Teacher Professional Development
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITY:
Climate Change in our Communities | June 23–25, 2026
Join ShoreRivers and a crew of community leaders and experts for a three-day learning experience exploring how climate change is impacting our communities.
Climate change is a complex topic to teach. This professional development will equip teachers with locally relevant stories, data, and interdisciplinary activities that integrate science, social-emotional learning, and environmental justice.
PROGRAM AGENDA
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Location: Cambridge, MD - Chesapeake College Cambridge Center
Day 1 focuses on the impact of climate change on human health. The program includes a one-mile roundtrip walking tour of the City of Cambridge, including a stop at the Choptank River for hands-on data collection. Participants will explore local data and stories related to extreme heat, vector-borne illnesses, and bacteria in waterways.
Featured speakers include ShoreRivers’ Watershed Scientists, the Dorchester County Health Department’s Public Health Emergency Planner, and a Cambridge City Commissioner.
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Location: Church Creek, MD - Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
Day 2 will be hosted at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, a natural resource that is shrinking as sea level rises and marshes recede and sink. The morning will feature an outdoor tour led by Harriet Tubman Tours with a highlight of their initiative to preserve historic sites important to Harriet Tubman’s legacy before they end up underwater. Activities will include GPS mapping and a lesson plan to help students write their “climate story” to express how climate change affects their lives.
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Location: Easton, MD - Eastern Shore Conservation Center
Day 3 focuses on climate impacts on local ecosystems. Participants will explore how trees can mitigate climate impacts and use online data tools to examine connections between urban heat islands and tree canopy coverage. Teachers will have the opportunity to sign up for a student-led tree planting at their school or in their community.
Washington College’s Director of Watershed Innovation will share research and lesson plans addressing warming waters and impacts on aquatic ecosystems, including underwater grasses in the Bay. The Youth Climate Institute will provide strategies and inspiration for engaging students in meaningful climate action within their school districts.
Lesson Plan Requirement
Due one week after the experience, teachers submit a lesson plan to ShoreRivers focused on incorporating climate change in their curriculum.
Registration and Logistics
This three-day professional development is open to middle and high school teachers on the Eastern Shore. Teachers of all content areas are welcome and encouraged to register.
A cohort of 12 teachers will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Teachers who can attend all three days will be prioritized. Teachers who cannot attend all three days should still register and will be placed on a waiting list and contacted if there is space available.
Teachers will receive a $200 stipend per day, with a maximum total of $600. Professional Development Points are possible subject to their school system approval.
ShoreRivers will provide beverages and snacks, but teachers are responsible for bringing their lunch and water bottle every day. There will not be opportunities to purchase lunch on sites.
This teacher professional development is funded by a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor Educators.
