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 eachmonth’s publication!
In This Issue:
USEE News
Community Corner
Environmental Education News
Educator’s Corner
USEE News
USEE Job Announcement!
Director of Programs and Professional Services
Deadline to apply: July 14th
USEE is seeking a highly motivated and committed individual to fill the Director of Programs and Professional Services position. This position will develop and implement yearly action plans, coordinate committees and manage program implementation including Annual Environmental Education Conference, Educator Workshops, Utah Environmental Education Certification Program, Teacher Resource Center, Utah Project Learning Tree, Great Basin Earth Institute, and other special projects, and develop networking and communications initiatives to further promote quality and effective environmental education efforts in Utah. For more information about this position and desired qualifications, please visit http://www.usee.org/eeinfo/jobs.html or contact sommer@usee.org.
Call For Proposals!
Deadline August 1st
USEE’s 17th Annual Utah Environmental Education Conference and 25th Anniversary Celebration!
Save the Date! The Utah Annual Environmental Education (EE) Conference will be held on November 9th –11th at Ogden Nature Center in Ogden, UT. We are looking for presenters to submit proposals for the following five workshop strands:
- Arts & Culture and EE~ music, drama, photography, crafts, storytelling, weaving, or journaling
- Business of EE ~ fundraising, volunteer management, team building, or partnership development
- EE Trends & Techniques ~ assessment, state standards, or teaching techniques
- People and the Environment ~ interconnection of environment, history, people, & culture. This year’s focus will be on Energy and Communities
- Outdoor Education ~ flora, fauna, earth & sky, outdoor survival skills, orienteering, edible plants, primitive tool making, or tracking
Special Thanks
USEE would like to thank our newest Institutional Member: Utah Population and Environment Coalition
Community Corner
Upcoming Events
Voluntary Simplicity Course - Introductory Session
June 20th, SLC Main Library, Conference Room C
The Great Basin Earth Institute will be holding its first summer session for the popular Voluntary Simplicity course, Tuesday, June 20th at 6:30pm in the Salt Lake City Main library in Conference Room C. Anyone interested in joining an enlightening discussion circle to learn how to lead a more simplified life is encouraged to attend! For more details on this course and others, please contact Marie at 801.328.1549 or marie@usee.org or visit http://www.usee.org/services/GBEI/home.htm for details.
Evenings in the Garden – Utah House
Wednesday Nights, Kaysville, UT
Join the Utah House for an evening walk in their garden. Utah House and landscape will be open to the public late from 5-8pm. Staff and volunteer guides will be available to answer questions and give tours. Visit http://utahbotanicalcenter.org//Calendar_Jun.html for more information.
Raptors of the Wetlands
June 28th-30th, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, UT
Hawkwatch International and the Division of Wildlife Resources will be investigating wetland habitats through experiments and activities at Farmington Bay. This workshop is designed for ages 10-14. Visit http://www.hawkwatch.org/upcoming_events.php for details.
Wildflower Wednesdays
July 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th, Cottonwood Canyons, UT
Join a volunteer naturalist with the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation this summer for a casual stroll through the Wasatch Mountains and wildflowers. Visit http://www.cottonwoodcanyons.org/calendar/index.htm for reservation details and a list of more events.
Zion Canyon Field Institute Summer Workshops & Events
Zion National Park, UT
Various summer workshops, classes, and treks are available at the Zion Canyon Field Institute. If you are interested in exploring the area, understanding its flora and fauna, listening to nature at night, or learning about nature photography, check out http://www.zionpark.org/ for a list of events.
Hogle Zoo Happenings
June & July, Salt Lake City, UT
Check out the Hogle Zoo’s calendar for a variety of events and fun this summer where you can learn about pachyderms and reptiles, take a field trip, or sign-up for Zoo camp. Visit www.hoglezoo.org for details.
Community News
Congratulations to the Winning Team at Utah’s 2006 Envirothon Competition!
Each year, both the Utah Association of Conservation Districts and Natural Resource Conservation Service sponsor the Utah Envirothon where students are tested for two days regarding their knowledge of Forestry, Soils, Wildlife, Aquatic Ecology, and a current issue such as Climate Change. This year, the Mountain Crest team won first place and will represent Utah at the Canon National Envirothon in Winnipeg, Manitoba on July 21-29. The program is ideal for teaching principles of stewardship and problem-solving in a world of increasing populations and shrinking natural resources. Good Luck to team Mountain Crest at Nationals!
Did You Know..?
How much water do you use?
Brushing Teeth – 5 gallons per minute (running water) - Dripping Faucet – 10-20 gallons per day
- Flushing Toilet – 5-7 gallons per flush
- Taking a Bath – 30-40 gallons
- Taking a Shower – 5-7 gallons per minute
- Using a Dishwasher – 15-25 gallon per load
- Washing a Car – 30-40 gallons
- Washing Laundry – 20-40 gallons per load
- Watering the Lawn – 5-10 gallons per minute
Check out these websites to learn more about how you can conserve water!
http://www.conservewater.utah.gov/Tips/TipsList.asp?ShowAll
http://extension.usu.edu/drought/landscape.cfm
http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/100ways/se.shtml
Environmental Education News & Events
Local
Wings and Water: Integrating your Wetlands Fieldtrip into the Classroom, Educator Workshop
August 5, Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve Visitor Center
The Nature Conservancy’s Wings and Water Program is a FREE full-day comprehensive wetlands education workshop for 4th grade educators that will reveal the inside scoop to Utah’s wetlands. The workshop includes pre- and post-tour activities meeting 4th grade science standards for wetland education, a guided tour of the preserve, and a Student Discovery Guide. Visit www.nature.org/wingsandwater for details.
Lakeside Learning: Using Great Salt Lake as an Outdoor Classroom
August 12, 2006
Using the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem as the focus of study, FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake is offering a unique place-based educational approach to learn how to plan and implement positive educational field experiences at the Great Salt Lake. This full-day workshop will include a direct on-site overview as well as specific activities of the Great Salt Lake. Visit www.fogsl.org for more information.
Regional
Wildlife Diseases: A Wild II Workshop
July 10-11, Fort Collins, CO
Any 5th- through 12th-grade educators may attend this workshop and learn how to bring science standards to life with the study of wildlife diseases (Chronic Wasting Disease, West Nile Virus, and Whirling Disease)! Activities you can do with your students will be incorporated throughout the workshop. The registration deadline is June 30. Contact Lisa Evans at 970.472.4343 for details.
NEED Energy Conference
July 9-13, Denver, CO
The National Energy Education Development Project invites educators to attend an energizing conference providing training and materials to implement hands-on energy units in the classroom. If interested, please visit www.need.org for more information.
National
Exploring the Landscapes of Environmental Thought
July 10-28, Missoula, MT
The Center for Ethics at the University of Montana Environmental Ethics Institute will be featuring courses, field trips, and evening panel discussions and lectures that are open to students, interested professionals, and the general public. Visit http://www.umt.edu/ethics.
NAAEE 35th Annual Conference
October 10th – 14th (conference), October 14th (breakout sessions), 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 can be integrated into facing challenges found in our education systems and natural resource conservation. Not only can you enjoy the benefits of the conference, but you can also attend specific breakout sessions to discover fresh ideas, update teaching skills, explore ways to address state and national standards through practical sessions and take-home tools, receive teaching resources, listen to keynote speaker Will Steger, and network with other educators. To register, visit www.naaee.org.
Educator’s Corner
Professional Development/ Training Opportunities
Grant Workshop – EPA Region 8
June 28th, Denver, CO
The EPA is presenting a grant workshop, which will explore various aspects of competitive grant writing, offer administrative grant information, and advise about different grant programs EPA offers which target nonprofits, tribal entities, academia, and state and local governments. To learn more about this opportunity, please visit www.epa.gov/region8.
Science Center Summer Education
Summer 2006, Cordova, Alaska
Prince William Sound Science Center offers summer education programs for youth and adults in the heart of the Copper River Delta. Programs include weekend workshops, overnight youth camps, and a teacher workshop with credit available from the University of Alaska Anchorage. Visit http://www.pwssc.gen.ak.us/pwssc/educ/education.shtml.
Teacher Resources
An Elementary Children’s Field Guide To Antelope Island
This field guide was recently developed as a part of the 2005-2006 Environmental Think Tank through the University of Utah Honors Program. This field guide is a great tool full of activities that teach kids about the island’s history, plants and wildlife, and intricacies of the surrounding lake! Copies are available at USEE’s Teacher Resource Center, and will soon be available online at http://www.honors.utah.edu/envtt.
Learning Science Interactives
FREE Web interactives are available online at the learningscience.org site. These interactives are adapted for the classroom in various areas of science studies listed by learning standards for grades K-4 and 5-12, and contain link to lesson plans, data collection, imaging, and more! Visit http://www.learningscience.org/.
NWF Magazine Articles Connecting People to Nature
The National Wildlife Federation's June/July edition of National Wildlife Magazine features some great articles including "Nature and Child Reunion," an article by celebrated author Richard Louv; "Gardening for Life;" and "Inviting the Outdoors In" focusing on connecting people to nature. Visit http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/ to read on!
Grants & Awards
Road Scholar Teacher Award
Deadline: June 30th
If you are an extraordinary and active teacher, principle, librarian, superintendent, school nurse, or guidance counselor with a minimum of 20 years K-12 experience, you are eligible to win up to $7,000 toward any continuing education program in the U.S. To learn more about this award or to submit an entry, visit www.roadscholar.org.
Captain Planet Foundation Grants
Deadline: June 30th
The Captain Planet Foundation will award grants up to $2,500 to support hands-on environmental projects for children and youth. The foundation's objective is to encourage innovative programs that empower children and youth around the world to work individually and collectively to solve environmental problems in their neighborhoods and communities. For more information, visit http://www.captainplanetfdn.org/.
Request for Nominations for EPA’s Regional External Awards Program
Deadline: July 12th
This program gives the opportunity to recognize individuals or groups that have made exceptional contributions to improving the environment. If you are interested in nominating, please visit http://www.epa.gov/region8/awards.html for details.
Edith Stevens Groundwater Educator Award
Deadline: July 14
Any educators who understand the importance of groundwater, motivate others to protect groundwater, and lead by personal example are invited to apply for this award. Those actively involved with the implementation and delivery of groundwater education programs are eligible. Visit http://www.groundwater.org/aw/edithabout.html for details.
WGU Scholarship
Deadline: July 15th
Any currently certified K-12 educators in Utah are encouraged to apply for the WGU Scholarship, an award of up to $4,000. The Internet-based Western Governors University (WGU) has scholarships designed to help educators earn a Master’s degree on their own schedule while still continuing to teach. For more information or an application, visit http://www.wgu.edu/utsmay.
EE Jobs
Director of Programs and Professional Services– USEE
Please see description in USEE news or visit http://www.usee.org/eeinfo/jobs.html for more information.
Executive Director – TreeUtah
TreeUtah is seeking a full-time Executive Director who will be dedicated to improving Utah’s quality of life by enhancing the environment through tree planting, stewardship, and education. The Executive Director is expected to financially support the organization by building its membership base, writing grants, and implementing other creative funding strategies. For a more detailed job description, visit www.treeutah.org.
Seasonal Education Coordinator – The Cottonwood Canyons Foundation
This is a full-time summer position beginning mid-June with the potential to last through September. Some of the major duties include assisting the general public, coordinating and managing volunteer naturalists, leading interpretive walk and talks, and assisting with event and program planning. For more information, visit www.cottonwoodcanyons.org or contact Patrick Nelson at pn@cottonwoodcanyons.org.
Summer Job Opportunities for Interpreters
Thousand Trails Management Services, Inc. has openings for interpreters to provide programs at 16 different campgrounds in the Arapaho/Roosevelt National Forest and White River National Forest in Colorado. For more information, contact Greg & Yvonne Burton at 970-389-8865 or burtcoug@psnw.com.
For more EE jobs, please visit http://www.usee.org/eeinfo/jobs.html