The Theler Environmental Education Program (TEEP) provides free, STEM learning opportunities in nature for K-12 youth using the surrounding environment as an integrating theme. Participants engage with the Theler Wetlands through guided field trips that explore a wide variety of topics, including but not limited to: salmon ecosystems, macroinvertebrates, native vs invasive plant species, local history, flora and fauna identification forays, and water quality. The TEEP curriculum also includes activities such as invasive plant removal, native plant installation, and trash clean-ups. These activities highlight the importance of habitat restoration and instill positive attitudes of environmental stewardship in our youth participants.
Ultimately, TEEP’s mission is to get more kids outside and engaging with the natural world, as well as to foster the next generations of environmental stewards. This program provides students the opportunity to connect lessons learned in the classroom to their real-world context, as well as creates space for exploration, play and movement.
TEEP also allows teachers to learn, participate, and connect with their students and other educators in a different environment outside of the classroom. This program is one-of-a-kind in the area, providing public school students and educators unique place-based learning opportunities entirely outdoors.
The TEEP program was started in 2024 with support from EPA Environmental Education grant funding, and has allowed HCSEG to offer dozens of annual field trips to local public schools since its implementation. This program has already achieved an amazing impact within its first two years, and we’re looking forward to growing the program’s reach, curriculum, and finding more ways to benefit our community’s youth, educators, and support our public schools.
HCSEG partnered with the Pacific Education Institute to host teacher professional development trainings in preparation for the TEEP program. HCSEG also worked with PEI to develop and review the TEEP program’s STEM curriculum.
To get involved in TEEP, please contact our Education and Outreach Coordinator, Leticia Sosa at: leticia@pnwsalmoncenter.org.
leticia@pnwsalmoncenter.org
leticia@pnwsalmoncenter.org
Our resources are a variety of TEEP lesson plans organized by category. Click a file under a tab to download.