This summer, two of the New England National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRs) are offering 4-day “Teachers on the Estuary” (TOTE) professional development workshops. These research and field-based workshops, geared towards middle and high school teachers, are designed to improve teachers’ and students’ understanding of estuaries using local research examples. Find more information on their websites: Waquoit Bay NERR Cape Cod, MA (contact: Joan Muller, Education Coordinator) and Narragansett Bay NERR, RI: (contact: Maureen Dewire, Education Coordinator)
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Environmental Protection Agency Introduces Eco Student Blog
The EPA’s recently established The Eco Student Blog is an on-line place to read about what kids are doing to protect the environment. Teachers, students, parents are encouraged to pass along their favorite websites about nature, plants, or water for possible inclusion in a future blog entry. The blog also welcomes postings by kids 13 and up describing an environmental service project or other environment-related activity they are involved in. Contact Environmental Education and Outreach Coordinator Wendy Dew at dew.wendy@epa.gov, (303) 312-6605 (office) or (303) 532-7729 (cell) for more info.
Environmental Protection Agency Introduces Eco Student Blog
The EPA’s recently established The Eco Student Blog is an on-line place to read about what kids are doing to protect the environment. Teachers, students, parents are encouraged to pass along their favorite websites about nature, plants, or water for possible inclusion in a future blog entry. The blog also welcomes postings by kids 13 and up describing an environmental service project or other environment-related activity they are involved in. Contact Environmental Education and Outreach Coordinator Wendy Dew at dew.wendy@epa.gov, (303) 312-6605 (office) or (303) 532-7729 (cell) for more info.
New Physical Science Activities on the Hurricanes: Science and Society website
The Hurricanes: Science and Society website (HSS; http://www.hurricanescience.org) is one of the most comprehensive Internet resources on hurricanes. HSS provides important information on the science of hurricanes and their impacts on people, buildings, and the environment. HSS also gives educators the tools to develop curricula and education materials about the importance of hurricane pre-disaster planning.
The HSS team is excited to announce the availability of new, inquiry-based activities about wind in a hurricane, building a coastal home, and utilizing hurricane imagery. In addition, there is a new and updated list of hurricane links for educators. You are invited to explore these activities and other educational resources available on the HSS site. New content describing NASA aircraft reconnaissance, the hurricane forecast process, and hurricane research models has also been added to the website.
Information presented on the HSS website is based solely on published scientific research and has undergone thorough peer review by a panel of scientific experts. The HSS website and its associated materials have been developed by the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography with support from the National Science Foundation. To receive more information about the Hurricanes: Science and Society Project, please contact Holly Morin via email (hmorin@gso.uri.edu) .
CLEAN Pathway Project Interactive Webinar
The Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) Pathway project (http://www.cleanet.org/) is pleased to announce the third in our 2011-2012 professional development series of 2-hour interactive webinars to support secondary teachers who teach about climate and energy.
For middle and high school teachers, join us for a two hour interactive webinar on Tuesday, November 15th: “Teaching About Climate Literacy Essential Principle #3: Life on Earth depends on, is shaped by, and affects climate”, with content focused on the biosphere as a major driver of the carbon cycle and how changes in the carbon cycle impact ecosystems. Presenters will address key science concepts that are particularly difficult for students to understand, highlight common student misconceptions, and suggest ways to approach them in your teaching. Participants will also explore and discuss resources in the the CLEAN collection that speak to these difficult concepts.
Time – 4-6 pm Pacific | 5-7 pm Mountain | 6-8 pm Central | 7-9 pm Eastern. This event is free of charge but space is limited and registration is required. For details about this event and to register, go to http://www.cleanet.org/clean/community/webinars/IW3.html
Questions? Contact Marian Grogan at marian_grogan@terc.edu .
SENEME Hosts A Whale of a Tale Share-A-Thon
Dear Ocean Science and Environmental Educators,
The Southeastern New England Marine Educators (SENEME) are hosting a Whale of a Tale Share-a-Thon at this year’s NSTA Regional Conference in Hartford, CT on Thursday, October 27 from 3:30-4:30 in the Connecticut Convention Center.
The goal of the Share-a-Thon is to provide opportunities for conference participants to network, collect hands-on activities and take-home resources and learn about marine and aquatic programs available in the New England and Eastern New York region for teachers and students.
SENEME would like to extend an invitation to your organization to reserve a space to participate in this event. You must be a registered for the conference to participate. Please contact Lauren Rader (lrader@oceanology.org ) if you would like to take advantage of this opportunity to introduce your organization to New England/New York teachers.
Again, email lrader@oceanology.org to reserve your space.
Add your listing – Summer programs for teachers & students
The National Marine Educators Association features “summer opportunities for teachers” in the spring issue of NMEA News, and is soliciting listings. Submit opportunities for teachers and/or their students to johnette.bosarge@usm.edu or nmea@usm.edu, including: a 50- to 60-word paragraph describing the workshop or field trip, including a website for more information, and a contact person. Deadline for submissions is Friday, 2/5/10, to be published online in mid-March.
Exploring the Deep Ocean Online
A consortium of academic and cultural institutions, Fathom creates and share high-quality online learning experiences, from in-depth free seminars to shorter features, interviews, and articles. Their Exploring the Deep Ocean section includes materials from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the UK Natural History Museum, and Seminars in Marine Science and Oceanology include free multi-session courses on shark natural history and underwater bioacoustics.
Teen Ocean Summit
The New England Aquarium’s Teen Ocean Summit is a one-day opportunity for high school students to creatively address the challenges surrounding marine environmental issues. On March 31, 2010 in Waltham MA students will take on roles and work in teams to examine coastal planning. Based on teachers’ applications, six schools will be invited to bring up to 10 students each. Priority for attendance will go to classes that have not previously attended the Summit and inner-city schools, based on first-come, first-served application dates. To request an application and for more information, contact Vickie Cataldo at vcataldo@neaq.org or 617-973-0235.
Courses for Teachers – Cape Cod, MA
Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve’s professional development courses integrate science content, math applications, recent research results, and sample classroom lessons. Graduate credit is available from Framingham State College; please contact pat.harcourt@state.ma.us (508) 457-0495 x 106 for more information. To register, visit www.waquoitbayreserve.org and click on the link for the calendar, then scroll to the course dates and click on the course. Courses include:
Weather, Climate, and the Coast: best for teachers in grades 6 – 10; Saturday 1/23/10 8:30 – 5:00 and Sunday 1/24/10 11:30 – 4:00
Rocks, Sand, and Soil in Motion: best for teachers in grades 3 – 6; Saturday 2/1310 8:30 – 5:00 and Sunday 2/14/10 11:30 – 4:00
Salt Water Studies: Coastal Science Activities for the Classroom: best for teachers in grades 5 – 9; Saturday 2/27/10 8:30 – 5:00 and Sunday 2/28/10 11:30 – 4:00
Wings Over Water: best for teachers in grades 5 – 9; Tuesday 4/20/10 and Wednesday 4/21/10 9:00 – 3:30