WCEE Online Modules

Event Description

These self-paced online modules from the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education can be completed within 30 days of enrollment date (between 9/1-12/18) and satisfy the environmental education stipulation through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Click on the title of the module to register. 

Energy Education—Concepts & Practice Module: This module addresses energy concepts relating to energy definitions, natural laws of energy, energy flows in living and non-living systems, and their relationships to understanding and evaluating environmental issues. Module activities include exploration of energy readings and pertinent websites, home activities such as reading utility bills, home energy audits, and calculating the wattages of various home appliances. The cost is $25 and should take approximately 7 hours to complete. (Meets EE Stipulation)

Step Outside and into Health and Wellness Engagement—Outdoor Classroom Leadership: This module will help you harness the benefits of the most interactive instruction possible: learning on school grounds, outside the four walls of the classroom. Conducting class outside offers many academic, physical, social and emotional benefits for students. Studies link outdoor learning to improvement in attitudes toward school, increased student achievement, higher attendance, increased social development, and physical health benefits. Learning outdoors is even linked to a reduction of ADHD and ADD symptoms among some students. This module is designed for K-8 teachers who are new to conducting class outside and are looking to boost their skills with beginning level resources. Participants learn how to conduct class outside on any type of school grounds (from urban concrete to rural forests) in order to engage and inspire students in learning. Guidelines, rules, safety considerations, resources and handouts will be provided so teachers have everything they need to lead confidently. The module also includes training in Project Learning Tree’s K-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide, and you will receive an e-book version of the PLT guide. You'll also receive a Step Outside kit in the mail for hard copies of resources and supplies for conducting a project-based environmental education product. Classroom management practices that are specific to the outdoors will be discussed. The module includes time for integrating stepping outside into your classroom setting, and provides a variety of ready-to-use activities so teachers can implement outdoor learning right away. The cost is $50 and should take approximately 7 hours ato complete. (Meets EE stipulation)

Using the WI Community Tree Map as an Educational Tool—Tree Inventories and School Site Assessment: This online module teaches you how to use the Wisconsin Community Tree Map, a compilation of city and township tree inventories from around the state, with your students! With the pursuit of a tree inventory, students can learn more about the trees and forest ecosystems around them, becoming more intimately familiar with the places and spaces in which they live. Students work in groups to access the tree map via a smart phone or other device and collect data related to the species, size, condition and location of the trees. Students learn technical skills using equipment and observation, real-world critical literacy, outside field collection, data analysis and interpretation, systems thinking processes, and civic science practices. Participants will receive access to a growing library of resources which include curriculum connections, data collection and analysis documents, and a collection of articles and resources on urban tree benefits. Upon successful completion of the module, participants will receive a certificate of completion and an organizational login and password for using the WI Community Tree Map as an inventory, research, and citizen science tool with students. The cost is $25 and will take approximately 3-4 hours to complete.