Climate change the focus of after school conservation club workshop

Posted February 7th, 2012 in Climate Ready Communities, Education, News

IISG’s Molly Woloszyn organized a workshop for several Chicago-area teachers recently, and wrote us to share news of the event.
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On January 31st, I had the opportunity to help organize and present at a workshop for several Chicago Public School teachers titled “Climate Change: What Is It and What Does It Mean for Illinois?” The workshop attendees all lead after school conservation clubs for 6th-12th graders through the Chicago Conservation Corps (C3), a program of the Chicago Department of Transportation.

C3 project coordinator Kristen Pratt invited me to speak to the teachers about the basics of climate science and climate change. I did this workshop in collaboration with the Illinois State Climatologist, Dr. Jim Angel, who enriched the workshop by sharing his abundant knowledge on the climate of Illinois, as well as projections for the future of Illinois’ climate.

After receiving feedback from the teachers, I was thrilled to hear that they learned a lot about climate science and climate change, a topic that is very important to them and especially relevant nowadays. Many teachers said they found it valuable to learn what is happening with the climate in Illinois and more specifically in Chicago.

The topics I spoke to the teachers about included climate variability, the natural controls of climate and climate change, the influence humans can have on Earth’s climate system, the greenhouse effect, and the main sources for greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and Chicago.

Not only were the teachers enthusiastic to learn about the topic, they were also eager to share the information with their students, which I think is one of the best results from the workshop.

The mission of the C3 Student Clubs Program is to recruit, train, and support a network of teachers and students to improve the quality of life in their schools and neighborhoods through environmental service projects that protect water, clean air, restore land, and save energy.

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Looking for a fun way to teach about marine debris? Check out Me and Debry, which is a whimsical, 30‑minute, audience‑participation play created for @UWiscSeaGrant. It helps students explore what marine debris is, why it matters, and how we can make a difference in the Great Lakes.

The full script (English) and participation scripts (English, Spanish, and Hmong) are free to use, along with marketing materials for performances.

Bring learning to life and start a conversation about litter in our waters!

Check it out at the link in bio.

#TeachingTuesday

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18104492783310070
Looking for a fun way to teach about marine debris? Check out Me and Debry, which is a whimsical, 30‑minute, audience‑participation play created for @UWiscSeaGrant. It helps students explore what marine debris is, why it matters, and how we can make a difference in the Great Lakes.The full script (English) and participation scripts (English, Spanish, and Hmong) are free to use, along with marketing materials for performances.Bring learning to life and start a conversation about litter in our waters!Check it out at the link in bio.#TeachingTuesday

Do you work or live along the Great Lakes coasts? Watch our newly released video series collection, containing several short videos that overview the range of coastal protection options in the Great Lakes, including:

- Natural processes in the Great Lakes
- Hard coastal protection structures and how they interact with/alter natural processes
- Nature-based coastal solutions in the Great Lakes, ranging from green to gray approaches

Find our two new video series at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18075599984541727
Do you work or live along the Great Lakes coasts? Watch our newly released video series collection, containing several short videos that overview the range of coastal protection options in the Great Lakes, including:- Natural processes in the Great Lakes- Hard coastal protection structures and how they interact with/alter natural processes- Nature-based coastal solutions in the Great Lakes, ranging from green to gray approachesFind our two new video series at the link in bio.

Located in Washington, D.C., the Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources, and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. This is a one-year fellowship open to any student, regardless of citizenship, who is enrolled toward a degree in a graduate or professional program on the day of the deadline.

Students enrolled at an Illinois or Indiana university or college should submit their applications through Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant by emailing Angela Archer at amcbride@purdue.edu. Students in surrounding states without a Sea Grant program should contact the National Sea Grant College Program at oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov for a referral.

Application deadline: June 3, 2026.

To learn more about the fellowship, visit the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18136822375511465
Located in Washington, D.C., the Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources, and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. This is a one-year fellowship open to any student, regardless of citizenship, who is enrolled toward a degree in a graduate or professional program on the day of the deadline.Students enrolled at an Illinois or Indiana university or college should submit their applications through Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant by emailing Angela Archer at amcbride@purdue.edu. Students in surrounding states without a Sea Grant program should contact the National Sea Grant College Program at oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov for a referral. Application deadline: June 3, 2026.To learn more about the fellowship, visit the link in bio.