Summer Institutes for Educators

A foundational professional development component of Discovering PLACE, the annual Summer Institute for Educators are designed to introduce and deepen understanding and application of place-based education (PBE) pedagogy. The Institutes support educators who seek to implement PBE practice and projects in their classroom. 

Discovering PLACE is excited to announce two Summer Institutes for Summer 2024!

Food System Education: A Collaboration with the University of Michigan School of Environment & Sustainability and MSU-Extension Community Food Systems

The Summer Institute is a professional development opportunity for K-12 educators with prior place-based education experience. This two-day professional development opportunity is a pilot effort designed with Masters students from UM-SEAS working to advance food system literacy. Designed in partnership with MSU Extension's Community Food System program, this summer institute will focus on how educators can connect their teaching and place-based education efforts to issues present in our regional food systems. 

GLSI / Mi-STAR - Place-Based Education Integrations for Mi-STAR Unit 6.1: The Water Cycle

The Summer Institute is a professional development opportunity for Middle School Science Teachers using the Mi-STAR curriculum. This three-day professional development opportunity will introduce teachers to place-based education and ways to integrate it into Mi-STAR Unit 6.1, which focuses on the Water Cycle 

Past Summer Institutes

Deepening & Sustaining Your Place-Based Education Practice

Dates: July 25-27, 2023 

The Summer Institute is a professional development opportunity for K-12 educators with prior place-based education experience. This three-day professional development opportunity will focus on how teachers can engage with their local partners to grow and sustain place-based education and stewardship action projects in their classrooms and in the community. 

Nature Near You: Engaging with local parks and greenspaces for place-based learning 

Dates: June 27-30, 2022

The 2022 Discovering PLACE Summer Institute for Educators was a four day mixed-mode professional development opportunity offered in partnership with Genesee County Park's For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum. The Institute featured Project Learning Tree curriculum certification and focused on how educators can engage with their local parks and natural areas to integrate place-based learning and stewardship action projects into their classroom. 

Place-Based, Outdoor Education: Creating a new master plan for teaching 

Dates: July 19 - 22, 2021 

The 2021 Summer Institute for Educators was offered in partnership  with the GISD’s Ligon Nature Center with a focus on how outdoor education supports students’ academic growth across content areas, as well as social-emotional well-being. 

Inspring Care, Empathy, & Action

Dates: July 13 - 20, 2020 

The 2020 Summer Institute for Educators was offered in a distance learning format with a focus on using place-based education and STEAM to build students' capacity for inquiry in traditional and virtual classrooms to inspire empathy, appreciation, and care for the community and the environment.

Exploring Sustainability

Dates: June 26-29, 2019 

The 2019 Summer Institute for Educators explored the concept of sustainable communities that balance social, economic, and environmental considerations to support community health and well-being.  Educators were introduced to how to integrate the concepts of sustainability and place-based education (PBE) into teaching practice.