Educator Courses

Course List

  • College and professional self-guided field trips
    The Morton Arboretum is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the planting and conservation of trees. Our site is the ideal location for college and professional field study in many disciplines.

  • Outdoor Spaces and Nature-based Programming in Public Gardens: Building the Evidence Base for Early STEM learning
    Be a part of advancing early childhood learning in nature through a summit for educators and researchers on play and learning in outdoor spaces at The Morton Arboretum. Wednesday, May 2, 2018, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and Thursday, May 3, 2018, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

  • Trees of Illinois I
    Learn to identify the trees you see every day in the woodlands and neighborhoods of the Chicago region at The Morton Arboretum. (SOLD OUT) Saturday, September 15, 2018, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

  • Basic Plant ID (Online or In-person)
    Get the botany basics you need to identify plants at The Morton Arboretum. Dates vary starting February 12, 2019 with online or in-person options available.

  • Invasive Species (Online Only)
    Learn to identify and manage the most common invasive plants in the Great Lakes region at The Morton Arboretum. Register now for the Online class available on Wednesday, February 20, 2019. Registration opens February 19, 2019 for the Online class available on May 8, 2019.

  • Basic Plant ID (Online or In-person)
    Get the botany basics you need to identify plants at The Morton Arboretum. Dates vary starting February 12, 2019 with online or in-person options available.

  • New Paths and Podcasts: Explore the digital tree science resources to inspire your students
    Participants in this workshop will explore new online resources and an onsite exhibit related to careers in the plant science field. Friday, March 1st, 2019, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

  • Ecosystem Concepts (Online and In-person)

    Explore the interactions that drive ecosystem function and learn to identify plants, animals, and fungi in relation to ecological habitats at The Morton Arboretum. Register now: for class starting Wednesday, March 13, 2019. Registration opens February 19, 2019: for class starting Thursday, May 9, 2019.

  • Tool Use for Natural Areas Management (Online and In-person)

    Learn to effectively and efficiently use the tools of the trade to tackle different restoration jobs at The Morton Arboretum. Online component begins: Tuesday, February 26, 2019. In-person component meets: Tuesday, March 5, 2019, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Spring registration opens February 19, 2019.

  • Identify Woodland Wildflowers (Online and In-person)
    Learn the names and ecology of the wildflowers that cover the woodland floor in spring at The Morton Arboretum. Registration will open February 19, 2019, for April classes.

  • Ecosystem Concepts (Online and In-person)

    Explore the interactions that drive ecosystem function and learn to identify plants, animals, and fungi in relation to ecological habitats at The Morton Arboretum. Register now: for class starting Wednesday, March 13, 2019. Registration opens February 19, 2019: for class starting Thursday, May 9, 2019.

  • Invasive Species (Online Only)
    Learn to identify and manage the most common invasive plants in the Great Lakes region at The Morton Arboretum. Register now for the Online class available on Wednesday, February 20, 2019. Registration opens February 19, 2019 for the Online class available on May 8, 2019.

  • Arboriculture and Urban Forestry Educators Symposium
    Save the Date! Educators who teach urban forestry, arboriculture, and other closely related fields are invited to the the Urban Forestry and Arboriculture Educators Symposium at The Morton Arboretum. Two day conference: Monday, May 20, 2019: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., through Tuesday, May 21, 2019, 9:00 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., and Arboretum tour: Wednesday, May 22, 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

  • Volunteer Leadership (Online and In-person)
    Volunteer Leadership (Online and In-person)
    Strengthen your skills leading volunteers in natural areas management with this interactive primer for volunteer stewardship activity planning, group dynamics, safety, and volunteer empowerment at The Morton Arboretum. This class will be offered again in Summer 2019. Registration will open Tuesday, May 21, 2019

  • Basic Plant ID (Online or In-person)
    Get the botany basics you need to identify plants at The Morton Arboretum. Dates vary starting February 12, 2019 with online or in-person options available.

  • Midwest Early Childhood Educator Symposium: Lessons from the Forest: How Great Programs Place Nature at the Heart of Their Curriculum
    Build your skill set and learn about leading ideas in nature-based early childhood education in this one-day symposium for early childhood educators, administrators, and naturalists at The Morton Arboretum. Saturday, June 1, 2019, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

  • Plants of Wetlands
    Learn the names and ecology of the wildflowers, sedges, rushes, and other plants that inhabit wetlands at The Morton Arboretum. Saturday, June 29, 2019, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Registration will open February 19, 2019.

  • Wetland Ecology
    Wetland Ecology
    Learn the essentials of wetland ecology and the vital management techniques necessary to maintain threatened wetland ecosystems at The Morton Arboretum. Registration will open February 19, 2019. Two days: Wednesday, July 10, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and Saturday, July 13, 2019 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

  • Woodland Trees (Online and In-person)
    Learn to identify the trees you see every day in the woodlands and neighborhoods of the Chicago region at The Morton Arboretum. This class will be offered again in Summer 2019. Registration will open Tuesday, May 21, 2019.

  • Plants of the Prairie
    Plants of the Prairie
    Learn the identification skills to manage, restore, or simply enjoy prairie habitats at The Morton Arboretum. This class will be offered again in July 2019. Registration will open May 2019.