Hudson Valley Writing Project

TEACHING ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY: 
Working Toward a Better Future 

Saturday, October 5, 2019  |  8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. 
SUNY New Paltz, Old Main Building, Room B125 (The 1907 Room) 

EVENT SCHEDULE: 

8:30 a.m. - 9 a.m.  |  Sign-In and Registration 

9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.  |  Welcoming Remarks and Interactive Keynote (for all participants) 

THE BORDERLANDS: Seeing Through Different Lenses 
Jacqueline Hesse and Christine McCartney, Hudson Valley Writing Project  
In this interactive session, we will examine and respond to photographic images and text drawn from a remarkable exhibit, Continental Divide: Borderlands, Wildlife, People, and the Wall. The work of writer and photographer Krista Schlyer and other International League of Conservation Photographers depicts the impact of the U.S. Mexican border wall on humans and nature. We will consider the power of photojournalism to inspire students' writing and civic engagement as we discuss the intersection of environmental and social justice at the border. 

Jacqueline Hesse and Christine McCartney teach English Language Arts at Newburgh Free Academy P-TECH and are the co-founders of Global to Local, a service learning program that provides their students with opportunities to work on a meaningful volunteer projects in foreign countries, see the world in new ways, and envision themselves as change makers in it. 

10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.  |  Breakout Workshops (choose one): 

THE SENSE OF WONDER: Inquiry with Young Naturalists 
Barbara Bouck, Plattekill Elementary School
Rebecca Burdett, Duzine Elementary School
Elaine Myrianthopoulos, June Roush Pierson Laboratory Nursery School, DCC 
How can we introduce the idea of sustainability to young children as we respond to their innate interest and curiosity about the natural world - animals, plants, land, and sky? We will explore nature studies in a preschool, a kindergarten, and a first-grade classroom, sharing activities that build children's skills as observers, artists, writers, and activists. (Preschool-Grade 3) 

#GOALS PROJECT: Working Locally on Global Issues 
Steve Masson, Hudson Valley Pathways Academy 
What happens when our students connect with others from around the world about important issues? Together we will look at the work of local high school students who joined The Goals Project, an online international collaboration project that encourages students to collectively engage with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. (Grades 4-12) 

WHAT'S IN THE DATA?: Writing to Learn About Climate Change 
Andrew Stock, Arthur S. May Elementary School 
Students of every age benefit from the opportunity to develop hypotheses and pose questions about data. In this workshop, based on scientific work done by fifth graders, we will analyze three sets of data on atmospheric carbon dioxide levels published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to identify patterns and trends in the data. (Grades 4-College) 

For directions and parking info, visit the interactive SUNY New Paltz campus map. 

Participants will receive a certificate documenting three inservice hours. HVWP at SUNY New Paltz is a NYSED-approved sponsor of CTLE. 

For future announcements and event notifications, join our email list. 

Questions? Please email us at hvwp@newpaltz.edu or call (845) 257-2811. 

UPCOMING EVENTS: 

(Header image: American Tropics, photograph by Krista Schlyer.)