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Teacher Information

Resources for Educators and Youth Leaders

Educators learning in a pond
Educators learning in a pond

Today's educators hold the awesome responsibility of showing youth that their actions today affect tomorrow, the main principle in environmental stewardship.

The Bureau of Environmental Education's goal is to promote wise stewardship of our natural resources. Because educators play a critical role in guiding our youth, training and providing resources to those educators is very important.

Environmental Education Centers

The Environmental Education Centers (EECs) operated by DEC across the state offer a number of environmental education opportunities to educators. These centers are:

These centers are excellent places for a field trip and have environmental educators on-site who lead guided lessons. At three of the EECs (Five Rivers EEC, Rogers EEC, and Stony Kill Farm EEC) there are extensive teacher resource centers that house information about many environmental topics. These centers also offer workshops to guide the educators on how to incorporate environmental education into their lesson plans.

Summer Environmental Education Camps

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation runs four environmental education camps across the state. The week-long overnight camps are open to children ages 12-17. Schools and organizations, as well as parents can sponsor a child for a week at camp. Make sure to visit the camps website for more information on this great opportunity to connect children to nature.

Camper during an eco challenge
Campers during an eco challenge

EAGLES Program

The Division of Law Enforcement's Environmental Conservation Officers offer the Environmental Awareness Gives Life to the Eco-System (EAGLES) Program. This program introduces students to the abundant environmental resources in New York State, the duties of their local Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO), and the responsibilities of the DEC.

Students can find project ideas, activities, and information on the Student's Page.


Green Schools

At schools across New York students, teachers and staff are making a difference in their communities with programs to recycle, reduce waste, save energy and conserve resources. Besides the long-range benefits of good environmental stewardship, green policies help schools and universities provide healthier surroundings for their students and staff. The Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste's Green Schools web page will help you on your journey to become a Green School! The focus of this webpage is a comprehensive solid waste management program; however, here are areas to consider that will help further your transformation to a Green School.


America Recycles Day

The Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste's Recycling Program celebrates New York State/America Recycles Day every November 15th. Their For Teachers page offers a pdf file of a 36-page activity booklet detailing lesson plans and different recycling day activities for students to partake in promoting recycling. The page also boasts a recycling crossword puzzle!

Various DEC Divisions provide technical data and reports on a range of environmental subjects. Many of these reports give basic information on environmental problems and the steps being taken to mitigate and alleviate the problems. This information could be helpful with lesson plans and helping students find resources for research projects.

More about Teacher Information:

  • Workshops for Educators - The Department offers four professional development workshops for teachers and youth leaders: Project WILD & WILD Aquatic, Project WET, and Project Learning Tree.
  • Hudson River Lesson Plans - Hudson River Estuary Program's education staff have developed a series of lessons to help 3rd - 5th grade teachers incorporate the Hudson River into their classroom.
  • Annual Teacher Institutes - Five Rivers, Rogers, and Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Centers are each hosting a Teacher Institute on the Environment where elementary and middle school teachers are invited to learn more about incorporating nature and the environment into classroom learning.
  • Field Guides - Field Guides List
  • DEC Poster Contests - Various poster contests run by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation