Teacher Professional Development
For Teachers NEW to LREC:
Effective Outdoor Learning (EOL)
June 16–17, 2026 (June workshop CANCELLED) OR July 15–16, 2026 (July workshop is FULL)
Are you a classroom teacher, specialist, or special education teacher working with K–12 students? If so, join us this summer and learn how to become familiar with your schoolyard and to use it as a rich learning environment with your students. This 2-day workshop kicks off a year-long program with Litzsinger Road Ecology Center (LREC) as you gear up to use your schoolyard spaces to meet your curriculum goals.
Key components of the program include:
- Support from LREC staff in developing outdoor teaching and learning skills
- Free field trips to the ecology center once each season
- Monthly activities on your schoolyard
Contact Julie at [email protected] or Leslie at [email protected] for more information.
This workshop is for teachers NEW to LREC and is offered free of charge.
Please note: This is a 2-day workshop and participation is required on both days.
Nature-Based Learning: Outdoor Explorations with PreK
July 10, 2026 Workshop is FULL
This workshop is designed for PreK teachers who want to discover how easy it is to use their schoolyard as a rich learning environment.
Key components of the program include:
- Support from LREC staff in developing outdoor teaching and learning skills
- Free field trips to the ecology center once each season
- Seasonal activities on your schoolyard
This workshop is for teachers NEW to LREC and is offered free of charge.
For Returning Teachers:
Sustainable Schoolyards (SS)
June 23–24, 2026
Do your students want to make the world a better place? Do they want to find ways to improve the natural environment? Join us this summer to learn how to nurture student involvement and voice as you implement a habitat improvement project on your campus. LREC will provide staff support, lesson plans and resources throughout the upcoming school year as you put this plan into action. Participating teachers will receive native plants for their project through the LREC Plant Grant.
This workshop is open to current LREC Teacher Partners who have completed Effective Outdoor Learning (EOL) or Nature-Based Learning (NBL) in previous years.
For All Teachers:
What’s It Like Where You Live?
July 27–29, 2026
For teachers of grades 5–8
For your students —
Combine field experience with advanced computer modeling to:
- Compare plant and animal adaptations in the woodlands, grasslands, deserts and more.
- Investigate local creeks and see how changing conditions support aquatic life.
As a teacher—
- Gain access to web-based computer modeling tools from MIT and Esri to use with your students.
- Get priority scheduling for no-cost field experiences at the Litzsinger Road Ecology Center. Transportation included!
- Have ongoing support for your students’ investigations next school year.
To register contact Bob Coulter at [email protected] or (314) 368-7489.
This workshop is open to all teachers.
The Missouri Botanical Garden offers additional teacher professional development opportunities. Learn more.