Last night, NOAA Planet Stewards held a dynamic discussion of Katherine Hayhoe’s new book, Saving Us: A Climate Scientists Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World -  a wonderfully written, multilayered look at science, faith, and human psychology surrounding conversations and climate change.

Please join us on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, for our next Book Club meeting. We’ll be discussing The Highest Tide, a young adult fiction book by David Lynch

Future meeting dates,  book sections, and how to log in are found in the Book Club section of our Upcoming Events Page. All are welcome! Bring a friend!

You can find over 50 fiction, non-fiction, and Young-Adult selections from past Book Clubs with each book's discussion questions on our Book Club Archive Page. There’s something for everyone at the NOAA Planet Stewards Book Club: catching up on some knowledge, enjoying a quick fun read, or finding a book to use with your students. Join us!

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Tune into this broadcast where Black In Marine Science (BIMS) hosted a panel with NOAA employees Symone Barkley, Mark Losavio, and Lonnie Gonsalves. The panelists celebrated the 50th anniversary of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries, discussed their careers in marine science, and shared NOAA’s efforts to support diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.  Also, take a look at this BIMS Bite episode highlighting National Marine Sanctuaries with Jordan Rogers to learn more about these special places!

Wednesday, February 22, 2023 | 3 - 4:15 pm ET

Register to join the National Academies for a conversation about how to address emissions of methane, the second largest contributor to climate change. Closed captioning will be provided. The conversation will include questions from the audience and will be recorded and available to view on the Climate Conversations: Methane Webpage after the event.

Methane accounts for around 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, behind only carbon dioxide!

Ecology Project International (EPI) announces free, classroom-ready, NGSS-aligned lessons, storylines, and professional development to help teachers connect the classroom to the environment.

2023 Virtual workshops introduce teachers to resources for Biology, Environmental Science, Earth Science, and Leadership in grades 6 - 12. Zoom with EPI this year for professional development! Learn more about each of EPI’s workshops below and register today!:

• Thursday, February 23, 2023 | 6:30 pm ET: Populations and Pressures
• Thursday, May 25, 2023 | 6:30 pm ET: Environmental Literacy & Leadership

Columbia Climate School Founding Dean Alex Halliday hosts three of the University's climate and environmental experts to share their latest research, present their take on powerful ways to avert climate catastrophe and answer your questions. The panel includes:

Cecilia Sorensen M.D, Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at the Columbia University Medical Center;

Diana Hernandez, Associate Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health; and

Radley Horton, Lamont Research Professor at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory 

Register for the webinar.

Many federal agencies pursue and support citizen science projects, however, they also put their own emphasis on its practice and outcomes to make the work consistent with each agency’s distinct mission and goals. This panel presentation will feature multiple federal agencies that offer funding opportunities for citizen science. Each panelist will share where citizen science fits in their agency’s strategy and which funding programs at their agency support it. Register for the webinar.

Speakers will include:

Alison Parker, Senior Program Associate, Science and Technology Innovation Program, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Ellen McCallie, Program Director at National Science Foundation

Marc Kuchner, Citizen Science Officer, NASA

John McLaughlin, Education Program Manager, NOAA

Heather Drumm, Innovations Coordinator at the U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development

Sophia Liu, Open Science Innovation Strategist at USGS

Liam O’Fallon, Health Specialist with NIEHS

Hey teachers! It’s time for you to have a terrific time getting your hands dirty exploring physical oceanography and weather!  The American Meteorological Society's 2023 summer courses, Project Ocean and Project Atmosphere, are accepting applications through 24 March, 2023. These competitive professional development courses are open to K-12 teachers and include online and in-person components and field experiences. All travel expenses are covered and participants receive stipends and earn graduate credit upon successful completion of the courses. Don’t miss this chance to learn from the experts, connect with other outstanding teachers, and have the earth science experience of a lifetime! Learn more and apply!.

Beyond Doom & Gloom: How to Teach Climate Change Towards Empowerment with CLEAN

Thursday, April 20, 2023 | 6:00 - 7:00 pm ET

Learn about CLEAN’s new resources related to climate mental health and walk away with strategies and activities to integrate into your curriculum and better engage with today's youth. Register now.

Calling all young climate change-makers: Do you want to make a real impact on the climate crisis? Follow these instructions and submit your #Youth4Climate solutions for a chance to receive an invaluable mentorship and funding for your project. Choose one of four thematic areas – Urban Sustainability, Food and Agriculture, Education, or Energy – to tackle with your proposal.

This free online course helps educators introduce students in Grades 3-6 to scientists and different ecosystems that they study. The course uses multimedia to introduce students to the roles of different types of scientists and includes invitations for students to go outside for hands-on activities with an alternate option to use the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s live web cams.

The ClimateSocrates Help Desk is an interactive support center that provides educators with articles and pedagogic strategies about climate change. Updated information about common climate change questions is provided by the MIT Climate Portal within ClimateSocrates and helps teachers feel more confident teaching about challenging climate change topics.

Virtual Field Trip: You’re the Scientist! Citizen Science, Frogs, and Cicadas

Students in Grades 3-8 can participate in the Nature Conservancy’s virtual field trip that centers around the impact of citizen science. The virtual field trip contains a video, teacher guide, and student activities.

World Water Day is an annual United Nations Observance, started in 1993. It celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2 billion people worldwide who are currently living without access to safe water. A core focus of World Water Day is to inspire action towards U.N. Sustainable Development Goal 6: Water and sanitation for all by 2030.

Build your understanding of water science for World Water Day. Tap into online resources.

Tackle climate change in your classroom with USGCRP's "Climate Change, Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit for Formal and Informal Educators",

The EPA, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA, NASA, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management developed this kit to aid educators in teaching how climate change affects the nation's wildlife and public lands, and how all Americans can become climate stewards.

Designed for classroom teachers as well as informal educators, the kit targets the middle-school grade band. To get started, view a video, browse kit materials, and explore eco-regions nationwide online.

Engage students of all ages and levels in authentic science research by having them participate in Budburst, a Chicago Botanic Garden’s nationwide citizen-science project that investigates plant and pollinator responses to climate change. In this web-based project, students submit observations of plants wherever they live. Budburst also offers phenology-related classroom activities to hone students’ observation skills, deepen understandings, and engage learners in tracking seasonal change. For high school and college levels, the project is ideal for semester-long studies (both remote and in-person) focused on biology or environmental studies. 

Activate the inventive mindset within each student with EquIP HQ, an invention-focused learning platform for K–12 audiences. Developed collaboratively by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Second Avenue Learning, the platform presents standards-based lesson plans, games, activities, and videos, to inspire teachers and students to invent solutions to real-world problems using science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) skills. The platform is organized into grade-specific content portals (K–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12) and includes a guide for teachers and families. Learn about the invention process, watch videos with real-life inventors; and more!

Toyota North America is dedicated to enhancing pollinator habitat on America's public lands. Thanks to their support, the National Environmental Education Foundation is providing $200,000 in  funding for shovel-ready projects beginning in July 2023. Habitat enhancement projects should directly support the creation, restoration, remediation, improvement, and/or protection of habitats for important pollinator species such as butterflies, bees, bats, and more. The project should impact pollinators on at least 150 acres of public land. Projects should also incorporate community outreach and engagement activities designed to educate and empower the public to help enhance pollinator habitats. Learn more about this exciting grant opportunity.

BIPOC-led groups focusing on water privatization, plastic pollution, or environmental justice are encouraged to apply for The Story of Stuff Project Grassroots Grant Program. Groups with projects that are campaign-focused, community driven, and serve communities of color can receive up to $5,000. Grants are reviewed on a rolling basis and awarded quarterly..