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Monday AM

Ohio Under the Glacier: Geology of Glaciated Ohio – Recommended for 1st time participants. This session will discuss and demonstrate the types of evidence and observation in the field that allow for the characterization and mapping of glacial cover in Ohio during the last Ice Age.  The landforms and sedimentary deposits of Clifton Gorge provide insight into the unique setting this place had in the recent glacial history of the state. Presenter: Daniel Kelley, PhD, Director, Battelle Center for Science, Engineering, and Public Policy Adjunct Faculty, School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University

Ohio’s Original People – A visit to Great Council State Park

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, Partnerships & Marketing Manager, Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center.

Monday PM

Toast to the Trees! Intro to woody plant ID – What is that tree? How can I tell? What features should I be looking at? This session will stay firmly in the basics of tree ID in the Eastern Forest. Learn and review opposite and alternative branching structures, simple and compound leaves, and types of leaf margins. Discover some broad strokes ID tricks and tips as well as evaluate your expectations at IDing to species. We will use a variety of ways to learn one species from another including a pictorial dichotomous key. Presenter: Robyn Wright, Director, Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center.

Ohio’s Original People – A visit to Great Council State Park. Identical session to the morning, and not a continuation.

Nature Walk? Or ADVENTURE!: The MCPD Way – Learn to boost your groups’ outdoor experiences by thinking outside the box and providing them the adventure they desire instead of the mundane nature walk that ‘everyone’ else provides.  Learn the ‘Cinda Factor’ and how to use it in your programming or outside lessons. This session will be mostly outside and include many immersive trail techniques. Presenter: Susan Condy, School Education Coordinator, Miami County Park District.

Tuesday AM

Invasive Lasagna: The Stihl Strikes Back– A year 2 look at land scale restoration and forest health on the Glen. Participants will visit areas of the preserve that were cleared two years ago and within the past six months to see how the forest recovers after woody invasive treatments. Looking to establish a research plot in a recent treatment area for folks to record native stems and tree DBH.This will be ongoing year to year as long as Ed Week is at the Glen. Presenter: Steve Strauss, Senior Land Steward, Glen Helen Association.

Tales that Connect: Storytelling in Education – Storytelling is an integral part of the human experience, and we can make use of it to spark wonder and profound connections with our audiences. Join Torey for a look into the world of storytelling, how we can weave it into learning experiences, and practice the craft! Presenter: Torey Dake, Environment Educator, Greenacres Foundation.

High School Level Pop Ed Activities – Discover interdisciplinary activities that explore environmental challenges for a world with growing water demands. Engage in simulations, 3D modeling and an interactive history of a local river for formal and informal settings. *Activities from Population Education*  Presenter: Kayla Lawyer, Education Manager, Glen Helen Association

Tuesday PM

Intro to Ohio’s Wetlands – Join MAD Scientist’s Jenny Adkins for a look at the variety of wetland types in Ohio including fens which we will be visiting during the Friday field trips!

Nature Journaling -Kelly and Mary began nature journaling with their students over the course of this year. We will talk about the positive changes we saw in our students across the board and how to implement nature journaling into your classroom or create a nature journaling program. Presenters: Kelly Johnston & Mary Van Loveren, Teachers, Dayton Montessori Society.

Growing up Wild – Growing Up WILD: Exploring Nature with Young Children is Project WILD’s early childhood education activity guide. It builds on the learning styles and interests of young children to foster an interest and appreciation of wildlife and the natural world around them. A variety of activities build positive impressions of nature while aiding children’s cognitive growth and development. Presenter: Kathy Garza-Behr, Wildlife Communications Specialist, Ohio Division of Wildlife.

Wednesday AM

Artificial Intelligence: Impacts on Local and Learning Environments – With the launch of ChatGPT several years ago, artificial intelligence has changed the entire information landscape, but have you ever looked into how this tool was originally constructed? How are you using it in your own work, and how does that impact the environments around you? In this session, work with a librarian to learn the ins and outs of chatbots. Presenter: Zach Walton, Instruction Librarian, The Ohio State University Libraries.

Raptor Center- Visit the raptor center and learn ways to use live birds and artifacts in education. Topics will include: permitting requirements for live birds and/or bird artifacts, lesson planning specifically for multi-age and multi-subject programs, and how to prepare wing and feet artifacts for your own use using quail.  Presenter: Rebecca Jaramillo, Raptor Center Director, Glen Helen.

Learn the Basics of Water Quality Monitoring – We’ll explore the water quality of nearby streams and learn how to identify fish, aquatic insects and habitat. Presenter: Kelly Capuzzi, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency

Wednesday PM

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 All Day

Wildlife Tracking: How To Identify Tracks and Sign – We will start out by learning how to accurately identify tracks through morphology. A few racking activities you can do with students will be shared in the presentation. We will spend almost all of our time outside participating in activities such as a mock track and sign evaluation and a trailing game. Perfect for teachers and naturalists wanting to learn real tracking skills. Presenter: Sandy Reed, Original Wisdom and Tracker Certification North America

Weird Things in the Woods: Part 2 – Last year, we focused on plant galls. This year, ALL of the weird things that we can find in the woods are on the table. The goal will be to discover the weird things that are part of a rich natural forest tapestry as well as non-natives that affect the design. Information delivery will be a two-way street with participants encouraged to ask questions and contribute their collective experiences and wisdom. Presenter: Joe Boggs, Assistant Professor, OSU Extension, Hamilton County / OSU Dept. of Entomology

Little Birds on the Prairie – Explore the prairies and grasslands of west-central Ohio with expert birder and Executive Director of Glen Helen Nick Boutis. Seek out Bob-o-Links, Dickcissels, and Meadowlarks while learning about this rapidly declining group of songbirds. Locations include Huffman Prairie and Leadingham Prairie.

Friday’s FEN Field Trips

Beaver Creek Wetlands – We will be hiking through the Beavercreek wetlands Spotted Turtle Trail. There is a beautiful bird blind overlooking a large pond, boardwalks throughout, and trails that pass through forests and prairies. Presenter: Kelly Johnston, Teacher – Dayton Montessori Society; Naturalist – Miami County Park District

Cedar Bog Nature Preserve – Exploring Cedar Bog which isn’t a bog. It’s a fen. And super cool. Presenter TBD