Shared Learning

I think the greatest asset of the Conservation Education Days is the opportunity for shared learning between teachers, presenters, landowners, and interested individuals who attend. In every school where Playa Festivals are being conducted, innovative activities that relate to the water cycle and our shortgrass prairie environment are being created. Having an education day bring together a "learning group" to harvest those ideas and sow them amongst an even bigger audience of teachers. In addition, teachers get to hear presentations targeted to landowners, which give teachers a sense of resource conservation in the real world of agriculture. Conversely, landowners get to rub shoulders with educators, and see strong evidence that school students and their teachers care about playas, and wish to show support for the stewardship that landowners strive to practice. I hope this brief description motivates you to take the time and reserve a spot at our next Conservation Education Days in Tulia (Feb. 3rd) and Bovina (Feb. 17th).

Whiteface Conservation Education Day a Success

Thanks to all of you who attended the Conservation Education Day yesterday at Whiteface. Here are the link I promised all of you:

Cool Wetlands Map: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/wetlands/poster.html

Fun Wetlands Video:

http://www.mnn.com/local-reports/oklahoma/student-blog/video-oklahoma-wetlands

City of Lubbock Conservation Education Program:

http://water.ci.lubbock.tx.us/education/allEdu.aspx

Kevin Mulligan - Texas Tech University GIS Ogallala Maps
http://www.gis.ttu.edu/OgallalaAquiferMaps/

Conservation Education Days

2009 was a banner year for Playa Festivals and playa education! Over 1,300 5th graders in 18 schools were engaged in hands-on learning through 12 Festivals last year, as well as teachers, parents, and educators. Ogallala Commons (creator of Playa Festivals) and our partners at Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, and county Soil & Water Conservation Districts…are now gearing up to make 2010 even more successful.

Ogallala Commons and these same partners will conduct 3 Conservation Education Days in early 2010 that will occur on school days. Each of these training days will provide educators basic information about playas and Playa Festivals, as well as opportunities for teachers to share tools and activities that enhance the Festivals. In addition, for a two-hour lunch period, area landowners who own playas will be joining our session to learn with the educators. This interchange is important for three reasons: 1) it will allow landowners to see that there is interest in playa conservation in local schools, with a new generation of students, 2) it will allow teachers to meet landowners who might have an interest in playa conservation, and/or school visits to their playas, and 3) it will enable teachers to learn some pertinent information about the Ogallala Aquifer and natural resource conservation.

The three dates and locations for the Conservation Education Days (see attached agendas) are:
-Wednesday, January 13 at Whiteface Elementary Auditorium, Whiteface, TX
-Wednesday, February 3rd at Swisher Memorial Building, Tulia, TX
-Wednesday, February 17th at the EMS Building, Bovina, TX(These sessions will be conducted from 8:30am – 1:10pm…and are limited to 20 teachers/educators each)

(An additional training opportunity…with a substantial outdoor format…is the Playa Educator Summer Training on Wednesday, June 2nd in Nazareth, TX…at the Home Mercantile Building (limited to 30 teachers/educators)

I want to let all schools know that demand for Playa Festivals is very high…currently more than we can provide in the fall semester or even the short spring semester. So, any schools selected to host or participate in Playa Festivals will need to assure that their 5th Grade teachers complete a training session before the Festivals take place. Now, here is the good news: the trainings listed above are free of charge, they will be energizing, and those who complete any of these training workshops are eligible to receive 6 hours of GT continuing credit through Region 16 and 17.

I would suggest is that any school interested in a hosting or participating in Playa Festival , strategize to send a teacher (or maybe two) to each of the scheduled training sessions. Since each session is a bit different with varied presentations, having some of your teachers represented at all the training sessions increases the information and resources that can be brought back to teachers and schools.

Let me know if you have questions or suggestions, or if you need clarifications. The schedules for the three Conservation Education Days are attached to this email. Also, please contact me by January 7th to reserve a spot at the session at Whiteface Elementary Auditorium on Jan. 13th, or by Jan. 27th to reserve spots at the Conservation Education Days in Tulia and Bovina.

Best regards,

Darryl Birkenfeld, Ph.D.
Director, Ogallala Commons
P.O. Box 346
Nazareth, TX 79063
806-945-2255