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Professional Development Workshops & Environmental Education Training for Educators

Research has shown that well-integrated, nature-based educational activities can improve children’s academic achievement, behavior, well-being, and physical development. In light of this and to help teachers effectively educate and inspire their students to be knowledgeable and committed stewards of the environment, we offer professional development workshops that train and certify educators in three of the most well-respected environmental education curricula: Project Learning Tree, Project WET, & Project WILD.

Upcoming Course Offerings

Excellence in Early Childhood Nature-Based Learning

The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) created a set of guidelines for the development of balanced, scientifically accurate, and comprehensive environmental education programs and materials, including one specifically designed for early childhood programs. Their guidebook, "Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence" comprises a set of recommendations for developing early childhood environmental education programs or informing improvements in existing ones. Through a series of interactive activities and discussions, participants in this workshop will explore the six key characteristics of high-quality, early childhood environmental education programs as described in the guide. This workshop is appropriate for people new to environmental education as well as experienced educators. A free NAAEE guidebook is included. There is no cost to attend this workshop, but registration is required. 


For questions about workshops or environmental education programs, please email Hannah.Rennard-Ganley@cityofomaha.org.


About Our Certification Courses:

Project Learning Tree

Project Learning Tree advances environmental literacy and promotes stewardship through excellence in environmental education, professional development, and curriculum resources that use trees and forests as windows into the world.

Project WET

Project WET’s mission is to promote awareness of water and empower community action to solve complex water issues by providing training workshops on diverse water topics so that educators can reach children with objective, experiential, science-based water education.

Project WILD

The goal of Project WILD is to develop awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment resulting in informed decisions, responsible behavior, and constructive actions concerning wildlife and the environment.

The following applies to all educator certification courses offered by Keep Omaha Beautiful:

  • Workshop participants include early childhood educators and K-12 teachers. 
  • Courses are offered at little to no cost to participants. 
  • Through these workshops, participants become certified in the respective environmental education curriculum and gain the knowledge and hands-on experiences to help them engage their young learners in environmental education activities. 
  • Participants will receive a curriculum guide full of lesson plans and activities (that align with academic standards) that can be used in outdoor and indoor settings throughout the entire year. 
  • As certified environmental educators, participants are also granted online access to additional resources. 
  • KOB provides ongoing support to help educators fully integrate environmental education into their teaching.

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