Join us on Monday, November 5th at 8:00 pm ET

to discuss:

Under a White Sky:

The Nature of the Future

by Elizabeth Kolbert
 
Dial 866-662-7513 (toll free) then use the pass code 1170791#.
The discussion is open to all so share with interested colleagues. Learn more here.

Discussion questions for the meeting are posted on the website. 

In this project, middle school students were given the opportunity to build their skills, understand the connections between the classroom and community, and acquire knowledge. Students developed real world solutions by researching flash floods, then constructing 3D models using TinkerCAD (2021) and a geospatial model using ArcGIS 10.0 (ESRI, 2014). Evaluation indicated students increased their willingness to problem solve through complex issues and improved their skill level by using 3D modeling and geospatial technology. Further, a student leadership team presented innovative prototypes to NOAA's National Weather Service, offering solutions to help warn the public of flash floods. Find the project here.

This broadcast offers examples of simple simulations and games suitable for young learners - both computer-based software as well as physical manipulatives more akin to tabletop games.

Presenter Randy Russel received his PhD in Educational Systems Development, and has been developing Earth science educational resources for 20+ years. He believes that students learn best when their minds are active and they are making decisions. Find the webinar here.

If you're looking for terrific educational resources or ideas to plug into your academic planning this year, check out archived issues of The Watch! Our team has reviewed all content for use by educators working to increase their own ocean, climate, and environmental awareness and that of their student audiences.

If you have an item you'd like to share with our Education community, email us at: oceanserviceseducation@noaa.gov and be sure to include: event/Item announcement title; date and time if applicable; one paragraph description; clear thumbnail image; and a link for more information.

• Learn about the deep ocean, bioluminescence, and the 
       twilight zone with ocean explorer Dr. Edie Widder
• Get started with NOAA ocean educator Symone Barkley

In the dark of the deep ocean NOAA Remote Vehicles film creatures that could practically come from another world. They are fascinating, beautiful and mysterious. They are so bizarre to us because they've evolved in an environment that is completely different from ours. This Halloween, learn about the wild marine animals that thrive in some of the darkest places on earth. Find the video collection here.

Learn about fascinating phenomenon that occurs in the deep sea and with deep-sea organisms with NOAA Ocean Exploration's Education Team and our Alliance Partners. This three-part offering will consist of: 1) video with experts in bioluminescence research; 2) a 90-minute online event w/ the NOAA team and other experts with relevant educational activities and resources; and 3) A 90-minute follow-up event with an Alliance Partner!

Registration is required and space is limited. A $75 stipend will be provided. Learn more >

GNSS radio occultation is a remote sensing technique that uses GPS signals to monitor Earth’s atmosphere. A key driver of this technology is to better characterize severe weather events, such as forecasting hurricane intensities and hurricane trajectories. Learn more about this revolutionary remote sensing technique! Register here:   https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1659310799100927502 

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Long-term studies of humpback whales were essential to the establishment of two national marine sanctuaries, Stellwagen Bank and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale national marine sanctuaries. The results of  two research projects have provided new insights into the complex lives of humpback whales, their use of entire ocean basins,  how humans impact whales throughout all oceans, and how these impacts can be reduced. This discussion will focus on the similarities and differences of humpback whales in Hawai‘i and the Atlantic. Click here to register: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2431017328379638795 

Join the unveiling of the the World Resource Institute's Land & Carbon Lab, where you’ll hear from WRI and partners, including scientists and technologists, on plans to build and deploy a comprehensive global land monitoring system. They’ll also be previewing new data, including trees in mosaic landscapes, forest carbon fluxes and global land cover – showcasing the information that will ultimately create unprecedented transparency about what is happening to the world’s land at any point on the planet, at any time.

Register here to join. 

HEAR FROM FOUR ENGINEERS who explore extreme places in the ocean and outer space. Learn about hostile environments that demand special tools and special people with the “right stuff” to test their own limits and push the boundaries of knowledge deeper into the unknown. Register here. 

Register now for this CLEAN webinar series to enhance your knowledge and teaching about climate and energy education! Upcoming webinars include:

Oct. 28: “It’s Us: Humans as Agents of Change within Earth’s Climate
              System” at 6:30 pm ET

Nov. 3: “The UC Berkeley Understanding Global Change Project and
                            CLEAN” at 6:00 pm ET

Link to the webinars to learn more, or REGISTER for the series HERE.

The En-ROADS Climate Solutions Simulator now includes interactive maps to explore the threats coastal areas face from sea level rise. The webinar will highlight how to use this feature and discuss some of the notable dynamics around sea level rise risks to keep in mind. For a more in-depth description of this new feature, read the blog post or join a webinar below.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion should be a central component in all aspects of education. However, achieving equity and social justice in science education continues to be an ongoing challenge. As we try to promote equitable learning environments for ALL students, science and STEM educators have a unique opportunity to reposition students who have been historically disadvantaged and underserved, so they become actively engaged participants in science learning. Register here >

Brought to you by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).

OSTP  recently launched, The Time is Now: Advancing Equity in Science & Technology Ideation Challenge.  Help OSTP advance equity in the science & technology ecosystem through this challenge in three specific ways:

• Participate! Open to all!; Spread the word to all your networks; Connect with OSTP about opportunities to collaborate on advancing equity in science and technology.

Email equity@ostp.eop.gov with questions, comments or suggestions.

In this Science Update from the National Science Teaching Association and NOAA, you'll learn all about the main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale and why they are endangered. This presentation will also introduce activities and resources to support classroom explorations, including how to be a community scientist and identify this species, how to report sightings and upload dorsal fin photos, and what you can do to help protect them. 

Register today to participate in this web seminar.

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 recognition events; and $10,000 from the National Science Foundation.

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 will be due by February 6.

Robert Ballard, Professor of Oceanography at the Graduate School of Oceanography, President of Ocean Exploration Trust, and an Explorer at Large with National Geographic, is best known for his 1985 discovery of the Titanic and 1977 discovery of hydrothermal vents. Ballard will present his most recent work in deep water exploration and inspire young people to pursue learning in science, math, and technology through exploration and discovery.

Register for the virtual lecture, or register for the in-person lecture located at District Hall, Providence, RI. (Details provided at the registration link.)

Deep sea researcher Dr. Amanda Kahn of Moss Landing Marine Laboratories and San Jose State University will share her latest findings on the secret lives of sponges. Vast reefs and gardens of sponges form the foundation of unique communities in the deep ocean. Learn how sponges move without muscles and create bridges between animal food webs and the microbial realm!

Registration: https://farallones.org/events/ Please note there is a surprise gift with optional registration. 

Where to tune in on November 6: https://www.youtube.com/user/FarallonesAssoc/live

NOAA's Western Region has launched the “Picture Climate Change'' student photo contest and is looking for images that showcase climate change in the western United States. Students can showcase their climate change experience through the camera  lens along with a short written narrative to highlight their climate change photo.  Students are not required to live in a Western Region state to enter the contest, but all photographs must have been taken in a Western Region state.

Details are available here For more information about NOAA’s efforts to help people understand and prepare for climate variability and change, visit noaa.gov/climate.

This year’s NOAA Marine Debris Program Art Contest is officially open! Students in grades K-8 from the United States and U.S. territories can submit their artwork that answers the questions: How does marine debris impact the ocean and Great Lakes? What are you doing to help prevent marine debris? For more contest and submission guidelines, please visit the website and download the entry form. 

Inspired by NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary system, this competition is designed to give high school students an opportunity to tell their Great Lakes and ocean stories. Top entries will be selected to have their films screened at the virtual Thunder Bay International Film Festival in January 2022, prizes awarded to top three entries. Films must be 3 minutes or less and the subject matter must relate to the theme: #ScienceInTheSanctuary. This competition is free to enter for all students.

Sustainable Communities! is a student-centered community research guide developed by the Smithsonian Science Education Center’s Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project. The guide can empower students in grades 3–8 to serve as action researchers: students who are both learners and “doers.” The guide uses the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to focus on sustainable actions that are defined and implemented by students. 

The modules’ research tasks and activities help students access their existing knowledge of the topic (discover), gather new information about the topic (understand), and analyze and apply new information to make decisions about actions that would be best for their community (act). Learn more here >

The Fall 2021 issue of the Earth Scientist is out this week in honor of "Earth Science Week, Water Today and for the Future". Be sure to take a look at the articles about water resources, monitoring water from space, marine debris, new ways to engage your students in virtual reality about the ocean, and a curriculum that highlights flooding and drought resilience.  Introduce your students to careers as geoscientists and how they can help to build resilient communities around the world.  

The Zinn Education Project created the Teach Climate Justice campaign, a collection of lessons, books, films, and articles for elementary through high school. The materials could work in many different subject areas and would be an interesting, authentic foundation for interdisciplinary study. 

Lessons are classroom-tested and largely come from A People’s Curriculum for the Earth: Teaching Climate Change and the Environmental Crisis, a teaching guide published by Rethinking Schools.

Increase secondary students’ climate literacy with this collection of resources exploring the science behind global warming and energy. The resources include a high school–level movie, book, and an activity guide for teachers (World On Fire: The Science), and a comic book on the same topic for middle level audiences (Global Warming What You Need to Know). All three resources address the causes and effects of global warming and the present and future sources of energy. 

The activity guide for teachers is downloadable and presents nine classroom experiences and numerous organizers and student handouts that can help students synthesize their learning. 

If you haven't already registered for the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association (MAMEA) Virtual Conference, now is the time to register. 

Registration is $25, which includes your annual membership to MAMEA. The virtual conference will be hosted on the Whova platform, and all sessions will be recorded.  The conference platform and recordings will be available for 6 months past the end of the conference.  If you can't make it to the conference live, still register for the conference to have access to the platform.  For a complete listing of all speakers and sessions click here.

The Hawai'i Marine Debris Action Plan 2010-2020 Accomplishments Report provides a history of the Hawai'i Marine Debris Action Plan and celebrates the accomplishments of the community. It was the first community-based marine debris action plan in the nation facilitated by the NOAA Marine Debris Program. Established in 2010 and updated four times, it is a comprehensive framework for strategic action to reduce the impacts of marine debris in Hawai'i by 2020. Over the ten years of the plan, partnerships and participation have increased, and together this steadfast community has made huge strides in understanding and mitigating marine debris in the islands. Find the report here >

The NOAA Office of Education has issued a competitive funding opportunity for projects that develop the collective environmental literacy necessary for communities to take actions that build resilience to extreme weather and climate change in ways that contribute to community health, social cohesion, and socio-economic equity. This funding opportunity is soliciting two types of projects through separate competitive priorities. Priority 1 will support new projects and Priority 2 will support the evolution of existing projects. Deadlines and details can be found here.