Thinking Beyond the 3Rs
June 24, 2025
If you’ve ever wanted to start your students thinking about trash and recycling, but didn’t know where to begin, we have something for you. This FREE workshop will provide you with the resources, tools, and knowledge you need to bring solid-waste related topics like recycling, composting, and waste reduction into your classroom and empower students to make change in their community. The “Thinking Beyond the 3R’s” workshop was developed to assist educators in curriculum support, implementing special projects, and creating behavioral changes that promote wise resource use in schools throughout the greater St. Louis region. We encourage educators from all schools, subjects, and grade-levels to attend.
In this workshop, you will:
- -Receive $100 stipend and lunch
- -Get a full understanding of what happens when we throw things “away.”
- -Build confidence in your own content knowledge.
- -Learn best practices to encourage environmental stewardship in students.
- -Visit an active landfill and materials recycling facility.
- -Develop students’ problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
- -Help students plan, implement, and evaluate projects with real-world impacts.
- -Access cross-curricular, inquiry-based materials and lesson plans.
Register here!
Sustainability Institute for Educators
June 16-18, 2025 | 8:30 AM - 4 PM (daily)
Designed for educators from all roles and environments, participants in this year's Sustainability Institute for Educators will explore the significance of water; specifically, the critical relationship between water and environmental justice, conservation and sustainability. Educators will explore connections to water and how to bring this topic back to their learning spaces. Participants will receive ready-to-use lessons on the global water cycle, watersheds and sustainable practices. You will also hear from local experts on water related issues, challenges and solutions happening right here in the St. Louis region.
Sessions will demonstrate how a range of disciplines, grade levels, and learning environments can work together to understand and address water literacy issues, solutions-oriented actions, resources, and more to help learners build their knowledge and protect the future of water on this planet. Join hosts Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Gateway Green Building Council, Saint Louis Zoo, and Webster University to gain knowledge, tools, strategies, and community networking to explore solutions for a healthier, more diverse and more sustainable world for all!
Registration is $125 for all three days and includes lunch. Scholarships and graduate credits available. Learn more at webster.edu/sie!
Teach Climate Network Summer Institute
The Teach Climate Network Summer Institute, formerly the Summer Institute for Climate Change Education, is back with a brand-new look. We are also celebrating our 20th anniversary of connecting, inspiring, and celebrating educators and their work connecting learners to climate change education!
Join Missouri Botanical Garden Climate Generation and 20 regional climate change education leaders from around North America as we practice what it means to teach climate change as an interdisciplinary, justice-centered issue.
Are you looking for a community of educational professionals and mentors who can support your climate change knowledge and teaching strategies? Our Summer Institute network is full of educators and climate change practitioners doing just that! Discover best practices, activities, lesson plans, and tools that will help you strengthen your climate curriculum and better support your learners.
Whether you’re a formal classroom teacher or a non-formal educator, this is the perfect opportunity to grow your climate change education skills and connect with like-minded professionals. Plus, scholarships are available.
Here are the details:
- -When: July 14-15, 2025 – with one additional regional cohort day July 16
- -Where: Online! Register here: climategen.org/summer-institute/
- -Who: Missouri Botanical Garden, Climate Generation and educators across the nation!
- -$250 registration, Scholarships Available
- -Graduate Credits Available
This July 14-16, you will gain the skills, tools, and resources to teach climate change concepts and empower students in all subject areas and receive on-going support throughout the year.
Clean Water Educator Workshop
July 24, 2025
Get started in building your knowledge and understanding of stormwater issues in the St. Louis area! This free workshop is designed to help facilitate your desire to learn more about stormwater management and water quality while discovering new ways to bring this topic back to the classroom. During the workshop we will:
- -Discuss issues related to stormwater management and water quality such as non-point vs point source pollution, pollution impact, and best management practices for our community.
- -Review curriculum ideas that tie to state standards while still providing meaningful, engaging, and hands-on learning opportunities you can do with your students!
- -Train YOU on how to use the popular EnviroScape® watershed model; models are available for loan FREE from the MSD Clean Water Education program. Work with staff to learn how to present and use this model in your classroom.
Eligible Educators will receive a stipend for attending this workshop and participating in the program. Educators must teach at a school located in the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District's service area to be eligible for the stipend.
Register here!