Crayfish Curriculum Workshop for Educators

[Szklaruk, Natalia]

Invasive Crayfish Collaborators,

We are excited to share a professional development opportunity for educators! Please pass this invitation along to relevant partners in education. Space is limited.

When: April 15, 2025, 8:00 am to 3:30 pm CT.
Where: Dunes Learning Center at Indiana Dunes National Park, 700 Howe Rd., Chesterton, IN 46304
Cost: Free
Registration Deadline: April 1, 2025
Open to grades 6-12 formal and non-formal educators.

REGISTER TODAY! https://forms.gle/rS2cUEKm4e6qthLw7

About: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative, the Great Lakes Research and Education Center, and Indiana Dunes National Park have teamed up to offer a day-long workshop designed to support educators in implementing the Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems Curriculum. Participants will earn six professional development hours during this interactive experiential learning workshop. All activities are aligned to Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and Center for Great Lakes Literacy Principles.

This workshop includes a presentation from an expert aquatic ecologist. Educators will also take part in hands-on science through crayfish sampling on the Little Calumet River.

Participants should dress to be outdoors for a portion of the day, and bring water and a laptop for use in the classroom. After completing the workshop, participants will receive a copy of the Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems Curriculum, which includes educator guides and student handouts for each of the nine lessons, as well as other equipment and resources for support.

In this workshop, educators will:

• Gain knowledge about the role of crayfish in Great Lakes ecosystems and the importance of invasive crayfish management.
• Learn how to implement a participatory science activity in their classrooms by sampling crayfish and other macroinvertebrates and logging their data using GIS software.
• Review and practice at least seven hands-on activities from the Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems Curriculum.

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant provides equal opportunities in programs. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Julie Fiorito at fior...@illinois.edu or by phone at 217-300-0788. Early requests are encouraged to allow time to meet individual requests.

You can also reply to this email if you have any questions or comments. Thanks!

Take care,

Natalia

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Natalia Szklaruk, M.S. (she/her)

Aquatic Invasive Species Educator

Invasive Crayfish Collaborative Facilitator

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant | Illinois Natural History Survey