The New Jersey School of Conservation

Climate Change Education: Empowering New Jersey’s Nonformal Educators
2026-05-29 16:00 - 2026-05-30 16:00 (America/New_York) | NJ School of Conservation, 1 Wapalanne Road, Sandyston, 07826, United States
Join us for a field based workshop that will empower NJ’s nonformal educators with tools, activities, and confidence to teach climate change

In 2020, NJ became the first state in the US to incorporate climate change education into all K-12 content areas.
This professional learning workshop is designed to support New Jersey’s nonformal educators in confidently and effectively teaching climate change through engaging, learner-centered experiences. The program focuses on building both content knowledge and instructional capacity, ensuring educators feel prepared to facilitate meaningful climate learning in a variety of nonformal settings.
Participants will deepen their understanding of climate change science while exploring Jersey-centric, hands-on, and outdoor lessons that connect local climate impacts to global systems. Through guided activities and model lessons, educators will experience strategies they can immediately adapt for use with their own audiences.
The workshop also supports educators in aligning existing programs with New Jersey Climate Change Standards, helping them strengthen connections between informal learning experiences and formal education goals. Dedicated time for collaboration and discussion will allow participants to share ideas, refine lessons, and learn from peers across the state.
By the end of the workshop, educators will leave with increased confidence, practical teaching tools, and a supportive professional network—empowered to engage learners in relevant, action-oriented climate change education.

Tentative Schedule (Rain or shine)
FRIDAY

4:00 – 5:00pm – Arrive and settle in to cabins
6:00 – 7:00pm – Dinner – please bring your own
7:00 – 7:45pm – Paddle on Lake Wapalanne
8:00pm – Campfire + Storytelling

SATURDAY

7:00 – 8:00am – Morning walk (optional)
8:00 – 8:45am – Breakfast (provided by NJSOC)
9:00 – 9:30am – Welcome and Introductions
9:30 – 10:30am – The Basic Science of Climate Change
10:30am-10:45am- Break
10:45-11:30- The New Jersey Climate-Change Education Standards for Nonformal Educators
11:45 – 12:45pm – Lunch (provided by NJSOC)
1:00 – 2:15pm – Ephemeral Art & Poetry of Climate Change
2:30 – 3:45pm – NJ Wildlife: Using iNaturalist to Explore Climate Change Issues
3:45 – 4:00pm –Workshop Summation & Gratitudes
4:00pm – Departure

Workshop Details:
This workshop is presented through a collaboration of the NJSOC and the Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education with generous support from National Geographic and a private donor.
This workshop is open to New Jersey nonformal educators (employed by zoos, nature centers, museums, community organizations, correctional facilities, etc.). Registration fee includes breakfast and lunch, overnight accommodations in cabin-style housing and all workshop materials.
Educators will receive $150 stipends upon completion of the workshop.
Please contact Tanya Sulikowski, NJSOC Director of Education, with any questions. tsulikowski@njsoc.org
Refund Policy:
Your event fee, minus Eventbrite Fees, is fully refundable if canceled 7 or more days before the event. While we appreciate being notified if you are unable to attend an event, refunds are not given for cancellations within 7 days of the event.
If we must cancel an event, your registration fee, including Eventbrite fees, will be refunded.

Learning in the Living Lab: An Educator Workshop for Grades 6-8
2026-06-12 16:00 - 2026-06-13 16:00
Join us for a field based, hands-on Project Learning Tree workshop , helping grade 6-8 educators bring environmental learning outdoors.

Join us for an immersive Project Learning Tree (PLT) workshop at the New Jersey School of Conservation, designed for educators working with students in grades 6–8. This experiential professional learning opportunity uses the natural setting as a living laboratory to strengthen environmental literacy and engage middle school learners through hands-on, inquiry-based instruction.
Participants will explore and implement activities from the Environmental Education Activity Guide for NJ Teachers, with a focus on ecological systems, human–environment interactions, and critical thinking. Educators will practice field investigations, data collection, and collaborative problem-solving while learning strategies to connect environmental concepts to science, social studies, math, and language arts curricula aligned with New Jersey Student Learning and Climtae Change Standards.
The optional overnight format supports deeper exploration of environmental topics through evening programs, reflective discussions, and team-based learning experiences. Educators will leave with practical classroom-ready activities, increased confidence teaching outdoors, and tools to help students analyze environmental issues, develop solutions, and become informed environmental stewards.
Tentative Schedule (Rain or shine)
FRIDAY (Optional early arrival to alleviate the stress of morning travel)

4:00 – 5:00pm – Arrive and settle in to cabins
6:00 – 7:00pm – Dinner – please bring your own
7:00 – 7:45pm – Paddle on Lake Wapalanne
8:00pm – Campfire + Storytelling

SATURDAY

7:00 – 8:00am – Morning walk (optional)
8:00 – 8:45am – Breakfast for Overnighters (provided by NJSOC)
8:30 – 9:00am – Arrival for single day participants
9:00 – 9:15am – Icebreaker
9:15 – 9:45am – Welcome and Introductions
9:45 – 10:00am – Exploring PLT Resources
10:00am-10:15am- Break
10:15-11:30- Activity 1- Field, Forest & Stream
11:45 – 12:45pm – Lunch (provided by NJSOC)
1:00 – 2:15pm – Activity 2- Nature’s Skyscrapers
2:30 – 3:45pm – Activity 3- Invasive Species
3:45 – 4:00pm –Workshop Summation & Gratitudes
4:00pm – Departure

Workshop Details:
Workshops are presented through a collaboration of the NJSOC and the NJ Forest Service.
Registration fee for overnighters includes breakfast and lunch, overnight accommodations in cabin-style housing and all workshop materials, including the PLT Explore Your Environment K-8 Activity Guide (valued at $45) . The fee for a single day includes lunch and all workshop materials.
Please contact Tanya Sulikowski, NJSOC Director of Education, with any questions. tsulikowski@njsoc.org
Refund Policy:
Your event fee, minus Eventbrite Fees, is fully refundable if canceled 7 or more days before the event. While we appreciate being notified if you are unable to attend an event, refunds are not given for cancellations within 7 days of the event.
If we must cancel an event, your registration fee, including Eventbrite fees, will be refunded.
