Monarch Workshop for teachers

butterflypr at comcast.net butterflypr at comcast.net
Mon Jun 16 08:24:14 EDT 2008


Hi All,

Last year I attended the Monarch Teacher Network workshop "Teaching and Learning with Monarch Butterflies."  It was really wonderful--learned a lot, got lots of wonderful materials, met some wonderful people, and ended up not even having to pay for it, do to a grant from the Connecticut Geographic Alliance!  There was a write-up on the training in the last CBA newsletter.  The West Hartford workshop is in danger of being cancelled this year due to low registration--if you're interested, please contact EIRC ASAP!  

The information is below.

Sincerely,
Diane Adams

Summer 2008 will be the fourth year of the CGA’s popular workshop “Teaching and Learning with Monarch Butterflies.”  The institute is planned for July 28 through July 30, 2008 (9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) at the Webster Hill School in West Hartford.  It is a three-day combination of classroom and field experiences geared toward K-8 teachers.   Participants will learn about the life cycle, ecology, and conservation of Monarchs as well as how to teach an interdisciplinary unit using live caterpillars and butterflies to engage students in their learning in all subject areas.  Workshop participants will also receive all the materials needed to implement the unit.  Included are lessons in science, social studies, math, reading, writing, and more for a very interdisciplinary approach to the topic.  The connection with Mexico is apparent since that is where Monarchs from Connecticut spend the winter after migrating more than 2000 miles to get there.  Each spring, a group of Connecticut worksh
op graduates also travels to Mexico for a week to see the millions of Monarchs clustered there waiting to begin the journey north. 
To apply, visit the EIRC website (www.eirc.org).  Click on Global Connections and the Monarch Teacher Network in the column on the left, then on Teaching and Learning with Monarch Butterflies.  The link to the registration form and brochure is located below the article. 
The Connecticut Geographic Alliance will offer 15 mini-grants of $99 each to Connecticut teachers who would like to attend the West Hartford workshop in 2008.  To apply, send a copy of the workshop application along with a letter requesting a mini-grant to Dr. Tom Lewis, University of Connecticut, Department of Geography, CLAS Building, U-4148, Storrs, CT 06269-4148.  Mini-grant recipients will be notified promptly about the status of their application.  The original application must still be sent (with a check for $99) to EIRC in New Jersey.  Upon successful completion of the workshop, mini-grant recipients will be reimbursed for the $99 registration fee through the CGA.  Teachers who wish to receive CEUs for the workshop must arrange for them to be granted through their own school districts before the workshop. 
More than 1700 teachers from New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Ontario, and Manitoba have completed this workshop.  Comments from past participants include “What I learned will forever change the way I approach my teaching!”, “The writing in my room is phenomenal!”, and “What a great way to start the year!”  We hope to see many CGA members at the 2008 Connecticut workshop!  For more information, contact Butterfly Institute staff member and CGA Teacher Consultant Joyce Crebase at crebase at sbcglobal.net.


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