Certification Programs

The Center offers a unique program for any Miami student who wishes to become certified as an environmental educator for children, grades 4-8. Interested students must complete all requirements for the course BIO 320/377, Middle Childhood Environmental Educator, which is offered every other spring semester at the Hefner Museum of Natural History. While there is no additional cost for the certificate, students are asked to supply one 2 in. binder.  All other class materials are provided.

BIO 320/377 is an independent study taught as a class designed by Julia Robinson, Director of the Cecilia Berg Center for Environmental Education and Museum Educator/Senior Project Manager of the Hefner Museum. While this course is tailored to Middle Childhood Education majors, she welcomes students from diverse disciplines. All that is required is a passion for helping children develop a sense of place, an awareness of how nature works, and things they can do to starting at the local level to make the Earth a better place.

All activities explored in class align to Ohio Science Standards and will be exemplified in the Museum's Imaginarium, an interactive, exploration center for all ages to learn more about the nature in their neighborhoods and beyond. Through inquiry activities in class, we explore the following topics: weathering, erosion, and deposition; fossils and modern day organisms; cycles in nature; cellular to multicellular and the use of microscopes; energy flow; biotic/abiotic factors and how they affect an organism's survival; evolution and diversity; and the biosphere. We examine how to cultivate effective, thoughtful problem solving skills across an array of disciplines in children aged 10-14 while tying all activities to the standards. We teach kids how to think, not what to think. Participants leave class with activities that align to Ohio Science Standards that also easily coordinate to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

The first half of the course, students engage in inquiry activities daily that cover the above listed topics. Students work through the requirements for certification, completing independent projects that allow for deeper exploration of environmental education concepts discussed in class. Projects are predetermined and assigned hour values. Due to the set-up of inquiry lessons and time commitment restraints, class attendance is imperative to complete the certification. During the second half of the course, students work in groups to create Hefner Museum Discovery Trunks. The Museum Discovery Trunks are educational kits that will be disseminated throughout our area to local schools, home school groups, and centers, offering interdisciplinary inquiry lessons, manipulatives needed for the activities, and accompanying specimens, centered around the themes of environmental education. 

Thanks to a grant we received through the Ohio Environmental Education Fund (OEEF), all Miami students enrolled in the course earning the certification will receive an Outdoor Area Kit (OAK) packed with an age appropriate science library, soil probes, magnifying glasses, posters, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) booklets, a plant press, and so much more.  

The Center offers a unique program for any Miami student who wishes to become certified as an environmental educator for very young children. Interested students must complete all requirements for the course BIO 320/377, Early Childhood Environmental Educator, which is offered each spring semester through the Hefner Museum of Natural History. While there is no additional cost for the certificate, students are asked to supply one 2 in. binder.  All other class materials are provided.

BIO 320/377 was designed by Julia Robinson, Early Childhood Specialist and Environmental Educator at the Hefner Museum. Before coming to the Hefner, Ms. Robinson devoted most of her career to the education of young children as an elementary school teacher, teaching grades one through four, and as a preschool director.  While this course is tailored to Early Childhood Education majors, she welcomes students from diverse disciplines.  All that is required is a passion for helping young children develop a sense of place, an awareness of nature, and ultimately, a love of learning more about the Earth.

Young children are natural scientists. They possess an inherent curiosity about what they see, smell, hear, feel, and taste. Fostering that curiosity is the key to helping children develop a lifelong love of nature and a sound foundation for environmental literacy. Students will participate in inquiry activities stemming from major themes in Early Childhood Earth, Life, and Physical Science Standards, such as

• Animal and Plant Adaptations
• Sun, Moon, and Stars
• Seasons
• Rocks
• Fossils
• Animal Behavior

The goals of this class include:

• to provide background information to create meaningful inquiry activities necessary to teach early childhood environmental education
• to encourage ways to develop a sense of place and an awareness of nature for all ages
• to offer a certification opportunity and professional development that help students to become more marketable in their employment searches.
• to create Discovery Trunks, educational kits for early childhood classrooms, for use throughout the tri-state region

The first half of the course, students engage in inquiry activities daily that cover the above listed topics.    During the second half of the course, students work in groups to create Ohio Environmental Education Fund (OEEF) Discovery Trunks.   The OEEF Discovery Trunks are educational kits that will be disseminated throughout our area to local schools, home school groups, and early childhood centers, offering interdisciplinary inquiry lessons, manipulatives needed for the activities, and accompanying specimens at a low cost, centered around the themes of environmental education. Independently, students work on projects that allow for deeper exploration of environmental education concepts discussed in class. Projects are predetermined and assigned hour values.  Students must successfully complete a minimum of 10 independent hours of projects.  Due to the set-up of inquiry lessons and time commitment restraints, class attendance is imperative to complete the certification.  

Finally, new this year and thanks to a grant we received through the OEEF, all Miami students enrolled in the course earning the certification will receive an Outdoor Area Kit (OAK) packed with a science library, magnifying glasses, posters, informational books, plant press, and so much more.  This is something that hasn't been done before and we are excited to arm our Miami students with the tools to implement environmental education in their own classes.

If you are interested or have questions, please contact Julia Robinson at robins48@MiamiOH.edu or 513-529-4618.

In cooperation with the Environmental Education Council of Ohio (EECO), the Center offers a comprehensive program for any Miami student wishing to become certified as an environmental educator. Interested students must complete all requirements for the course BIO 351, Environmental Education, which is offered through Miami University's Department of Biology. BIO 351 is a four credit-hour course designed for students who want to learn about natural history and environmental education. This course prepares students to teach about the environment in either traditional classroom settings or non-traditional settings, such as nature centers, zoos, arboreta, and museums. The goals of this course include:

• to present a comprehensive overview of the region's natural history and environmental topic
• to encourage a greater respect for, and understanding of, our natural world and our place in it
• to provide the background information, presentation skills, and creative activities necessary to teach natural history in informal settings.

The class will emphasize knowledge about natural history and the environment, as well as methods to convey that information to the public. The course consists of inquiry labs, group discussions, and field trips. Students will develop the skills necessary to teach natural history in informal settings. Field trips will be used as "hands-on" experience in observing and teaching about nature.

Upon successful completion of course requirements, field studies and inquiry experiences for BIO 351, interested students may apply for certification as an Environmental Educator through EECO and the Center for Environmental Education.

For more information on this course, you may contact Steve Sullivan, Museum Director, at 513-529-4617 or sulliv55@MiamiOH.edu. 

In cooperation with the Ohio State University Extension Service, the Center offers a comprehensive program for any Miami student wishing to become certified as a naturalist.  Interested students must complete all requirements for the course BIO 311, Vertebrate Zoology, which is offered through Miami University's Department of Biology.  Alternatively, qualified students may substitute previous experience or coursework, with the joint approval of the Director of the Hefner Museum of Natural History and the Director of the Center. 

Candidates for certification must be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the following topics:

• Ecological Concepts
• Watersheds
• Aquatic Life
• Stewardship
• Geology
• Soils
• Plants
• Forests
• Entomology/Macroinvertebrates
• Herpetology
• Ornithology
• Mammals

In addition, they should be able to:

• Plan and present an interpretive talk before an audience, demonstrating the incorporation of various interpretive methods.
• Compare and contrast interpretation with education.
• Identify methods used by interpreters to involve their audience.
• Address group dynamics to maintain control and leadership of the group.

If you are interested or have questions, please contact Museum Director, Steve Sullivan, at sulliv55@MiamiOH.edu or call 513-529-4617.