Free for Educators
2022 St. Croix River Institute - June 27-29, 2022; 8am-4pm

“Becoming a learner as a teacher in the Rivers Institute was immensely important, because I put myself in my students’ shoes. I now understand how active field investigations can scaffold and further deepen knowledge of science and related subjects.” ~5th Grade Teacher, Rivers Institute Participant

Our natural affinity to water makes rivers and watersheds a useful and familiar context for teaching and learning. Join us this summer, as the Center for Global Environmental Education (CGEE) presents its acclaimed St. Croix River Institute! A face-to-face three-day professional development opportunity that inspires, educates, and prepares third-through eighth-grade teachers to engage students in STEM disciplines through experiential, inquiry-based investigations at local watersheds.

Goals 

The standards-informed River Institute is designed to increase teachers' knowledge in water related content, enhance STEM-focused investigation skills, expand literacy skills, and help area educators translate professional experiences into meaningful, engaging classroom investigations for students.

Eligibility 

The focus for the institute is on elementary and middle school classroom teachers, as well as science specialists and teams of teachers. All educators are welcome to apply.

Objectives

 Through their work in the River Institute, participants will:

• • Understand the science, engineering, and literacy opportunities represented within their watershed. 

  • Practice specific skills of science literacy.

  • Learn specific natural science content relevant to the river and their local watershed.

  • Investigate strategies for teaching literacy skills through watershed-focused content.

  • Explore the natural overlap between science and engineering processes, literacy skills, inquiry-based instruction, and STEM integration.

  • Engage in critical thinking that connects the content and practice of science, engineering, and literacy sills into an interdisciplinary system of thinking. 

Activities to Accomplish Objectives

 During the River Institute experience, participants will:

• • Explore the St. Croix River watershed with a boat tour, offering a unique experience from the vantage point of the water. 

  • Articulate field investigations through accurate, richly described scientific observations from live interaction with experts, video, and field based activities at home. 

  • Create, implement, and learn new strategies for the use of science notebooks.

  • Participate in learning activities utilizing Waters to the Sea® and several other classroom resources and tools well-suited for distance and in person teaching.  

  • Conduct inquiry-based investigations of flood plain forests, explorations of unique geology features, macroinvertebrates, and engineering with water as a context.

  • Participate in small break-out discussions to make new learnings relevant to students and your instructional practices.

  • Create plans to implement science, inquiry, and literacy investigations in their classrooms.  

Waters to the Sea®

River Institute participants will receive and explore Waters to the Sea®, a suite of award-winning multimedia learning modules that help students grades 3-8 understand critical water issues through engaging stories and visualizations. 

Process

The St. Croix River Institute take place over three days. Participants interact live with professionals working on the river to investigate how concepts taught and experienced in the Institute can be directly transferred to classroom practice. Then, participants put principles in action through hands-on activities in the backyard or community. Core concepts in science, engineering, and literacy will be introduced and explored as well as strategies for integrating lessons and activities using rivers as a context for learning. 

What else?

Each participant will receive:

• • Three full days of instruction as well as lunch each day;

  • 18 CEUs;

  • The Waters to the Sea® multimedia tool and additional resources for your classroom;

  • The option to purchase two graduate-level credits at a reduced rate.

The 2022 St. Croix River Institute is provided, in part, through the generous financial assistance of our donors. With their ongoing support we enable hundreds of teachers to improve the way they understand and teach science, and help thousands of students connect with the natural world.

Learn about the other Teacher Professional Development opportunities at the Center for Global Environmental Education.