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Check out these important supporters of Environmental Education
in the state of IL! Want to see your logo and company name here? Join EEAI as an organizational member or sponsor an event. 
EEAI is a proud partner in Rethink Outside, a campaign founded by Blue Sky Funders Forum.
"Rethink Outside is a call to action for all who believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy time outdoors, because when people connect with nature we all benefit. Together, we can unify and amplify the growing movement to lift up the benefits of time spent outdoors as a basic human right. In doing so, we can reshape the prevailing public narratives around time spent in nature and engage new partners and allies. " Take the pledge today! 
Is your business interested in supporting environmental education? Consider joining us on 1% For The Planet!
Connect with us on social media!
 
Search the web with GoodSearch.com and each time you do a search, GoodSearch will donate to EEAI!
EEAI is the proud state partner for:
EEAI is proud to serve as the Illinois affiliate of the North American Association for Environmental Education. The Affiliate Network promotes collaboration for maximum effectiveness and efficiency and a unified voice for Environmental Education across North America and beyond.
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Welcome!
In 1972 a group of committed and concerned citizens -- both conservationists and teachers -- founded the Environmental Education Association of Illinois. Since that time, members of EEAI have provided leadership on this front at the national, state and community levels. The strength of EEAI comes from the involvement of its members. Their participation in state and regional events raises the profile of environmental education and challenges decision-makers to give environmental literacy higher priority.
EEAI Annual Conference
The Environmental Education Association of Illinois is honored that you wanted to share time with us this April at our 2020 Annual Conference. It is with great disappointment that we have to let you know that due to the current situation unfolding in Illinois with Covid-19, the conference must be cancelled. Touch of Nature Environmental Center, the conference host, is a field station of Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, and as such must abide by all of their policies and procedures. In order to ensure the safety of the southern Illinois community, SIU has decided to cancel all events with 25 or more people. We agree with this decision and feel cancelling the conference is in the best interest of all of us, our families and communities.
We would like to thank our conference committee for all of their hard work and dedication to this event over the past year. We are so saddened that we won't be able to enjoy the sessions, workshops, field experiences and networking opportunities you had lined up. To all of our presenters, exhibitors and conference volunteers we are honored that you wanted to share your knowledge. resources and skills with our members and participants, and we hope that you will consider joining us at future events. For anyone that had already registered for the conference please watch your email in the coming days for information on refunds. Early Childhood EE Workshops in 2020Nature Explore Coming to Illinois!
EEAI Organizational Member Severson Dells Nature Center in Rockford will be hosting a full-day workshop. Workshop: Using Your Outdoor Classroom & The Arts & Nature When: Saturday, April 18, 2020 | 9:00am – 4:00pm Where: Severson Dells Nature Center 8786 Montague Road Rockford, IL 61102 Cost: $50 per workshop/per person Click here for additional information and to register. Space is limited, so we invite you to register today. Please feel free to forward this email to any friends, colleagues, or family members who would benefit from our workshops. Registration is open until April 17, 2020. As an added benefit, each registered participant of the Nature Explore Workshop Tour will receive three (3) Nature Explore resource books-a $50 value! Growing Up WILD Monday, March 16 9 a.m. to Noon U of I Extension- McLean County Office (1615 Commerce Parkway, Bloomington, IL 61704) $15 registration fee includes hands-on training activities, activity guide, and snacks. Register at: https://extension.illinois.edu/events/2020-03-16-growing-wild-training Saturday, April 18 9 a.m. to Noon Spring Valley Nature Center (1111 E Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60194) $35 registration fee includes hands-on training, activity guide, and snacks. Register at: Schaumburg Park District (code #30519) Save the Date! Midwest Early Childhood Symposium May 30, 2020 Northern Illinois Nature Preschool Association https://www.facebook.com/naturepreschools/ EE in Illinois News to Note
Earth Force Environmental Action Conference - COMING TO CHICAGO!
Join Earth Force in this three-day workshop to learn the Community Action and Problem Solving Process, a powerful tool to facilitate and integrate student-led action into your environmental education. The Field Museum has been partnering with Earth Force and offering these materials to educators for over 20 years! EEAI would love to see some organizations and individuals from downstate get certified to teach these programs. Find out all the details about this workshop here. Go HERE to learn more Earth Force. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Living Lands and Waters - Student Field Trips on a Boat! LL&W hosts FREE one-day workshops for students aboard our floating classroom! It’s a memorable trip and is sure to make a difference in the way that our youth think about their use of consumer goods and disposal of trash. Help inspire a new appreciation for our nation’s rivers by registering your class! Spring 2020 schedule is posted on their website - sign your class up today! Community River Clean Ups - a great way to give back to your community and get your hands a little dirty! ____________________________________________________________________________________ SkyDay Project - Rusty Patch Bumblebee NGSS Unit SkyDay NGSS unit on the plight of the Rusty Patched Bumblebee ready for teacher review this month! Did you know that until very recently this wonderful little pollinator used to roam all over our gardens, parks and prairies but is now on the endangered species list? Did you know the RPBB has become so scarce it is now only likely to be present in 0.1% of its historical range? How on earth did this happen? What are the pressures on the life cycle of this crucial member of our ecosystem? Most importantly, why should you care?In this unit students will examine the latest science and draw their own conclusions. They will discover why bees like RPBB are vitally important pollinators of wild plants and agricultural crops worldwide and then they’ll be shown easy ways to get outside and take actions to help these vital friends! Want to be part of our Teacher Focus Group and Pilot Program? If you are an Illinois middle school or high school science teacher and would like to learn more about joining our April teacher focus group and Fall pilot program for the RPBB unit, please check out the details here and let us know if you would like to take part. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Water's Worth It - Student Essay Contest The Central States Water Environment Association is hosting an essay contest for middle school students (6th - 8th grades) on the topic of water conservation. Cash prizes available for both the student and assisting teacher. Great opportunity to get students thinking about water issues and water conservation in their community. Deadline for submissions - March 31st. ____________________________________________________________________________________ IL Conservation Foundation - Student Scholarship Available Know any students interested in a career in conservation? Make sure they take a look at the scholarship opportunity from IL Conservation Foundation. "Up to three one-time scholarships of $2,000 are given to outstanding high school seniors in Illinois who have demonstrated effective, voluntary and long-term dedication to the preservation, protection, enhancement and/or promotion of Illinois' natural resources." Find out more - Scholarships ____________________________________________________________________________________ Natural Start Alliance - NEW RESOURCE! Nature-Based Preschool Professional Practice Guidebook The Natural Start Alliance is proud to share a new kind of resource, one designed to unite diverse models of nature-based education—from outdoor schools to forest kindergartens to nature-based preschools—and become a platform for the sustained growth of standard-bearing programs. The Nature-Based Preschool Professional Practice Guidebook represents the combined expertise of professionals across the field of nature-based education, and describes how nature-based educators offer programs that are safe, effective, and inclusive. Interested in being trained on this new resource? Reach out to us and we will work with Natural Start Alliance to bring a workshop to your area of Illinois! ____________________________________________________________________________________ PBS Series - Nature Cat - Illinois Based! Have you seen the online series called Nature Cat? It is a cartoon about a cat that loves being outside and has all kinds of funny, educational adventures with a whole slew of characters! The production company and original makers of the program are all based right here in Illinois. And the characters have been voiced by some pretty famous Saturday Night Live comedians. There is some very fun educational content that can help inspire young kids to get outside. Check it out! PBS - Nature Cat Professional Development
EEAI is the proud state partner or supporter of the following professional development opportunities:
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