The Nature of Fallingwater offers an interdisciplinary approach to environmental education, with a focus on the interconnectedness of broad ecological systems and their regional significance, and with an emphasis on the human connection with the natural world. An important feature of this course is the use of a natural site to teach environmental topics, and using the artistic disciplines to explore our natural environment.

On-site study at Frank Lloyd Wright´s Fallingwater (now owned by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy) will explore the use of art (including visual, literary forms) to express emotional attachment to nature and educate ourselves and others regarding environmental issues. Participants will be challenged to capture and distill the "visual essence" of Fallingwater, without utilizing the obvious photographic opportunity we see so often. We will use design and journal activities to look at Frank Lloyd Wright´s concept of organic architecture, transcendentalism, and other artistic expressions of the natural environment.

The course will provide applications for use in participants´ own schools and communities, and a course guide with activities, bibliographies and other resources in environmental education. Participants are required to dress appropriately for outdoor sessions and to bring their own lunch.

Required out of class work will include reading assignments prior to and between course sessions, planning for an in-class project: includes identifying a natural area near their own school to study, brainstorming ideas for their in-class project, designing a classroom lesson for that project, and linking this project to the Pennsylvania academic standards.

This project was originally designed and implemented by Shelley Stepp and Kary Arimoto-Mercer (as "I Dig Thoreau") for the CalArts Community Arts Partnership (CAP) ArtsCOOL Program with the Los Angeles Unified School District Arts Education Branch and Henry David Thoreau Continuation High School.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission and Intermediate Unit 1 Center for STEM Education are sponsoring a Pennsylvania’s Biodiversity wildlife education course at Mingo Creek Park.

This course is designed for upper elementary, middle and high school classroom teachers and non-formal educators who work with children, and meets the following professional development criteria: content knowledge, reading comprehension, and teaching skills. The program correlates to the Environment and Ecology Standards.

Participants will receive the new Pennsylvania Biodiversity guide, and a chance to explore the diversity of wildlife of North America while working in the outdoors at Mingo Creek Park. Theresa Alberici, the Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Education specialist, will be the instructor. Through the use of resource materials and hands-on activities, participants will investigate the concepts of biodiversity, examine local and global issues relating to biodiversity and investigate the many ways biodiversity affects every day lives.

Participants should dress for expected weather conditions and outdoor activities. Bring a bag lunch and meet at Mingo Creek Park. Letters and emails will be sent including directions to the actual location in the park 1 week prior to the start of the class.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.

Participants will complete a written project indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is for all teachers in Grades K-12 that want to include agricultural Science in their curriculum provides professional development in K-12 Science content knowledge, reading comprehension and teaching skills. 

This course introduces hands-on activities for agricultural and environmental sciences that are aligned with the PA Standards for Environment and Ecology. Participants will receive an introduction to the importance of agriculture and the raw materials supplied by natural resources to produce food, housing and energy. They will also identify agricultural pests and determine acceptable management techniques. Each participant will receive the Project Food, Land and People curriculum guide along with state specific background resources developed by PDE. They will tour two local farms to investigate methods used for controlling pests, as well as, cultivating and maintaining a working farm.

REQUIRED OUT-OF-CLASS WORK: Participants will create six lesson plans that will introduce agricultural science and integrated pest manage into their curricula. They will identify the PA standards that align with the lessons.  

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

This course will introduce and train teachers in the nationally recognized curriculum Project Wild. Project WILD is a K-12 interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education program emphasizing wildlife. The goal of project WILD is to assist students of any age in developing awareness, knowledge,skills and commitment to result in informed decisions, responsible behavior and constructive actions concerning wildlife and the environment. Participation in this program provides teachers with a knowledge and background related to the environment and ecology, math and social studies education standards as well as more general knowledge about environmental education. Teachers will participate in hands-on activities and will receive the Project WILD teacher manual. All participants must dress appropriately for outdoor activities and the weather. (Off trail activities require rugged footwear, socks, long pants and sleeves.) Teachers will be required to do homework including out of class reading and lessons. Participants will develop a written action plan for lesson implementation.

Wetlands – What are they? Where did they come from? Who uses them? Why are they important to our environment and us?These are a few of the questions that will be answered both in the classroom and through hands-on activity at Project Wild / Wetlands.

The mission of Project WILD Wetlands is to provide wildlife-based conservation and environmental education that fosters responsible actions toward wildlife and related natural resources.

The goal of Project WILD Wetlands is to assist learners of any age in developing awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment to result in informed decisions and responsible actions, concerning wildlife and the environment on which all life depends.

OUT OF CLASS WORK: Participants will be required to prepare a one-week “Action Plan” using the Project WILD activity guide and other wetland materials provided in this course. Teachers will be able to define water environments both lotic and lentis systems will be identified and seen. Hydrology and the components of the water cycle (the elements precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, and condensation) will be explained as they relate to watersheds. Trace and name Pennsylvania’s six major watersheds, identifying living things found in this water environment.

Participants’ students can learn and understand is “those areas where you can walk anytime of year and get your feet wet.” We owe a great debt to wetlands for performing many beneficial tasks. Once lost, we not only lose these benefits, but we also lose an important habitat in our environment.

NOTE: Participants will receive the Project Wild curriculum book, PA Game Commission teacher resource packet, additional wetlands handouts, curriculum information and a PGC bluebird box kit (wildlife habitat project). Those attending should dress for the weather and bring binoculars for wildlife identification purposes. Participants will walk in wetlands so appropriate footwear is essential.