Events
Texas Children in Nature Network Summit
2023 Summit: Kids Need Nature and Nature Needs Kids
December 6, 2023 12pm - December 8, 2023 1pm
Virtual Webinars
Green Schoolyards as a Climate Change and Health Solution
June 7, 2023 2pm
A Webinar with Melody Alcazar with the City of Austin and Kevin Lanza with UT Health
About this event
As temperatures rise and heat waves become more frequent and intense because of climate change, it’s critical to understand how trees and other sources of shade affect temperatures and how children play, especially in under-resourced communities that often have higher temperatures, less nature access, and less supportive...
moreUnstructured play in LiiNK schools is linked to positive health benefits for children and teachers
July 12, 2023 2pm
U.S. schools are consumed with testing and outcomes because of state and federal dollars and especially since COVID. Teachers and administrators feel that children are much more aggressive than ever before. We have lost sight as a nation that the way to heal trauma and abuse and create healthier and whole children is not through sitting in a classroom and shoving more content at them. Children need more time for child directed, rough and...
moreSchools That Heal: Design with Mental Health in Mind
August 2, 2023 2pm
What would a school look like if it was designed with mental health in mind? Too many public schools look and feel like prisons, designed out of fear of vandalism and truancy. But we know that nurturing environments are better for learning. Research consistently shows that access to nature, big classroom windows, and open campuses reduce stress, anxiety, disorderly conduct, and crime, and improve academic performance. But too few school...
moreA New Take on Community Gardens: Training Citizen Gardeners
August 23, 2023 2pm
Across the state, children’s obesity levels continue to increase. During this webinar, learn what the Dallas County Health and Human Services Department in partnership with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension are doing to mitigate this trend. We will cover county demographics, general information related to the county’s health and chronic diseases, strategies under way to improve the county population’s well-being in food desert areas, and the...
moreUsing Nature in Times of Grief
September 6, 2023 2pm
Feelings of grief are part of life as we move through significant transitions, say goodbye to loved ones, or enter a new season of life. Join us to find out how nature can provide a pathway to healing, processing emotions, and as a source of comfort. This webinar will help you identify key elements you can use today to heal big feelings utilizing the power of nature.
Registration:...
moreOnce upon a time …. there was Nature!
October 4, 2023 2pm
Awareness about nature, which should grow organically from a young age is missing in today's world. In this age of electronics and competitiveness, our lives have become mechanical, and we are missing out on the best and free things that our planet offers. We don't want to be in a situation where we tell our future generations that, Once upon a time....there was Nature!
Deforestation, the pollution of air and waterways, habitat...
morePromoting Outdoor Time in Schools Through SHACs
October 18, 2023 2pm
Since children spend a majority of their waking hours in school it is important that they have an environment that encourages physical activity and stresses outdoor play. Community members, families and others concerned about child health can have an impact on school health decisions by participating on state mandated District School Health Advisory Councils (SHACs). The SHACs address school district policies and programs that impact...
moreBeyond a Land Acknowledgement
November 1, 2023 2pm
How can we move beyond a Land Acknowledgement toward support, inclusion, and belonging of Native American and Indigenous families and communities? Join us for an Equity Spotlight on Native American and Indigenous communities with Skye Howell, MEd (she/her) Potawatomi/Ottawa, who is a partner at Full Humanity. Learn more from the perspective and collective wisdom of Native communities.
Registration:...
moreTeacher Workshops
Icky Sticky Science Investigation- teaching the scientific method start to finish with litter
September 16, 2023 10am
The scientific method is a required part of TEKS curriculum, but coming up with creative ways to conduct experiments can be difficult. This workshop will walk teachers through our TEKS aligned lesson plan from start to finish, challenging your class to examine a real-world problem using Study, Track, remOve and Prevent (STOP) surveys! STOP is a survey method to gather data on types and abundance of litter. STOP consists of measuring a 100 ft...
moreCivic Science Project Based Learning (PBL)
October 14, 2023 10am
Join the Texas team of the Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF) for a teacher workshop on highlighting Civic Science programming designed specifically for Middle and High School educators and students in Texas! Our program empowers teachers to inspire students to become informed and engaged citizens, equipped with critical thinking skills and a deep understanding of science, technology, and civic issues. Discover innovative...
moreFun with Fungus: Teaching Basic Mycology
November 4, 2023 10am
The Basic Mycology 1A class will cover an intro to Kingdom Fungi for youth educators, that will include taxonomy, anatomy/life cycle, ecological roles, the importance of fungi, and will focus on Basidomycota and Ascomycota, spotlighting on a few of the most noticeable groups within the phyla. The attendees will learn about the fungi identification process and how to use various resources to do K-12 lesson plans and outdoor...
moreUpcoming Regional Collaborative Meetings
Austin: July 10 at 9:00 - for more information email Ashleigh Cibelli-Pettus
Caprock: June 22 at 2:00 - for more information email Sarah Coles
Coastal Bend: July 19 - for more information email Lari Jo Edwards
Heart of Texas: May 17 - for more information email: Erin Shields
Houston: May 4 at 11:00 - for more information email: Robyn Kebede
North Texas: May 25 at 4:00 - for more information email Anna Lewis
Pineywoods: May 22 at 9:00 - for more information email: Ted Stevens
Rio Grande Valley: June 27 at 9:00 - for more information email Marisa Oliva
San Antonio: May 24 at 1:00 - for more information email: Thea Platz
Interested in Presenting?
Are you interested in presenting at one of our webinars and workshops? We are always looking for innovative programs and resources to share with our partners. To propose a session fill out our interest form.