How do I get the LEP curriculum and teacher's guide, Lessons in a Land Ethic?

You can obtain the LEP teacher's guide, Lessons in a Land Ethic, by attending either an educator or facilitator workshop. You will experience the hands-on minds-on techniques of teaching about the natural world and learn how Aldo Leopold's conservation classic,
A Sand County Almanac, can successfully be used in a variety of educational settings to stimulate critical thinking and promote responsible decision making regarding our impacts on ecosystems.

How do I find out if there are workshops planned for my area?

First, check the calendar (updated weekly) on this web site. If you do not locate a convenient workshop contact the state coordinator in your state. If there is not yet a coordinator in your state, send an inquiry email to the LEP national office. We often know of an upcoming workshop that has not been announced or we can assist you with planning and hosting a workshop in your area.

How can we host a workshop in our area?

Here are the first two steps to start the process.
First determine answers to the who, what, when and where questions:

• Who do you want as your audience?
  What kind of participants do you want to introduce to the LEP?

• What kind of workshop you want to hold-educator or facilitator?
  Is your purpose to train educators or facilitators who can teach the curriculum to others? See the types of workshops

• When do you want to hold it?
  You want success, allow plenty of time to plan and promote.

• Where would the workshop be held?
  Convenient locations with access to natural areas are best. Nature
  centers, schools, parks, state and national forests, even hotels have
  all been used successfully.

Second, contact your LEP state coordinator, or if there is not yet a coordinator in your state, contact the LEP national office and let us help you. We can assist by providing additional planning information, arranging for facilitators, estimating costs, helping find cosponsors, supplying materials and helping with many other details.

Is the LEP curriculum suitable for uses other than the classroom?

The LEP curriculum is adaptable to both formal and informal teaching situations and is successfully used by naturalists, rangers, and a whole range of agency personnel, landowners and volunteer educators.

Do I have to be a certified teacher to use the curriculum?

You do not have to have a teaching certificate to utilize the LEP materials. Formal and informal educators, youth leaders, naturalists and volunteers have successfully utilized the LEP curriculum to encourage development of a land ethic. We encourage anyone interested in using the curriculum to first participate in one of our educator in-service or facilitator workshops.

What grade level is most appropriate for using the LEP curriculum?

LEP curriculum materials are normally utilized in grades five and higher. Reviews of the activities and reading levels indicate that this is appropriate age group for the curriculum. The reading comprehension level required for A Sand County Almanac however may challenge younger students. Creative educators have adapted some activities for use with younger students.

What are the costs for attending a workshop?

Costs vary depending upon the location and type of workshop, but we keep tuition costs low by partnering with organizations to cosponsor workshops. State councils and local chapters of Pheasants Forever, the sponsoring organization of LEP, frequently provide scholarships for the national workshop and financial support for workshops so that tuition costs are nominal. We also work with local, state and federal agencies to provide workshops at reasonable costs. Two-day facilitator workshops have higher fees due to the increased materials and meals provided and the usual necessity of lodging.

Is credit available for completing LEP workshops?

We encourage our state coordinators and facilitators to obtain certification for Continuing Education Credits for teachers and some organizers also arrange for graduate credit for LEP workshops.

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