Join us every month as we explore a wonderful series of thought provoking page turners. We’ve got a great selection of environmental justice, fiction, nonfiction, and even some cli-fi! You can find all our meeting selections, dates, times, and log in information on our upcoming events page. All are Welcome!

Our first meeting will be at 7:00 pm ET on September 10, 2024. 

We’ll discuss the film The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, a drama written, directed by and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor. It is based on the memoir of the same name by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled and modern science was a mystery. It was also a land withered by drought and hunger. But William had read about windmills, and he dreamed of building one that would bring to his small village a set of luxuries that only 2 percent of Malawians could enjoy: electricity and running water. 

His neighbors called him misala—crazy—but William refused to let go of his dreams. With a small pile of once-forgotten science textbooks; some scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves; and an armory of curiosity and determination, he embarked on a daring plan to forge an unlikely contraption and small miracle that would change the lives around him.

NOAA Planet Stewards educators are a great source of inspiration through the stewardship education and activities they carry out in their schools and communities. 

Congratulations John Herrington!, a teacher at East Syracuse Minoa Central High School, and adjunct instructor for SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry. He is a 2024 recipient of a Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators from the The White House Council on Environmental Quality, and the U.S. EPA. This award recognizes outstanding K-12 grade teachers who employ innovative approaches to environmental education and use the environment as a context for learning for their students. 

John was recognized for transforming his school’s central courtyard into an outdoor classroom with native foliage. He also engages members of the nearby Onondaga Nation to visit his class and teach about species restoration using Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and the correlation between land use patterns and socioeconomic status. Through a collaboration with the Onondaga Environmental Institute, John worked on a community-based watershed restoration project, which included tree planting to mitigate future flow and improve water quality. 

Read about the work John and his students have done, explore the stewardship other educators have spearheaded, and find out how you can get funding for your project!  

Are you a NOAA Planet Stewards Educator and received accolades for your work? Let us know and share the good news with our community!

The Planet NOAA Podcast: Class is in Session!

Our planet is a living classroom! Assistant. Secretary Jainey Bavishi and NOAA Education experts discuss how to build climate adaptation & resilience for AND WITH young people.

Listen now!

With funding from the EPA, and facilitated by Connecticut Sea Grant and Mercy University, the Become a Long Island Sound School program supports schools that implement a school or community-based project and create a plan to increase ocean literacy by engaging students, families, and the public.

All K-12 schools in the Long Island Sound watershed in New York and Connecticut are eligible, from inland areas with waterways that flow into the estuary to shoreline communities. Program funding provides stipends for lead teachers at each school and up to $5,000 per school to implement projects. Schools will also have access to a network of educators, connections with scientists, community organizations and stewardship sites, and possible travel funds for conference presentations.

Many resources are available to help you prepare your application, and then submit it through the application form.

Audience: U.S. educators of grades 3-12
Application Deadline: Friday, August 30, 2024
Contact: barbie.buckner@nasa.gov

Are you a teacher who is interested in using My NASA Data in your classroom? Are you looking to make an impact in Earth science education? Consider joining the My NASA Data Product Review Team and/or the Data Visualization User Working Group for the 2024-25 school year.

Volunteers on the Product Review Team will review lessons and provide feedback about hands-on experience and resources. Data Visualization User Working Group volunteers will provide feedback on the newly modified My NASA Data Earth System Data Explorer, our data visualization tool for use in lesson planning or with students.

Throughout fall 2024

Exploring the Deep Ocean with NOAA workshops are being hosted by OER for educators grades 6-12. The workshops are scheduled at 10 Education Alliance Partner sites this fall. Note: all registration pages for fall workshops will be live in the next week or two. 

Bow Seat is thrilled to announce a call for applications for the True Blue Fellowship, previously the Fellowship Grant Program.

The Fellowship offers peer-mentorship, capacity building, and funding of up to $2,500 USD to youth who are developing projects that address ocean, waterways, and/or climate issues through a creative arts lens. One of the biggest changes from the Fellowship Grant Program is that the creative arts must serve as the primary method of awareness and/or action in the project.

This season, your class will have the opportunity to learn from inventors, scientists, conservationists, storytellers, and more. Nat Geo is also welcoming back the popular Explorer Classroom Wildlife Series this fall, where your learners can join an interactive program to explore wildlife globally, while taking action locally!

Explore upcoming episodes via the explorer classroom schedule and register your class today. All events are recommended for grades 3-8 (ages 8-14).

Dive into the Pristine Seas Collection to discover the wonders of our planet's marine ecosystems. This rich resource offers educators a variety of engaging materials, including educational videos, articles, and case studies. Plus, your students can participate in the interactive MapMaker Activity, bringing the importance of ocean conservation to life in the classroom.

Black Birders Week is an annual event that celebrates Black birders, naturalists, and outdoor enthusiasts. It highlighting their contributions to the natural world, and advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the birding community. The theme of Black Birders Week 2024 was "Wings of Justice: Soaring for Change." This theme underscores the BAFiS Collective’s commitment to bird conservation, environmental justice, and community care. Everyone is invited to join in celebrating Black birders, and advocating for more inclusive outdoor spaces."

Black Birders Week 2024 featured a series of virtual and in-person events, including bird walks, educational content, talks, and community panel discussions. Participants had the opportunity to engage with Black leaders and experts in the birding community, learn about local bird conservation efforts, and explore the intersection of birding, Black communities, Black culture, and environmental justice. 

Check out the interviews, discussions, and virtual sessions on the BAFiS Youtube channel. 

Encourage your early learners to explore how they can work together, talk through problems, and effect positive change with this fun children's cartoon episode from the hit PBS KIDS series, Arthur! Use the 11-minute animated story as part of a lesson on environmental science and as a way for your class to practice their civic skills, such as using empathy to work through disagreements, drawing on individual strengths, and putting ideas that matter into action.

Kick off your new school year lesson planning by helping your students explore the science of climate, how to measure and model climate data, and find sustainable solutions in response to our changing world. Featuring 80+ resources, this robust "Climate and Our Planet" collection offers a range of videos and classroom resources to engage middle and high school students with key questions in climate science – and how they can take action.

National Society of High School Scholars Grants

Application deadline: October 3, 2024

National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) grants are open to teachers, administrators, school social workers, counselors, homeschool educators, and test prep professionals. Register as an NSHSS Educator at no charge and apply for the following grants:

• School Supplies Grant. Fifteen $500 awards
• School Club Cash. Ten $500 awards
• NSHSS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Teaching Grant. Three $1,500 awards
• Higher Education Grant. Four $2,500 awards.

These grants are awarded to help educators achieve their professional development goals, NSHSS is providing grants to help with the costs of tuition and course-related expenses for teachers and counselors who are enrolling in university courses in  Fall 2024 or Spring 2025.

NSHSS Educator of the Year Awards

Application Deadline: November 5, 2024

One top award of $5,000, and nine finalist awards of $1,000These awards are presented annually to exemplary educators who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to preparing students for success in college and in life. Awardees model best practices in teaching or administration inside and outside of the classroom, are peer role models, and demonstrate outstanding leadership and excellence in education.

From record land and ocean heat to massive wildfires, you can get a comprehensive picture of the global climate in 2023 by reading the "annual physical of the Earth System": the State of the Climate report. The report is now available, produced by NOAA and published and peer-reviewed by the AMS, with contributions from nearly 600 scientists worldwide. Read the full "State of the Climate" report, or download the "State of the Climate" Executive Summary for an overview.

The report discusses global phenomena—from ice melt to tropical storms—and their impacts, as well as regional and national-scale climate trends and important events. Learn about cherry blossoms blooming early in Japan, ships traversing the Northwest Passage, the human impacts of extreme weather, and more.

Read an American Meteorological Society blog post outlining some of the report’s top findings.