Teacher Professional Learning

Program Offerings 

Please take a peek at the 2024 offerings and feel free to reach out with any questions! Space is limited so review the opportunities below and save your spot today!

Special Announcement for NY Teachers: We are happy to share that Lake Champlain Sea Grant is now recognized by the New York State Education Department's Office of Teaching Initiatives as an approved sponsor of CTLE for Professional Classroom Teachers, School Leaders, and Level III Teaching Assistants. CTLE certificates of completion will be offered for educators in attendance for the full duration of the program. Any questions related to CTLEs can be referred to our new NY Coordinator, Tori DesRocher, at tori.desrocher [at] plattsburgh.edu.

Watershed Alliance Teacher Researcher Partnership (WATR)

The WATR Partnership leverages local research activities and a state-of-the-art research vessel to provide teachers with a week-long summer field experience exploring watershed science and water quality issues. The R/V Marcelle Melosira is the primary research vessel at the University of Vermont. During WATR, the vessel functions as a floating laboratory and classroom on Lake Champlain. This immersive experience allows teachers to gain valuable experience working alongside research faculty, staff, crew, and community partners to reimagine teaching rooted in place. Through the WATR Partnership, teachers will learn about current and emerging water quality challenges, and will become involved in exciting, ongoing research projects! The capstone of this experience will be partnering with a researcher to collaborate on the development of a watershed Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) based unit.

 

Space is limited in this program due to R/V capacity. 

 

We strongly encourage teaching teams to sign up together. We also aim to have a geographic distribution of teachers from across the watershed. Completing this form does not guarantee that you will be accepted into the program.

 

Please use this form to apply to participate as a non-credit. Those who wish to take this course for three graduate credits through the University of Vermont should also register on the UVM summer course website. We will email all who register with details about the meeting location and parking for the in-person workshop.

 

  • Dates: July 17th-18th and 21st-23rd, 2025 (with a pre and post-course virtual session) 
  • Location: Rubenstein Ecosystem Sciences Laboratory (Burlington, VT)
  • Course Credit: 3 credits (tuition fees apply)  
  • Program Costs: $350 (reach out if this is an issue, there are a few scholarships)   

 

Learn more and register online today!

Questions? Contact: Ashley Eaton, akeaton [at] uvm.edu 

Stormwater Education Methods

This course focuses on the key concepts of a stormwater stewardship curriculum and to be able to effectively implement it with upper elementary, middle and/or high school students. Course participants will engage in hands-on learning to understand the definition of, sources of, and impacts of stormwater on surface water bodies. In addition, they will learn uses for and mechanism of operation for a variety of types of green stormwater infrastructure practices. The course will also provide participants with information about opportunities and steps to implement and maintain various green stormwater infrastructure practices.

  • Program Dates: July 31 and Aug 1 (additional online office hours)
  • Program Location: University of Vermont
  • Course Credit: 1 credit (UVM tuition rates apply) 
  • Program Costs: There is no cost for this program!

Register Online Today!

Questions? Contact: Ashley Eaton, akeaton [at] uvm.edu

Watershed for Every Classroom (WEC)

Watershed for Every Classroom (WEC) is a year-long professional development experience for K-12 educators in the Lake Champlain Basin of Vermont, New York and Québec, brought to you by CBEI - the Champlain Basin Education Initiative. WEC is a year-long, supported professional development program for educators who teach in the Lake Champlain Basin, presented by the Champlain Basin Education Initiative. The stories of the Lake Champlain Basin offer multiple ways to teach all subjects; engage students in learning in their community; and provide a way to integrate content, service, and a sense of belonging to one’s home place. We will explore how people, places, and things tell the stories of the Lake Champlain Basin and offer our students the opportunity to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of content, community engagement, and sense of place. Teams of two or more educators are encouraged to apply. Individuals are also welcome. The year long program kicks off with a week-long summer intensive in mid- July and continues throughout the school year. The program is most suited for educators working in grades 4-9, but is applicable to all subject areas and grades. Learn more!

This year’s WEC course will include a cohort of place-based educators from Hawaii and include opportunities for rich dialogue to share educator experiences and new field visits. Educators who have taken WEC in the past, we welcome you to return for this new WEC 2.0 summer experience!

Program Dates:

  • July 16th - 19th, 2024
  • October 4–5, 2024
  • January 31, 2025
  • April 11–12, 2025

Location: Various throughout the watershed

Course Credit: 3 credits 

This course is full and running during the 2024-2025 academic year! 

Questions? Contact: Ashley Eaton, akeaton [at] uvm.edu

Champlain Research Experience for Secondary Teachers (CREST)

The Champlain Research Experience for Secondary Teachers (CREST) 2.0 Program will engage grade 7-12 teachers in an exploration of Lake Champlain Basin research through authentic investigations alongside scientists, graduate and undergraduate students, teachers, and teacher educators. CREST 2.0 builds on the original CREST Program by offering teachers opportunities to engage in new research experiences at Shelburne Farms and at UVM’s Rubenstein Ecosystem Labs. Additionally, participants will have opportunities to integrate project, proficiency, and place-based teaching practices as they develop a project based on the CREST touchstones to be implemented in their classrooms during the academic year. CREST program activities are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the Computer Science Teacher Association Standards (CSTA) and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in ELA and Mathematics. New emphasis will be placed on computational thinking skill. 

Program Dates: June 24 - 28

Location: Rubenstein Ecosystem Sciences Laboratory and other sites

Course Credit: 3 credits

Regina.Toolin [at] uvm.edu (Register Today Online!)

Questions? Contact: Caroline McKelvey, Caroline.McKelvey [at] uvm.edu

Watershed Wise Teacher Training

Offered each fall and spring Watershed Alliance holds trainings for teachers participating in the Stream Monitoring and Stewardship program. Participation in the training ensures that you will be eligible for future programs as well as getting seniority for borrowing Watershed Alliance equipment and materials.

The training covers the hands-on activities of the Stream Monitoring and Stewardship program which was developed over fifteen years ago for middle and high school students and their teachers. Additionally, we will discuss helpful pre-teaching resources as well as examples of stewardship and outreach projects.

For VT trainings contact our Vermont Education team at watershd [at] uvm.edu

For NY trainings contact Tori DesRocher at tori.desrocher [at] plattsburgh.edu

 

To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in any of our programs, please contact Ashley Eaton at 802-391-4410 or akeaton [at] uvm.edu by May 1, 2024 so we may assist you.