Presentations

The Place-Based Education Conference is a one-of-a-kind event that brings together diverse folks who are interested in connecting classrooms with community and developing knowledgeable, active stewards of the environment.
 
We are grateful to each of the 125 presenters who are contributing their wisdom and skills to this year’s conference.
We have 87 presentations and workshops on the docket!
 
Click on each strand title below to view presentations within that strand.
Ecological and Social Justice

Centering Urban Place, Circumstance, and Culture as Assets Towards Climate Science Accessibility in the ‘Hood
Keem King and Logan Applebee, EcoWorks Detroit – Youth Energy Squad | Communication and Media Arts High School Students

Climate Reality: We Must, We Can and We Will Solve the Climate Crisis
Rachel Rosner, Climate Reality Project

Environmental Identity Development in the Urban Classroom
Ayesha Qazi, Northside College Preparatory High School – Chicago Public Schools

Field Trips for All: Creating Inclusive Educational Experiences 
Abigail Diaz, Wisconsin Maritime Museum

Finding a Place for Diverse Audiences Outdoors
Claire Lannoye-Hall and Zahraa Aljebori, Detroit Zoological Society

From Flint to Cochabamba: Using Place-Based Methods to Teach Environmental Justice Around the World
Dr. Timothy Lorek, University of Michigan 

Growing Community Stewards: Community as Teachers
Kay Fukuda, University of Hawai’i | Shannon Bucasas and Megan Garcia, Wai`anae High School

How to Help Young People Tell Other People They Are Full of Poop While Being Polite
Darren Bagley, Michigan State University Extension – Genesee County 

Huli: Gaming as a Vehicle for Community Healing
Kay Fukuda, University of Hawai’i | Jeff Vierra and students, Nanakuli High & Intermediate School

Storytelling with Maps
Jenna Scheub, Interlochen Arts Academy

UPRIVER: A Story Map Curriculum for Exploring Watershed Citizenship
Kathy Chambliss, NorthBay Education, Inc. 

What Is a Priority? Connecting Learning with Life at Home: Examples from a Micronesian Island and an Aging Farming Community in Japan
Takano Takako, Waseda University | Ohmae Jun-ichi, ECOPLUS

Where Is the Fresh Food in Flint? In Our Classroom!
Arleatha Bryant, ED-U-K Enterprises

Youth Out Front: Leveraging Community, Creativity, & Collaboration for Youth Activism & Political Engagement
Natasha Thomas-Jackson, Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health

Foundational Place-Based Education

Building Citizenship Skills: Empowering Our Students Through Active Roles in the Community
Emily Gillain and Jessica Buckner, Teach With Science 

Environmental Identity Development in the Urban Classroom
Ayesha Qazi, Chicago Public Schools

Field Trip Metamorphosis: Transform One-Off Trips into Vibrant Place-Based Learning Experiences
Dr. June Teisan, Belle Isle Aquarium

Finding a Place for Place-Based Education: Connecting Schools to Nature Sanctuaries
Julie Stoneman and Robb Johnston, Michigan Nature Association

Funding and Resources to Implement Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) Through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Bay Watershed Education Training (B-WET) Program
Bronwen Rice and Jaime Frungillo, NOAA 

Land as Our First Teacher in Schools Workshop (2 hr)
Steve Styers, First Nations Educator 

Listening Is a Radical Act: The Power of Interviews and Site Visits to Connect Students to Place
Jen Plants, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Nature: Playground or Museum?
Joanna Allerhand and Jessica Vander Ark, Groundswell – Grand Valley State University

Phenology on the Farm: Strategies for Rural Place-Based Stewardship Education through School-Farm Partnerships
Eileen Boekestein, Grand Valley Metropolitan Council

A Place-Based Approach to Writing Instruction: Utilizing PBE to Marry Quality and Authenticity
Jennifer Suriano, University of Virginia

Place-Based Education on a National Scale: Earth Force’s Model of Partnerships
Grace Scarsella, Earth Force 

Placing Authentic Learning in the Hands of Students and Communities
Matthew McCullough, Schoolcraft Community Schools/Kalamazoo Public Schools | John Kern, The Mill at Vicksburg | Noreen Heikes, KRESA

Projects, Places, Students, and Standards
Gina Morris-Cicalo, Flint Community Schools

Show and Tell: Developing Place-Consciousness in Children Using Photos
Annie McMahon Whitlock and Christine Kenney, University of Michigan-Flint

Sowing and Harvesting: Outdoor Learning on a Working Farm
Tracey Marchyok and Students, Acton Academy Ann Arbor | Marly Spieser-Schneider, Community Farm of Ann Arbor

Start with Why: Building Purpose-Driven Projects to Empower Your Students
Ben Talsma, Van Andel Institute

Transforming Community, One Lesson at a Time Workshop (2 hr)
Lea Sevigny, Learning to Give 

Turn Students into Community Scientists: Learn to Detect Invasive Crayfish and Bring Hands-On, Outdoor Learning to the Classroom 
Workshop (3 hr) Pre-Registration Requested
Bizzy Berg and Greg Hitzroth, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant | Illinois Natural History Survey

Voice and Choice: Starting Points for Strong Stewardship
Meag Schwartz, Northeast  Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative | Luke Freeman, Au Gres-Sims High School

Watershed Engagement Through Live Action Role Play Workshop (2 hr)
Ellen Schultz, Fairmount Water Works

Youth-Adult Partnerships as a Framework for Youth Voice and Engagement Workshop (2 hr)
John Weiss, Neutral Zone

Great Lakes Literacy

A Deep Dive into the Great Lakes: Using Mathematics and Scale to Reveal the Big Picture
Sandy Smith, Nichols School 

Developing Place-Based and Virtual Learning Opportunities to Train Student ‘Citizen Scientists’ About Lake Sturgeon and Coupled Great Lakes-Tributary Ecosystems
Kim Scribner, Michigan State University

Ecojustice and Urban Watersheds: Great Lakes Literacy in Action
Dr. Ethan Lowenstein, Eastern Michigan University | Rebecca Neilsen and Laura Florence, Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition

Empowering Students to Deliver the Message
Marti Martz, Pennsylvania Sea Grant | Erica Wisniewski, Erie School District

Great Lakes Fisheries: Science to Stewardship
Brandon Schroeder, Michigan Sea Grant | Samantha Lichtenwald, Bay-Arenac Community High School

How to Use Great Lakes Literacy Principles in Your Educational Programming
Terri Hallesy and Kristin TePas, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant | Ryan Feldbrugge, Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve

Mapping and Monitoring Vernal Pools: Engaging Students in Place-Based Community Science and Stewardship
Yu Man Lee, Daria Hyde, Phyllis Higman – Michigan Natural Features Inventory

Plastic Pollution in the Great Lakes: Connecting Student Learning to Stewardship
Meaghan Gass, Michigan State University Extension | Sarah Waters, NOAA’s Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Resources for Great Lakes Literacy
Emily Sunblade, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore | Joan Chadde, Michigan Technological University | Chelsea Nester, Inland Seas Education Association

The Meeting Place: The Interaction of Forests and Water in Support of Great Lakes Health
Emily Vogelgesang, Huron Pines | Julie Crick, Michigan State University Extension

Using Classroom-Built ROVs to Explore the Underwater World of Shipwreck Histories
Dr. Mark Gleason, Grand Valley State University

Institutionalizing Place-Based Education

Becoming a Boundary Spanner: Why Does Boundary Spanning Matter in Place-Based Education?
Kate Welsh, University of Wyoming | Leslie Cook, Teton Science Schools

Connecting Public School Curriculum with a Place-Based Experiential Learning Platform That Focuses on Interdisciplinary Skills in Environmental Stewardship, STEAM Education, and Direct Action
Neha Shah and Students, Ann Arbor Public Schools | Nathan Ayers, We Are The Forest 

Finding a Common Place: Youth Dialog About Place and Place-Based Education
Kay Fukuda, University of Hawai’i, Dr. Ethan Lowenstein, Eastern Michigan University | Students from High Schools in Detroit and Hawai’i

Garden Education Rocks! Educator Perceptions and the Power of Bridging School and Community Collaborations
Veronica Konglim, Eastern Michigan University 

Landing Your Message: Adapting Your Communication to Inspire, Empower, and Educate Workshop (2 hr)
Pam Baker and Cindy Hunt, Journeous

Putting Literacy in its Place: Integrating Disciplinary Literacy Instruction into Place-Based Education Workshop (2 hr)
Darin Stockdill, University of Michigan School of Education

School Adventures in Place-Based Sustainability
Emily Umbarger and Christina Barkel, Interlochen Center for the Arts 

Transforming a Rural Public School District with Maritime and Place-Based Learning
Sarah Rubenstein, Port Townsend Public Schools

Transforming School Culture: Optimizing Place-Based Learning with a Field Trip
Darrell Hendrickson and Kristin Svoke, Washington Middle School 

Transforming Schools by Institutionalizing Great Lakes Literacy: Integrating Place-Based Education into School Continuous Improvement Process and Other Essential Strategies
Michigan Department of Education | Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy | MiSTEM Network

You Need a Hub: Sustain and Elevate Place-Based Teaching through Persistent Regional Support and Networking
Lisa Marckini-Polk and Mary Whitmore, Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative

Watershed Curriculum Implemented in Partnership with Philadelphia School District
Ellen Schultz, Fairmount Water Works

Weathering Change in Institutional Learning (Poster)
Clare Tallon Ruen and Betsy Quail, Pipes and Precipitation/District 65

Place-Based Education in Higher Education

A Change Within: Disrupting Traditional Spaces in Teacher Preparation
Hanna Watters | Donacal Clemons | Aisha Tahir, Eastern Michigan University

A Commitment to Sustainability: Project-Based Learning in Pre-Service Teacher Education
Suzanne Knight, University of Michigan-Flint | Maybritt Woodcock, University of Greifswald

Designing a Place-Based Education Immersion Experience for Pre-Service Teachers
Leslie Cook, Teton Science Schools | Elizabeth P. Cunningham, University of Michigan-Flint

Insights into Place-Based Education in Germany
Karoline Thorbecke, University of Greifswald

A Place-Based Learning Assignment: Relating Self and Place to Plans for Children’s Learning
Dr. Aviva Dorfman, University of Michigan-Flint 

Reflections from Pre-Service Teachers: Teton Science Schools and UM-Flint Partnership
Elizabeth P. Cunningham, University of Michigan-Flint | Leslie Cook, Teton Science Schools

Teachers Facing the Future: Growing Food in This Climate-Changing Place
Jane Rice, Michigan State University

Ubuntu (“I Am Because We Are”): A Partnership Between Civic Park and UM-Flint
Kazuko Hiramatsu, Todd Womack, Jori Reigle – University of Michigan-Flint

We Need to Do This Differently: Challenges in Implementing Place-Based Teacher Education
Suzanne Knight and Laura McLeman, University of Michigan-Flint 

Place-Based Impact Investing and Entrepreneurship

Citizen Investors: How Local Investors Are Redefining Their Own Towns
Chris Miller, City of Adrian

From Place-Based Education to Impact Investing: Building Just, Equitable, and Sustainable Communities Together (Panel) 
Laurie Lane-Zucker, Impact Entrepreneur | Matt Bach, Michigan Municipal League | Megan Schrauben, MiSTEM Network | Neal Hegarty, C.S. Mott Foundation | Greg Viener, Huntington Bank

Local Literacy Matters! Creating a District-Wide Roadmap for Place-Based Education
Molly Ames Baker, TOPOnexus

We See You! A Field Guide for Creating Place-Based Entrepreneurship Programs
Sara McDonnell and Nic Custer, University of Michigan-Flint

Young Sharks Curriculum for 3-5 Graders: How to Instill the Entrepreneurial Mindset in Tomorrow’s Changemakers
Paula Nas and Terry Groves, University of Michigan-Flint

 

 

STEM-Rich Place-Based Education

Doing Community Science: An Egalitarian Community Action Partnership Model
Erin Gallay, University of Wisconsin – Madison | Paula Sizemore, Ypsilanti Community High School/AC Tech

Exhibit Design: Students Practice Engineering Skills to Develop a 3D Model of a New Animal Exhibits
Megan Burkhart, John Ball Zoo

Green Roof Design Challenge
Tara DenHerder, Traverse City Public Schools | Chelsea Nester, Grand Traverse Stewardship Initiative

Health in Our Hands: Community-Inspired, Project-Based Learning for Middle School Science
Renee Bayer, Michigan State University

Integrating Michigan Geoheritage Sites into STEM Learning Experiences Through Virtual GeoInvestigations and EarthCaches: Examples and Results from Western Upper Peninsula Initiatives
Emily Gochis, MiSTEM Network & Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative | Lloyd Wescoat, Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative

The Persistence of Playing School: Examining the Potential for a Place-Based Semester Program to Disrupt the Typical Rules of Mathematical Problem Solving
Dr. Amanda Milewski, University of Michigan

Renewing MEECS: Using Existing Curriculum as a Cornerstone to Place-Based Learning Workshop (2 hr)
Gabrielle Likavec, Michigan Geographic Alliance

River Rewilding: Engaging Students in Evaluating the Impacts of River Restoration on Ecosystems and Communities
Brenda Perry, Kent Innovation High | Eileen Boekestein, Grand Valley Metropolitan Council Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds

STEM+A (Art) = US. It’s What We DO!
Barb Kinnunen-Skidmore, Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative

STEM in PLACE: Discussing Critical Features of Place-Conscious STEM Learning
Dr. Caroline Baillie, Waste for Life | University San Diego

STOP Random acts of STEM!!!
Tracy D’Augustino, Michigan State University Extension

Strengthen Place-Based Learning with Vibrant Community Partnerships That Integrate Arts, Social Studies, and STEM
Dr. June Teisan, Michigan Teacher of the Year Network

Transformation of a Pine Plantation as a Case Study for Community Collaboration
Mary Ellen Newport, Interlochen Center for the Arts

Understanding the Flint River through Citizen Science
Autumn Mitchell, Flint River Watershed Coalition

We Are the Forest: Place-Based, Nature + Stem Certification for K-12 Students and Teachers
Nathan Ayers, We Are The Forest

Other

The Critical Role of Nature Experiences in Health, and Why Place-Based Education Is Key
Dr. Jennifer Wisdom, Family Medicine Physician

2019 Sponsors