationships with nature? Do you need to demonstrate to funders that your programs increase learners’ connection to nature? Join us for a 2-hour workshop diving into the Practitioner's Guide to Assessing Connection to Nature a new guidebook for helping you measure this elusive concept with young children, teenagers, or adults. This workshop will enable participants to become familiar with the Guide, explore the tools, and discuss which of the 11 assessment tools will be appropriate for their programs. Participants will receive access to the Practitioner's Guide to Assessing Connection to Nature We are honored to have Bruce join us to present this workshop. |
Saturday 11:00 Sessions
The Saltwater Underground Railroad
Stefan Moss Professor, Scientist, Historian, Musician Stefan Moss will be your conductor on a tour of the Saltwater Underground Railroad, a loose network of places and people that assisted runaway enslaved Africans in their quest for freedom. Traditionally, the Underground Railroad heads North to Canada, but in this tour we focus on the lesser known Southern railroad path from Georgia, South Carolina and Florida to my hometown The Bahamas, a former British colony where free Africans developed sustainable communities that still exist today. This virtual tour broken down into "stations" is a part of a larger project that will include field expeditions that retrace the route to freedom, an interpretive program that focuses on the historical narratives of those who traveled this treacherous path to a better life, and a study of the natural resources they used to sustain themselves. While many aspects of these narratives presented have been lost, and the overall story far from complete, this short tour serves as a gateway to a much larger conversation on this important path to freedom. We celebrate, through this activity, those individuals who risked their lives in search of liberty and the opportunity to decide their own destiny. Participants will gain a deeper appreciation for how enslaved Africans partnered with indigenous Americans and used their understanding of the land as well as the ocean to find freedom from chattel slavery. This is a one hour session. |
Assessing Connection to Nature
Bruce Young NAAEE Affiliate Network This is the 3rd hour of a 3 hour workshop. Are you interested in understanding your audiences’ relationships with nature? Do you need to demonstrate to funders that your programs increase learners’ connection to nature? Join us for a 2-hour workshop diving into the Practitioner's Guide to Assessing Connection to Nature a new guidebook for helping you measure this elusive concept with young children, teenagers, or adults. This workshop will enable participants to become familiar with the Guide, explore the tools, and discuss which of the 11 assessment tools will be appropriate for their programs. |
SATURDAY NOON KEYNOTE ADDRESS & ANNUAL MEETING
SATURDAY KEYNOTE ADDRESS by AUDREY PETERMAN: "Leading with Excitement and Joy!"
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The seven years Audrey Peterman spent in Atlanta 2003-2011 rank among the most satisfying in an exciting life. Before leaving Fort Lauderdale for “the Black Mecca” her husband Frank told her “Honey, if we can’t get it done in Atlanta, it can’t be done anywhere,” referring to their efforts to open doors in the environmental sector for more Black and brown Americans.
Approaching that mission with love and joy, the couple succeeded in helping to expand the community of environmentalists that was already thriving in Atlanta. Noting that conservation meetings were almost uniformly white and environmental justice meetings almost entirely Black, the Petermans made an effort to bridge that gap by helping establish “Keeping It Wild,” a 501c.3 that continues to thrive today. Mrs. Peterman’s newest of three books, “From My Jamaican Gully to the World” was published in 2019. It tells the story of how growing up in Jamaica spending lots of time in nature gave her the confidence to help make change in America. The Petermans founded the Diverse Environmental Leaders Speakers Bureau in 2014 to provide a one-stop shop where the talents of a wide range of leadership can be accessed. |
AUDREY PETERMAN
Audrey’s speech, titled “Leading with Excitement and Joy” will take place at noon on Saturday August 13, just prior to the Annual Meeting. |
SATURDAY EEA ANNUAL MEETING
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If you're at the Conference, you're an EEA Member. Join us for the Annual Meeting where you can . . .
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What's New at EEA
Background
Proposed Resolution
The members of The Environmental Education Alliance, Inc. (EEA) agree and resolve that the EEA staff and the EEA Board of Directors is authorized to make revisions to the by-laws and articles of incorporation to remove inconsistencies and ambiguities, clarify that EEA members are "honorary members" instead of "statutory members" as defined under the Georgia Nonprofit Corporate Code (GNCC), transition to a self-sustaining board that is more standard for non-profit organizations, clarify the process of electing directors and filling vacancies, provide for business to take place between regularly scheduled meetings, and make other changes as needed, in consultation with attorneys who are donating their services to assist in this matter through Pro Bono Partners of Atlanta. The Board shall then post the revised by-laws and articles on the EEA web site and send them to all members via email, after they are filed with the Secretary of State's office.
- The Board hired a part-time executive director a little over a year ago and has transitioned some operational responsibilities from volunteers to staff
- The Board also began a process of documenting policies and procedures in manuals, several years ago
- The bookkeeping system has been changed to fund accounting to better manage grants, and statements and 990 tax returns are published on the website to increase transparency and openness
- New programs and resources have been created, some of which you have previewed in sessions at the Conference
- A new web site has been created with many more resources for environmental education
- A new strategic plan is being developed, for which your input is sought. Please complete the survey on the website
- Pro Bono Partners of Atlanta has connected EEA with law firms that are donating time to address our legal needs
- One need the lawyers have identified is to revise and update the by-laws and articles of incorporation
Background
- EEA's 29 year old by-laws and articles of incorporation are conflicting, ambiguous, and unworkable
- As a result of many amendments over the years, they are now patchwork documents with many contradictions
- For example, there are three different, incompatible ways to fill a vacancy
- Position titles are conflicting, an annual meeting is supposed to be held in January, the amount of dues is set, and many other clauses have simply been ignored over the years because they are vague or impossible to implement
- These contradictions and ambiguities make it difficult to govern the organization
- The by-laws and articles are also outdated in that they do not reflect best practices for non-profit organizations and did not anticipate a day when EEA might have staff
- Pro Bono Partners recommends that EEA operate more like a mission-driven non-profit and less like a professional association, and that benefits to members (both individuals and organizations) should include things like discounts, resources, programs, and professional development, instead of governance responsibilities (like voting) that are defined under the Georgia Non-Profit Corporate Code as "statutory"
- It is proposed that the Board and staff be authorized to work with the pro bono attorneys to revise or replace the by-laws and articles of incorporation to improve organizational efficiency, clarify roles, and modernize the rules by which EEA operates; and to file such changes with the secretary of state; and to publish the new documents on the web site
Proposed Resolution
The members of The Environmental Education Alliance, Inc. (EEA) agree and resolve that the EEA staff and the EEA Board of Directors is authorized to make revisions to the by-laws and articles of incorporation to remove inconsistencies and ambiguities, clarify that EEA members are "honorary members" instead of "statutory members" as defined under the Georgia Nonprofit Corporate Code (GNCC), transition to a self-sustaining board that is more standard for non-profit organizations, clarify the process of electing directors and filling vacancies, provide for business to take place between regularly scheduled meetings, and make other changes as needed, in consultation with attorneys who are donating their services to assist in this matter through Pro Bono Partners of Atlanta. The Board shall then post the revised by-laws and articles on the EEA web site and send them to all members via email, after they are filed with the Secretary of State's office.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON SESSIONS
SATURDAY 1:00 sessions
ATEEG: Is it for Me?
Lauren Kuschner Rock Eagle 4-H Center and ATEEG Certification Advisory Board Advanced Training for Environmental Education in Georgia (ATEEG) graduate Lauren Kuschner looks forward to helping you determine if the ATEEG certification is right for you. What does it involve? How long does it take? What are the benefits? Lauren will highlight how she has used her ATEEG certification in her role as Education Program Coordinator within Georgia 4-H’s environmental education program. ATEEG offers the only nationally-accredited professional certification for environmental educators in GA. This is a 1 hour session. |
Cracker Barrel Sessions various presenters (See individual session descriptions at bottom of page) The CRACKER BARREL is a very short session repeated three times in 55-mins. The presenter provides a brief introduction to the topic, and participants are invited to comment and ask questions. After 15 minutes, participants move on to another virtual table with a 5 minute period for re-grouping, and each presenter will repeat the presentation to a new group. Three groups will pass by each table in a 55-mins period. Most sessions are available both Friday and Saturday, unless otherwise noted in the description. This is a one-hour session. See full descriptions of all cracker barrel sessions below |
Guidelines for Excellence Facilitator Training Part 2
Bora Simmons National Project for Excellence in EE This is the 3rd hour of a 4 hour workshop. The Guidelines for Excellence in Environmental Education training is intended to prepare facilitators to conduct any of the six Guidelines for Excellence workshops. The training will be conducted by Bora Simmons from the North American Association of Environmental Educators (NAAEE). The prerequisite for this session is participation in a previous Guidelines for Excellence workshop. |
saturday 2:00 sessions
People and Climate Change
Lauren Johnson, Ph.D. Columbus State University and Oxbow Meadows Environmental Ctr Put climate science in a social perspective by examining causal trends over the past 200 years (population growth, fossil fuel use, industrialization, changing land use), as well as impacts (sea level rise, severe weather and threats to habitats/ecosystems). Discover small and large-group activities to use in the classroom, environmental education center, or remote learning. Receive lesson plans and background materials matched to Georgia Standards of Excellence in Science. This is a 1 hour session. |
Branching Out Virtually with Trees ATL
Sabrina Melendez Trees Atlanta. School Program Lead Take a journey with Sabrina Melendez as she shares her adventures and mishaps during the process of adapting Trees Atlanta's Urban TreeTracker in-school programs to the virtual setting - all while continuing to meet students, teachers and schools where they are. Sabrina will share how she overcame obstacles through creativity, flexibility, and being open to failure. The intention of this session is to take participants on an imperfect journey that will motivate and inspire them to keep moving forward. This is a 1 hour session. |
Guidelines for Excellence Facilitator Training Part 2 Bora Simmons National Guidelines for Excellence Project, NAAEE The Guidelines for Excellence in Environmental Education training is intended to prepare facilitators to conduct any of the six Guidelines for Excellence workshops. The training will be conducted by Bora Simmons from the North American Association of Environmental Educators (NAAEE). The prerequisite for this session is participation in a previous Guidelines for Excellence workshop. This is the 4th hour of a 4 hour workshop. |
SATURDAY AFTERNOON FILM FESTIVAL
saturday 3:00 film screening of KISS THE GROUND
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Film screening: 3:00 - 3:50
Grab the popcorn and join the crowd! You won't want to miss this environmental film. Narrated and featuring Woody Harrelson, Kiss the Ground is an inspiring and groundbreaking film that reveals a viable solution to our climate crisis. Kiss the Ground reveals that, by regenerating the world’s soils, we can completely and rapidly stabilize the Earth’s climate, restore lost ecosystems and create abundant food supplies. Using compelling graphics and visuals, along with striking NASA and NOAA footage, the firm artfully illustrates how, by drawing down atmospheric carbon, soil is the missing piece of the climate puzzle.’ This movie is positioned to catalyze a movement to accomplish the impossible -- to solve humanity’s greatest challenge, to balance the climate and secure our species’ future. |
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saturday 3:45 post-film educator GUIDE AND FREE RESOURCES
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Following the film screening, participants will learn how they can show the 45 minute educator cut of the movie to their students for free, explore the Project Hero Soil Quest which was issued by Kiss the Ground, and investigate Soil Story curriculum, created to go with the film.
Laura Arndt, Founder and CEO of Global GreenSTEM, will present information about these educational resources. Laura helped create the Captain Planet Foundation's Project Hero Soil Quest, issued by Kiss the Ground . Kiss the Ground film - educator cut Project Hero Soil Quest Soil Story Curriculum download 
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Interested in screening Kiss the Ground, either virtually or in person? Here is a letter EEA received from the film company on how to request a free educator DVD (shipping costs apply) or request permission to do a a large-scale outdoor or virtual screening:
Thanks so much for your interest in bringing Kiss The Ground to your community. We are grateful for your support and thrilled to help make this happen!
And we have great news. Thanks to generous grants provided by The Redford Center, Bia Echo Foundation, Triptyk Studios, and The Newman Foundation, there is a strong possibility we will be able to cover the cost of showing the film to your community. However, before we proceed, we need you to tell us about your plans. There are several ways we can screen the film. For screenings on farms for schools, educational institutions and students who are at learning at home due to COVID, in most cases we can provide an educational or farmer screening cost-free. First, please let us know - is your screening for a student, educational institution, farm or a farmer organization?
If you answered YES, please order your gifted copy of the film here (shipping and handling fees do apply), and complete our screening registration form below to tell us what you have planned!
If you answered NO and you’d still like to do a screening there are two other options:
OPTION #1 - OUTDOOR SCREENINGS - for COVID-friendly outdoor screenings we can provide a DVD of the Kiss the Ground movie at no charge (see below for DVD Information). If you wish to host an outdoor screening, please let me know in the registration form below and once we have all of the necessary details, we can send a DVD to you.
OPTION #2 - VIRTUAL SCREENINGS - are available on a limited basis. Depending on the size of your screening and the type of organization, we may provide you free waiver codes or we may provide a registration portal for members of your organization to register and then see the movie. For nonprofit organizations and public interest groups, we do our best to cover the cost of these screenings through our foundation grants but please bear in mind, funding is limited and thus free screenings are not always possible. If you would like to screen the film for your business or corporation, we will need to charge a license fee that corresponds to the size and scope of what you have planned.
Regardless of which screening option you quality for, please COMPLETE OUR QUICK REGISTRATION FORM to tell us about your plans. We will only be able to deliver screening materials to those who complete this quick form (which should take you less than 2 minutes to complete).
For Educational and Outdoor screenings,
The Kiss The Ground DVD contains:
FOR EDUCATORS: As part of the generous grants we have received, we are now able to make the film available at no cost to any/all schools who would like one. Please use the link below to claim a gifted copy for your school, and please forward this opportunity to anyone affiliated with other schools who might be interested. If you are from a district, please contact Kristin Cooney directly at kisstheground@rocofilms.com to coordinate the most efficient delivery to all schools within your jurisdiction.
Looking forward to hearing back and to working together.
Best,
Kristin
kristin cooney
education & engagement | Kiss The Ground
FREE EDUCATIONAL EDITON AVAILABLE
kisstheground@rocofilms.com
415.209.3909
www.kissthegroundmovie.com
Copyright © 2021 ro*co films, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
ro*co films
85 Liberty Ship Way
Ste 111
Sausalito, California 94965
Add us to your address book
Thanks so much for your interest in bringing Kiss The Ground to your community. We are grateful for your support and thrilled to help make this happen!
And we have great news. Thanks to generous grants provided by The Redford Center, Bia Echo Foundation, Triptyk Studios, and The Newman Foundation, there is a strong possibility we will be able to cover the cost of showing the film to your community. However, before we proceed, we need you to tell us about your plans. There are several ways we can screen the film. For screenings on farms for schools, educational institutions and students who are at learning at home due to COVID, in most cases we can provide an educational or farmer screening cost-free. First, please let us know - is your screening for a student, educational institution, farm or a farmer organization?
If you answered YES, please order your gifted copy of the film here (shipping and handling fees do apply), and complete our screening registration form below to tell us what you have planned!
If you answered NO and you’d still like to do a screening there are two other options:
OPTION #1 - OUTDOOR SCREENINGS - for COVID-friendly outdoor screenings we can provide a DVD of the Kiss the Ground movie at no charge (see below for DVD Information). If you wish to host an outdoor screening, please let me know in the registration form below and once we have all of the necessary details, we can send a DVD to you.
OPTION #2 - VIRTUAL SCREENINGS - are available on a limited basis. Depending on the size of your screening and the type of organization, we may provide you free waiver codes or we may provide a registration portal for members of your organization to register and then see the movie. For nonprofit organizations and public interest groups, we do our best to cover the cost of these screenings through our foundation grants but please bear in mind, funding is limited and thus free screenings are not always possible. If you would like to screen the film for your business or corporation, we will need to charge a license fee that corresponds to the size and scope of what you have planned.
Regardless of which screening option you quality for, please COMPLETE OUR QUICK REGISTRATION FORM to tell us about your plans. We will only be able to deliver screening materials to those who complete this quick form (which should take you less than 2 minutes to complete).
For Educational and Outdoor screenings,
The Kiss The Ground DVD contains:
- The Feature Kiss the Ground Film (87 minutes)
- Educational version (45 minutes) - appropriate for all audiences
- Farmer’s version (45 minutes)
- Extras (trailer, etc.)
FOR EDUCATORS: As part of the generous grants we have received, we are now able to make the film available at no cost to any/all schools who would like one. Please use the link below to claim a gifted copy for your school, and please forward this opportunity to anyone affiliated with other schools who might be interested. If you are from a district, please contact Kristin Cooney directly at kisstheground@rocofilms.com to coordinate the most efficient delivery to all schools within your jurisdiction.
Looking forward to hearing back and to working together.
Best,
Kristin
kristin cooney
education & engagement | Kiss The Ground
FREE EDUCATIONAL EDITON AVAILABLE
kisstheground@rocofilms.com
415.209.3909
www.kissthegroundmovie.com
Copyright © 2021 ro*co films, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
ro*co films
85 Liberty Ship Way
Ste 111
Sausalito, California 94965
Add us to your address book
saturday 4:15 closing session & NETWORKING
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We hope you enjoyed this year's virtual conference! We look forward to seeing you in person next year and restoring all the fun of in-person events, from the Buzzard Hike to field trips, dinners, and outdoor learning.
Next year we will be celebrating EEA's 30th anniversary by hosting the Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance Conference and Research Symposium. We can't wait to see you there! Please fill out these evaluation forms to provide feedback on your experience.
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The BUZZARD BOOGIE
The Buzzard Boogie - Thanks Holly Denham and Cora Keber for stopping at nothing to raise funds for EEA Conference scholarships.
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Hi Friends,
If you've had a chance to join us for previous Environmental Education Alliance Conferences, you may have gone on a Buzzard Hike. This favorite feature of in-person events is a scavenger hunt of sorts, connecting conference-goers with nature and sending them on a mission to find legendary landmarks and make obscure observations in a friendly competition. At last year's conference on Jekyll Island, the Beloved Bird (and its alter ego Holly Denham) made a special appearance at the Awards Dinner and shook its tailfeathers in a Buzzard Boogie, while past EEA president and accomplice Cora Keber passed the hat to raise money for conference scholarships. If you're in a position to support EEA in any amount this year, it would be appreciated. And we owe you a dance. |
