TEACHING GREEN | July – September 2026 Issue 

Thank you for your interest in Teaching Green! The PA Department of Environmental Education (DEP) is excited to reinstate the newsletter as a resource for formal and non-formal environmental educators, partners, and communities across Pennsylvania. Teaching Green creates a space for educators and programmers to explore new activities, tools, ideas, and opportunities that support meaningful environmental education in classrooms, communities, and beyond. 

Did you know studies show time spent outdoors improves focus, reduces stress, and increases creativity, making nature one of the best classrooms?

Summer is ideal to connect learners with nature through hands-on discovery and observation. Observing wildlife, planting native plants to support pollinator and wildlife habitat, investigating streams, adopting green habits, and more boost environmental connection and awareness. Environmental education has greater impact when learners experience their natural world firsthand.

Share Teaching Green with colleagues, educators, and others who may find it useful.

Have an activity idea, resource, or suggestion for a future edition? We want to hear them! Please submit ideas and suggestions to: Ra-epEEgrants@pa.gov.

As environmental education efforts continue to grow across Pennsylvania, new opportunities and innovative projects are connecting communities, educators, and learners to meaningful environmental education experiences. Explore grant opportunities, statewide initiatives, and featured projects making an impact through environmental education and stewardship. 

Through funding from the DEP Environmental Education Grants Program, Fort Cherry School District launched a district-wide composting initiative to engage students in hands-on environmental learning while reducing food waste and promoting soil health practices. 

Students collected cafeteria food scraps, maintained compost bins, and investigated the benefits of compost-enriched soils in gardens and greenhouse settings. The project brought together elementary science students and high school vocational agriculture students to explore topics such as soil health, the carbon cycle, climate change, and regenerative agriculture.

Looking for an engaging way to teach students about reducing, reusing, and recycling?

Every day we make choices to minimize waste to positively impact the environment. Whether it's using reusable water bottles and shopping bags, choosing products made with recycled materials, or composting food scraps, small actions make a big difference. 

Recycle City, created by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is an interactive, online resource designed for learners and educators of all ages. Users can explore a virtual community to learn how everyday choices reduce waste, conserve energy, and protect natural resources. The site also includes classroom activities, lesson ideas, and an activity book to support environmental education in the classroom and at home. 

Looking for even more recycling ideas? EPA's collection of free lesson plans, activities, games, and educational resources support teaching waste reduction, recycling, and sustainability. 

Summer offers the perfect opportunity to take learning outdoors and encourage learner-driven investigation. This section highlights seasonal activities, educational tools, and resources designed to help educators create engaging, hands-on, environmental learning experiences throughout the warmer season.

Wildlife Footprint Tunnel – Investigate wildlife inhabiting and visiting local outdoor spaces by creating a simple footprint tunnel! This activity teaches wildlife identification, biodiversity, habitat use, and observation skills through independent discovery. 

North American Butterfly Count & Census – Join a citizen science effort by participating in the annual butterfly count. Learners collect valuable butterfly population data while practicing observation, species identification, and outdoor data collection skills.

Egg Carton Ladybug Craft – Upcycle egg cartons into colorful ladybugs with this fun craft activity! Great for younger learners, this project creatively teaches upcycling, entomology, and animal adaptations.

Virtual Recycling Center Field Trip – Go behind the scenes of a recycling facility through this virtual field trip experience. Participants learn how recycling centers operate, why recycling matters, and how individual actions impact the environment.

Carbon Footprint Calculator – Help students better understand sustainability and personal environmental impacts using this interactive carbon footprint calculator. Students can calculate and compare their own footprints while educators can use data for classroom discussion.

EnviroAtlas Interactive Map – Explore environmental data through the EPA’s EnviroAtlas interactive mapping tool. This resource allows educators and learners to investigate environmental features, land use, ecosystems, and community impacts using multiple interactive filtering and mapping options.

We Are Water Protectors, by Carole Lindstrom, is a beautifully illustrated picture book recommended for grades K-5 that introduces learners to the importance of protecting water while honoring Indigenous cultures and traditions. Inspired by real-life, Indigenous-led movements, the story encourages environmental stewardship, respect for natural resources, and civic responsibility. This book is an excellent cross-curricular supplement to conservation, Earth Science, environmental justice, history, or social studies lessons and provides opportunities for deeply engaging learner-driven discussion.

Did you know radon, a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas, is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States? The Pennsylvania Radon Poster Contest encourages youth to creatively learn about and promote the importance of radon testing. 

Open to Pennsylvania students ages 9-14, the annual contest invites participants to design a poster that raises awareness about radon and the importance home radon testing. Winning state entries advance to the national competition to potentially share this important health message with a wider audience. 

Visit the Pennsylvania Student Radon Poster Contest webpage for contest rules, eligibility requirements, submission details, and deadlines.

Past Winners of the Pennsylvania Student Radon Poster Contest

#1 First Place - Boo To Radon

Regan, Grade 8
North Hills Middle School
A Student of Anita Rodriguez

#2 Second Place - Radon Causes Lung Cancer

Arfa, Grade 8
Valley Jr-Sr High School
A Student of Becky Slepak

#3 Third Place - Radon The Silent Killer

Tristyn, Grade 8
North Pocono Middle School
A Student of Michelle Swartz

Perched atop the Rachel Carson State Office Building in downtown Harrisburg, the peregrine falcons continue to provide an exciting glimpse into Pennsylvania’s urban wildlife. Their presence highlights the success of conservation efforts and the importance of protecting Pennsylvania’s natural resources. Follow DEP Falcon Cam and Falcon Wire for the latest updates and news from the nest.

The 2026 nesting season at the Rachel Carson State Office Building (RCSOB) achieved milestones, experienced challenges, and witnessed the harsh realities young peregrine falcons face in an urban environment.

Resident peregrines, 09/BS and 85/AK, parented a clutch of five eggs. Four eyases hatched between April 30th and May 2nd, but the fifth chick failed to successfully hatch. The first 2026 hatchling marked the 100th peregrine falcon to hatch since the peregrine falcons began nesting at RCSOB in 2000.

Throughout May, DEP Falcon Cam viewers watched four young falcons rapidly grow as the parents fed, protected, and prepared them for life beyond the nest. Peregrine falcons typically mate for life, and this Harrisburg pair has returned to the RCSOB year after year to raise multiple broods over the course of their long-term partnership. On May 29th, the eyases were banded by Pennsylvania Game Commission Biologists to continue monitoring and studying peregrine falcons in Pennsylvania. 

As summer neared, the young falcons began exploring the ledge and strengthening their wings in preparation for fledging (the stage when a young bird develops feathers and strength needed to leave the nest and take its first flight). Falcon Watch and Rescue volunteers closely monitored the area surrounding the nesting site; ready to assist young birds as they navigated the challenges of their first flights. 

While all four fledglings fledged, two did not survive building strikes. A third young falcon was injured and taken to Red Creek Wildlife Center, a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility for care and supportive training for successful re-release. One fledging transitioned to continue the legacy of Harrisburg's peregrine falcons.

On June 29th, DEP Environmental Education and Information Center (EEIC) hosted a Falcon Watch & Rescue End-of-Season Celebration recognizing the dedicated volunteers who supported the Harrisburg Peregrine Falcon Program throughout the 2026 nesting season. In the wild, one in four fledglings survives. The program’s goal is to support the fledglings in the first week of flight to increase odds of survival. Three falcon rescues were conducted in 2026 bringing the program’s total rescue to an estimated 80.

A special hybrid in-person/livestream presentation was delivered by wildlife expert, Jack Hubley of ZooAmerica. Hubley spoke about Pennsylvania’s birds of prey, the history and purpose of falconry, and conservation efforts and showcased a live Harris’s Hawk.

Nearly 40 volunteers, staff, and partners celebrated peregrine falcon conservation and the critical role volunteers play in monitoring and assisting fledglings as they take first flight. In 2026, 49 unduplicated volunteers donated 1,005.75 hours of time totaling nearly $35,000 in service to conservation in just 15 days of monitoring. More than a dozen volunteers have been committed to the program for over 20 years, and 15 new volunteers were recruited.

Learning doesn't stop outside of the classroom. Opportunities to Grow shares professional development training, program funding, conferences and more. Discover new tools, network, build community relationships, and find support and inspiration to enhance environmental education across Pennsylvania.  

DEP is offering a free water sampling program for eligible schools and childcare facilities across Pennsylvania to test for lead in drinking water. This initiative is funded by the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act’s Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction Grant Program and is part of the Shapiro Administration’s efforts to protect children from lead exposure.

Partnering with Terraphase Engineering, the program offers no-cost water testing, and, for those with elevated lead levels exceeding 5 ppb, grant funding is available to support lead reduction activities such as hydration station or point-of-use filtration device installations and/or faucet replacements. Eligible applicants could receive up to $3,000 per hydration station and/or up to $500 per faucet replacement or point-of-use device installed.

Schools and childcare centers that meet the criteria are encouraged to enroll in the sampling program online at www.padepleadtestingprogram.org.

Facilities with elevated lead levels are encouraged to apply for grant funding online through the Commonwealth's Electronic Application: Grant Details. Enrollment is open until funds are exhausted.

For more information, visit DEP’s webpage: Lead Information for Schools and Child Care Facilities.