Educators must fulfill the following requirements to become an NRLE Teacher:
Complete a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) 101 Course (learn more)
Complete 6 hours of additional workshops on a related topic. Options include:
Project WET or Getting Little Feet WET
Aquatic WILD
Day in the Life of the NRLE Watershed Training
NOAA Marine Debris Survey
Freedom Seekers: The Underground Railroad, Great Lakes, and Science Literacy Activities
Great Lakes Data Jam Training
...and more!
These requirements can be completed as stand-alone workshops or through the NRLE Classroom Institute (offered every other summer). To see upcoming workshop offerings, visit the Reinstein Woods Educator Workshop page. To request a workshop for a group of 7 or more educators, contact teachered@reinsteinwoods.org.
Access to small grants and stipends when available
Early registration for "Day in the Life of the NRLE Watershed"
Early registration for specialty workshops and experiences
Small group virtual and in-person peer-network chats
To become a NRLE Teacher, educators must participate in all the following January/February workshops at Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center:
Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) 101
Tuesday, January 14 from 4:30-6:30 PM
The Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) is a learner-centered framework that focuses on investigations into local environmental issues and leads to informed action. Educators will learn the essential elements of a place-based MWEE that build upon each other to create a comprehensive, student-centered learning experience.
A Day in the Life of the NRLE Watershed
Tuesday, January 21 from 4:30-6:30 PM
Educators will experience the tools and protocols used in the NRLE watershed field study, including water quality tests for pH, dissolved oxygen, phosphate, nitrate, turbidity, macroinvertebrate surveys and more.
Project WET Part 1
Tuesday, January 28 from 4:30-6:30 PM
-and-
Project WET Part 2
Tuesday, February 4 from 4:30-6:30
Educators will learn activities to supplement their MWEE featured in the award-winning, NSTA-recommended Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide 2.0.
Correlated to the Common Core Standards and NGSS
Provides resources to integrate water education into every school subject.
Features 64 field-tested activities, more than 500 color photographs and illustrations, and useful appendices with information on teaching methods, assessment strategies.
The National Science Teachers Association has selected this book as part of their NSTA Recommends list of books for science educators.
Accepted 2025 Participants will receive:
$150 stipend
Free Spring 2025 Student "Day in the Life" Field Trip (including one bus)
Who should apply:
All 5th-12th grade educators are welcome to apply. Educators working in a district that includes a disadvantaged community will be given priority.
NRLE field experiences are best suited for up to 30 students. This program is a good fit for high school or middle school courses with 1-3 sections, or up to 45 students. The program is also well suited for environmental, STEM, and science clubs.