Webinar Series:
In the Growing Classroom

About the Webinar Series

Join us for a yearlong webinar series presented by Life Lab that blends the marvels of nature, the magic of cross-curricular connections, and the joy of culinary exploration! This 6-part series invites you to explore effective outdoor classroom management, integrating Next Generation Science Standards and the C3 Framework for Social Studies into garden education and the culinary arts through traditional and heat-free methods.

Regi Jones

Regi Jones

Life Lab National Training & Curriculum Specialist

Regi Jones (They/Them) is the National Training & Curriculum Specialist for Life Lab. Regi grew up and attended university in North Carolina. Regi primarily focuses on how food can be used to connect people across cultures and how what we eat is shaped by our own ancestral connections.

Next Generation Science in the Garden

February 22, 2024
4pm PT / 7pm ET

Join us for an exploration of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), where you'll discover practical insights and resources to help you implement these cutting-edge standards in your garden classroom. Register now.

Focus areas will include:

Assessment and Evaluation: Understand the importance of assessment in NGSS and explore strategies for assessing student learning in a manner consistent with NGSS principles.

Real-Life Applications: Delve into an example lesson that highlights NGSS integration, offering inspiration and guidance for your classroom.

We invite educators of all levels, science teachers, curriculum developers, and anyone interested in transforming garden education using NGSS. This webinar is designed to help enhance your teaching strategies and enrich the science education experience for your students. Discover valuable resources, tools, and support networks to support your NGSS journey. We'll point you toward NGSS-aligned curriculum materials, online communities, and professional development opportunities.

Guest Presenter:

Whitney Cohen (she/her) is a teacher, trainer, and author with tremendous commitment to and expertise in place-based education, student-led inquiry, strategies for engaging a diverse student population, school gardens, and the intersection between environmental education, Common Core, and Next Generation academic content standards, and the public school system.

Responsive Outdoor Classroom Management

March 28, 2024
4pm PT / 7pm ET

Join us for a webinar full of insights into managing and responding to behaviors in outdoor classrooms. This session will explore the art of ensuring a positive and structured learning environment by equipping educators, parents, and nature enthusiasts with valuable tools and strategies for addressing various behaviors in outdoor settings. Register now.

Focus areas will include:

  • Understanding Behaviors: Gain insights into the various behaviors that may arise in outdoor classrooms and the underlying factors influencing student conduct.
  • Learning Proactive Strategies: Learn practical and research-based techniques for proactively managing and responding to behaviors and maintaining a safe, structured, and inspiring outdoor learning space.
  • Practicing Positive Reinforcement: Explore methods of positive reinforcement and communication to encourage desirable behavior and create a conducive learning atmosphere.
  • Engaging with Real-World Scenarios: Hear case studies from experienced educators who have successfully navigated and managed various behaviors in outdoor learning environments.

Whether you're an educator seeking effective strategies for responding to behaviors, a parent eager to support positive conduct in outdoor exploration, or a nature enthusiast looking to foster a respectful and nurturing learning space, this webinar will equip you with valuable knowledge and skills.

Teaching Multilingual Learners in the Garden

May 23, 2024
4pm PT / 7pm ET

Join us for a webinar to help empower educators to effectively teach multilingual learners. In today's diverse classrooms, it is essential to equip teachers with the knowledge and tools necessary to support students who are acquiring English as a second language while maintaining their native languages. We will delve into promising practices, pedagogical approaches, and innovative strategies designed to create inclusive and successful learning environments for multilingual learners. Register now.

Focus areas will include:

  • Cultural Competence: Understanding the cultural backgrounds and experiences of multilingual learners to create a welcoming and respectful classroom.
  • Language Development: Exploring techniques to foster language acquisition, including supporting home languages and the development of academic English.
  • Differentiated Instruction: Participants will experience a model lesson that uses adaptive teaching methods to accommodate varying language proficiency levels and individual learning styles.
  • Support Services: Identifying and utilizing support services, such as ESL programs and language assessment tools.

This webinar is designed for educators, administrators, and anyone interested in fostering an inclusive, multilingual learning environment. Attendees will gain valuable insights and practical tools to ensure that multilingual learners thrive academically and socially.

Cooking Without Heat in the School Garden

July 25, 2024
4pm PT / 7pm ET

Explore the exciting world of nutrition right from your school garden! Register now.

Focus areas will include:

  • Student Engagement: Learn how to engage your students in growing, tasting, and appreciating fresh and healthy foods.
  • Garden and Program Design: Discover how to create a garden space that nurtures both plants and young minds, exploring ideas for garden layouts and learning activities tailored to different age groups.
  • Outdoor Cooking Skills: Discover essential cooking techniques that are safe and suitable for teaching outdoors. We'll cover basic food preparation, fireless cooking methods, and creating outdoor culinary experiences for students.

Cooking With Heat in the School Garden

September 19, 2024
4pm PT / 7pm ET

Join us for a webinar exploring the exciting world of nutrition right from your school garden! Register now.

Focus areas will include:

  • More Outdoor Cooking Skills: Discover essential knife skills and other cooking techniques that are safe and suitable for teaching outdoors. We'll cover basic food preparation, including cooking with heat, and outdoor culinary experiences for students.
  • Understanding Young Palates: Gain insights into how to introduce young children to diverse and nutritious foods. Discover strategies to encourage nourishing eating habits in the early years.
  • Deconstructing Food Shaming: We'll address the important issue of food shaming, discussing its impact on young minds and ways to foster a positive and accepting relationship with food.

Teaching Social Studies in the Garden with the C3 Framework

November 21, 2024
4pm PT / 7pm ET

Join us for a webinar exploring the fusion of social studies education and outdoor learning through the lens of the C3 Framework. This session will guide educators, parents, and garden enthusiasts to harness the power of gardens as vibrant settings for teaching social studies concepts, promoting civic literacy, and nurturing active, informed citizens. Register now.

Focus areas will include:

  • Exploring the C3 Framework: Understand the foundations of the C3 Framework and its significance in promoting inquiry-based, civics-focused social studies education.
  • Discovering the Garden as a Social Studies Classroom: Learn how to transform your garden into an engaging, hands-on social studies classroom where students explore history, geography, economics, and civics in a natural and interactive environment.
  • Cultivating Community Connections: Discover how garden-based social studies education fosters connections with local communities and encourages civic engagement among students.
  • Discussing Real-World Examples: Hear inspiring success stories and practical examples from educators who have effectively used the C3 Framework to teach social studies in the garden.

Whether you're an educator eager to enrich your social studies curriculum, a parent interested in fostering civic literacy, or a garden enthusiast passionate about social studies, this webinar will equip you with knowledge and strategies to create a dynamic, garden-based social studies learning experience.

Next Generation Science in the Garden

February 22, 2024

Responsive Outdoor Classroom Management

March 28, 2024

Teaching Multilingual Learners in the Garden

May 23, 2024

Cooking Without Heat in the School Garden

July 25, 2024

Cooking with heat in the school garden

September 19, 2024

Teaching Social Studies in the Garden with the C3 Framework

November 21, 2024

Past webinars

Looking for past webinar offerings? You can find them all on our Crowdcast page!