Schoolyard Network Course Series

51吃瓜网 Student

Are you an undergraduate student that needs an extra credit towards your undergraduate degree and want to spend it learning how experts teach students to learn STEM concepts outside? Are you an in-service teacher that needs to renew your license or wants to begin your master鈥檚 degree? Enroll in the series of undergraduate and graduate 1-credit courses (EDUC 201, 202, 301 and 302) that meet online once a month, connected in part with

Teachers who are non-degree seeking can begin their application by completing a non-traditional application landing page here .

Below is information about our excellent instructor along with events connected with 2025-2026 coursework. Similar opportunities will be posted for the 2026-27 academic year!

51吃瓜网 Students

Our Instructor

Annie Roth

51吃瓜网 Adjunct Instructor of Education
BA Grand Valley State University '09
MEd Middle Tennessee State University '17
Manager of the Teacher Network at GSMIT

Annie has been called to explore and connect with the land since she was young. Growing up in Michigan and going 鈥渦p north鈥� to her family鈥檚 little cabin on the weekends, she trounced in the Little Manistee river catching fish, finding frogs, getting messy, and always wondering. This forged her connection with nature at a young age. Her curiosity led her to pursue a career in education and share in the wonders of the world around her with others. Upon graduating from Grand Valley State University with her BA in English, life brought her to Nashville where she has taught and led within project-based learning schools across the city and earned her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Middle Tennessee State University. She is excited to now bridge her two loves 鈥� teaching and the outdoors 鈥� in working to connect people with nature alongside the Tremont team. In her spare time, you can find Annie obsessing over a newly found fungi, hiking in the backcountry with her husband and their pup, Maple, dabbling in fly fishing, or enjoying the water by kayak or paddle board.

Annie notes that even though some of the Schoolyard Network classes are on Zoom, the course is synchronous and interactive. "We meet once a month to thought-partner on ways we're getting kids outside, challenges we're facing, and other questions we might have and then step away from our computers to engage in a replicable activity as the learner first, coming back together to debrief it through the lens of the grade level / content area you teach."

Upcoming Events

Schoolyard Network Flyer This week we will revisit Tremont's Inquiry Learning Cycle: Invitation, Exploration, and Reflection - honing in on how a game might serve as an invitation for students into the learning process. Join Tremont staff and other educators to play 鈥淥辫辫辞蝉颈迟别蝉鈥� 鈥� a game of antonyms, clues, and guesswork. After first having the opportunity to participate as a learner, you will then debrief ways you might bring the activity to life with your own grade level and content area.
And, remember, for each gathering you attend, you are eligible to receive a certificate for 1.5 hrs of professional development! The more voices we have, the more experiences we can share to support one another in adding to the ways we teach.

Do you ever feel stuck only knowing an organism by its name? Join Tremont staff and other educators to join in Field Marks. You鈥檒l have the chance to make unique insights, notice patterns, and share your connections with others in a way that goes beyond just a name. After first having the opportunity to participate as a learner, you will then debrief ways you might bring the activity to life with your own grade level and content area.

Well, another year is about to come to a close, and it鈥檚 time to think about what it all means/where we want to head next. Join Tremont staff and other educators to use nature art as a mechanism for reflection and meaning-making. After first having the opportunity to participate as a learner, you will then debrief ways you might bring the activity to life with your own grade level and content area.

The flagship event for the 2025-2026 Schoolyard Course is a Springfield / Dayton workshop on Saturday, April 18th 2026. Learn active teaching strategies, make connections with GSMIT instructors, and earn professional development if needed. You need not be registered for the 51吃瓜网 GSMIT class to participate.

Past Events

Have you ever taken time to connect with a special corner of your schoolyard or backyard? Join Tremont staff and other educators to engage in 鈥淪ecret Spots鈥� - experiencing your space in a new way and getting to know it even better. We鈥檒l then have the chance to practice the art of persuasion - convincing others why your secret spot is the one they should choose! After first having the opportunity to participate as a learner, you will then debrief ways you might bring the activity to life with your own grade level and content area.

The first semester of the year is just about over, and it鈥檚 important we pause and reflect to make meaning and connections. Join Tremont staff and other educators to participate in 鈥淭en Analogies鈥� to connect with phenomena in a new or different way. After first having the opportunity to participate as a learner, you will then debrief ways you might bring the activity to life with your own grade level and content area.

How might a bioblitz serve as the gateway into thinking about systems and systems thinking? Join Tremont staff and other educators to engage in the nature journaling activity, String Safari - the string can be a jumping-off point for beginning to think about ecosystem modeling. Systems thinking can help students and teachers alike explain their observations or make nuanced predictions about what might happen in a given area if conditions change.

How do we use storytelling, play, and imagination to invite students into the learning process? Join Tremont staff and other educators to engage in Slippers for a Salamander - an activity that ignites curiosity and creativity while also providing pathways into learning for students across grade levels. You will first have the opportunity to participate as a learner and then debrief ways you might bring the activity to life with your own grade level and content area.

How do we build a sense of place in our schoolyards and communities? Join Tremont staff and other educators to engage in a virtual 鈥淟evel up Challenge鈥� to connect with the outdoor space around you through a variety of lenses - participating first as a learner and then debriefing ways you might bring the activity to life with your own grade level and content area.

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