<![CDATA[NOCO BEET - News]]>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 19:22:05 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Who We Are at NoCo BEET]]>Wed, 03 Feb 2021 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.nocobeet.org/news/who-we-are-noco-beetNOCO BEET is a collaborative of environmental education organizations working together to further the impact and quality of environmental education in northern Colorado. We meet regularly to provide professional development and support and to measure our collective impact on the community. Our mission is to cultivate a network of northern Colorado educators who collaborate, support, and provide resources to increase student access to impactful and effective environmental education. 

​Connect with us and find learning resources at www.nocobeet.org or email NOCOBEET@gmail.com for more information about joining.

The Gardens on Spring Creek: Plant and Pollinator learning 
The Gardens on Spring Creek is offering a menu of on-site and virtual learning opportunities this spring. Many programs are free and scholarships are available. 
These opportunities include: 
  • Onsite small guided tours or
  • Self-guided botany labs for Middle and High School Students
  • Virtual tours and lessons for elementary students
  • Self-guided activity kits for all ages
  • Virtual classroom visits and
  • Check-out tree and bee kits with hours of science activities.

The City of Loveland Open Lands & Natural Areas: Education and Outreach 
The spring calendar in Offero.cityofloveland.org and our website both have resources for educators, families and learning pods, adults too! 

Critter Scene Investigations will be available online and in person March through July. 
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Our volunteer educators will be ready this spring to teach small groups at River's Edge and Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park by request. Topics included macroinvertebrates, canyon geology, cottonwood trees, animal adaptations, and more. Put on your mask and join us outdoors!

Bird Conservancy of the Rockies: Nature Camps

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​Bird Conservancy of the Rockies offers year-round camp experiences for kids ages 4-17. 

All camps are about getting kids outside to have fun and explore nature while making friends, developing leadership skills, and gaining insights into their relationships with themselves, others, and the world around them. Camp content and activities are designed in a progression to introduce young children to the outdoors and build their skills over time. 

COVID protocols in place & scholarships are available.

​Poudre Learning Center: Virtual Learning
​The Poudre Learning Center's Virtual Learning pages shares outdoor exploration ideas, virtual field trips, and lesson ideas for educators and families. 

These explorations can be done in your own yard, neighborhood, or local park. Also check out the images of local phenomenon at the PLC.

Healthy Homes: Indoor Air Quality
For many, our homes have now become our place of learning, making now a good time to make sure our homes are safe and healthy. Indoor air quality can be up to five times worse than outdoor air. 

Contact Health Homes with your questions or to receive a personalized set of recommendations on how you can improve the indoor air quality of your home. When you complete an assessment with us over the phone, you will receive many free gifts, including: 
• Radon Test Kit 
• Healthy Household Cleaner 
• Healthy Household Cleaning Recipes 
• Sustainable Cloth for Dusting 

Contact 970-416-2832 or visit fcgov.com/HealthyHomes
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]]><![CDATA[Grab and Go Activities for Families]]>Thu, 03 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.nocobeet.org/news/grab-and-go-activities-for-familiesSpending time in nature can strengthen family bonds. 

With the shorter days, head outside during the midday when it's the warmest.
Work together as a family to choose days and times each week for family outside time and add them to your calendar. Treat these scheduled times as appointments- not to be missed or ignored.  

​Use these "Grab & Go" activities from local organizations to add some variety into your outside family adventures. 

Winter Observations

Even with winter upon us, there is plenty to observe in nature. Use this Family Winter Walk guide as you explore at a City of Fort Collins Natural Area.

Some birds stay in Fort Collins all year. Use these questions to focus on the details of our feathered neighbors. Larimer County Natural Resources has more"Outside Your Window" activities on trees, flowers, and insects.

Focus on Trees 

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​Get in touch with trees in your neighborhood, park or natural area and use thesefamily activities to take a closer look. Find more on the Project Learning Tree"Activities for Families" homepage.

Learn Along the Poudre River 

The Study Outdoors, Learn Outdoors (SOLO) program created by the Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area gives families the opportunity explore and learn along the Poudre River Trail on foot or by bike. Routes in Fort Collins and Greeley. 
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Created by two local educators, SOLO Field Trip routes align with Colorado Academic Standards, connect to the landscape of the Poudre River, and incorporate interpretive signs related to western water law created by the Poudre Heritage Alliance. Suitable for teachers to assign their students or as a family excursion!

Lesson plans and their matching SOLO Route Maps are available here. 

]]><![CDATA[Mindfulness and Nature]]>Wed, 04 Nov 2020 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.nocobeet.org/news/mindfulness-and-natureIt has been an emotional year to put it mildly. Intentional nature breaks can positively help manage our emotions. Carve out time to take care of yourselves and let's have meaningful conversations about our mental health with people in our lives. Below are opportunities to engage in mindfulness and nature this November. 
**If you or a loved one are in a behavioral health crisis call (970) 494-4200 Ext. 4 or text TALK to 38255 any time, day or night to access immediate support and consultation, and to connect to resources from SummitStone Health Partners. ​

Explore New Places 

Need a change of scenery? All opportunities are free. 
 
Visit the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery Mind Matters exhibit which aims to build a greater understanding of the importance of mental health and create a safe space for important conversations about mental illness. Reservations required. 
 
Take a self-guided mindful walk by the Poudre River at the Environmental Learning Center (ELC) using this guide. Research shows that time in nature lowers blood pressure, increases self-esteem, and reduces anxiety. Yes please!
Photo Credit: Carmen Bachofen 

Mindfulness at Home 

Pause and make each Monday (or any other day) mindful, guided by these prompts found in the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Learning Library. 
 
Tune into the soundscape with the lesson Sound Around from Project Learning Tree (PLT). The Closer You Look lesson encourages you to take a closer look at a favorite tree. Find videos and activity pages for both these lessons on theColorado PLT resource webpage.
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]]><![CDATA[The Digital Age of Environmental Education]]>Wed, 07 Oct 2020 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.nocobeet.org/news/the-digital-age-of-environmental-education

Virtual Field Trip Options
1. Virtual field trips from The Gardens on Spring Creek bring interactive science learning to the home or classroom.The Gardens has a selection of tours on plants, pollinators, butterflies, horticultural careers and senses, colors and numbers with supplemental activities that can be done in any setting with students from pre-k through High School. ​2. The Rocky Mountain Raptor Program continues to provide raptor and environment related education during the pandemic through virtual programming on a variety of platforms. In person programming for an organization, community group, or school may be available under certain circumstances. Public content, both pre-recorded and live, is available on Facebook and YouTube. Just search for us by name!

On-Demand Activities

 1. Begin your naturalist journey by making a field journey with the Colorado State University Environmental Learning Center.  2. Headwaters institute is now offering on-demand rainwater harvesting classes. These include: What is Rainwater Harvesting?; Type of Rain Barrel System to Install; and How to Install Your Rain Barrel. 

Professional Development Opportunities

Colorado Project Learning Tree is pleased to offer it's PLT Virtual Courses this fall. These professional development trainings are designed to engage EE educators in interactive sessions to discuss ideas, share resources, and dive deeper into PLT's online K-8 training. Make sure to reserve your spot in one of our upcoming courses today! 
  • Click here to register!

Take Environmental Action

​1. Gallegos Sanitation, Inc. believes that recycling is a wonderful thing. We encourage schools, parents, and staff to recycle because it provides environmental, social, and economic good for Colorado and beyond. The more we recycle the right things, the stronger we are, together. As a reminder, most beverage containers can and should be recycled when empty. This includes cartons, cans, and bottles!
  • Check out our Best Practices for Recycling at School and our Container Recycling Guide, located here.
2. Check out "@Home Voltbusters" from the City of Fort Collins Utilities. This fun energy challenge will help you save electricity at home. Learn more about the Voltbusters challenge here.
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