NOAA Planet Stewards, Elkhorn Slough and South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRS) are hosting a simultaneous three-day workshop for educators who work with middle or high school level students. 

To register at the physical location you will be attending the workshop and receive more detailed information, visit these links: 

• South Slough NERRS Workshop Registration Link
• Elkhorn Slough NERRS Workshop Registration Link

_________________________

NOAA Planet Stewards, The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and the Hawai’i Science Teaching Association are hosting a three-day workshop for 6-9th grade educators to learn about climate change, how it's impacting Hawai‘i, and how to engage students to take action through place-based activities grounded in Hawaiian perspectives.

Spaces for this event are limited! Travel scholarships are available for teachers on Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi. All educators are welcome to apply to attend. 

You can find more detailed information and register to attend the workshop here. 

Questions? Contact: science.is.cool@noaa.gov.

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

If you have an item you'd like to share with our education community, email us at: oceanserviceseducation@noaa.gov. Be sure to include:

• Event/Item announcement title
• Date and time if applicable
• One paragraph description
• Clear thumbnail image
• Link for more information

The Importance of Mentorship: 

Profile of recent NOAA Knauss Fellow, Shae Green

Check out this article discussing the importance of mentorship at the high school and college level in shaping Shae's development as a climate scientist with a PhD in marine biology.

In this Q&A series, NOAA intern Abisola Ajayi interviews three scientists in NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration. Abisola talks with OR&R Regional Resource Coordinator Reyhan Mehran about the restoration of industrial waste sites, and how NOAA handles the waste with lingering complications that continue to affect natural resources. Check out the full interview to learn more!

SanctSound is a three-year project, to understand how sound varies in National Marine Sanctuaries all around the United States. SanctSound combines sound data with many other types of observations to better understand and protect these special places. The SanctSound web portal allows users to explore the sonic features of each sanctuary, and to make comparisons among locations to understand how similar or different they are from each other. Take a tour of this new portal and the new Ocean Sound and Impact of Noise Resource Collection.

This event is designed for formal and informal educators, high school through college students, and community members. Visit the archives of past National Marine Sanctuary webinars to catch up on presentations you may have missed.

Millions of people in the U.S. lack access to clean and safe drinking water, particularly in low-income rural areas and in communities of color. Our changing climate creates additional threats, such as droughts that diminish surface water, algal blooms and salt-water intrusion that contaminate water supplies, as well as floods that overwhelm water treatment facilities. Join this conversation about how policies and infrastructure could help address disparities in access to water and build resilience to the increasing impacts from climate change.

The conversation will be webcast on the Climate Conversations: Water Justice webpage; register for the webinar. Closed captioning will be provided. The conversation will include questions from the audience and will be recorded and available to view on the page after the event.

Climate Conversations: Pathways to Action is a monthly webinar series from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that aims to convene high-level, cross-cutting, nonpartisan conversations about issues relevant to national policy action on climate change.

Educators Wade-In! Check out the National Estuarine Research Reserve Estuary Education website for upcoming Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) workshop opportunities from May-July across the country.  If you’ve never seen a TOTE, watch the 5 minute video on the website to learn more.

Join Climate Generation, NOAA's Climate Program Office, and 14 other climate change education partners at the Virtual Summer Institute for Climate Change Education! Gain the skills to bring climate change into your educational setting, whether it be a classroom, nature center, or museum! Learn more and register here.

Examine the systemic barriers to STEM inclusion that have led to inequities in education and underrepresentation in STEM engagement, majors, and careers. Understand what it means to be anti-racist, and learn with others how to reframe the issues and implement strategies such as culturally responsive teaching (CRT) to work toward equity in STEM. Learn more about this professional development offering and register to attend.

Bee The Change Art Challenge

Deadline: July 4, 2022

How will you be the change for our planet? The 2022 Bee The Change Art Challenge is sponsored by S.C.R.A.P. Gallery and the Cathedral City Environmental Conservation Division in honor of World Bee Day and the queen of pollinators. Work will become part of the Bee The Change environmental art traveling exhibit for the new year.

For more information: info@scrapgallery.org

1. "Striving for Sustainability Globally" Video Contest for all ages. 

Learn more about the Striving for Sustainability Globally video contest. The American Geosciences Institute invites individuals and teams to submit a brief, original video exploring the many ways people are using the Earth sciences to make decisions that maintain and strengthen the planet’s ability to support thriving life!

2. "Sustainability in Action" Photography Contest for all ages.

Sustainable practices promote the planet’s capacity to support life throughout the biosphere, which involves interactions with other Earth systems such as the geosphere, the hydrosphere, and the atmosphere. How does geoscience knowledge help support sustainability where you live? With your camera, capture an image of the ways geoscience informs local efforts to build a sustainable world. Learn more about the contest.

3. "Our Sustainable World" Visual Arts Contest for Grades K-5 

A “sustainable” planet is one that supports living things — and that means taking care of all the things that life depends on, including land, water, air, and other living things. What does a sustainable world look like to you? What is necessary to have or change? What is not necessary? What is necessary to change? Use your artistic ability to produce an original work of art that shows how land, water, air, and living things interact in a sustainable world. Learn more about the contest.

4."Geoscience for Sustainable Development Goals" Essay Contest for Grades 6-9. 

We have all been called upon to help meet 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) articulated by nations around the world. Geoscience — which addresses interactions of the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere — can play a critical role. How can the Earth sciences help achieve SDGs in areas such as poverty, nutrition, education, equality, ecosystems, climate change, and/or industrial innovation? Learn more about the contest.

Developed by the Smithsonian Science Education Center and Johnson and Johnson, this web page has a collection of STEM resources for K–8 students including:

• lesson plans often in various languages
• short activities to engage students in authentic science discussion,
• and curriculum modules and other materials to enhance instruction, such as e-books, posters, videos, and infographics.

Of particular interest is the collection of Smithsonian Science for Makerspaces lessons, a series of engineering design challenges that engage students in exploring emerging technologies, including 3D printing (Channel Challenge), magnetic trains (Magnet Motion), and coding (Food Chain Fix). Find the site here.

Research has shown that most kids are not only aware of climate change, but are anxious about it. Parents, teachers, and caregivers are the most trusted source of information for children, so it’s crucial that they have resources to approach this difficult topic. Check out the guide created by EcoWatch on how to talk to kids about climate change at every age

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the ITEST grants. The goal of this applied research and development program is to advance the equitable and inclusive integration of technology in the learning and teaching of STEM from pre-kindergarten through high school. The program’s objective is to support all students’ acquisition of the foundational preparation in STEM disciplines. Proposed ITEST projects are expected to: 1) engage students in technology-rich learning; 2) prioritize the full inclusion of groups who have been underrepresented and/or underserved; 3) motivate students to pursue technology-rich careers; and 4) leverage strategic and community partnerships.

The STELAR resource center is hosting a webinar with program officers on June 2, 1–2:30 p.m. Watch last month’s webinar recording and read a blog post with tips for proposers. Applications are due August 12, 2022.

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) published in the Federal Register the notice inviting applications (NIA) for the EIR program’s Early-phase, Mid-phase, and Expansion competitions. Absolute Priority 3 supports the Secretary’s priority in “Promoting Equity in Student Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities” and is intended to support innovations to improve student achievement and attainment in STEM education to ensure our Nation’s economic competitiveness. There are numerous resources on the EIR competition webpage. Early phase applications are due July 21, 2022, and the others are due June 21, 2022.