TWRA Participating in 2010 Tennessee Outdoor Classroom Symposium

NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is participating in the 2010 Tennessee Outdoor Classroom Symposium to be held this year at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon on Friday, May 7 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

 

The symposium will provide training in how to create and utilize outdoor classrooms to enhance instruction in all subjects. Concurrent sessions will include topics such as gardening for wildlife, rain barrels, developing and using water features, cultivating natural intelligence, birds as educators, the naturalist’s journal, finding support/grant partnerships, and activities for teaching all subjects outdoors.

 

The workshop is designed for teachers, administrators, custodians, parents, and non-formal teachers. Schools are encouraged to send a team consisting of faculty, staff and parents. A limited amount of funding will be available to reimburse public education systems for substitutes employed to cover for teachers and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

 

The Tennessee Outdoor Classrooms project is part of the “No Child Left Inside” movement. Studies have proven that daily doses of nature help children have less stress, more creativity, better concentration, and higher self esteem.

 

The registration fee is $75 for individual participants which covers all sessions, a luncheon, conference materials and individual TEEA membership. Fees for additional participants from the same school are $50 each. Schools that send more than one participant will receive a TEEA organizational membership.

 

An application form may be obtained by going to http://eeintennessee.org/. For more information, contact; Carrie Hembree Torres at (865) 406-4089 or Carrie8274@gmail.com. The registration deadline has been extended until April 30.

 

Along with TWRA, other partners in hosting the event are the Tennessee Environmental Education Association, Goodrich Landing Gear, Wilson County Fairgrounds, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

---TWRA---