December Professional
Development Deadlines / Start Dates
A one-day training opportunity for FREE! This program is being run as part
of a masters program in Environmental Education from Prescott College. A program
is being developed to train outdoor and environmental education staff in environmental
literacy using low ropes course initiatives. Participants do not need to have
a background in either environmental education or experiential education. Participants
will be participating in several initiatives that focus on teaching basic environmental
knowledge. If you are a classroom educator looking for new tools to teach your
students or an outdoor educator looking to build up your bag of tricks, this
training is for you! When:
December 1 and December 2 2007. (Each day is the same training.) Where: YMCA
Camp Jones Gulch-11000 Pescadero Road La Honda, CA. Time: 9:30-4:30 What
to bring: Clothing to be outside, water, a lunch and snacks if you want
them. What you get: You will walk away with the guidelines for
all the activities run. A day long training run by a facilitator with 19
years of ropes course experience and 25 years working in summer camps and
outdoor programs. Cost: It’s free! Registration is required for planning purposes: Call 650-747-9451
or email Shawn at moriartyshawn@gmail.com
If your group would like to do training as a staff, please contact
Shawn to let him know, arrangements can most likely be made. Shawn
Moriarty is the trainer for this program. Shawn has been working in the summer
camping field for 25 years and the experiential education field for 19 years.
He has been a ropes course manager, facilitator trainer, Outward Bound Facilitator,
rock climbing guide, and Camp Director. He is endeavoring to develop a training
program to improve the overall environmental literacy using low ropes and
mobile initiatives, of people teaching youth in outdoor experiential programs.
January Professional Development Deadlines
/ Start Dates
Experience
an Earth Expedition! Tuition-Free Graduate Courses for Educators for
summer courses in Kenya, Thailand, Mongolia, Trinidad, Costa Rica, Belize,
and Namibia. Travel to conservation hotspots around the world to engage
in research, connect with fellow educators in other countries, and discover
the power of inquiry to generate knowledge and transform society. Earth
Expeditions are tuition-free graduate courses open to formal and nonformal
educators. Application Deadline: January 28, 2008
Albert
Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowships Applications
are currently being accepted for the 2008-2009 Albert Einstein Distinguished
Educator Fellowship. The program seeks teachers who have a strong background
of teaching success coupled with a strong interest in education policy.
Fellows will spend a school year living and working in Washington, DC. Deadline
for application submission is January 13, 2008.
The Inside the Outdoors (ITO)
Teacher Institute is a series of free professional development trainings
for K-5th grade teachers. Each workshop includes a special, on site
ITO naturalist led program for your family to participate in while you are
attending the workshop. Wetland Exploration on January 19 and Hidden
Wilderness Park Exploration on January 27
February
Professional Development Deadlines
/ Start Dates
Fundamentals of
Environmental Education An 11-week online course about the fundamentals
of environmental education is appropriate for both classroom teachers and
for non-formal educators who work with students and/or teachers. Participants
may obtain three undergraduate or graduate credits from the University of
Wisconsin-Stevens Point. All students, regardless of location, are eligible
for the in-state tuition rate. The course is also offered at a reduced cost
for those who are not interested in obtaining college credit. Spring 2008
Dates: February 4 – April 18
Applied
Environmental Education Program Evaluation This 12-week on-line
course is designed to assist environmental educators and natural resource
professionals in evaluating their education programs. Participants have
the opportunity to develop and apply skills in designing evaluation tools
such as surveys, observation forms, and interview and focus group guides.
This course was developed as a cooperative effort between the Environmental
Education and Training Partnership (EETAP) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens
Point and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) National Conservation
Training Center. Participants may obtain three undergraduate or graduate
credits from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. All participants,
regardless of location, are eligible for the in-state tuition rate. The course
is also offered as a non-credit workshop for those who are not seeking college
credit. Spring 2008 course dates: February 18 – May
9
Track Spring’s Journey
North: Migrations, Mystery Schools, Climate, More Teachers and
students in K-12 classrooms are invited to participate this spring in Journey
North’s 15th annual global study of wildlife migration
and seasonal change. A free Internet-based “citizen science” project,
Journey North enables students in 11,000 schools to watch the wave of spring
as it unfolds. Students monitor migration patterns of monarch butterflies,
hummingbirds, whooping cranes, and other animals; the blooming of plants;
and changing sunlight, temperatures, and other signs of spring. They share
their local observations with classmates across North America and beyond,
and look for patterns on real-time maps. Thanks
to Annenberg Media, Journey North Web site access and participation is free.
Plan now; spring projects begin February 1st!
The Inside the Outdoors (ITO)
Teacher Institute is a series of free professional development trainings
for K-5th grade teachers. Each workshop includes a special, on site
ITO naturalist led program for your family to participate in while you are
attending the workshop. Wetland Exploration on February 2 and Hidden
Wilderness Park Exploration on February 24
March Professional Development
Deadlines / Start Dates
The Inside the Outdoors (ITO)
Teacher Institute is a series of free professional development trainings
for K-5th grade teachers. Each workshop includes a special, on site
ITO naturalist led program for your family to participate in while you are
attending the workshop. Ocean Science at the Tide Pools on March 8th
April
Professional Development Deadlines / Start Dates
The Inside the Outdoors (ITO)
Teacher Institute is a series of free professional development trainings
for K-5th grade teachers. Each workshop includes a special, on site
ITO naturalist led program for your family to participate in while you are
attending the workshop. Foothill Ecosystem Discovery on April 5th and
13th
May
Professional Development Deadlines / Start Dates
The Inside the Outdoors (ITO)
Teacher Institute is a series of free professional development trainings
for K-5th grade teachers. Each workshop includes a special, on site
ITO naturalist led program for your family to participate in while you
are attending the workshop. California History on May 6th and 13th,
Ocean Science at the Tide Pools on May 16th
June
Professional Development Deadlines / Start Dates
Fundamentals
of Environmental Education An 11-week online course about
the fundamentals of environmental education is appropriate for both classroom
teachers and for non-formal educators who work with students and/or teachers.
Participants may obtain three undergraduate or graduate credits from the
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. All students, regardless of location,
are eligible for the in-state tuition rate. The course is also offered
at a reduced cost for those who are not interested in obtaining college
credit. Summer 2008 Dates: June 2 – August 15
Applied
Environmental Education Program Evaluation This 12-week
on-line course is designed to assist environmental educators and natural
resource professionals in evaluating their education programs. Participants
have the opportunity to develop and apply skills in designing evaluation
tools such as surveys, observation forms, and interview and focus group
guides. This course was developed as a cooperative effort between the
Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP) at the University
of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
National Conservation Training Center. Participants may obtain three
undergraduate or graduate credits from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens
Point. All participants, regardless of location, are eligible for the
in-state tuition rate. The course is also offered as a non-credit workshop
for those who are not seeking college credit. Summer 2008 course dates:
June 2 – August 9
Ongoing/Recurring Training Opportunities
(Alphabetical Order)
American Museum
of Natural History Seminars on Science is
the Museum’s program of online professional development courses
for teachers. Our six-week courses are developed and taught by scientists
and educators at the Museum and are based on cutting-edge research. Interact
with world-class scientists as well as colleagues from around the country
- all you need is an internet connection. The coursework is designed
to be flexible for the busy teacher. There are weekly activities you
must complete, but the time and day that you complete them is up
to you. Sign
up now at learn.amnh.org for
professional development credit hours, graduate credit in science or
education, or for the fun of exploring a new area of science!
Annenberg Media,
a unit of The Annenberg Foundation, works to advance excellent teaching
in all disciplines throughout American K-12 schools. They pursue this mission
by funding and broadly distributing multimedia resources for teachers to
help them improve their own teaching practice and understanding of their
subject. Annenberg Media makes use of telecommunications technologies—the
Internet, including broadband video streaming, and satellite television broadcast—as
well as hard copy media to disseminate these multimedia resources, ensuring
that they reach as many teachers as possible. FREE video
on demand with EXCELLENT, thought-provoking, useful materials for any type
of teacher. The "Private
Universe" and "Minds of Their Own" project will change the
way you think about teaching! Highly recommended.
Cases Workshops: EE
Professionals Jack Shu and Sandi Funke will begin offering tailored workshops
for California Environmental Education organizations, based on the new EE
diversity training module "What's
Fair got to do with it?" as part of their Diversity in Environmental
Education Workshop Series.
Coast Alive! A
wonderful professional development opportunity is available in Southern California.
Participants will get 10 hours of excellent professional development experience
in environmental education, outdoor and indoor science in beautiful state
parks, an excellent interactive CD to use with their classes and stipends!!! See
schedule of workshops.
Earthwatch Institute Accepting
Teacher Applications for Research Expeditions Earthwatch
Institute, an international group that encourages public participation
in field-based research, is currently offering fellowships to
enable teachers to join scientific expeditions. Applications
are being accepted on a rolling basis, but funding may be exhausted
by March 1. Fellows are assigned to projects according to their skills,
interest, and needs of the projects. Graduate credit is
available through Bank Street College or Weber State University in Utah.
At the institute's web site,
you'll find more information and the application form. Annually, over
350 student and teacher fellows are on expedition. Read
about some AEOE members' Earthwatch experience in the Fall 2003 Southern
AEOE Newsletter
EETAP Online
EE Courses "Fundamentals of Environmental
Education" is a ten-week distance learning course
through EETAP (Environmental Education
and Training Parnership) that is appropriate for both classroom teachers
and non-formal educators who work with students and/or teachers. The
course is available for 3 undergraduate or graduate level credits through
the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. It is also available as a
non-credit workshop. "Applied EE Program Evaluation" is
another course, where participants learn to evaluate environmental education
and outreach programs by designing evaluation tools such as questionnaires,
observation forms, and interview and focus group guides. The Applied
EE Program Evaluation course is 10 weeks long and was designed for environmental
educators, natural resource professionals, and graduate students who
can apply the tools they develop to a specific education program or research
study. Fall and Spring Courses available. See
website for more information.
EXTENDED MS IN EE FOR
TEACHERS ~ WISCONSIN The Master of Science in Environmental
Education for K-12 Teachers is a professional development program for
practicing teachers to earn a Master's degree while continuing to teach.
It is designed specifically for K-12 Teachers with face to face classes
held during a 3 week period of the summer session and one-third of
the degree available online during the academic year. Candidates
may transfer in up to 9 graduate credits. This degree program is intended
to increase knowledge and leadership skills in EE for K-12 teachers.
New candidates normally begin coursework in February, but applications
are accepted at any time. Contact Angela Arkin at 715-346-3854
or
. http://www.uwsp.edu/natres/msnree
Forestry Institute for Teachers. California's classroom in the forest. Come learn about California's forests. As a teacher you can use the forest as the basis for integrated education in many subject areas, including environmental science, physical science, social science, math, biology, forestry and history. FIT is a 5-6 day program provided free of charge to all K-12 educators in California. For more information: go to www.forestryinstitute.org or email
From Seed to Seed is a professional development course designed for K-8
teachers who already incorporate botany and gardening (indoors or out) into
their science curriculum and for teachers who would like to start doing so.
You can work sequentially through the entire course or jump to the sections
that will help you with specific concepts you would like to grasp or teach
to your students. There are no prerequisites; this course will provide you
with all the information you will need to get started. In addition to the
core botanical information, we provide activities and experiments that address
K-8 national standards in various disciplines. Although the National Science
Education Standards are emphasized throughout the course, connections are
also made to geography, health, history, language arts, and mathematics
KEY TO THE SEA Who: K-5 teachers When: Various dates Where: Contact for information Cost:Free
Teachers! Dates for Workshops I & II have been scheduled for the coming
school year. Register online today. Students participating in Key to the
Sea learn about watershed stewardship, stormwater pollution prevention and
marine conservation - all accomplished through fun, hands-on, engaging educational
activities culminating in a field trip to the beach! In addition, teachers
receive professional development training before the field trip along with
standards-based curriculum, all for free! Find out more information at http://www.healthebay.org/key2sea/.
Master of Science in Science
Education Offered by Montana State University, Bozeman.
The program is unusual in two important ways. First, it is an intercollege,
interdisciplinary
effort.
Second,
many
of the courses will be taken by distance learning asynchronous, computer-mediated
communication. So, not only can you be getting a masters while teaching,
but the summer field courses offered in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
are ideal
for
outdoor
educators!
The program of study may begin with distance learning courses in any
semester or summer classes at the MSU-Bozeman campus. Study continues
with distance learning courses that students take from their homes or
workplaces, and ends with a second visit for presentation of the results
of a personalized science education capstone project. Over 80%
of the courses and credits may be taken off-campus by asynchronous, computer-mediated
communication. Thirty semester credits are required for the degree. Students
typically will complete the degree in two or three years.
PROJECT WET
Training Courses
The goal of Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) is to promote
the awareness, appreciation and knowledge of California's water resources.
The seminars are fun, hands-on, action-packed and informational.
Training
is a 6-hour workshop and includes the Project WET Curriculum
and Activity Guide Book. Project WET activities are designed to satisfy the
goals of educational programs by complementing existing curricula rather
than displacing or adding more concepts. Project WET activities provide many
opportunities to address curriculum objectives and educational standards.
These interdisciplinary activities designed for students in grades K-12 are
perfect for use in formal and non-formal education settings.
A facilitator
training is an 8-hour workshop that provides training in using the Project
WET activities with your students and to help train fellow educators. Participants
will be trained in the basics of how to use Project WET materials as well
as in facilitation and organization skills. Project WET is for anyone interested
in natural resources and environmental education and is especially useful
for public and private school teachers in grades K-12. Project WET activities
are correlated to the State Standards for Science, History/Social Studies
and English/Language Arts. Each seminar participant will receive a copy of
the Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide Book and a Facilitator's Handbook
with all the information necessary to conduct a Project Wet workshop. For
more information, contact Brian Brown at
or (916) 444-6240.
For a schedule of curremt Project WET Trainings, go to: http://www.water-ed.org/projectwet.asp#trainings
Project
WILD Aquatic Online Workshop In lieu of physically attending an Aquatic
WILD workshop, educators may obtain a curriculum guide through a self-directed,
online workshop. Please contact Alisha
Jurick at
to register.
Save The Rainforest,
Inc.Offering trips, courses and travel to the
tropics for school groups. It's not just an Adventure or Ecotour,
it's a Call to Action. Teachers who lead
an expedition will travel free. Students will learn
about different cultures and tropical ecosystems, AND participate
in conservation projects that will enhance their college resumes. Click
Here for more information
Teach The River, 2007 Do you want to learn more about the natural world of the Central Valley where our water comes from, the name of that bird in your backyard, where to find spectacular wildflowers or where to take a hike? We invite you to rediscover Teach the River. Teach the River is now open to the general public, including families, teachers, parents, or anyone who wants to learn and discover the wonders where you live. A wide variety of seminars, field trips and other special events are offered from January through June, all located in the greater Fresno area. Visit www.teachtheriver.org for a calendar of activities and to register (academic credit available)!!!
Solar
Schoolhouse offers regional workshops for teachers, many
of which are free of have scholarships available - keep checking
their website for details!
Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds The California Coastal Commission offers a free educator workshop as an introduction to our science activity guide for teachers, Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds. At the workshop, you'll receive a free copy of the book, try out some of the activities, and get an overview of the other free educational resources and programs the Coastal Commission has available.
For more information on Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds, visit http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/waves/waves1.html. The book addresses issues such as marine debris, coastal processes, water use, endangered species, and much more. It is aligned to the California State Science Content Standards for grades 3 through 8, and includes "Community Action" lessons adaptable for all ages up to and beyond 12th grade.
Whale Tail
Grants Program The
Whale Tail Grants Program distributes funds from sales of the Whale Tail
License Plate. The grants support programs that teach California‚s
children and the general public to value and take action to improve the health
of the state‚s marine and coastal resources. Adopt-A-Beach programs,
as well as other beach maintenance and coastal habitat restoration projects
that have an educational component, are also eligible for these grants. This
grants program focuses on reaching communities that are currently poorly
served in terms of marine and coastal education.
Applications are due on December 7, 2007
Available Funding: A total
of $364,190 will be distributed. Applicants may request any amount up
to $50,000, and 25-50% of the funding will be allocated in small grants
under $10,000. Categories of Grants: The Whale Tail Grants Program funds
projects that fall into any one of the following three categories: 1)
Adopt-A-Beach programs; 2) Youth programs; 3) Programs for the general
public.
Eligibility: Applicants must be either a non-profit organization
or a governmental entity. For beach operation and maintenance projects,
the applicant must be a non-profit organization or local governmental
agency. For proposals in the Adopt-A-Beach category, both current and
new Adopt-A-Beach managers are eligible to apply.
Ongoing or Rolling Grant or Contest Deadlines
2007 Foundation Grant Directory
Beyond Horizons: Funding Directory for Children, Youth and Family Programs:
A program’s growth is dependent on the funding it can bring in. Among
the most urgent of calls GACI receives is to assist programs find or apply
for funding, GACI has spent more than 6 months contacting funders across
the country to identify foundations, corporations and other entities that
provide funding to California programs whose focus includes health, child
development and education. This publication will assist grant seekers in
the long search for the right funder and includes basic descriptions, limitations,
deadlines, application information, past funding examples, and contact information
for over 80 grant programs targeted specifically to advancing the lives of
California’s children, youth and families.
Reserve your copy now, limited number available
Preprinting Price - $55.00 + shipping and handling at $4.05 per copy + tax
at 7.8%
For information contact
Youth Service America Grants Grants and awards support and motivate youth,
teachers, service-learning coordinators, and youth-serving organizations
to plan and implement projects for National Youth Service Day and on-going
service throughout the year. Youth Service America thanks our sponsors who
support and underwrite the following grants and awards to increase the quality
and quantity of service and service-learning.
DONORS CHOOSE Teachers ask. People choose. Students learn. DonorsChoose is a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public
school
often lacks. Here, teachers submit ideas for materials or experiences that
their students need to learn. Individuals can choose a project and make it
a classroom reality. For more information, visit http://www.donorschoose.org/.
Leaf-It-To-Us Tree Planting Grant Opportunity for Schools and School Districts
Only
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is pleased to announce
the availability of a tree planting grant program designed for school kids
to improve their school environments. “Leaf-It-To-Us” grants
are available through:
Urban Forestry Program
California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection
PO Box 944246
Sacramento, CA 94244-2460
Glenn Flamik, CDF Urban Forestry
Program Administrator (916) 651-6423 Email:
Internet applications will be available at www.ufei.org click
on “Grant
Information”
Applications accepted on an on-going basis.
Toshiba America
Foundation contributes to the quality of science and mathematics
education in the U.S. with an annual grant budget of approximately $500,000.
The deadline for grade K-6 programs is October
1, 2005. Grant applications for grade 7-12 grade programs are
accepted year-round for
grants under $5,000, and are due February 1 and
August 1 for
grants over $5,000. Contact the Toshiba Foundation directly before submitting
an application. For more information, check out http://www.toshiba.com/taf/index.html. These
grants are often given to environmental projects - check
out their recent grants and environmental
science featured grants pages and see many examples. Also, California's Ocean
Institute is one of the Featured Grants: A
Partnership on the Pacific. Congratulations Ocean Institute!
LEARN AND SERVE AMERICA GRANTS
The Corporation for National and Community Service announced more than
$43 million in Learn and Serve America grants for the 2005-06 school year.
The grants will engage more than 1.1 million students across the nation in
service-learning projects that promote community service while enhancing
students' academic and civic skills. The 141 grants will support service-learning
initiatives of education agencies, schools, institutions of higher education
and faith-based and community groups. Service-learning is an approach to
education that links community service to academic achievement while also
teaching students about our country's civic institutions and traditions.
According to Department of Education statistics, about one-third of all K-12
schools in the United States participate in service-learning programs. For
a complete list of grants, visit http://www.learnandserve.org/grants/05_continuation.html.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RE-LEAF: American
Forests has created a national fund to help communities and organizations
restore forests damaged by wildfires in California. The Wildfire ReLeaf
program is a large-scale tree planting initiative started in 1999 to plant
millions of trees in burned areas. Funding opportunities through the program
can apply to local agencies, watershed associations, school groups and
others conducting on-the-ground conservation projects. This grant can initiate
or extend programs for youth that will help them become interested in careers
dealing with natural resource management and conservation. Outdoor schools
and youth camp sponsors may entertain the idea of establishing tree nurseries
for ongoing tree planting in areas affected by insects or fire damage.
There are lots of possibilities for creative ideas. Rolling
Deadline. GRANT APPLICATION: Click here for application in Word or PDF formats.
Contact Karen Fedor, American Forests, PO Box 2000, Washington, DC 20013
or e-mail her at
Earthwatch
Institute Accepting Teacher Applications for Research Expeditions Earthwatch
Institute, an international group that encourages public participation
in field-based research, is currently offering fellowships to
enable teachers to join scientific expeditions. Applications
are being accepted on a rolling basis, but funding may be exhausted
by March 1. Fellows are assigned to projects according to their skills,
interest, and needs of the projects. Graduate credit is available through
Bank Street College or Weber State University in Utah. At the institute's
web site, you'll find more information and the application form.
Annually, over 350 student and teacher fellows are on expedition. Read
about some AEOE members' Earthwatch experience in the Fall 2003 Southern
AEOE Newsletter
Other Sources for Environmental
Education Grants and Awards
Lideres of the
National Council of La Raza has an excellent list of grant
opportunities organized by deadline. These opportunities are available
to youth, students, and young adults, and are listed here in order to
increase the number, capacity, and influence of young Latino leaders
in the United States. Included are projects for engaging youth, service
projects, environmental projects and education grants.
Funding Environmental
Education The CREEC website is an excellent resource
for finding funding. They even have a page on how to find
funding with tutorials
and
more. Go to your local CREEC region for more local funding opportunities.
They have several current opportunities for funding listed - keep checking
back!
DONORS
CHOOSE Teachers ask. People choose. Students learn. DonorsChoose is
a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public
school often lacks. Here, teachers submit ideas for materials or experiences
that their students need to learn. Individuals can choose a project and
make it a classroom reality. For more information, visit http://www.donorschoose.org/.
GetGrants! Identify Grant
Programs within State of California Agencies and Departments through a single
search, without being required to know the name of the responsible enitity.
Environmental Grantmaking
Foundations is the best-selling guide to sources of environmental
grants. This resource includes information on the top independent,
community and company-sponsored
foundations that fund environmental projects nationally and internationally.
Grants for School
and Youth Gardens - National Gardening Association
Grants Program The National Gardening Association works with sponsoring
companies and organizations to provide funding and in-kind grants to projects
that actively engage kids in the garden and improve the quality of life
for their communities. To be eligible for these awards your school or organization
must plan to garden with at least 15 kids between the ages of 3 and 18.
National Science Teachers Association
(NSTA) Grants and Awards is an updated page with current grant/award/recognition
opportunities. I list many here, but some are more oriented toward traditional
science classroom teachers rather than the outdoor education emphasis we
try to maintain on the AEOE website. Great resources!
Youth Service America
Grants and Awards support and motivate youth, teachers,
service-learning coordinators, and youth-serving organizations to plan and
implement projects for National Youth Service Day and on-going service throughout
the year. Several Grants offered year round - sign up to have new grant opportuities
emailed to you on their website.
The
California Endowment awards grants to organizations and
institutions that directly benefit the health and well-being of Californians,
and those
that work to provide and expand access to affordable, quality health care
for California's underserved individuals and communities. The Endowment has
two main grant programs -- Local Opportunities Fund and the CommunitiesFirst
-- designed to support ideas and approaches to health improvements generated
at the community level. NOTE: I can't think of anything
that benefits the health and well-being of Californians more than a healthy
environment, so environmental
education programs, which teach students to create and maintain a healthy
environment, and also get them outside, where research
has shown stress levels are
reduced, ADD and ADHD is ameliorated, and a greater sense of self-esteem
and cooperation is achieved, not to mention healthful excercise, should
be prime candidates for receiving these grants (and in fact, gardening
and
other
programs
have
been recipients in the past).
Also see your local CREEC website - many
of these opportunities came from there: http://www.creec.org
Teaching supplies,
magazines, pro-deals, donations, special offers, and more
CELEBRATE ARBOR DAY IN 2007!
A FREE curriculum kit explaining how to conduct the annual Arbor Day poster
contest will be available in October 2005. This contest activity is open
to all California fifth grade children assisted by their teachers, parents,
youth or club leaders. The kit contains suggestions for activities and
projects that will increase student awareness and appreciation of the importance
of trees and conservation of forests. The contest theme for 2006 is “Trees
are Terrific…in All Shapes and Sizes.” These activities are
correlated to California’s science standards!
Each school or participating group selects a winning poster to submit to
the statewide contest. The contest deadline is always on March 1st. One state
level winner will be selected and forwarded to The National Arbor Day Foundation
for final judging. Prizes and recognition will be awarded to the state winner
and each school or group entering the contest. The California Community Forests
Foundation will provide the top three winners with cash awards and other
prizes. School winners and their teachers will be provided with certificates
and other rewards.
The national winner, a parent and the student’s teacher or group leader,
will receive invitations to The National Arbor Day Foundation’s annual
celebration in Nebraska City, NE. The winner will also receive a $1,000 savings
bond and many other prizes.
To request a kit, contact Kay Antunez, contest coordinator, California Department
of Forestry and Fire Protection at (916) 653-7958 or
.
A gallery of posters submitted for the 2005 California contest can be viewed
at www.caltrees.org To find out more about Arbor Day, log on to The National
Arbor Day Foundation website at: www.arborday.org
DONORS
CHOOSE Teachers ask. People choose. Students learn. DonorsChoose is
a simple way to provide students in need with resources that our public
school often lacks. Here, teachers submit ideas for materials or experiences
that their students need to learn. Individuals can choose a project and
make it a classroom reality. For more information, visit http://www.donorschoose.org/.
NOTE: these
would be great for outdoor school projects that could tie
in to pre and post lessons back in the classroom or stand alone! Check it
out - webmaster
HOBOs for Science teachers! "HOBOs" as
in HOBO data loggers: the easy to use portable data logger that measures
temperature, relative
humidity and light over time. We loan out Indoor and Outdoor HOBOs for Free for
2 months to US K-12 teachers and students. You can borrow a HOBO online for
any two months this school year.
The Instant HOBO Loaner form takes 2 minutes and there are over 100 FREE labs
for every grade level on the www.iscienceproject.com web
site. It is easy, fun, proven to improve test scores and
best of all, it's FREE! Go for it, you and your students will have a great
experience! Read more about this offer here
I
LOVE SCHOOLS! iLoveSchools.com
is a free matchmaking service - for education. School teachers request
materials and supplies while potential donors search for a teacher in need
of their gifts of money or, new and used goods. iLoveSchools.com supports
any institution that educates children, including preschools, home schools
and private schools. http://www.iloveschools.com/
Freecycle -
this is a great resource to find all kinds of free stuff you might just be
able
to use for your school and/or outdoor program! It's a great way to get rid
of stuff you no longer need, as well. Freecycle communities are all over
the country, and basically it's one giant community swap meet where everything
is free!
Save The Rainforest, Inc.Offering
trips, courses and travel to the tropics for school groups. It's not just
an Adventure or Ecotour, it's a Call to Action.
Teachers who lead an expedition
will travel free. Students will learn about different cultures and
tropical ecosystems, AND participate in conservation projects that
will enhance their college resumes. Click Here for more information
California Building a Presence for Science (CABAP)
is launching a major drive to enlist a Point of Contact for Science in every
public and private school in the state. We currently have approximately 2,500
Points of Contact, and we want
to at least double that number. Sign up to be a Point of Contact (POC) for your
school or program and receive free books and materials and opportunities
for funding! Read more about it here.
Yes Magazine -
free to educators! YES! is an ad-free quarterly, filled with stories of
positive and practical solutions to current environmental and social justice
challenges.
Meeting
Standards Naturally - A new FREE CD-ROM
entitled "Meeting Standards Naturally" has been developed
for K-12 educators to promote academic excellence and environmental
literacy.
This was developed by the Environmental Education and Training
Partnership (EETAP) which
is funded by the U.S.
EPA's Office of Environmental Education. The 'Meeting Standards
Naturally CD discusses what "environmental literacy" means;
shows how using the environment as a context for learning can promote
academic achievement and help educators meet national and
state education standards;
and provides 43 sample K-12 curriculum activities that demonstrate
how environmental lessons can support specific grade level
education standards. Read more about this offer here
, 707/664-2249)