Learn how to engage students in local environmental issues, investigate solutions, partner with stakeholders, develop a plan, and take action! The Great Lakes Watershed Field Course (GLWFC) is a yearlong collaboration that includes a 4-day, in-person professional development experience and ongoing support during the 2026-2027 school year as you engage your students in environmental action civics and facilitate a student-led action project. Training in the course includes watershed and environmental concepts, place-based education and environmental education pedagogy, and time for curriculum development.
During the 4-day experience in Suttons Bay, you’ll become part of a network of 30 like-minded educators who are passionate about the Great Lakes. As you learn and live together on the Inland Seas campus, you’ll build new lasting connections that can follow you into the future as you share resources and support each other.
The GLWFC is open to formal and non-formal educators who teach in the Great Lakes region. Teachers in all subject areas and grade levels are welcome, but participants are required to facilitate the implementation of a watershed-focused action project with a group of students.
Many hands are needed to care for the Great Lakes. We strive to increase the diversity of races, cultures, abilities, ages, beliefs, sexual identities, and genders represented in stewarding the Great Lakes. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Julie Johnson at jjohnson@schoolship.org.
Applications for the 2027-2028 Cohort will open in early 2027!
What’s Included
- Dormitory lodging
- Food during the four days
- Site visits in the Grand Traverse and Leelanau regions to learn about local projects that are improving watershed health (e.g., invasive species control and prevention; native species habitat improvements; nutrient runoff reductions; and keeping the Great Lakes clean)
Note: Transportation to local field sites is included; transportation to and from the workshop in Suttons Bay is not. - Ongoing support through the 2026-2027 school year
- Schoolship scholarship ($825 value)
- Mini-grant for stewardship action project implementation (up to $300 value)
- An opportunity for Michigan educators to earn up to 30 SCECHs (out-of-state educators will earn a certificate of completion)
Timeline for 2026-27 GLWFC
- Applications Open: February 25, 2026
- First-Round Applications due: April 13, 2026
- First-Round Applicants notified of acceptance: April 24, 2026
- Second-Round Applications due: April 26, 2026
- Second-Round Applicants notified of acceptance: May 1, 2026
- Field course workshop: August 4-7, 2026
- Stewardship action projects: During the 2026-27 school year
- Ongoing online support: Throughout the 2026-27 school year
ISEA received financial support from the EPA under an assistance agreement supporting the 2025 & 2026 GLWFC.
Previous Great Lakes Watershed Field Courses
2024 Teacher Stories
Read: Great Lakes Watershed Field Course Testimony
2022 Teacher Stories
Read: GLWFC Impact on the Classroom
Read: Meaningful Water-Based Education
Read: Another PD in the Backpack
2019 Great Lakes Watershed Field Course (Funded by NOAA B-WET)
GLWFC Teacher Testimonials
“The experience [was] quite literally life-changing for me. I was pretty overworked and burnt out and ready for a career shift until I started this path.” ~Holly, 2017 Participant
“The field trips were incredibly powerful, even for me as a teacher and learner.” ~2019 Participant (Note: This was from the anonymous evaluation survey)
“The experiences and collaboration with the other teachers have really put a boost into my motivations and intentions for what I want to do with both the stewardship project this year and our environmental science course as a whole. We got off to a good start last year with piloting this new course but now I’m pumped to take it to a whole other level for our kids.” ~Megan, 2019 Participant
“Exceptional quality learning experience. I haven’t had something this engaging in my educational career since graduate school that ended in 2003.” ~2021 Participant (Note: This was from the anonymous evaluation survey)
“We were afforded the opportunity to learn so much from one another, the experts and community members. The thoughtful and intentional activities changed and nourished me as a seasoned teacher, by providing concrete examples to share with my students.” ~Angela, 2024 Participant
“[The ISEA instructors] were highly organized. They were very effective communicators. They were very supportive and encouraging. They were adept at shaping discussion when necessary, but they were also quite good at being flexible and adapting based on the responses and questions they were fielding. They made everyone feel welcome and worthy.” ~2025 Participant (Note: This was from the anonymous evaluation survey)
