Back to School Edition --

Which resources will you use?

National Conservation Training Center 
Division of Education and Outreach 
September 2014 
In This Issue

Kathy Sholl, Editor

It's back to school time, and you can feel the excitement in the  air.  With school, homework, and activities,
VOICES has the creative resources to help you keep students connected to nature. Many thanks to our
readers who submitted their resource ideas for this month's issue.

School work can require finding that special book.  Regardless if you are seeking hard copy books or online information, don't forget to visit the FWS National Conservation Library.  The library has relocated to the West Pond Building on campus and is still the best FWS resource there is.  You can find library catalogs, a literature search, maps, and imagery.  Next time you are on campus at NCTC, take a stroll to the library and discover all the resources available. If you have any questions, Librarian Anne Post will be happy to help you.  Anne_Post@fws.gov   
http://library.fws.gov  and http://digitalmedia.fws.gov

Although school is just beginning, it's not too early to plan for the summer of 2015.  You'll want to read about a biology summer camp from Region 3 under Connecting People with Nature. The Youth in the Great Outdoor section has a submission from Region 3 about starting your own summer intern workshop,  and Region 4 sent in, "Make the Youth Connection with a Newsletter" to help you design your own newsletter.

It's not too late to share your resources.  Send in your resource ideas to Kathy_Sholl@fws.gov by October 1 for the November issue of VOICES.  And if you take the time to scroll to the bottom of this issue, you'll find a new feature that you may wish to clip and save.
Sincerely,
Kathy Sholl 

 

Connecting People to NatureConnecting

CPWN Video Just Released
Connecting People with Nature 
The two-minute Connecting  
People with Nature video, with photos from every region, will inspire you to get others outside. What can you do with partners to engage diverse communities and foster the next generation of conservation leaders?
http://youtu.be/IAki4SIU5W8 

Create a Butterfly Habitat
Make a butterfly habitat at your visitor station or show children how to build a butterfly habitat in their own backyard.  Children will enjoy butterflies coming and going all day long. This is a simple project that is easy to maintain. It just takes a little patience and some butterfly knowledge to make this real-life science experiment a success.
www.education.com/activity/article/butterfly_habitat_first/

Kids.gov
Did you know the Federal government has a website for kids, teens (grades 6-8), teachers, and parents?  Tagged as a
"safe place to learn and play," there are three headings: Learn Stuff, Play Games, and Watch Videos. 

FWS Pollinators
Looking for more information about pollinators?  There's a wealth of material on the FWS Pollinators website.
www.fws.gov/pollinators/Index.html

Free Activities for Kids
Activities are a wonderful way to show kids that learning can be fun.  These year-round activities for students in preschool through high school and include hands-on projects and games that are both interesting and educational.  Adapt these ideas for your resource.
www.education.com/activity/

Full Moon Walks Inspire and Educate
The Friends of Cape May National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey are hosting monthly "full moon" walks for visitors.  These highly popular walks give visitors the opportunity to explore the refuge beach at dusk, encountering birds, crabs, and other critters along the way.  The most recent walk occurred during the super moon,  accompanied by live music, with over 100 attendees!  What type of moon walk can you create that highlights your resources? There will be full moons on September 9, October 8, November 6 and December 6 -- don't miss the opportunity.
http://usfwsnortheast.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/a-different-kind-of-moon-walk

My Earth Changing Moments
How does nature inspire you? Share your moment! My Earth Changing Moments is a platform to collect photos, videos, or written stories of the "aha" moments people experience that forever connect them to the environment.
http://myearthchangingmoments.org

Nature Ideas
Got dirt?  Find ways to help youth explore the outdoors.
http://blog.childrenandnature.org/2014/06/02/what-are-you-doing-this-summer/

Pumpkins and Petunias: Things for Children to do in Gardens
Want to enjoy garden activities with a preschooler or school-age child? Here's a book for teachers, parents, home schoolers, after school instructors, park or botanical garden interpreters, and child development specialists. Esther Railton-Rice and Irene Winston describe 48 things to do in a variety of gardens that expand with suggestions for related activities. Activities are matched in tables to the National Core Standards, NAEYC curriculum standards and Next Generation Science Standards.
http://naturalstart.org/resources/pumpkins-and-petunias-things-children-do-gardens

Reach More Audiences with Electronic Field Trips (eTRIPs)
The US Fish & Wildlife Service's Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (WSFR) has created a new tool to educate people about wildlife restoration across the country. States and USFWS regions can now create a customized, place-based electronic field trip (eTRIP) video tailored to highlight Wildlife Restoration Program (Pittman-Robertson) efforts in individual states or regions.
The eTRIP video template can be downloaded on the Toolkit under "Share Your Success" along with a handout with tips for making your Wildlife Restoration eTRIP.  If you have questions or completed an eTRIP that you'd like to share others, contact Christina_Milloy@fws.gov
http://wsfr75.com/content/communications-promotional-tool-box 

Redecorate Your Office Break Room! 
Connecting People with Nature is an
everyday thing for some of us who work in visitor services or in other positions where outreach and education are a part of the job. There is huge untapped potential among our co-workers, though, to share our conservation message. If all of our Service staff shared their love of nature at their children's schools, at civic organizations, and at home, our reach would be magnified. These Region 8 office break-room posters are part of an in-reach effort intended to encourage all of our co-workers to connect.  Sorry, there is a limited supply for Region 8, but DC Carr would be happy to advise offices or regions that would like to develop their own poster.
Derek_Carr@fws.gov

Summer Explorers Biology Camp
Looking for ideas to create an inspiring camp for youth during the summer on your refuge or field station?  In Fergus Falls, Minnesota (Region 3),15 formal and non-formal educators introduced students entering 5th and 6th grades to a fourt-part model called Compass, a Way Back in to Nature.  The four points included field journals, naturalists, pphenology, and place-based education.  Plan now for your summer camp in 2015.
www.fws.gov/FieldNotes/regmap.cfm?arskey=35095

Wayside Exhibits Guide

There is more than one way to connect people to nature and wayside exhibits can help.  The National Park Service Wayside Guide contains three main sections: the guide defines the medium, illustrates standards and stages of work, and lists webpages for more in-depth tools and information.

www.nps.gov/hfc/pdf/waysides/wayside-guide-first-edition.pdf   

 
Youth in the Great OutdoorsYouth

Make the Youth "Connection" with a Newsletter
Are you looking for ways to connect with the youth in your region?  Region 4 has initiated a newsletter focused on youth programs throughout the southwest region.  See what Region 4 youth are doing to connect with the resource and what you can do!
http://issuu.com/usfwssoutheast/docs/youthnewsletter/0#

Plan Now for 2015 Summer Intern Workshop 
Region 3 conducts a Summer Intern Workshop each year for youth working across the region. The objectives of the workshop are to provide the students: (1) An orientation to the Federal hiring process, and building career pathways to Federal service; (2) an opportunity to learn about the Region's various conservation programs and the kinds of careers available; (3) an opportunity to present their summer work to colleagues and FWS regional staff; and, (4) a field trip to a local refuge.  This year's Summer Intern Workshop Program took place July 29 to August 1.  Regions interested in conducting similar events should contact AnnMarie_Chapman@fws.gov
http://training.fws.gov/programs/education-outreach/Intern-Book-2014.pdf

NAAEE Mentoring Opportunity
The NAAEE/EECOM 2014 Young Professionals committee is organizing an informal "mentworking" session (mentoring + networking) at the Ottawa conference during Friday's lunch. At that time, young environmental educators will have the opportunity to connect with seasoned professionals and researchers and benefit from their experiences.  If you can give 90 minutes of your conference time to share your experiences with young professionals, please sign up as a mentor on your conference registration form or contact Kristian Gareau at kristian.gareau@gmail.com
www.naaee.net/conference

 

Register in DOI Learn for courses and webinars:
www.doi.gov/doilearn/index.cfm   

Visitor Services Planning: CLM8251
Date:  November 4-20, 2014
Location: Online
This course is designed to enable FWS employees to develop a visitor services plan for their field station that is consistent with current guidance, the station's CCP, and is effective at providing direction for the program. Topics include visitor services reviews and pre-planning, overview of NEPA and how it relates to visitor services and data collection.
Contact: Julie_Study@fws.gov or 304-876-7651
Registration Deadline: October 10, 2014
After deadline, call for availability.

Clear Correspondence: CLM8202
Date:  November 12-13, 2014 and December 9-10, 2014
Location: Online
This course will help you correspond effectively, with a clear purpose. You'll get faster, more concise replies by learning what to ask and how to ask it. Includes a language refresher, like where to put subjects and verbs to get the most "punch" out of your sentence, or how to use a comma, a semicolon, and an apostrophe.
Contact: Linda_Lufkin@fws.gov or 304-876-7484
Registration Deadline: October 10, 2014
After deadline, call for availability.

Online Mentoring: Getting Started with Your Mentee OUT8081
Date: Ongoing
Location: DOI-Learn (Online)
In this course mentoring experts provide tips and techniques based on their experience. The self-paced training focuses on mentoring fundamentals, including tools, job aids, and skills needed when meeting with a mentee for the first time. Participating in this course will contribute to building a successful partnership with your mentee. Participants are given a 'quarterly' timeline (Jan 1; April 1; July 1; Oct 1) i.e. 4 months intervals to complete this online course. Receive 2.5 hours credit annual diversity training upon course completion. This course is a prerequisite for Mentoring the Next Generation: Voices of Experience OUT8050-ELEARNING, an Archived Webinar.
Contact: Ora_Dixon@fws.gov; 304-876-7314 or Sandy_Spakoff@fws.gov; 304-876-7783

Online Mentoring: The Next Generation - Voices of Experiences: OUT8050-ELEARNING
Date: Ongoing
Location: DOI-Learn (Archived OUT8050 Webinar/Online)
Hear the ins and outs of mentoring as a panel of experienced mentors and mentees answer questions and provide suggestions for ensuring a productive mentor-mentee relationship. This archived webinar (eLearning) training builds on the mentoring prerequisite OUT8081 and focuses on trouble-shooting challenges in a mentoring relationship. Participants will apply the insights they've gained to their personal mentoring practices to build a more open, inclusive, and trusting relationship with their mentee(s). Course enrollees must score 80% or higher on the online final assessment for course completion. Participants are given a 'quarterly' timeline (Jan 1; April 1; July 1; Oct 1) i.e. 4 months intervals to complete this online course. Receive 2.5 hours credit annual diversity training upon course completion.
Contact: Ora_Dixon@fws.gov; 304-876-7314 or Sandy_Spakoff@fws.gov; 304-876-7783

Online ELEARNING: Supervising Young Adults in Conservation OUT8045
Date: Ongoing
Location: DOI-Learn - Archived OUT8045 Webinar/Online
Supervising young adults in seasonal and internship positions can be a new and challenging experience for even the most seasoned of supervisors. This recorded webinar, led by Student Conservation Association & US Forest Service staff, will relate critical thinking and problem solving to common issues and situations often faced by supervisors working with young adults aged 16-25. Participants have a "quarterly" timeline to complete this course; i.e., four-month intervals (Jan 1; April 1; July 1; Oct 1).
Contact: Sandy_Spakoff@fws.gov; 304-876-7783 or Ora_Dixon@fws.gov; 304-876-7314

 

Wilderness Management Course: Managing the Wilderness Ecosystem (NRSM 405/561)
This course studies ecosystem characteristics and basic principles of wilderness management. Separate chapters discuss management of specific wilderness resources, managing non-conforming uses such as grazing, mining, motorized vehicles and equipment, and mechanical transport. The course will discuss the use of traditional means to achieve management objectives, use of the Minimum Requirements Decision Guide, and Leave No Trace camping techniques. Designed to meet the needs of a broad range of students from wilderness professionals, outdoor recreational planners and educators, to members of conservation groups and interested citizens. Course credit offered through The University of Montana, Missoula. Registration deadline is September 24, 2014.
http://wmdep.wilderness.net/

NAI Webinars
Interesting webinars are offered by the National Association for Interpretation.  You can register as a member or non-member for any of the webinars.
www.interpnet.com

Science & Public Interface
Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) is pleased to announce a new series of five online courses co-developed by a diverse line up of federal and state agency, organization, non-profit, and university partners with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).  The 5-course sequence is designed to help you facilitate audience connections to science, place, each other, and community.
http://shinenet.net/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

 

Battle for Bats
This 12-minute video shares the latest research on the devastating fungus causing massive die-offs of cave-dwelling bats in the U.S. and includes interviews with leaders in the lab and field from Forest Service, Bat Conservation International, U.S. Geological Service, National Park Service, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Vermont Fish & Wildlife. The help advocate for bats, we are proud to offer these English and Spanish versions to you for use in presentations, visitor centers, film festivals, and with colleagues/friends.
Trailer (English): www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS18bBQAFd8
Film (English):  www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAk1tEyQXmI
Film (Spanish): www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QiWPrf9cjE&feature=youtu.be

The Natural Inquirer: The Morel of the Story
The Natural Inquirer is a science education journal to share with middle school students. Scientists report their research in journals, which enable them to share information with one another. Each article tells you about scientific research conducted by scientists in the USDA Forest Service.  This edition compares the scientific research on morel mushrooms with local mushroom hunters' knowledge of morel mushrooms.  This is great resource for teaching mushroom safety and ecology.
www.naturalinquirer.org/The-Morel-of-the-Story-i-53.html#

Leaf Pack Network

The Leaf Pack Network is a network of teachers and students investigating their local stream ecosystems. Participants create an artificial leaf pack and place it in a stream for three to four weeks then collect and examine the packs in the classroom and share their data. Students can discover aquatic insects that indicate stream health and learn more about the connection between trees and streams. Check out the links in the Learning Center, look into the resources, and more.

www.stroudcenter.org/lpn/   

 

New Regional Climate
Resources for Educators 
Educational resources for each region of the country (plus ocean & coasts), tied to the National Climate Assessment  (NCA) key findings, are posted at  NOAA's teaching climate. The National Climate Assessment is rich with info and graphics, written in non-technical language that spells out that climate change is real and happening now.
NCA: http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/
NCA Teaching Resources: www.climate.gov/teaching/2014-national-climate-assessment-resources-educators   

 

 

NAAEE Conference  
The 43rd NAAEE Conference will be held in Ottawa, Canada from October 8-11, 2014, with the Ottawa Convention Center as the center of activity. Join more than 1,000 of your environmental education colleagues for this outstanding professional development opportunity.
www.naaee.net/conference

NAI National Workshop
The theme of the 2014 National Association for Interpretation's National Workshop is Scaling Interpretive Heights.  The conference will be held November 18-22, 2014, in Denver, Colorado. Registration for the conference is now open.
www.interpnet.com/nai/Events/NAI_National_Workshop/nai/_events/NAI_National_Workshop.aspx

NSTA Learning Inside and Out Conference
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is hosting its first conference focused on building connections between formal and non-formal science education. Conference strands include watershed science, partnerships and collaborations, and integrating science with other disciplines. The conference will be held October 16-18, 2014, in Richmond, VA.
 www.nsta.org/conferences/area1.aspx

 

 

Grants, Awards & ContestsGrants

American Honda Foundation Grants
The American Honda Foundation makes grants to K-12 schools, colleges, universities, trade schools, and others for programs that benefit youth and scientific education, and programs pertaining to academic or curriculum development that emphasize innovative educational methods and techniques.  Grants are awarded on a quarterly basis, with the next deadline as November 1, 2014.

 

GreenWorks! Grants Project Learning TreeŽ (PLT), an award-winning national environmental education program for educators and students in grades PreK-12, has GreenWorks! grants of up to $2,000 available to schools and youth organizations for environmental service-learning projects. Students "learn by doing" through community action projects they design and implement to improve an aspect of their school or neighborhood's environment. Apply online.  Deadline is September 30, 2014.
www.greenworks.org 

 

National Recreation Trails Photo Contest American Trails sponsors an annual contest for photographs of National Recreation Trails (NRT) across the country. Deadline is December 14, 2014. 

 

NSTA Teacher Awards

The National Science Teachers Association sponsors numerous awards for educators. Check the website for complete details of all the awards. The deadline for application for most is November 30, 2014.

www.nsta.org/about/awards.aspx  

 
Partnership and the Illinois Schoolyard Habitat  Action Grant in Normal, Illinois  

Partnerships are increasingly important in delivering habitat conservation and education. The Service's Illinois Private Lands Office (ILPLO) has partnered with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) for the past 3 years on their Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Program. Staff from the ILPLO and the IDNR recently completed a Demonstration Garden to further the success the Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Program has realized since its inception.  Look for grant opportunities in your region.
IDNR: http://dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/Grants/demogarden.htm  


Too Many Grants to List!
Find the grant that best matches your needs.
http://eeingeorgia.org/core/item/topic.aspx?s=0.0.68.4863&tid=85010

Race 4 Birds Birding Competitions for Young People
The Race 4 Birds Foundation launched a new nonprofit organization to promote youth birding competitions. The birding competitions challenge youth participants to identify and quantify the number of birds sighted within 24 hours. The site offers a planning guide, detailed instructions, and resources.
www.race4birds.org/

VOICES is Archived!
 
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 A Clip & Save Quote:

"Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children's children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance."
                      ~ Theodore Roosevelt