WAITLIST: Teachers on the Estuary: Science and Supporting Student Success - Summer 2026
Open to middle and high school teachers in DC, MD, PA, VA. If you are a non-formal educator interested in attending, please join our waitlist. We will contact you in early July if a spot is available. Priority is given to classroom teachers.

Phenomena-based learning experiences boost student engagement and curiosity and helps teachers connect learning to real-world, local events. This course is designed to model various phenomena-based learning frameworks for middle and high school students through participant-driven outdoor field experiences and authentic research conducted by a community of educators in an immersive, joyful, and supportive environment. To best utilize our time together, participants are encouraged to complete a pre-course online prior to the in-person event. This dynamic five-day program to explore coastal habitats and iconic communities is offered in collaboration with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and with special guests from the Dorchester County Health Department to help us learn about local environmental and human health interactions.

• Length & Location: Five days of collaborative, outdoor learning at CBF’s Karen Noonan Memorial Environmental Education Center for a residential experience. We will prepare and clean up meals as a group. Shared dorm-style housing, food, and cooking supplies are provided while at the center. Participants supply their own linens.
• Course Credit: Upon successful course completion, participants may be eligible for continuing education credit or contact hours. See details on the Professional Learning Credits page.
• Orientation Date: A virtual orientation will take place Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Please save the meeting link shared in your confirmation email.
• Cost: $125, reduced fee due to support from generous sponsors and Maryland's Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
• Cancellation Policy: Cancellations made six weeks before the course's start date will receive a full refund minus a $75 processing fee. No refunds will be granted after June 15, 2026; however, we are happy to transfer registration to another course if space allows. All cancellation and transfer requests must be made in writing and sent to the Chesapeake Classrooms team.

Registration closes July 7, 2026.

Return to the Chesapeake Classrooms page.

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