Last nights Planet Stewards Book Club meeting was a Hoot! But don't worry if you missed it! Our next get together will be on 

Monday, October 18th at 8:00 pm ET

to discuss the non-fiction book: 

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster

by Bill Gates

"It’s Gate's engineering brain and mode of thinking that he brings to bear on climate change in this book. He delivers a sober analysis of the major components of greenhouse gas emissions and how we get to net zero by removing 51 billion tons of CO2-equivalent emissions per year, It won't be easy, but it's possible. 

Find all upcoming Planet Stewards book selections and Book Club meeting dates here.

The discussion is open to all.

To join, just dial 866-662-7513 (toll free!), then, use the pass code: 1170791#

Share this invitation with all interested colleagues and networks.

Tish Manning has been teaching for 25 years at the elementary and middle school level. She has dedicated the last 5 years to helping students learn how to protect the ocean. Her work earned the New England Aquarium’s School Group award for Ocean Stewardship in 2019 and two Planet Stewards grants. One such project, BRRRR (Belfast Refuse Reduce Reuse Recycle), is composed of a group of dedicated third, fourth and fifth graders who volunteer their time to reduce waste in the school to protect the ocean. Read more about it here.

• Fall Seasonal Safety Campaign – On September 1st - The first day of Meteorological Fall - NOAA's National Weather Service launched its Fall Seasonal Safety Campaign. Check out and share these important resources and tips with everyone!
  
  
• Tagging White Sharks  – Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary scientists, with partners from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, tagged white sharks for the first time in the sanctuary. The sharks were feeding on the carcass of a humpback whale. This unique opportunity allowed scientists to tag five sharks with acoustic tags that emit a unique signal every 60-100 seconds. NOAA and collaborators are investigating the cause of death for the humpback whale. Watch this video to learn more about it.

Prior to the early 1900s, the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument was home to five species of songbirds that were found nowhere else in the world. There of these species remain. Join  Dr. Sheldon Plentovich as she shares her experience and hope for the future of these amazing birds. Register for the webinar here.

----------------------------------------------------

 NOAA has many different roles in oil spill preparedness, prevention, response, damage assessment, and restoration. Fulfilling these roles in Alaska and the Arctic requires specialized information, knowledge, tools, and products tailored to the environment and resources in the region. Find out recent and ongoing research that enhances NOAA's ability to provide scientific support for oil spill response and protect, assess, and restore marine and coastal habitats, fish, and wildlife in Alaska. Sign up here for the various webinars in the Alaska and the Arctic Seminar Series.

----------------------------------------------------

23 September 2021   |   3:30 pm - 4 pm ET

This talk will discuss the many different aspects of debris efforts in Alaska, with a specific focus on recent efforts focused on the Arctic and the opportunities and challenges that exist for working in these unique areas. Sign up here for the various webinars in the Alaska and the Arctic Seminar Series.

----------------------------------------------------

Seagrass meadows can be found from the tropics to the arctic circle, with over 60 species in total. Research suggests that these habitats contribute to long-term climate mitigation through sediment carbon sequestration, while also serving to ameliorate the impacts of ocean acidification. In this talk, explore these implications for the conservation and management of these coastal ecosystems. Find the recorded webinar here.

The Center for Diversity & the Environment is offering an Environment 2042 Leadership Intensive (E42LI) training for up to 30 people through ee360. ee360 is an ambitious five-year initiative that supports a diverse cadre of environmental education leaders to increase environmental literacy for everyone, everywhere. 

The application deadline has been extended to September 17. Learn more and apply ASAP.  

Take a deeper dive into innovative instructional strategies with a community of like-minded educators. Explore our current suite of offerings below, ranging from National Geographic’s project-based learning strategy, the Geo-Inquiry Process, and other opportunities that let you personalize how you want to transform your teaching. Cohort-based courses for this upcoming school year including Teaching Global Climate Change in Your Classroom, Mapping as a Visualization and Communication Tool in Your Classroom, and more. Find all the courses here.

And don't forget to access the National Geographic Resource Library: Search the Library for high-quality, standards-based, educational resources and activities. Many of the free maps, lesson plans, videos, interactives, and reference materials have been curated into collections, such as collections on hurricanes, infectious agents, or abiotic factors. Create an account to bookmark and easily return to saved resources.  

This Fall HHMI BioInteractive is offering free, online professional development workshops for life and environmental science educators teaching at the High School and Undergraduate levels. These workshops have all the elements valued about professional development, including opportunities to hear from expert educators, interact with HHMI's BioInteractive resources, and learn from other educators. Workshops are designed to be engaging and reflective, and relevant to a variety of educational settings and contexts. Check out these opportunities:

• Got Data? Exploring Climate Change and Coral Bleaching with HHMI BioInteractive
• Changing Planet: Using BioInteractive to Teach the Impacts of Climate Change
• Integrating Quantitative Skills in Life Science Courses Using Data Explorer

Find them all here.

Join the North American Assoc. of Environmental Educators (NAAEE) for a hopeful and engaging Town Hall Webinar with Governor Jay Inslee from Washington State and a number of other leading educators from NAAEE, and Frank Niepold, Sr. Climate Education Coordinator at  NOAA,  as they focus on climate literacy, climate justice, and education. Register today.

The Ocean Conservancy brings people together around the globe for this event to clean up marine debris this year in their local communities. The NOAA Marine Debris Program is proud to have supported the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) for 15 years. To find a cleanup near you, and steps for staying safe while collecting debris, check out Ocean Conservancy's website.

Don't live near a coast? - That's OK. Inland lakes and rivers count in NOAA Planet Stewards Book! Check out NOAA's Marine Debris How to Help and Education Webpages to see what you can do to make a difference.

Over 99% of plastic is made from fossil fuels. Yet, big brands are increasing their production of single-use plastics and packaging—driving a petrochemical expansion that threatens the global climate as well as communities and ecosystems around the world.

This webinar will feature Judith Enck, President of Beyond Plastics and former Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Obama, who will discuss the nexus between plastic production and climate change, including the immense environmental justice impacts, and Graham Forbes, Global Project Leader of the Plastic-Free Future campaign at Greenpeace, who will discuss how consumer goods companies’ reliance on single-use plastic packaging is providing a lifeline for Big Oil.

Register to attend this webinar here.

The Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia (CBNERR-VA) is part of multiple sentinel site partnerships that serve as places dedicated to studying the impacts of climate change, sea-level rise, and much more. Join Dr. Carl Friedrichs, Associate Director of CBNERR-VA, as he discusses their role in supporting sentinel sites and the research they are conducting to better understand the effects of local and global change on coastal environments. After Hours lectures are designed for an adult audience, but all ages are welcome to attend. The lecture is free; registration is required. Register Here.

Imagine that a category 6 hurricane has hit Storm City, MA. The city has been flooded by 14 inches of rain. Students will be challenged to: 1) build a transport vessel to move 25 people to safety; 2) build a water movement system using gravity or alternative sources of energy to move water 2 km away from homes and businesses. Teachers, your students won’t have all the fun! Experience Hurricane Heroes! Storm City, MA from the student perspective during an inquiry-based, interactive pre-challenge professional development workshop. Find out more and register. Sign up at wadeinstitutema.org

Toshiba and the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) are kicking off the 30^th annual Toshiba/NSTA  ExploraVision  competition. The ExploraVision program challenges students to use problem solving, critical thinking, and teamwork to imagine solutions to real-life issues. Participants will have a chance to win a number of prizes, including $10,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bonds (at maturity). Registration is open until January 31, 2022.

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) - including computer science, is now accepting nominations! The PAEMST is the highest honor the U.S. government bestows for K–12 mathematics and science teaching, honoring up to 108 teachers each year. Presidential awardees receive a certificate signed by the President; a trip for two to Washington, D.C. to attend a series of recognition events; and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation. They also join a cadre of more than 5,000 award-winning teachers.

Consider nominating a talented teacher or applying for the award yourself here. This year, teachers in grades K–6 are eligible. Nominations close on January 7. Applications are due by February 6.

Applications are now open for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathlon which challenges collegiate teams to design OR build high-performance, low-carbon buildings powered by renewables! Collegiate teams can apply now for the 2022 Design Challenge (1-year design-only competition) and the 2023 Build Challenge (2-year design-build competition). Finalist teams will be invited to compete for victory during the Competition Event at DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. Apply here by October 26. 

Check out JUMP (Join the discussion, Unveil innovation, Make connections, Promote tech-to-market) into STEM, a virtual competition. The competition is open to teams of two to four students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities to solve critical challenges in the field of building science around the themes of equal access to healthy indoor air, resilience for all in the wake of disaster, and solving market adoption for emerging energy efficient technologies. Winners of the competition will have the opportunity to receive paid, 10-week internships at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory, or the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Challenges close on November 12, 2021. The final competition will be held at ORNL on January 27 and 28, 2022. To learn more and to compete: www.jumpintostem.org.

NOAA, Mississippi-Alabama and Florida Sea Grant, and the Mississippi State University bring you Sea-Level Rise in the Classroom, a four-module curriculum designed for high school teachers to introduce sea-level rise impacts and discuss community based solutions with their students.

Check it out and find out more about the important work these organizations are doing in coastal resilience education here.

You can learn more about the two major ways climate change exacerbates rising sea level, and discover more resources to use with your students here. 

Nature’s Notebook Education Program: Learners of all ages from elementary to adult can build understandings about phenology and climate change with the curriculum, activities, and other resources from the USA National Phenology Network. 

Composting Guide for Educators: This 66-page e-publication presents information and lessons for setting up and managing a successful worm-bin composting system in K–12 formal and informal education settings.  

Smithsonian Science Education Center Curriculum and Resources: Visit the Center’s resource database to access STEM–focused educational materials to support K–8 classroom instruction. The resources include videos, games, apps, e-books, and online learning modules, and address topics such as engineering design, life science, Earth and space science, chemistry, and physical science.

As part of the Lawrence Hall of Science's MARE (Marine Activities, Resources & Education) Program, ACLIPSE provides educators and their students with opportunities to:

• Develop in-depth content knowledge of climate science and climate change, specifically focused on sea level rise, greenhouse effect, carbon cycle, and ocean acidification.
• Be able to use an NGSS-aligned, three dimensional approach to teaching.
• Develop necessary skills to work with real-time data and use data in authentic ways to foster student-led inquiry.

Check out the 11 sessions of content here

From HHMI Biointeractive, check out Data Explorer, a new web tool that helps students build their skills in data literacy and science practices by exploring real research data. They've included curated, authentic data sets for two of their most frequently used resource collections - finches in the Galápagos and elephant populations under poaching. Each resource collection is supplemented with background information. Users can also upload their own data.

Developed for educators, students, and parents, NASA created Camp Landsat, a terrific series of online resources and activities to engage everyone with earth science and remote sensing. You'll find videos, interactives and downloadable games that can be done in the classroom or at home. You'll find out how Landsat satellites help manage, protect and preserve our planet. See how Earth’s landscape has changed over time, and dive into themes like geology, agriculture and biodiversity.

The ocean's "twilight zone," a region deep beneath the waves where weird and fascinating creatures thrive, is an important but little understood part of the vast marine ecosystem. Readers can "dive into" this world with the Ocean Twilight Zone (OTZ) project from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. It offers a logbook for notes from the field; and technologies involved in diving more than 3,000 feet below the ocean surface. Teachers might find useful resources to integrate into the classroom, such as the "Images" and "Videos" that can be accessed from the Multimedia drop-down menu.  Click one of the featured creature tiles for photos, a description, quick facts, and related research items. Find the Ocean Twilight Zone resource here.

The Living Landscapes Climate Science Project is a Comprehensive Set of Culture-based Climate Science Educational Resources about Native Communities at the high school and undergraduate level. There are two major sections: A series of Tutorials for Understanding Climate Science -which is designed to increase your knowledge and understanding about the Earth’s climate, the impacts of a changing climate, and the steps communities can take to adapt and mitigate the impacts; and Remote Sensing and Climate Science - where you can explore how remote sensing tools can be used to understand and assess climate change impacts and the affects of those impacts on communities from Alaska to Florida. Check out Living Landscapes here.

The Drawing Connections series highlights subtle, often-overlooked connections between climate change and the National Parks Service (NPS). NPS Climate Change Response Program and ConverSketch recently received a 2021 Silver Telly award in the category of Public Service and Activism for the Drawing Connections series. The Tellys are awarded annually to recognize excellence in video and television production. 

Click here to watch the latest episode on climate change and avian malaria in Haleakalā National Park. You can view the entire playlist on YouTube or nps.gov.

Check out this really well done short video by well-known and respected scientists and a filmmaker on what is a coral. Great for the classroom or informal education settings.

In this audio slideshow, an ecologist from the University of Florida describes the radiocarbon dating technique that scientists use to determine the amount of carbon within the permafrost of the Arctic tundra. Understanding the rate of carbon released as permafrost thaws is necessary to understand how this positive feedback mechanism is contributing to climate change. Find it here.

Join the North American Association of Environmental Educators (NAAEE) and environmental educators from around the world as they celebrate the power of connection and the restorative role of nature. During this multi-day event they'll explore how environmental education is bringing people together to solve our most pressing problems and create more just and sustainable communities.

50th Annual Conference: October 12–15
18th Annual Research Symposium: October 7–8
Meetings and Workshops: October 4–15

Tiered pricing is available to help make this online experience accessible to all.

Learn more. Register. Share. >

Pisces Foundation is now accepting concept notes (AKA Pre proposals) for a round of grants that will range in amount from approximately $50,000 to $150,000 for a 12-month period. Pisces will award grants to non-profit organizations and their collaborators building a movement for equitable and culturally relevant environmental and outdoor learning. Concept Notes are due on October 29, 2021, at 5 pm ET / 2 pm PT. Learn more>

The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship (AEF) Program provides unique opportunities for accomplished K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) educators to serve 11 months in a Federal agency or U.S. Congressional office. Applicants must be U.S. citizens who are currently employed full-time in a U.S. public or private elementary or secondary school or school district. Applicants must have been teaching full-time in a public or private elementary or secondary school for at least five of the last seven years in a STEM discipline. The application deadline is November 18, at 8pm ET.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program is pleased to announce with the National Sea Grant College Program six awards for projects that prevent marine debris from entering marine, coastal, and Great Lakes environments around the country. The six competitively selected projects cover the southeast Atlantic, Pacific and Great Lakes waters, coming from Florida, Georgia, Hawai'i, Illinois-Indiana, Puerto Rico, and Wisconsin Sea Grant programs.

Learn More