Come join us! 

For 19 consecutive years the Wonders of Watersheds workshops have consistently offered valuable, affordable teacher trainings.  Brand new and just for you, the Portage & Geauga Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) invite teachers of preschool through 12th grade, college professors, and informal educators to the first ever Wonders of Soil workshop held Wednesday, June 13 - Friday, June 15, 2018.  This exciting 3-day workshop will unearth the importance of healthy soil along with creative ways to incorporate soil education into the classroom.  We’ll explore soil concepts in various locations throughout Geauga and Portage Counties with a grand finale field trip to Cleveland’s Ohio City and West Side Market.  Through activities, investigations, tours, and peer teaching, we will dig deeper into soil’s amazing properties, functions, features, and critters! 
 
Participants will discover a variety of local resources and receive Project Learning Tree, The Wonders of Wetlands, and Understanding Soil Health and Watershed Function curriculum guides.  Each is filled with hands-on activities and project-based extensions to help meet content standards.  One or two optional graduate credit hours will be available through Ashland University for attending.  Treat yourself to an academic adventure this summer!  Registration is first come, first-served and the registration deadline is June 29th.

Workshop Agenda

Wednesday, June 13th
 
~ Overview of workshop and resources at  
   the Patterson Center in Burton
~ Curriculum guides and activity samplers
~ Soil Science and Student Research Projects
~ Geologic Timeline at Observatory Park
~ Peer Teaching Groups
 
Thursday, June 14th
 
~ Soil Testing at the Hiram Field Station
~ Reading the Land in Holes & on Hills
~ Soil Lunch
~ Geology at Nelson-Kennedy Ledges  
~ Wetlands and Bogs at Eagle Creek Preserve
~ Soil Critters and Ohio Rocks! 
~ Peer Teaching Groups
 
Friday, June 15th
 ~ From Silt to Sanctuary: Cleveland Lakefront  
   Nature Preserve and Peer Teaching  
~ Rust Belt Riders: Composting Facility Tour,  
   Soil Biology, & Urban Farming
~ West Side Market and Ohio City Farm Tour  
~ Evaluations and Graduation
~ Optional dinner at Great Lakes Brewery

Workshop Registration

The registration fee for this workshop is $85 and covers the cost of all guidebooks and materials.  Graduate credit must be paid on the first day of the workshop (1 credit - $200 / 2 credits - $375).  To register please contact Geauga SWCD Gail Prunty 440.834.1122 / geaugaswcd.com [email protected] OR Portage SWCD Lynn Vogel 330.297.7633 [email protected]