DEC Teacher and Educator Spring Newsletter
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent this bulletin on 05/23/2018 01:20 PM EDT |
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DEC Teacher and Educator Spring Newsletter |
Welcome, Teachers & EducatorsYou all have signed up through DEC’s GovDelivery “teacher and educator listserv,” and this is the inaugural newsletter. You will find in each quarterly issue a main article on a relevant education or environmental topic, such as today’s article on the New York Connect Kids to Parks Field Trip Grants Program, a highlight of an online resource to help you in your teachings, educator tips or resources, possibly research on environmental education, and a listing of upcoming workshops and professional development opportunities. Please feel free to reach out to us with resources, tips, comments or questions at EdProfDevel@dec.ny.gov, and we look forward to providing you with more environmental education information throughout the year! Sincerely, DEC’s Environmental Education Staff Calling all NY State School Teachers and After School Program Leaders!The New York Connect Kids to Parks Field Trip Grant Program will refund up to $1,000 of field trip costs per classroom, per trip to DEC or State Parks land. Grants are available on a first come, first served basis. Grants refund field trip costs including transportation, program fees, entry fees, and/or pavilion fees, but cannot reimburse chaperones who travel separately. Students can explore New York's natural and historic heritage by planning now and booking your field trip to a state park, state park nature center, state historic site or DEC environmental education center, fish hatchery, or other DEC lands! Bring geology and earth systems alive for fourth graders at Clark Reservation where they can see New York Science Learning Standards 4-ESSS-1 for themselves as they look at what ice ages do to the earth’s surface. Or, take eight students to Ganondagan State Historic Site to learn first-hand about New York Social Studies Learning Standard 8.2e. Or, spend an overnight at Allegany State Park and introduce new physical activities to your students such as snowshoeing or hiking. This program is available to any public school in a district with a Title 1 school (grades pre-K through 12 including school-sponsored clubs). Also, Advantage After School Programs, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Empire State After School Programs, and municipal recreation programs in communities with Title 1 schools are eligible to apply. Learn more at Connect Kids to Parks Field Trip Grant Program and view the application online. If you have questions, please call (518) 474-6736.
I Bird NY Beginners Birding ChallengeHappy Spring! The return of warmer weather means we are also welcoming back many species of birds. DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos recently announced the birding challenge for 2018 through the State’s I BIRD NY program. I BIRD NY was launched by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo in 2017 to build on the State's efforts to increase access to New York's vast natural resources and promote low-cost opportunities to explore the great outdoors and connect with nature. To help encourage young people to get outdoors, DEC is hosting an I BIRD NY Beginners Birding Challenge open to anyone 16 years of age and younger. All participants will receive a completion certificate, an official I BIRD NY bracelet, and be entered to win birding accessories, including binoculars and spotting scopes. To complete the Beginners Birding Challenge, participants must find 10 common New York bird species. For bird information at your fingertips, check out Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s redesigned All About Birds page. The site has been optimized for mobile devices, so it’s easy to take with you on a hike or in the school yard! You’ll find information on bird identification, songs and calls, habits and range. There are backyard tips and cool facts for each bird, so you’ll be an expert in no time (or at least sound like one!) Check out All About Birds to learn more about an old favorite or a new discovery! We want to hear from you! If you’d like to recommend an online resource, please e-mail EdProfDevel@dec.ny.gov. Educator TipsIf you have Educator Tips you’d like to share, please submit to: EdProfDevel@dec.ny.gov. Looking for pre-tested lesson plans on environmental topics? Visit some of the below links to see if any meet your needs!
Research Involving Environmental EducationMore, not less, time learning outdoors, may be key to student engagement Do you worry that taking your students outdoors during the school day may lead to wild and unfocused behavior for the rest of the afternoon? A new study published in Frontiers in Psychology shows that holding lessons outdoors can lead to positive behavioral changes during subsequent classroom lessons. Two third grade classes were observed for 10 weeks learning different topics. They found that, after spending time outdoors, student engagement in classroom lessons increased. Additionally, following the lessons in nature, a significant decrease in interruptions from students during classroom teaching was shown. You can read the study, titled Do Lessons in Nature Boost Subsequent Classroom Engagement? Refueling Students in Flight, online. Upcoming Workshops and TrainingsProject WILD (K-12) Flying WILD Project WILD Project Learning Tree and Reflecting on Practice Professional Development Institutes for Teachers & Educators Western NY Summer Teacher Institute: Warming Up to Climate Change Bronx Summer Teacher Institute: Exploring Bronx Forests
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| Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor * Basil Seggos, Commissioner | |