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• Place-Based Teaching About Soils with the U.S.D.A./N.R.C.S. “Web Soil Survey”

  • When
    1 Apr 2026
  •  
    4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom
  • Spaces left
    288

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  Earn 1 SCHECH credit for joining!

  Title:

  Place-Based Teaching About Soils with the U.S.D.A./N.R.C.S.'s   “Web Soil Survey”

  Brief description:

  Although the term “soils” is difficult to find anywhere in Michigan’s revised academic science standards, soils can enrich the study of everything from the rock cycle to human sustainability. They, therefore, apply to standards ranging from second grade to high school! In this workshop, participants will learn how to use a very user-friendly, but sophisticated, web-based geographic information system called the “Web Soil Survey”. With this tool participants will be able to find out the types of soils found at specific locations and to obtain detailed information about their characteristics as well as their suitability for different types of land use. An illustration of the ease of its use will also be given of how a 4^th grader in Minneapolis learned how to use the software in about 20 minutes and then applied it to the analysis of a famous landform out west.

  Learning Outcomes:

  • Learn the steps of using the software to access maps of soils at a particular location.
  • Find out some of the physical properties of the soils.
  • Find out the suitability of the soils for different types of land use.

  Speaker Bio:

  Dr. Lilienfeld holds a Ph.D. in Geography from Indiana University-Bloomington and has taught college-level geography for over 20 years. This included Central Michigan University, the University of Wisconsin Colleges, the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Minnesota. During her career, she taught a wide range of geography courses, including physical geography/earth systems science. After two years of substitute teaching in Minneapolis public schools, she was inspired to create her company, Circle of Illumination Science Education.

  
  

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• Place-Based Climate Science Education with a Positive Spin

  • When
    15 Apr 2026
  •  
    4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
  • Location
    Zoom
  • Spaces left
    286

  Register

  Earn 1 SCHECH credit for joining!

  Title:

  Place-Based Climate Science Education with a Positive Spin

  Brief description:

  Discover how place-based learning can be impactful in climate education. In this webinar, we address common myths surrounding place-based learning and climate change while providing ideas and strategies to bring these topics, with a positive spin, into your classroom tomorrow. Be a part of the initial stages of building a place-based climate science toolkit for Michigan educators to use. 

  Learning Outcomes:

  • Offer STEM-based climate awareness strategies for teachers to use in the classroom

  • Provide examples of hands-on, inquiry-based activities that foster climate science curiosity

  • Encourage student advocacy for positive change

  Speaker Bio:

  Danielle DiFalco is the Head of Education at Cranbrook Institute of Science, Michigan's Museum of Natural History in Bloomfield Hills. Previous to her work at the Institute, Danielle's graduate program at Michigan Technological University guided her specialization in inquiry science education as a middle school science teacher in the Utica Community Schools District for 17 years. 

  Dr. Petra Huck is a former research climate scientist. She was born in Germany and lived on three different continents. Petra now works at Cranbrook Institute of Science as the Caldwell Fisher Climate Science Educator for the Cranbrook Educational Community. Her priorities include the development and delivery of weather and climate science content for audiences ranging from PreK students through high schoolers. Her focus is on place-based education and making connections across curricula and districts throughout Michigan.

  
  

  
  

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