Ignite Ideas, Inspire Change
At PCCD, we believe in inspiring and empowering people to work together to protect, restore, and celebrate our natural resources. One way we accomplish this is through education. Learning doesn’t just build knowledge; it sparks appreciation for the world around us and strengthens our connection to the community. From interactive events to customized educational programs, PCCD offers exciting opportunities to explore environmental stewardship and make a real impact!
Want us to bring one of our programs to you? Let's make it happen! Check below for our list of offered educational programs. Don't see a program that you're looking for? Reach out to us, and we'll see if we have resources available to deliver a program for the topic you're interested in.
Ready to book your program? Click here to download our request form. Completed forms can be emailed to egranville@pikepa.org.
*Programs require a minimum of 5 participants to run. If your group exceeds the maximum number of participants, please contact egranville@pikepa.org or call 570-226-8220 to discuss.
30 Minutes for up to 30 people
Ever wondered where your water really comes from? From underground, of course! Get ready to take a journey beneath the surface as we take a closer look at one of nature’s hidden resources: groundwater! We’ll follow a raindrop’s journey as it soaks into the ground, squeezes through soil and rock, and finds its way into underground water storage zones called aquifers. Through hand-on discovery, we will learn what exactly aquifers are (hint: they’re not underground lakes!), how water gets filtered and moved underneath us, and why protecting our groundwater is everyone’s responsibility. You’ll never look at a puddle the same way again!
30 Minutes or 1 Hour for up to 30 people
A beautiful butterfly darting between flowers, a busy bee crafting golden honey, a bird singing its cheerful tune- these are the scenes we love to see. But behind those picturesque scenes lies a hidden struggle. Pollinators are responsible for one in every three bites of food we eat. They play a vital role in our ecosystems and our daily lives, yet we rarely stop to consider what would happen without them. Join PCCD as we take a moment to see the world through the eyes of a pollinator, discovering the daily challenges they face and learning how we can help make their journey a little easier!
30 Minutes for up to 15 people
Ever wonder what happens to a raindrop after it hits the ground? Sure, you see it fall from the sky and splash onto the earth, but what you don’t see is the wild journey it takes next. As it hits the ground, that raindrop is picking up bits of soil and tiny debris, brushing over forgotten wrappers and oily patches, and absorbing invisible chemicals as it rushes toward our rivers, lakes, and even our drinking water. Yikes! With the help of our 3D Enviroscape model, you’ll get a front row seat as we make it “rain.” From farms to factories, streets to storm drains, you’ll see pollution in action and learn how it travels through a watershed. See the impact and leave inspired to be part of the solution!
30 Minutes for up to 30 people
Rain doesn’t just fall, it moves, and fast! After hitting your roof, stormwater races through your neighborhood and straight into our streams, ponds, and rivers Sounds harmless, right? Not quite. Along the way, that stormwater picks up all kinds of unwanted hitchhikers from leftover motor fluids dripping on driveways to grass clippings, spilled fertilizer from lawns, and even pet waste that’s been left behind. But don’t let pollution rain on your parade! PCCD has your back with tips and tricks on how you can make a difference. We’ll break down what a watershed is, how pollution sneaks into our water, and how you can fight back with Best Management Practices (BMPs) like rain barrels, rain gardens, and smarter landscaping. When it comes to water conservation, don’t think about it, just dew it!
30 Minutes for up to 30 people
Rain doesn’t just fall, it moves, and fast! After hitting your roof, stormwater races through your neighborhood and straight into our streams, ponds, and rivers Sounds harmless, right? Not quite. Along the way, that stormwater picks up all kinds of unwanted hitchhikers from leftover motor fluids dripping on driveways to grass clippings, spilled fertilizer from lawns, and even pet waste that’s been left behind. But don’t let pollution rain on your parade! PCCD has your back with tips and tricks on how you can make a difference. We’ll break down what a watershed is, how pollution sneaks into our water, and how you can fight back with Best Management Practices (BMPs) like rain barrels, rain gardens, and smarter landscaping. When it comes to water conservation, don’t think about it, just dew it!
30 Minutes for up to 30 people
Homeowners Associations (HOAs) play a powerful role in shaping the look and feel of residential communities, but their influence goes far beyond curb appeal. Whether it's breaking ground on a new project, installing a septic system, or choosing what to plant in your yard, the everyday choices made by homeowners and HOAs have a direct impact on the environment. In this session, we’ll uncover how to make those decisions in ways that protect natural resources and reduce negative effects so your next project can be both beautiful and eco-friendly. Your neighborhood has more power than you think, especially when it comes to protecting the environment!
1 Hour or 2 Hours for up to 20 people
What secrets lie beneath the ripples of your neighborhood creek? Join PCCD for an exciting, hands-on adventure into the fascinating world of stream ecology! In this interactive session, we’ll journey through our local watershed to uncover the hidden connections between land, water, and wildlife. You’ll collect and identify macroinvertebrates, small aquatic organisms that live on the stream bottom and act as living indicators of water quality, giving you real evidence of how healthy (or stressed!) a stream ecosystem is. As you get up close with nature’s tiniest water quality indicators and use field tools to test the water, you’ll reveal exactly how healthy our stream truly is and what we can all do to protect it.
Classroom Version - 45 minutes: While you may not be able to collect macroinvertebrates in the classroom, you'll still have plenty of fun learning about them through hands-on activities!
30 Minutes for up to 15 people
Think water just sits underground? Think again! In our Groundwater Flow Model program, you’ll dive below the surface to see how water really moves through soil and rock and how that movement affects the wells we rely on for drinking water. Using a hands-on physical model, you’ll watch how water flows through different underground layers, how pumping from a well changes the shape of the water table, and how pollution events can affect not just you but your neighbors too! This isn’t just about water below ground; it’s about understanding the connection between groundwater flow and the health of wells in our community, and why what happens unseen underground matters to the water we depend on every day.
30 Minutes or 1 Hour for up to 30 people
Think wetlands are just muddy, bug-filled places? Think again! While you may think of wetlands as just places filled with mud and mosquitoes, the truth is they are the natural world’s secret superheroes, acting like kidneys for the landscape by filtering and cleaning water, absorbing excess rainfall to reduce flooding, and providing rich habitat for plants and wildlife big and small. Let’s take a dive into the wonderful world of wetlands as we learn the true power of these ecological powerhouses. Through demonstrations and interactive activities, you’ll find out what exactly a wetland is, why they are so important, and how you can be their hero. Let’s take a closer look together at the wonderful world of wetlands and discover why they deserve our admiration and protection!
