EarthEd Institute
Let UB’s Departments of Geological Science and Environment & Sustainability support and enhance your classroom! The program is held annually over the summer.
The 2024 EarthEd Institute is no longer accepting applications. Check back with us in 2025!
July 8–12, 2024
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
What is EarthEd?
The EarthEd Institute is a joint venture between the Department of Geological Sciences and the Department of Environment and Sustainability to provide useful educational content for Junior and High School teachers in the Earth Sciences. This program is geared towards incorporating experiential and inquiry-based instruction to meet the requirements of the new NY science standards. Upon completion, teachers accepted into the institute will receive credit for 30-hours of NYSDOE accredited professional development.
Workshops include travel costs and fees for field trips in the Buffalo-Niagara area, and professional development credit hours.
With a focus on geological and environmental systems, teachers will explore concepts in climate, ecology, evolution, geoscience, natural history, pollution, resource management, and more. Participants will have an opportunity to carry out scientific research, learn how to introduce it to their class, and develop immersive educational experiences for students. Teachers will interact directly with faculty conducting cutting-edge research in the Earth Sciences and collaborate with fellow educators to customize content specifically for their students.
Our outreach program is fully supported through a network of research grants and gives your class real-life experience and skills in STEAM!
Acceptance into the EarthEd Institute will give you tools and techniques for implementing research into your lesson plans, integrate math and the humanities into your core curriculum and help make course material relevant to your students by engaging them in their communities.
What are the parts of EarthEd?
The EarthEd Institute is a week-long intensive workshop specifically for grade 6–12 teachers of Living Environment, Earth Science, and other science courses. Each day’s theme revolves around major topics in these disciplines. Each day consists of presentations from research scientists in these fields, followed by hands-on activities and lab work. Each afternoon, we take these topics and help science teachers to develop lab activities, lessons, and relevant information that helps you fit into New York State common core and Next Gen science standards.