Monday AM

Ohio Under Your Feet – Recommended for 1st time participants. An overview of the geologic history of Ohio and the depositional environments that created our bedrock geology. A foundation for all other sessions! Presenters: Daniel Kelley, PhD, Director, Battelle Center for Science, Engineering, and Public Policy Adjunct Faculty, School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University

Invasive Lasagna– Dive into the life of Glen Helen’s Senior Land Steward! Discover the challenges to managing a forest at a landscape scale, best practices for invasive species removal, and navigating public perceptions. Participants will engage in a walking tour of Case Woods which presents a variety of management techniques and invasive species. Presenter: Steve Strauss, Senior Land Steward, Glen Helen Association.

Monday PM

Trail Techniques – Discover methods of interpretation to help you engage with your audiences on the trail. Use a variety of sensory activities and leave the ID behind as you explore the streams and woods of Glen Helen. Test your new found skills with a fun interpretive challenge. Presenters: Brittany Spratt, AmeriCorps Member, Edge of Appalachia Preserve System and Robyn Wright, Outdoor Education Center Director, Glen Helen Association

River Watchers – River Watchers is a citizen volunteer monitoring program for the Ohio River and selected tributaries throughout the Ohio River Basin that was originally founded in 1992 by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO). Outfitted with chemical test kits, a basic knowledge of water quality, and a desire to learn more about the effects of pollution on rivers and streams, participants collect samples and conduct tests to evaluate the health of local waterways in the Ohio River Basin. Data collected during testing are sent to ORSANCO where they are evaluated and entered into a database. Presenters: Nick Callahan, Education & Outreach Coordinator, Foundation for Ohio River Education (FORE)

Tuesday AM

Building Communities – Participants will experience activities that can be used with groups to build understanding and trust. Taking time to relate to one another increases the group’s ability to learn comfortably and emphasizes the importance of individual members. We will also take time to realize the importance of understanding vocabulary that will be used during class investigations. I found that starting the year with activities such as this was the most important part of developing a learning community each year. Presenter: Cathy Knoop, Experiential Educator, Camp Oty’Okwa.

Music in Nature– Learn how to engage your students in nature and other topics using the power of music. Presenters: Emily, Environment Educator, Billy, Arts Educator, Greenacres Foundation.

Tuesday PM

Nature Beyond the Norm – Explore the unconventional side of nature! Enjoy a presentation, some competitive trivia and outdoor discoveries. Presenters: Cae Skiff and Paige Zumaita, Clermont County Parks.

Energize Your Classroom: Creativity and Competition with March Mammal Madness – March can feel like a challenging month in elementary and middle schools, but it’s also an opportunity to reinvigorate student engagement. This session introduces March Mammal Madness, a dynamic program developed by the MMM team at Arizona State University. Learn how this innovative tournament leverages competition, creativity, and critical thinking to captivate students and foster meaningful learning experiences. Included will be practical strategies, resources, and examples of how I successfully integrate the MMM tournament into my middle school classroom, helping students stay motivated and excited about learning throughout the month of March Presenter: Katie Baker, Junior High Science Teacher, Sacred Heart of Jesus School.

Wednesday AM

Intro to BEETLES – Resources for Learners- Learn about new activities and resources to bring back to your students in the outdoors or classroom! Participants will learn about the B.E.E.T.L.E.S. Project and their available resources for students, teachers, and program leaders, as well as sample student activities, and learn new ways to use inquiry to support student learning. Presenter: Kelsey Mazur, Assistant Director, Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center.

Weird Things in the Woods: Tree Galls and Other Wonders of Nature – Tree galls are the most obvious and least damaging of any abnormal plant growths found on trees. They may not be harmful, but it’s common for landowners to believe galls condemn trees to a terrible fate. Discover the secrets behind these fascinating plant structures including how galls are formed and their true impact on tree health. Although the primary focus will be on galls, other wonders of Nature won’t be out of bounds! Presenter: Joe Boggs, Educator, Agriculture & Natural Resources, OSU Extension.

Wednesday PM

Forensic Investigations – Be a forensic scientist to help solve a crime! Participants match sands and textiles to possible sources by their color, texture, reaction to different chemicals, and what happens when burned. Also included in this session is a short activity where students simulate cleaning up a pollutant using bird seed. Presenter: Betty Altfater, Retired teacher, Chemistry and environmental science.

Wildflower Extravaganza – Explore dichotomous keys and learn to ID wildflowers that are native to SW Ohio! Dive into the actual flower with a fun dissection activity and take a walk to practice your new skills. Learn about plant pressing and herbariums while making your own plant press!. Presenter: Kayla Lawyer, Education Manager, Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center.

Thursday AM

Free Hike - Discover how much the impact of this week has rubbed off on you. Explore new parts of Glen Helen Nature Preserve and surrounding areas with your assigned hiking group of like-minded explorers! Become the presenter yourself as each member of the group points out and reviews the topics studied this week and learn from each other. Keep your eye out for plant galls, rocks, music, and wildflowers, just to name a few! Presenters: All of You, Important Educator, from EVERYWHERE.

Thursday PM

Engineering Design Challenges: Superheroes of STEMVille – Lead engineering design challenges with confidence! Participate in our outreach program designed for junior high and high school students. Try to best your fellow educators as you compete in design challenges, and leave with a list of low-cost engineering challenges that you can engage students with. The citizens of STEMville need your engineering and math skills to solve a series of challenges and save the community. Use the engineering design process to define the problems; then imagine, create and test solutions. Improve as needed until you save the city! Presenter: Valerie Horobik, Senior Director, School and Teacher Partnerships, Cincinnati Museum Center

Animal Tracks and Signs – Program details coming soon. Presenter: Emily Foubert, Lead Naturalist, Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center