Confluence Institute
Focus on Watershed | Focus on Urban | Focus on Agriculture
The 2024 Confluence Institute – Focus on Agriculture
Improving agricultural literacy, awareness, knowledge, and appreciation among pre-K through 12th-grade teachers and non-traditional educators will be the focus of this 30-hour professional Development. We will explore the strains placed on water and crop land in the South Platte River Basin. Participants will gain firsthand knowledge (an understanding) of how farmers, ranchers and others in the agriculture industry do their part in sustaining our water resources. Project WET curriculum will be used to explore concepts of water while gaining experience with hands-on activities to take back to your classroom.
We are building awareness of agricultures use of water and depict the different aspects of watershed structure, and visualize the beneficial and hazardous flows within our watersheds.
Participants have the option to take the workshop for two continuing education credits. The workshop is free to area K-12 teachers as well as non-formal educators. Lunch is always provided!
Choose the date and location that works best for you!
North Confluence Institute – Focus on Agriculture
Date: June 17-24, 2024 online learning | June 25-27, 2024 in-person | June 28-July 5, 2024 post work online
Audience: K-12 Teachers and non-traditional Educators
Location: Poudre Learning Center (PLC), 8313 W. F Street, Greeley, CO
Time: 8:30-3:30 Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 8:30 to noon on Thursday will be the in-person sessions.
Total hours: 22.5 hours (15 hours in-person, 7.5 hours online)
Maximum # of Participants: 25
Instructors: Ivonne Morales from the Poudre Learning Center; Tammy Rusch and Courtney Sandoval, Central Colorado Water Conservancy District; Mary Ellen Cannon, Natural Resources Conservation Service; and Lauren Hillman and Ruth Quade, City of Greeley.
South Confluence Institute – Focus on Agriculture
Date: July 1-July 9, 2024 online learning | July 10-12, 2024 in-person | July 12-July 19, 2024 post work online
Audience: K-12 Teachers and non-traditional Educators
Total hours: 22.5 hours (15 hours in-person, 7.5 hours online)
Location: Metro Water Recovery Visitor Center, 51 Baseline Road, Brighton, CO
Time: 8:30-3:30 Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 8:30 to noon on Thursday will be the in-person sessions.
Maximum # of Participants: 25
Instructors: Tammy Rusch and Courtney Sandoval, Central Colorado Water Conservancy District; Mary Ellen Cannon, Natural Resources Conservation Service; Metro Water Recovery. (additional instructors will be added)
Confluence Institute
The Confluence Institute began in July of 2010; this hybrid – four-day workshop is sponsored by Central Colorado Water Conservancy District (CCWCD), the City of Greeley (COG), the Poudre Learning Center (PLC), West Greeley Conservation District (WGCD) and the Natural Resources Conservation Services USDA (NRCS USDA). The workshop is FREE to teacher and is offered each summer. The workshop rotates on a three-year focus that includes, Focus on Watershed, Focus on Urban, and Focus on Agriculture.
Teachers can earn 22.5 -CDE credits or 1.5-college credits for completion of each workshop at no extra cost to them.
Focus on Watershed
We all live in a watershed, and watershed condition is important to everyone. Healthy watersheds are critical to our daily lives. A healthy watershed provides us clean drinking water, water for agriculture, wildlife, and outdoor recreation. Our economies, environment, and quality of life are all supported by the watershed we live in.
This 30-hour workshop will help you define and describe the water cycle, the watershed ecosystem of the South Platte and Cache la Poudre Rivers, provide an understanding of the threats our watershed faces, and describe ways everyone can take to protect and promote a healthy watershed.
Focus on Urban
Building awareness of urban watersheds that deliver fresh water and remove storm and wastewater, depictions of the different aspects of watershed structure, and visualizations of the beneficial and hazardous flows in watersheds. The relationship between urban and agriculture within our watershed will be discussed. The Institute is designed to help build your understanding of basic watershed concepts; especially related to the Cache la Poudre & South Platte Watersheds and water issues in north central and north-eastern Colorado. Project Wet Guide 2.0 lessons and activities will be explored.
Two hours of college credit or a CDE certificate of hours will be awarded upon completion of course at no additional cost to participants. The curriculum is focused on Project WET USA water lessons. Participating teachers will receive the latest Project WET Guide packed full of lesson plans that correlate to national science standards. They will learn how to use the guide and teach activities. Each year we offer different speakers and tours
Focus on Agriculture
Improving agricultural literacy, awareness, knowledge, and appreciation among pre-K through 12th-grade teachers and non-traditional educators will be the focus of this 30-hour professional Development. We will explore the strains placed on water and crop land in the South Platte River Basin. Participants will gain firsthand knowledge (an understanding) of how farmers, ranchers and others in the agriculture industry do their part in sustaining our water resources. Project WET curriculum will be used to explore concepts of water while gaining experience with hands-on activities to take back to your classroom.
You can play a valuable role in helping American students understand where their food comes from and fostering a deeper connection to the sources that nourish them.
Central Colorado Water Conservancy District, the City of Greeley Storm Water Division, the Poudre Learning Center West Greeley Conservation District, and NRCS partner to provide this learning experience for area teacher and non-traditional educators.
