Welcome to the Utah Society for Environmental Education (USEE) E-Newsletter! This publication exists to connect educators and our community with valuable news, information, and opportunities! Whether you are an educator, business owner, agency personnel, or a concerned citizen, we hope that you will find something useful and interesting in each month’s publication!
USEE News
New Utah Conservation Corp/Americorps Volunteer
USEE is proud to welcome Marie Kay, our new Education and Outreach Coordinator! Marie has a B.A. in Anthropology and Psychology, which led her to pursue primate fieldwork in Costa Rica for the past year. She is excited to join USEE’s team this year and hopes to promote positive perspectives toward Utah’s environment. For more information on the Utah Conservation Corp Program, visit http://www.usu.edu/ucc.
Upcoming Events
Educator Workshop
Project WET/ Project Learning Tree
March 22-23, Jordanelle State Park, UT
This two-day workshop is geared toward training educators to use PLT and Project WET materials in their classrooms. If you are interested in learning more and attending these workshops, please contact Nicol Gagstetter at nicol@usee.org or call (801) 328-1549 for more information
Special Thanks
USEE would like to thank Kennecott Land Company for becoming a “Partner in Environmental Education” and the City of Logan Environmental Department for renewing their institutional membership. For more information about joining USEE, please visit http://www.usee.org/about/membership.html
Community Corner
Upcoming Events
Swaner Nature Preserve
If you enjoy constellations, nocturnal wildlife, hot cocoa, and snow, then the Swaner Nature Preserve’s Winter Stargazing Snowshoe Excursion is just the thing for you. Excursions are held from January-March 24, so check it out before it’s too late! Please visit www.swanernaturepreserve.org for more details.
Local Gardening Events
Spring is on its way! For all of our green thumbs or anyone interested in learning more about gardening techniques, various workshops and classes are offered by a number of local organizations. Visit their online event calendars for more information.
Red Butte Gardens: www.redbuttegarden.org
Wasatch Community Gardens: www.wasatchgardens.org
Ogden Nature Center: www.ogdennaturecenter.org
Solar Energy Workshop
April 17-22, SLC, UT
Interested in learning about photovoltaic (PV) technology? If you want to know how to utilize solar power for electricity through practical design and installation of PV systems, register for the exciting 6-day workshop held at the SLC Energy Office. For more details see www.solarenergy.org or contact SEI at (970) 963-8855 or sei@solarenergy.org.
Earth Day 2006 Celebrations on April 22nd
Salt Lake City:
Earth Day is on its way! The SLC Earth Day celebration will be held at Library Plaza on April 22, 11am-4pm. Email Allison Jarvis at AJarvis@slco.org for details.
Ogden:
The Ogden Nature Center will also be holding an Earth Day celebration from 12-4pm on April 22. Visit www.ogdennaturecenter.org for details.
6th Biennial Great Salt Lake Issues Forum
May 4, 5, and 6, SLC and Brigham City, UT
To learn more about the research and efforts being made on range-wide migratory bird conservation and the role our Great Salt Lake plays in its preservation, be a part of the Great Salt Lake Issues Forum this May! For more details, visit www.fogsl.org or call (801) 593-5593.
Weed Warriors Needed
This summer, the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation needs help pulling invasive weeds in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons. The foundation is looking for groups, schools, organizations and businesses of 15-30 people to help (all training, tools, and supervision provided). To schedule your weed pull, contact Patrick Nelson at (801) 947-8263 or pn@cottonwoodcanyons.org.
Community News
Kudos to Patti Tanner-White and her sixth grade class at Morningside Elementary who helped to promote energy efficiency through the ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World Campaign. Ms. Tanner-White’s worked in collaboration with Utah Clean Energy and the US EPA ENERGY STAR Program to distribute 500 compact fluorescent light bulbs and get members of the community to sign the “Change a Light, Change the World” pledge. The class took part in Governor Huntsman’s declaration of October 5th, 2005, as “Change a Light, Change the World Day” for the state of Utah. Students presented the Governor with a compact fluorescent light bulb and a copy of the ENERGY STAR Change a Light pledge at the declaration signing. Students educated friends, families, and their communities about the importance of energy efficiency to create a more sustainable future. For more information about this program, visit www.utahcleanenergy.org and www.epa.gov.
Skull Valley Nuclear Waste Storage Site
The Skull Valley Band of Goshutes have been granted permission to use their reservation, just 80 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, as a temporary radioactive nuclear waste storage site for up to 40 years. The $3 billion operation would require 840 acres of land with 4,000 above ground casks to hold forty thousand metric tons of spent nuclear fuel. An undisclosed amount of money would go to the Goshute tribe, which could aid in various community projects such as housing, schools, health care, and employment opportunities. This project is still under debate due to a range of concerns including contamination leaks and transportation of large amounts of radioactive materials. To learn more about these issues, please visit the following sources:
- http://www.nrc.gov/
- http://www.skullvalleygoshutes.org/
- http://www.time.com/time/insidebiz/article/0,9171,1169904,00.html
Did You Know..?
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are over 100 nuclear power plants in the US that are currently operating. These plants provide the US with over 20 percent of its total electricity demands. Worldwide, there are nearly 450 nuclear power plants that supply about 23 percent of the world's electricity. For more information on nuclear power plants, environmental benefits and impacts, check out the following websites:
Nuclear Energy Institute, www.nei.org, U.S. Department of Energy, www.doe.gov, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov, http://library.thinkquest.org/3471/nuclear_waste_body.html)
Environmental Education News & Events
Setting High Standards: EE Builds a Home in Teacher Education Accreditation
The article, "Setting High Standards: EE Builds a Home in Teacher Education Accreditation," features the work being done by NAAEE to have environmental education incorporated into the accreditation of teacher preparation programs. Educators may read the article online or download it onto their computer. The web addresses for the article is:
http://eetap.org/pages/fetch.php?fid=accreditation.pdf@pdf_url.
Local
Project WET-Discover a Watershed: The Colorado Workshop
April 1, Moab, UT
A free, 8-hour Project WET workshop will be held from 9-5 pm at the Arches National Park Visitor Center. The workshop will focus on the Colorado River Watershed for any teacher, educator, or interpreter working with grades 5-12. Call Carrie Nuoffer at (435) 587-2737 or email Carrie_Nuoffer@nps.gov for more details.
Utah NAME 6th Annual Conference – “Save the Date!!”
April 28 & 29, Salt Lake City, UT
Join the Utah chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education at its Educators for Diversity Conference on April 28 & 29 at Highland High School in SLC, UT. Keynote speakers Gary Howard and Dr. Paul Gorski will speak about multicultural issues in education. For more information, visit www.educatorsfordiversity.usu.edu.
Regional
Project Learning Tree Workshop
March 11, Salida, CO
This workshop is available for any interested educators. Participants can take home Elementary and/or HS PLT guides with activities that teach about forest and fire ecology. An optional 1/2 credit is available from the Colorado School of Mines. For more information, contact Jill Rolak at jmrolak@hotmail.com or call (719) 539-3983.
Teaching OUTSIDE the Box Conference-Creative Uses of Nature in Education
April 28-30, Winter Park, CO
This conference will be focusing on a number of topics such as EE trends and techniques, outdoor skills, stewardship, grant writing, and much more. Up to 1.5 recertification credits are available. For more information, contact the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) at (303) 273-9527 or visit www.caee.org.
Bugs with an Attitude: Biological Control of Weeds
June 27-29, Boise, ID
“Bugs with an Attitude: Biological Control of Weeds” is a class directed toward secondary or upper elementary teachers from Utah, Nevada, Idaho, western Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota. Scholarships are available for travel and lodging. Contact Linda Ries at laries@fs.fed.us or (801) 625-5254 for more information.
National
NAAEE 35th Annual Conference
October 10 - 14, 2006 St. Paul, MN
Join the NAAEE for their annual conference, "Gathering at the Headwaters: Building EE in Society," this October to examine how the role of EE and can be integrated into facing challenges found in our education systems and natural resource conservation.
For more information, visit http://naaee.org.
EEAW Annual Conference
March 23-25, Spokane Valley, Washington
This conference is for any teacher interested in learning how to incorporate EE into his or her classroom. More details on the “Reconnect with Nature: Restore, Renew, and Reignite” conference can be found at www.eeaw.org/conference.
2006 Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
April 1-3, Chicago, IL
Registration is open for the 2006 Annual Conference & Exhibit Show, “Constructing the Future, Challenging the Past: Excellence in Learning, Teaching, and Leadership.” It will be held at the Lakeside Center at McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. Please visit www.ascd.org for details and registration, email the ASCD Service Center at member@ascd.org, or call 1-800-933-2723, then press 2.
NSTA 54th National Conference on Science Education
April 6-9, Anaheim, CA
To learn what’s in store for the Anaheim National Conference on Science Education, and to register, visit www.nsta.org/conventiondetail&Meeting_Code=2006ANA.
Educator’s Corner
Professional Development/ Training Opportunities
Eno-Environment Program ~ Online
Deadline: March 31, 2006
ENO-Environment Online is a free, international Web school for teachers and students interested in environmental issues and global education, administrated by the city of Joensuu, Finland. Themes include local community issues, climate change, ecological footprint, and traditional food. Visit http://eelink.net/cgi-bin/ee-link/newclick/310350.
AP Environmental Science (APES) Institute
June 19-23, University of Northern Colorado
Involve yourself in the AP Environmental Science Institute to develop or expand an effective APES Program. Institute includes, but is not limited to discussions of Urban vs. Rural environmental science, and a field trip to Grassland Environmental Center. For more information visit http://ap.unco.edu/Pages/Env%20Science.htm.
Field Seminars in Rocky Mountain National Park
Summer, 2006
Photography, natural and cultural history, artistic techniques, and kids’ half-day and multi-day classes are available this summer. All are eligible for teacher recertification credit, and many are available for undergraduate or graduate credit through CSU. Visit www.rmna.org, email fieldseminars@rmna.org, or call 970-586-0108 for more details.
(Source: http://www.rmna.org)
Professional Development Research Study
Northwestern University (NU) and University of Michigan (U of M) are offering a unique professional development opportunity for environmental science teachers at schools that adopted the Investigations in Environmental Science Curriculum in the 2006/07 or 2007/08 academic year. Teachers who participate in this study will receive 48 hours of varying types of professional development along with a $1500.00 stipend upon completion. If interested, contact m-bruozas@northwestern.edu.
(Source: www.geode.northwestern.edu/ies)
Environmental-Ed Listserv
The Environmental-Ed listserv is a group email communication tool for environmental education professionals, students, job seekers, or anyone interested in joining the EE discussion. To subscribe to the Environmental-Ed listserv, send a blank email to environmental-ed-subscribe@caee.org, or visit www.caee.org for more information.
Teacher Resources
Advancing Education Through Environmental Literacy
EETAP has reprinted its version of "Advancing Education Through Environmental Literacy". The publication, which includes a CD-ROM, is now available again at no cost from EETAP. The publication focuses on how education and the environment can be linked to advance student learning. To order or download a copy, visit the EETAP web site at www.eetap.org. Free copies are also available through USEE, www.usee.org or call (801) 328-1549.
(Source: The EETAP Bulletin – January 2006 Vol. 6 (3))
EE Resource Guides on CD
The Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA) has introduced its award-winning Environmental Education Resource Guides (EERGs) on CD. It provides K-5 teachers with background information, fact sheets, glossaries, and 50 lesson plans on several air and water pollution/protection topics. Go to http://eelink.net/cgi-bin/ee-link/newclick/310363.
(Source http://eelink.net)
Renewable Energy: POWERful Choices
This web-based program for middle school students is an electronic field trip produced in conjunction with Distance Learning Integrators and the Bureau of Land Management. It focuses on the role and development of renewable resources on public lands. For more information and registration, visit www.eFieldTrips.org/energy.
National Science Teacher Association Online Resource
If bringing interesting science news into your classroom is a part of your teaching strategy, NSTA's SciLinks teacher-approved online service has several grade-specific websites and resources to expand your lessons without spending hours searching the web.
Grades:
K-4 http://www.scilinks.org/retrieve_outside.asp?sl=638234471421103310661011
5-8 http://www.scilinks.org/retrieve_outside.asp?sl=638234471455103310661011
9-12 http://www.scilinks.org/retrieve_outside.asp?sl=638234471499103310661011
(Source: http://www.scilinks.org)
Live from Nebraska-Crane Cam
The Crane Cam sits in the middle of the Platte River at Nebraska’s Rowe Sanctuary. For educational activities and web videos on sandhill cranes, migration, and the importance of the Platte River, visit http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/cranecam/kids.html.
Energy Resources
This British site lists different kinds of renewable and nonrenewable energy resources. It also explains the function, advantages, and disadvantages of each resource. The language and explanations used at the site are most appropriate for middle school and high school students. Visit http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg.
National Geographic Ednet Resource Library
Various teaching materials and resources such as lesson plans, news articles, classroom companions, photos, and videos can be found through www.ngsednet.org/index.cfm.
Grants & Awards
Captain Planet Foundation
Deadlines: March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31
Captain Planet Foundation awards are between $500 and $2,500 for schools and nonprofit organizations that develop innovative environmental projects for youth that promote cooperation, planning, and problem-solving skills. Visit http://eelink.net/cgi-bin/ee-link/newclick/310348 for more information.
2006 State-Fish Art Contest
Deadline: March 31, 2006
Students across the US have the opportunity to win national recognition and prizes while learning about their local state-fish and the conservation of aquatic habitats. The 8th Annual Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest is open to all students in grades 4-12. To enter, young artists nationwide create an illustration of their state-fish, and write a composition on its behavior, habitat, and conservation. Educators can visit www.statefishart.com for complete details and to download the free lesson plan!
Wild Gift Wilderness Experience
Deadline: April 1, 2006
The Wild Gift is a 17-month wilderness experience for five students and young professionals, ages 18-30. Apply for the Wild Gift of $11,000-$14,000 by writing a personal vision and proposal for a one-year leadership action project focused on the environment and community. Visit www.wildgift.org for more details.
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
Deadline: April 3, 2006
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes seeks nominations for its 2006 awards. The Barron Prize honors young people, ages 8-18, who have shown leadership and courage in public service to people and our planet. Each year, ten national winners each receive $2,000 to support their service work or higher education. For more information and to nominate, visit http://www.barronprize.org.
The Hitachi Foundation Yoshiyama Award
Deadline: April 3, 2006
This award for exemplary service to the community is awarded to ten high school seniors nationwide, who have displayed exemplary service and community involvement. Visit http://www.hitachifoundation.org/yoshiyama/index.html.
Save Our History-Preservation Grant Program and Teacher and Student Honors
Deadline: April 7 & June 2, 2006
Up to $5,000 will be awarded to history organizations to fund preservation projects developed with local schools or youth groups and to honor teachers and students who demonstrate a commitment to history education and historic preservation. Visit www.saveourhistory.com for more information. (Source: http://fdncenter.org)
Brower Youth Award
Deadline: April 15, 2006
The Brower Youth Award is designed to call forth a new generation of leaders by recognizing the outstanding leadership efforts of six young people from across the country that are working toward conservation, preservation, and restoration for the earth and community. The award is open to young activist leaders, ages 13-22, as of July 1, 2006. For more information, please visit www.earthisland.org/bya.
Nature of Learning Start-Up Grants for Environmental Education Programs
Deadline: April 17, 2006
Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis to support
start-up expenses associated with new programs. In addition, grants up to
$3,000 will be awarded on a comprehensive basis to provide continued support
to existing Nature of Learning Programs. Please visit http://www.nfwf.org/programs/tnol.cfm for more information.
ING Unsung Heroes Awards
Deadline: May 2006
Are you a K-12 educator who has developed an effective project, teaching method or technique to improve your students’ learning? If you are, then you should apply for the ING Unsung Heroes Award. Every year, 100 finalists are awarded $2,000, and become eligible to win an additional award of $5,000, $10,000, or $25,000. Visit the ING website for more details and an application form at http://www.ing-usa.com.
(Source: http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=126000030)
EE Jobs
AmeriCorps Volunteer Job Opportunity at TreeUtah
TreeUtah is seeking applicants for a Youth Education Coordinator and Permaculture Demonstration Project Assistant. This position will include a monthly living stipend and an education award in exchange for 900 hours of service (approximately 35-40 hours per week for six months). For more information and a full job description visit http://www.usee.org/eeinfo/jobs.html or contact TreeUtah at (801) 364-2122.
Education Assistant at Red Butte Garden
Do you enjoy working with a variety of young audiences, teaching about horticulture and ecology, and providing entertaining activities for children? This seasonal position will include a salary of $8 to $9/hr at 30 hours/week from March 13-October 31, 2006. For a complete job description visit www.usee.org/eeinfo/jobs.html.
Coordinator of Education Programs at Utah State University Water Quality Extension
Utah State University Water Quality Extension is seeking a full time Education Coordinator to begin work as soon as possible. This person will oversee existing watershed and water quality programs, as well as help in development of new materials. The position will remain open until filled. For a full job description and application, visit https://jobs.usu.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=113984941727, click on search postings, search for Coordinator I or II in the Aquatics, Watershed and Earth Resources (AWER) Department and follow the online instructions.
Education Coordinator, Ogden Nature Center
The Ogden Nature Center is seeking a full-time Education Coordinator to manage entire educational effort, including current staff of 4 teacher/naturalists, contract staff, and a wide variety of programs and partnerships. Applicants must hold a BS degree or higher, with preference given to degrees in environmental education, elementary education, or science related fields and at least 3 years related experience. Send cover letter, resume and list of references to Mary McKinley, Ogden Nature Center, 966 West 12th Street, Ogden, Utah 84404-5410 or email mmckinley@ogdennaturecenter.org. Additional information about the Ogden Nature Center is available at www.ogdennaturecenter.org