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We know the challenges that in-person professional development poses. Time away from your post, expense and budgetary considerations, and of course the impact of air travel on our environment. To help mitigate these issues we are excited to announce the next chapter in our Earth to Sky story: virtual courses! This is a professional development opportunity for place-based interpreters and informal educators.
Join us this July and August for the 2024 Earth to Sky Virtual Course: The Pilot.
What is an Earth to Sky Course?
Our workshops provide you with a fantastic opportunity to connect with NASA climate science, scientists, and data and then synthesize this information with cutting edge climate change communication strategies.
Participants will be challenged to work on their own for two hours each week, and engage in some preassigned and also self-determined tasks. As with every Earth to Sky Course we will include the development of what we call the “Authentic Task” where participants develop an action plan for a product that they will implement at their home site.
We ask that you bring your own experience, expertise, and climate story with you. What have you done in the past that worked, that didn’t and what opportunities have you taken and missed? An Earth to Sky course nurtures the robust sharing of ideas, experiences, and aspirations for climate change communication. We invite all of our participants to participate fully in the course and our community of practice.
Details:
- This course will meet on Tuesday and Thursday each week for two hours each day.
- This course will be completed over four weeks.
- In addition to the two hour online meetings on Tuesday and Thursday each week, this course will require two additional hours of asynchronous work that we suggest participants complete on the Wednesday between weekly meetings.
- Each session starts at 1:00pm EST.
- Registration is free.
Schedule: 
Photo Credit: National Park Service
- Week one: July 23rd - 25th.
- Week two: July 30th - August 1st.
- Week three: August 6th - 8th.
- Week four: August 13th - 15th.
If you have always wanted to join an Earth to Sky course but have been hampered by the in-person nature of those past events then this might be for you!
Mark your calendars now and join our community to be notified when registration opens! We hope to see you online soon!
As this is our first virtual offering since the pandemic, space is limited as we try this new format out.
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Earth to Sky is an incredible organization built by thousands of like-minded people who have dedicated innumerable hours toward our mission. Today, as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary and look to new horizons, we are honored to reflect on the story of our program.
Our team’s story starts in the age of Space Rangers. Anita Davis began her career at NASA while she was a National Park Service (NPS) Ranger working on detail at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, part of a small and historic program informally known as Space Rangers. The Space Rangers were meant to bridge the gap between the work of the National Park Service and NASA, and Anita saw the potential to help interpreters, such as park rangers, use NASA resources in their work with the public. Interpreters are educators who help people connect to stories of the places they love, and NASA’s resources help bring depth to those stories. Some years later, while Anita was working as a contractor at NASA, she met Ruth Paglierani who worked for University of California, Berkeley. The two shared an interest in bringing NASA science to interpreters - the notion that kickstarted the Earth to Sky program.
Over the span of several years, small meetings became larger conferences and visions became reality. In 2004, Ruth and Anita, along with NPS leadership and interpreters, held their first offical Earth to Sky course, training interpreters and informal educators on the breadth of NASA science. When the call went out for coaches to help with this course, Anita and Ruth met a remarkable and influential climate communicator: NPS ranger John Morris. John, Anita, and Ruth became an unstoppable trio who worked to turn their vision into the well-rounded program we know and love today.
As the issue of climate change rose in national attention, the trio realized that NASA’s scientific expertise could lend perspective to interpreters trying to address the topic. It was then that the founders decided that Earth to Sky courses would begin to center around creating excellent climate communicators. John Morris especially helped to champion this topic with a series of historic contributions including the first NPS climate change brochure that printed 500,000 copies to national parks across the country. As important as these brochures became, they almost didn’t make it off the printer—the initial response to the brochure was one of unease, as the NPS had yet to take a public stance on climate change. Still, John persevered, and with the help of NASA scientists who certified the information, the brochures were approved, and helped to open the door for interpreters to start talking about climate change with their visitors.
As a decade of work flew by, Earth to Sky began to attract more partners, including Sandy Spakoff from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who brought crucial educational methodologies to Earth to Sky. As it became evident that the model was working, and NASA’s science programs were helping interpreters, NASA agreed to fund Earth to Sky, and Anita took the leap to lead the program full time. This funding helped to address to community members' needs, and the regional course model was created, one of our proudest accomplishments.
The regional courses are developed across the country, weaving together NASA and local expertise, and focusing on a specific area's concerns and the interpreters who work there. Meanwhile, Earth to Sky began to build a stronger online infrastructure to organize with a website that provided a place for community members to connect with each other and share resources. With these additions to the program, Earth to Sky began reaching more people across the country, cultivating a wider community from coast to coast, and even Canada's Northwest Territories.
As the program developed, a new opportunity arose to connect people with the wonder of NASA science and outdoor spaces. With the help of NASA's Andrea Jones, and Bryan Mendez from UC Berkeley, Earth to Sky mobilized to help interpreters prepare for the 2017 Total Eclipse, helping to coordinate between agencies, host webinars, and hold a major event at Homestead National Park.
By 2019, the Earth to Sky training methodology had been thoroughly tested and was ready to stretch in new directions. Working with Ruth, John, and new team members Jennetta Giddens and Geneviève de Messières, along with partners from NPS’s Climate Change Response Program, Anita led the development of Earth to Sky’s very first Academy. The Academy would bring a new cohort of experienced and innovative leaders to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland for a week to train them to develop their own Earth to Sky climate communication courses and nurture regional communiteis of practice inc limate communication.
The participants of this first Academy walked away as Earth to Sky regional leaders, with new tools, a host of new connections, and an enduring sense of hope and community. The Academy also marked a turning point in leadership, as Geneviève assumed leadership of the program, but also as the regional leaders brought new perspectives and wisdom to the trainings. The regional model has since become a staple of Earth to Sky’s efforts, inspiring participants to step into leadership roles and design climate communication trainings rich with NASA resources.
While the COVID-19 pandemic was a difficult time for the Earth to Sky community, it provided new opportunities to connect virtually. John developed a plan for online conversations that would bring interpreters and informal educators together to support each other during this time. This series evolved into the current lively Climate Conversations monthly program, which is paired with the monthly Climate in Your Pocket webinar series.
In the last few years, the program has expanded at an electrifying rate. NASA’s Earth Science Division and the NASA Science Activation Program provided a budget increase, which allowed Earth to Sky to hire on four more full-time members who bring passion and experience to the team. The program continues to innovate and push its model to greater heights by hosting exhibits at conferences, organizing eclipse efforts, launching a virtual course, working with our partners, leading regional courses, bringing on cohorts of interns, and recruiting new regional teams.
After 20 years, Earth to Sky remains a shining example of the power of connection. Our organization exists today because of the endless dedication that our community members and partners have extended to Earth to Sky in the name of creating better interpretation and education programs for their audiences. It is because of our community that the vision Anita, Ruth, and John had has been realized in more ways than they ever imagined. We are immensely grateful for every member of this community, past, present, and future, and we hope to keep making “space” (get it?) for more passionate people in our community. Thank you for being here. Ad astra!
Read testimonials from Earth to Sky's 20 years of history here!
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Applications Now Closed
The Earth to Sky Academy is a tuition-free course for interpreters, informal educators, and science communicators interested in creating and nurturing regional communities of practice focused on improving climate science communication.
- When: November 18–22, 2024
- Where: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, MD)
- Team Applications closed May 24, 2024
- Next Academy in 2025
The Earth to Sky Academy is intended for teams of experienced informal educators and climate communication leaders who have a strong commitment to furthering climate literacy within their respective regions.
The purpose of the Academy is to train Regional Leaders who will conduct regional Earth to Sky (ETS) courses and nurture their own Earth to Sky Regional Community of Practice. Academy content is based on over 20 years of experience and extensive evaluation of the ETS model. Participants will be supported every step of the way, before, during, and after the course.
For the first time, existing teams may re-apply to attend the Academy. This may be desirable if the team has significant turnover or new goals which could be catalyzed by returning to the Academy.
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Equipping Idaho’s educators to explore climate science through wildlife.
November 12 – 15, 2024 at the Teton Science School Kelly Campus, Kelly WY
Join Earth to Sky's Team Idaho for 4 days of training with formal and informal educators from across Idaho. This workshop will expose participants to innovative pedagogy and techniques for framing climate change.
Joined by wildlife professionals, scientists, and others, we will explore:
- Effective communication techniques for climate change
- Climate change's Impact on Idaho's Wildlife
- Tested techniques for delivering place-based education and outdoor learning experiences
- The importance of fostering wonder and empathy for the natural world
Included:
- Lodging and food
- Travel stipends
- 2 professional development credits through Northwest Nazarene University or Boise State University
Apply for this course here.
Agenda
Flyer
If you have any questions about this workshop, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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In a decade of rising fires and falling water lines on the Colorado Plateau, interpreters, informal educators, and Tribal professionals are the front lines of communicating climate science and engaging the public in ways that inspire action and hope. This course is designed to deepen participants' understanding of climate science and expand their climate communication and interpretation skills.
The Horace Albright Training Center at Grand Canyon National Park.
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Applications Now Open!
Growing Change Workshop
Earth to Sky Academy
Niobrara Watershed
Join formal and informal educators from across the Niobrara Watershed who recognize the importance of teaching climate change for a three-day workshop in June 2024.
This workshop will be packed with exciting topics, fun activities, and lesson plans for you to bring back to your school or community, including;
- Field Trip along Niobrara National Scenic River
- Share-A-Thon of Youth Activities
- Guest Speakers from NASA and National Weather Service
When and Where
- June 11-13, 2024
- The Nature Conservancy
- Niobrara Valley Preserve 42269 Morel Road Johnstown, NE 69214
- Optional Pre-Trip: The Niobrara Valley Preserve bison pasture, Monday, June 10 from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm.
- Optional Post-Trip: The Valentine National Wildlife Refuge on Friday, June 14 at 9 a.m.
For more information contact the team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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A tuition-free course for interpreters, informal educators, and science communicators interested in creating and nurturing regional communities of practice focused on improving climate science communication.
- When: October 17–21, 2022
- Where: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, MD)
Participant Webpage (Accepted participants only)
The Earth to Sky Academy is intended for teams of experienced informal educators and climate communication leaders who have a strong commitment to furthering climate literacy within their respective regions.
The purpose of the Academy is to train Regional Leaders who will conduct regional Earth to Sky (ETS) courses and nurture their own Earth to Sky Regional Community of Practice. Academy content is based on over 17 years of experience and extensive evaluation of the ETS model. Participants will be supported every step of the way, before, during, and after the course.
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Climate Change Science & Communication: Ama (Water) Is Life
Earth to Sky is coming to Cherokee, North Carolina on November 30th-December 2nd, 2023!
Join us for this free, in-person, workshop-style course to learn about what’s going on with climate change in western North Carolina/eastern Tennessee and how to engage with audiences on climate issues.
This course is hosted by Earth to Sky Team Southern Appalachian Highlands.
About the Course
This course provides a foundation in climate science with an emphasis on the connection between global to local processes and on climate impacts in your region. Participants will discuss and practice proven methods for successful climate communication and connect with the growing Earth to Sky community of practice – over 700 communicators and scientists from a variety of organizations improving and sharing their expertise on this topic. You will leave the course armed with knowledge about cutting-edge climate science and a plan for bringing the climate story to your visitors in engaging and inspiring ways.
- Meet with world-class scientists and communicators to discuss best practices and the latest insights about understanding and responding to a changing climate
- Hear about the latest global and regional climate research from the scientists themselves.
- Join interactive sessions with specialists about regional impacts on water.
- Experience community science and climate communications first-hand on a field trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where educators will engage directly with workshop participants to evaluate teaching resources using local data.
- Meet colleagues from around the region and join a community of interpreters and educators working on communicating regional climate issues.
- Learn how to stay connected with these scientists and communicators. You’re not alone in your efforts - there’s lots of help available!
Target Audience
Public school teachers. Participants should have an interest in climate data and communication. Knowledge of climate science is not required. Teachers interested in collaboration planning to work together on joint projects with students are especially encouraged.