Professional Development
Current Opportunities:
The Monmouth University Climate Change Learning Collaborative (MU CCLC) was developed by Michelle Schpakow, Ed.D., Catherine Duckett, Ph.D., and Peter Jacques, Ph.D. in collaboration with New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute (UCI), and Monmouth Conservation Foundation. With the funding support of the NJ Department of Education’s Expanding Access to Climate Change and NJ Student Learning grant, the MU CCLC will prepare NJ K-12 teachers to teach climate change in developmentally appropriate ways across all grade levels and subject areas. Monmouth Conservation Foundation, NJ Sea Grant Consortium, and the Urban Coast Institute will offer place-based curriculum and experiential learning opportunities.
Summer 2025 – Educator Professional Development
Monday, August 18, 2025
Experiential Learning Opportunity with New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC)
Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook Unit
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Build Your Confidence in Teaching Climate Science – Life Sciences Focus (Grades K-5)
Grade K-5 teachers are invited to explore the basics of climate science and effective ways to teach climate change to their elementary school students. Enhance your curriculum with new classroom activities and hands-on outdoor experiential learning on topics such as species diversity, food webs, changes in weather patterns, and how these changes can affect coastal ecosystems. This workshop will provide the tools and experiences necessary to inspire student curiosity and motivation to work collaboratively towards solutions in reducing climate change impacts. Educators will also learn how to utilize research-based framework to approach discussions on this sometimes-difficult topic.
This workshop will take place rain or shine and will have both indoor and outdoor components utilizing NJSGC’s headquarters and Sandy Hook’s natural coastal environments. Please dress for the weather in comfortable clothing and footwear that may get sandy. Sunscreen and bug spray are always a good idea, as are hats when conditions are sunny and hot. Feel free to bring your laptop or notebook of choice. Coffee/tea and light snacks will be provided, please bring your own refillable water bottle. All field equipment and materials will be provided by NJSGC.
Location: New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, 22 Magruder Road, Fort Hancock, NJ 07732 (for GPS use “22 Magruder Road, Highlands, NJ 07732”; for directions, click here)
Please register here by August 1, 2025. Space is limited to 30 participants.
Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Experiential Learning Opportunity with New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC)
Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook Unit
March 8, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Build Your Confidence in Teaching Climate Science – Human Impacts Focus (K-5)
Grade K-5 teachers are invited to explore the basics of climate science and effective ways to teach climate change to their elementary school students. Causes of climate change and impacts on coastal communities and ocean environments will be the focus of this workshop as educators learn about flooding and sea level rise, species migration and food chains, and renewable energy sources. Enhance your curriculum with new classroom activities and hands-on outdoor experiential learning. This workshop will provide the tools and experiences necessary to inspire student curiosity and motivation to work collaboratively towards solutions in reducing climate change impacts. Educators will also learn how to utilize research-based framework to approach discussions on this sometimes-difficult topic.
This workshop will take place rain or shine and will have both indoor and outdoor components utilizing NJSGC’s headquarters and Sandy Hook’s natural coastal environments. Please dress for the weather in comfortable clothing and footwear that may get sandy. Sunscreen is always a good idea, as are hats when conditions require. Feel free to bring your laptop or notebook of choice. Coffee/tea and light snacks will be provided, but please bring your own refillable water bottle. All field equipment and materials will be provided by NJSGC.
Location: New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, 22 Magruder Road, Fort Hancock, NJ 07732 (for GPS use “22 Magruder Road, Highlands, NJ 07732”; for directions click here)
Please register here by August 1, 2025. Space is limited to 30 participants.
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
Experiential Learning Opportunity with New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC)
Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook Unit
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Global Climate Systems and Human Society (Grades 6-12)
Grade 6-12 educators will explore the energy drivers of climate change, the effects on natural resources, and how these impact society. Real-world data transfer and climate models will enable teachers to closely examine resource availability and sustainable coastal ecosystems with both laboratory activities and field studies. Alternative energy sources will be explored as well. This workshop will provide the tools and experiences necessary to inspire student inquiry and problem solving. Educators will also learn how to utilize research-based framework to communicate climate science and facilitate solution development.
This workshop will take place rain or shine and will have both indoor and outdoor components utilizing NJSGC’s headquarters and Sandy Hook’s natural coastal environments. Please dress for the weather in comfortable clothing and footwear that may get sandy. Sunscreen and bug spray are always a good idea, as are hats when conditions are sunny and hot. Feel free to bring your laptop or notebook of choice. Coffee/tea and light snacks will be provided, but please bring your own refillable water bottle. All field equipment will be provided by NJSGC.
Location: New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, 22 Magruder Road, Fort Hancock, NJ 07732 (for GPS use “22 Magruder Road, Highlands, NJ 07732”; for directions click here)
Please register here by August 1, 2025. Space is limited to 30 participants.
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Experiential Learning Opportunity with New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC)
Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook Unit
9:00 a.m. –1:00 p.m.
Communities and the Cost of Climate Change (Grades 6-12)
Grade 6-12 educators will examine the economic impacts of climate change on coastal communities and how some populations are disproportionately affected by environmental challenges. Topics such as coastal resilience, ecosystem dynamics, and biodiversity will be explored with laboratory activities and field studies (weather permitting). This workshop will provide the tools and experiences necessary to inspire student inquiry and problem solving. Educators will also learn how to utilize research-based framework to communicate climate science and facilitate solution development.
This workshop will take place rain or shine and will have both indoor and outdoor components utilizing NJSGC’s headquarters and Sandy Hook’s natural coastal environments. Please dress for the weather in comfortable clothing and footwear that may get sandy. Sunscreen is always a good idea, as are hats when conditions require. Feel free to bring your laptop or notebook of choice. Coffee/tea and light snacks will be provided, but please bring your own refillable water bottle. All field equipment and materials will be provided by NJSGC.
Location: New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, 22 Magruder Road, Fort Hancock, NJ 07732 (for GPS use “22 Magruder Road, Highlands, NJ 07732”; for directions click here)
Please register here by August 1, 2025. Space is limited to 30 participants.
Fall 2025 – Student Opportunities
K-12 teachers from LEAs in Monmouth University’s service area can bring their students to New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium for an outdoor experiential learning opportunity to explore how coastal ecosystems are impacted by environmental disruption. Students will investigate topics such as natural resource availability, coastal biodiversity and natural hazards with hands-on activities and field investigations in this three-hour program that takes place at Gateway National Recreation Area on Sandy Hook.
Space is limited to two classes (up to 60 students) per CBO and is available September-November 2025 only. Please contact Samantha Maxwell-Kowal, K-12 Program Coordinator at smaxwell-kowal@njseagrant.org 732-872-1300, extension 13 for more information and to reserve your field trip.
Teachers and administrators from New Jersey public schools are eligible to attend Climate Change Learning Collaborative events/opportunities and use services provided by the Climate Change Learning Collaborative. Teachers from New Jersey public schools are eligible to receive a stipend for attending Climate Change Learning Collaborative events/opportunities outside contracted hours and substitute teacher coverage for attending Climate Change Learning Collaborative events/opportunities at an offsite location during contracted hours. Teachers will be required to complete a post-event/opportunity survey to receive a stipend or substitute teacher coverage. The MU CCLC’s partnering Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in Monmouth County, Mercer County, and Union County will be given priority in event/opportunity attendance and the disbursement of stipends or substitute teacher coverage.