News you can use from NOAA Planet Stewards 

June 6, 2023

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Join Planet Stewards at One – or Both - of our Educator Workshops!

This Summer NOAA Planet Stewards will be hosting two in person educator workshops with our partners: July 11-13 in Detroit, MI with the Detroit Zoological Society: Climate Justice: Exploring the Science and Stewardship of Climate Change in Your Classroom. July 18-20 in Annapolis, MD with the Maryland Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education: Investigate and Engage in Local Climate Change Impacts and Solutions

At both workshops attendees will: Have opportunities to learn from and interact with subject matter experts. Learn how to incorporate standards-aligned climate change and environmental education lessons into existing curriculum. Experience hands-on, outdoor lessons to use with students Engage with NOAA Planet Stewards and uncover opportunities to develop stewardship projects that mobilize youth to take action in their communities Leave with new professional contacts, teaching ideas, and educational materials! Find out more about these opportunities and how to register for them here.

NOAA Planet Stewards Educator Selected Massachusetts STEM Teacher of the Year!

Nancy Gifford, a seventh grade science teacher at Monomoy Middle School has been selected as the Massachusetts STEM Teacher of the Year by the Patriots Hall of Fame, presented by Raytheon Technologies.  As this year’s recipient, Monomoy Middle School will receive $5,000 from the Patriots Foundation in her name to be used for STEM education. Ms. Gifford will also be appointed to Gov. Maura Healey’s STEM Advisory Council, chaired by Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. Read more about it here, and here!

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Dr. Greg Foltz, an oceanographer at NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory in Miami is the the co-lead of NOAA's Saildrone Hurricane Observations, which aims to improve our understanding of hurricanes and aid forecasts. During this presentation, he will describe a new NOAA project to direct surface ocean drones ("saildrones") into hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and discuss what saildrones are, how they work and can survive a hurricane, what kind of data (and videos!) we get from them, and how the data is being used to aid forecasters and improve our understanding of hurricanes. Join us! Find more information and register for the webinar.

NOAA is dedicated to addressing the evolving economic, environmental, and social pressures on our oceans. As such, this month provides us with a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the ocean and highlight our efforts in safeguarding it. Join us all June as we celebrate National Ocean Month. We will be sharing videos, imagery, and trivia about our ocean and coasts with a different theme each week: June 1-3: Corals (past)  June 4-10: New Blue Economy June 11-17: The Ocean is for Everyone June 18-24: Conserve, Restore, and Connect to Coastal and Marine Ecosystems June 25-20: Coastal Resilience You can participate in the festivities by visiting the NOS National Ocean Month webpage and following us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram to keep an eye out for #OceanMonthNOAA content.

Celebrate World Ocean Day (June 8) with NOAA!

Will you be in the Washington DC area on World Ocean Day?  Celebrate by joining artists and ocean scientists in the Sant Ocean Hall at the National Museum of Natural History for an exciting series of interactive experiences celebrating our blue planet and exploring all the ways art, science, and community action connects us to our waterways. NOAA will be there to discuss ocean research and the value of artistic visualizations. Find us throughout the Ocean Hall covering topics like marine debris, ocean careers, remotely operated submarines, and more!

NOAA Ocean Podcast: Gliders: Versatile Vehicles for Underwater Exploration

Gliders are autonomous, uncrewed, underwater vehicles that collect data — providing scientists with a more complete picture of what is happening in the ocean and the Great Lakes. In this episode, we dive deep with Kathleen Bailey, glider program manager with NOAA’s U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, to learn more about these versatile vehicles. Listen to the episode.

NOAA Teachers on the Estuary Workshops

When: June 13 to August 11, and other times during the school year

NOAA’s National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) holds Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) workshops research and field-based training programs for K–12 teachers held at research reserve sites across the country. TOTE workshops offer a minimum of 15 contact hours, giving teachers the opportunity to

• Explore coastal habitats and conduct field investigations;
• Interact with local scientists and experienced coastal educators;
• Integrate local and national monitoring data into the classroom; and
• Learn hands-on field activities highlighting various Estuary Education Resources.

With TOTE, teachers and students interact with scientists, find information about local environmental issues, and participate in field trips and community conservation projects. Some workshops are free of charge and/or offer stipends upon completion. Advance registration is required.

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Something for Everyone!

14 June 2023 | 1:00 - 2:00 pm ET

Juvenile snow crab habitat and response to warming in the Chukchi Sea

Juvenile snow crab habitat in the Chukchi Sea was studied during a period of ocean warming. During a cold year early in study, most juvenile crab of all sizes inhabited cold (<2C) areas. In later years, the smallest size classes were restricted to cold areas, or were effectively absent, and larger juveniles were present in warmer areas. Juvenile snow crab could be impacted by the recent reduction in habitat with cold summer bottom temperature in the Chukchi Sea (and Bering Sea).

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22 June 2023 | 3:00 - 4:00 pm ET

Career Pathways to Collaborative Science Success

Curious about collaborative science but unsure how to get started? Maybe you’re an early career scientist and you’re worried that collaborative science goals won’t align with the rewards of the academic tenure-track system. Or maybe you’re a resource manager intrigued about the advantages of a collaborative approach but you’re not sure how it could fit into your work. No matter your career track or level of experience, collaborative science should be accessible and that there are countless entry points and pathways to success. If you are someone wondering how to get started doing collaborative science, this webinar is for you.

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29 June 2023 | 9:30 - 10:30 am ET

U.S. Eastern Region Climate Services: Heat Season Preparedness and City Pilots

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29 June 2023 | 12:00 - 1:00 pm ET

Autonomous High-Resolution Ocean Floor Mapping

Mapping of the ocean floor is a major challenge because no existing technology offers both high-resolution and fast coverage rate. Meter-scale resolution, necessary for search and resource exploration, are obtained by sending sensors deep into the ocean – a slow and difficult approach to mapping large areas. Low-frequency sonar can propagate across long distances underwater providing fast coverage, but there are major limits to resolution. A novel future approach could deploy a small fleet of USVs to create an array ten to a hundred times larger than existing, fixed hull-mounted arrays. This larger array produces a narrower beam enabling higher resolution maps at deeper depths. To demonstrate this a team conducted a series of deployments in Cape Cod Bay.

The Science of Forecasting Hurricane Impacts

Tuesday, June 6, 2023 | 9:00 am ET

This event will focus on the science of forecasting hurricane impacts for classes grades 4-8. The webinar will be presented by graduate students at the URI Graduate School of Oceanography. Register for the webinar. Topics include: What are hurricanes? What are hurricane impacts and why is it important to forecast ahead of time? How do we forecast the impacts? How does research fit into forecasting? What are the challenges and areas of ongoing research? This webinar is free, and brought to you by the Inner Space Center at the Graduate School of Oceanography University of Rhode Island and the Hurricanes:Science and Society Project

Teaching about climate topics? If you are, or would like to teach about climate topics, please take CLEAN's anonymous, 15-min online survey. In appreciation, you can enter a drawing for one of six $50 Amazon gift cards. To enter the drawing complete the survey by June 10th, 2023, and provide your email address. Your email address will not be connected with your survey responses. 

This research is being conducted through the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) Education and Outreach program at the University of Colorado Boulder and funded by NOAA. 

CIRES Summer PD Opportunities

Wildfire, Drought, and the Future of Forests Online Workshop

June 7, Wednesday, and Thursday, June 8 | 11:00 am - 3:00 pm ET  In this free workshop, University of Colorado Boulder curriculum developers will lead teachers through The Future of Forests, an NGSS Life Science standards aligned middle school/high school curriculum that explores patterns of post-fire recovery (or lack thereof) across the western U.S., and inspires classrooms to engage in citizen science using NASA’s GLOBE Observer land cover app. Participants will engage with online interactives from the U.S. National Forest Service, authentic datasets, and app-based labs. Participants will have the option to receive a certificate for 10 PD hours (free) or purchase 1 graduate credit ($90) from the University of Colorado Boulder. ____________________________

"Data Puzzle" Opportunities this summer from CIRES at the University of Colorado:

1. The Tipping Point Data Puzzle Tuesday, June 20, 2023 | 10:00 am - 2:00 pm ET Join developer Jon Griffith and ecologist Dr. Megan DeMarche as they lead you through "The Tipping Point", a MS/HS resource where students analyze ecological data to explain how rising temperatures are affecting the hearty tundra plant, moss campion, and consider what that might mean for the rest of the ecosystem. Register now. 2. A Changing Arctic Ecosystem July 12-13, 2023 11:00 am - 3:00 pm ET each day The Arctic is warming more rapidly than anywhere else on Earth. One consequence is a dramatic decline in sea ice, an important habitat for many Arctic plants and animals. In this FREE teacher workshop, you’ll hear from Arctic scientists and curriculum developers as they lead you through "A Changing Arctic Ecosystem”, a MS/HS storyline unit aligned to NGSS Life Science standards where students trace the flow of carbon through the Arctic food web to predict how declining sea ice might impact Arctic organisms.. Engage with ArcGIS Storymaps, hands-on investigations, authentic Arctic datasets, and more, in this 2-day interactive virtual teacher workshop. Register now. 3. Megafires: Rare Occurrences or the New Normal? Data Puzzle Tuesday, July 18th, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm ET Join developer Jon Griffith and  fire ecologist Dr. Natasha Stavros, as they lead you through "Megafires: Rare Occurrences or the New Normal?", a resource where students analyze megafire frequency data to explain how and why the number of megafires has changed over time. Register now. Data Puzzles are 2-3 day MS/HS lessons that combine classroom-friendly datasets with Ambitious Science Teaching practices to help students make sense of phenomena. Engage with specific Data Puzzle resources during CIRES summer workshops!

Natural History Education DemoCamps

Wednesday, June 14 - Thursday, June 15, 2023

The Natural History Education (NHE) DemoCamp provides materials and resources to K–12 formal and informal educators, and college faculty seeking to engage students with the natural world. The NHE DemoCamp format gives educators access to open education resources and provides opportunities to discuss these resources with the educators who developed them. The event is free and will be held virtually.

2023 Jearld Lecture - Geosciencing While Black

20 Years of Unsettling Racial Discrimination and the White Gaze in Earth Sciences Research and Workforce Preparation

Wednesday, June 28, 2023 | 1:00 pm ET

The Geoscience community is a microcosm of the larger STEM community as well as US society. Calls to eradicate systemic racism in U.S. institutions have both been amplified and received greater attention over the past few decades. Systemic racism is a multidimensional challenge that often frames the day-to-day experiences of both racialized scientists and their “seemingly“ unracialized counterparts. This talk will discuss six forms of erasure that undergird racial discrimination in science and how they manifest, then highlight a number of programs and countermeasures to the numerous systemic factors entrenching racism in STEM. Presented by Dr. Vernon Morris, Foundation Professor and Associate Dean of Knowledge Enterprise and Strategic Outcomes in the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University. Register now.

National Climate Educators Retreat in Maine

July 31 - August 4, 2023

The Climate Initiative's National Climate Educators Retreat is a professional development opportunity to support high school teachers in incorporating climate education into their curriculum to educate, empower, and inspire students and community members to take action to adapt to, or mitigate the impacts of climate change. The Climate Initiative offers many educational materials free of charge:   Learning Labs,   Policy Toolkits,  Climate Action Toolkits,  and its Ambassador Network.

Become a USA Blue School!

USA Blue Schools are K-12 schools that are working to increase awareness about the ocean and inspire educators, students, and community members to deepen their connection with the sea. Participating schools may be involved in action projects such as park/beach cleanups, data collection, community science activities, and educational workshops. Learn more about the USA Blue Schools and complete the short application to register your school.

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education STEM Competitions for K–12 Educators

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) is holding the following two competitions. 1. June Social Media Contest  Deadline: June 30, 2023 ORISE wants to know what kind of lesson plans you would like to see in their free lesson plan library. To enter the contest, follow ORISE on social media, complete a brief survey, and comment  on new focuses or types of lesson plans on ORISE’s social media post. Three randomly selected winners will receive the Back-to-School Supplies Bundle, which contains:

10 Drawer Cart Post-it Flip Charts Flip Chart Markers Paper Mate Flair Pens Black and Multicolored Expo Markers and more! 2. Back-to-School Lesson Plan Competition  Deadline: July 31, 2023 ORISE wants to see your best back-to-school STEM lesson plans. Teachers of any grade level or subject are invited to submit a STEM lesson plan that includes back-to-school activities. Three teachers who submit lesson plans will be selected to receive mini-grants of up to $1,500 to help buy equipment for their classroom. First prize is a $1,500 mini-grant; second prize, a $1,000 mini-grant; and third prize, a $500 mini-grant.

Register for Global Indigenous Youth Summit on Climate Change!

August 9, 2023

The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) invites registration for the Global Indigenous Youth Summit on Climate Change (GIYSCC). The GIYSC) is being convened by, for, and among Indigenous youth (in contrast to Elders), who will participate in designing the agenda and invite the participants from three eight-hour time zones, in a 24-hour period, on 9 August 2023 (United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples). In a complementary context, the Summit will precede the United Nations International Youth Day on 12 August. More Info & Sign Up here.

2023 Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest

Contest dates: May 26, 2023 through September 4, 2023 Welcome all photographers, regardless of skill level or experience, to participate in the 2023 #GetIntoYourSanctuary Photo Contest. Learn more about the contest and how to participate.

Explore Deep Sea Expeditions!

E/V Nautilus, Ocean Exploration Trust

Central and Eastern Pacific, April - December, 2023

The Ocean Exploration Trust and its partners will spend the season exploring in and around the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, Johnston Atoll, and Jarvis Island) and the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and south of the main Hawaiian Islands. The team map the seafloor, use remotely and autonomous operated vehicles, an autonomous surface vessel, and an emerging exploration tool capable of autonomously profiling and sampling the full depth of the water column — from the sea surface to the seafloor.

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer

Seascape Alaska 2023, May 5 - October 14, 2023

NOAA and its partners will conduct six expeditions mapping the seafloor and using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to collect information to close gaps in our understanding of one of the least explored but incredibly economically and culturally important areas in the United States: Alaska. This expedition will focus on deepwater areas in the Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands, and the Aleutian Trench. ROV dives from 250 to 6,000 meters deep are anticipated from June 29 - July 24  and August 24 - September 15 and will explore seafloor subduction zones, deep-sea coral and sponge habitats, seamounts, mud volcanoes, hydrothermal vents, marine minerals, underwater cultural heritage sites, and the water column.

Seascape Alaska is a multiyear, multipartner cooperative research campaign to create accessible, high-quality modern seabed data for Alaskan waters to support U.S. research, resource management, sustainable economic growth, and the health and security of Americans.

R/V Falkor (too), Schmidt Ocean Institute

Octopus Odyssey, Costa Rica, June 2023

This expedition will investigate the biodiversity of unprotected seamounts in an under-explored region in Costa Rica. The primary target is the Dorado Outcrop, where a “garden” of female octopuses was first discovered in 2013 brooding their eggs along low-temperature vents, a phenomenon scientists had never seen before. The goal for this expedition is to better understand the hydrogeology, microbiology, ecology, and geochemistry that may facilitate this fascinating behavior.

To stay up to date on where these three ships are and tune in via the Deep Ocean Education Project website Vessels page.

Celebrate World Environment Day with NASA Celebrated on Monday, June 5, World Environment Day encourages awareness and action for the protection of the environment. Find Earth-related sources in the Earth Science Education Toolkit. Download printable puzzles about our home planet. Explore concepts about Earth science and climate change with "NASA's Earth Minute" videos.

Celebrate World Oceans Day with NASA Dive into the World Oceans Day celebration on Thursday, June 8. Make an Ocean Ecosystem Dessert and learn about the community of plants and animals that live in the sea. Hop into a submarine and learn about ocean currents with the Go With the Flow Download a printable coloring sheet all about Earth's water cycle.

New Ocean Science and Exploration Teaching Animations

The Ocean Exploration Trust is excited to debut six new teaching animations that bring ocean science and exploration concepts to life in easy-to-understand formats with adorable illustrations. Here you'll find short instructional animations on Seamount Formation, Diel Vertical Migration, Environmental DNA (eDNA), Island Chain Formation,Ocean Zones, and more!

Tracking Water Using NASA Satellite Data

In this activity for grades 4–8, students use real NASA satellite data to track water mass changes, learn how to read a heat map, and discuss the local and global implications of their findings. The activity includes embedded videos describing the science behind NASA’s GRACE (Gravity Research And Climate Experiment). In addition to the lesson’s overview, background information, and procedures, the plan includes classroom management tips, assessments, and suggested extensions. Check it out!

Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants Daily Dives

Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants (EBTSOYP) works to inspire the next generation of scientists and explorers by hosting virtual guest speakers and field trips most appropriate for middle and high school classrooms. EBTSOYP Daily Dives present classrooms with a short (5- to 7-minute) videos and a brief (5-minute) thought-provoking activity highlighting a current science research breakthrough, conservation story, expedition, or other science event each day. Recent topics have addressed zombie-ant fungi, Arctic cyclones, bubble blowing echidnas, hunting meteorites, and the submersible Alvin. The Daily Dives playlist can be viewed on the EBTSOYP YouTube channel. Teachers can access the accompanying student activity and a transcript for the video in the video’s YouTube description.

Breathe In, Breathe Out

Trace the flow of energy from the Sun to the cells in organisms using the new Click & Learn Energy Flow through Ecosystems, which includes embedded questions and calculations about the distribution of energy within ecosystems. Explore patterns in the Keeling Curve with the new Click & Learn The Breathing Biosphere and Human Contribution, which discusses natural and anthropogenic processes that contribute to atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Making Connections

Models represent systems of interrelated ideas, events, or processes. The Model Builder allows students to generate and refine a variety of models to show relationships and make predictions about biological phenomena. Use a model from the collection developed by BioInteractive, or have students generate their own models with provided graphics. The tool also includes an automated self-check feature for students and allows educators to score students’ models automatically.

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Mid-Atlantic Climate Change Education Conference June 21 | 10:00 - 3:30 pm ET & June 22 | 10:00 - 12:00 pm ET Join educators, students, and individuals as we navigate how to advance education for climate action in the Mid-Atlantic at the 4th annual virtual conference. Sessions include: Teaching Climate Action, Building Climate Resilience, Exploring Climate Resources, and Starring in Solutions-focused workforce. Registration is $25 and full scholarships are available for Mid-Atlantic students and educators. Learn more and register.

Investing in Our Ocean Future:  STEM Education Grants to Broaden Access to Ocean Sciences

Proposals Accepted: June 15 - August 15, 2023

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, in cooperation with NOAA Ocean Exploration, is excited to once again offer grants to educators and education programs leading workforce development initiatives that advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in ocean science and/or exploration career pathways. The overarching goal is to support a future ocean workforce that is more representative of US demographics by funding projects that minimize barriers to entry and retention of diverse youth from communities historically marginalized from ocean science and exploration industries. These grants are an investment in projects and partners that are leading science, education, technology, and engineering (STEM) education programming for diverse youth in middle school, high school, undergraduate, and/or community college to learn about the ocean, develop or advance STEM skills, and increase awareness of ocean science careers.

Learn more about the grants and explore previously funded projects!

Fellowship Opportunities: 

• Fellowship: 2023-2024 State Fellowship Program, University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant

  This fellowship is open to graduate students from any U.S. college or university who are interested in coastal and marine resources and the policy and management decisions affecting those resources.

Education/Equity Bytes

• 10 STEM Project Ideas for Elementary Students in 2023
• 4 universities turning passion for agriculture into impactful careers
• 22 Best Environmental Podcasts of 2023

 Climate

• Coastal Ecosystems Store Much More Greenhouse Gas Than They Emit
• Meet the climate startup turning a 5,000-mile stretch of seaweed from a plague of coastal communities into a giant carbon store
• New Innovative System Can Turn Seawater Into Fuel

Ocean, Coastal Weather, Sea Ice, Ocean Life, Water

• Pacuare Reserve investigates the role of microorganisms in leatherback turtle embryonic development
• Advanced Flood Modeling Study Predicts Impacts and Benefits of Different Adaptation Actions
• New Study Finds That the Ocean’s Garbage Patches Contain Fragile Ecosystems
• New mapping efforts seek to expand knowledge of Alaska’s waters
• Scientists detected 5,000 sea creatures nobody knew existed. It’s a warning.
• Comparing an orca's brain to a human's explains why killer whales are the ocean's ultimate apex predator
• A big El Niño is looming. Here’s what it means for our weather.

Weather Extremes and Other Science News of Note

• Another hurricane season has arrived. Here’s how meteorologists make those long-range predictions.
• Hunting Hurricanes
• A remarkable new view of the Titanic shipwreck is here, thanks to deep-sea mappers
• Raincoats made of algae could be the future of sustainable fashion

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NOAA Planet Stewards Education Program

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