February 9 – 13, 2026
Get ready for a week of Environmental Education Workshops at the Eastern 4-H Center. We are planning 5 days of workshops dedicated to the enhancement of programs and activities for formal and non-formal educators. Each day will provide you with program guides, activity books, and/or new methods for your classroom.
Participants should come prepared to be outside. We plan to hold workshops rain or shine, so please bring appropriate attire. Workshops will generally be from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm daily, with an hour-long lunch break from 12:00 – 1:00 pm; buffet-style lunch on site. All program plans and activities are set to the current North Carolina Standard Course of Study and Essential Standards. Lodging will be available throughout the week and will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. All programs take place in person at the Eastern 4-H Center, 100 N. Clover Way, Columbia, NC, 27925. Pre-registration is required by Friday, January 30, 2026.
Contact Ellen Sutton for more information at easutto@@ncsu.edu or 252-797-4800.
Registration Costs
Individual workshops: Individual costs are listed below; some workshops are FREE!
Lunch: $12/person will be added to every registration. Includes garden salad, lunch entree with side selections, beverage, and dessert.
Lodging (optional): $90 per room/night Single occupancy or $130 per night/room Double Occupancy
Workshop Descriptions
Monday, February 9 (9:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Project Learning Tree: Trees and Me
$10 Workshop + $12 Lunch | Participants: minimum 5; maximum 20
Instructors: Gail Lemiec, NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, gail.lemiec@ncaquariums.com and Renee Strnad, NC State, rlstrnad@ncsu.edu
Join other early childhood classroom and nonformal educators as we explore Project Learning Tree’s Trees and Me: Activities for Exploring Nature with Young Children activity guide. Every participant will leave the workshop with a copy of the guide – a $25 value! This guide includes revised favorites and new activities with a focus on learning and nature exploration for youth ages 1-6.
This workshop qualifies for Criteria I or II in the EE Certification Program (early childhood).
Tuesday, February 10 (9:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Project WET: Climate, Water, and Resilience
$25 Workshop + $12 Lunch | Participants: minimum 5; maximum 15
Instructor: Gail Lemiec, NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, gail.lemiec@ncaquariums.com
Project WET’s supplemental hands-on, science-based Climate, Water & Resilience curriculum helps educators feel confident addressing climate change in the classroom and beyond. Aligned with Common Core and NGSS standards, this program guides teachers and students through nine engaging activities that empower them to combat climate change and build a more resilient future. The curriculum covers a wide variety of phenomena encompassed by climate change, including weather vs. climate, the greenhouse effect, sea-level rise, ocean acidification, soil moisture and agriculture, freeze-thaw cycles, aquatic invasive species, shared water resources, and waterborne disease. Participants should bring a laptop or tablet in addition to their smartphone. We will be looking at online modules for some of the activities.
This workshop qualifies for 6 hours of Criteria 1 EE Credit
Wednesday, February 11 (9:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Project Aquatic WILD
Free workshop + $12 Lunch | Participants: minimum 5; maximum 15
Instructor: Erika Young, North Carolina Sea Grant, eyoung6@ncsu.edu
Aquatic WILD is a K-12 aquatic wildlife education program that fosters responsible actions toward wildlife and other natural resources. The Field Investigation component allows students to take a leading role in investigating aquatic habitats and resources. In addition to detailed lesson plans for each activity, activities also include: career explorations in the field of wildlife management and conservation, and STEM activity extensions. Aquatic WILD workshops are open to all interested educators including schoolteachers; park, nature center, and camp personnel; and scout leaders.
Participants will receive the Aquatic WILD activity guide and qualify for CEU credits, training hours, or NC Environmental Education Certification credits.
Thursday, February 12 (9:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Aquaculture & Marine Science Workshop
Free workshop + $12 Lunch | Participants: minimum 5; no maximum
Instructor: Erika Young, North Carolina Sea Grant, eyoung6@ncsu.edu
Delve into the world of marine science education. We will work through basic biology, classification, and behavior of common North Carolina species. We will also explore aquaculture basics and current lesson plans that are ready to be implemented in your learning spaces. We will also explore ocean acidification in the classroom. Lesson plans will be shared electronically with participants.
Friday, February 13 (9:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Project Learning Tree: Explore Your Environment
$10 workshop + $12 Lunch | Participants: minimum 5; maximum 25
Instructor: Courtney Felton, North Carolina Maritime Museum Beaufort, Courtney.Felton@dncr.nc.gov
Join preservice teachers, K-8 classroom and nonformal educators as we explore activities in the newly released Project Learning Tree: Explore Your Environment K-8 Activity Guide. Every participant will leave the workshop with a copy of this guide that includes 50 hands-on, multidisciplinary activities to connect children to nature and increase young people’s awareness and knowledge about their environment. This guide includes revised favorites and new activities. The activities in this resource are supported by a robust Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) correlation guide and also correlated to the NC Standard Course of Study.
CEU renewal credits are available. This workshop qualifies for Criteria I in the EE Certification Program (K-8). The PLT activity guides are provided free of charge to participants through support from the NC Forestry Association. If the cost of this workshop is a barrier for you, please reach out to the the NC PLT Coordinator, Renee Strnad, at renee_strnad@ncsu.edu.
