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National Conservation Training Center        
Division of Education and Outreach        
 
    January 2015        
     
Got Milkweed?
Kathy Sholl, Editor
Happy New Year Readers!

No, I'm not playing Santa, but rather, I'm doing an infomercial for monarch butterflies and their need for milkweed. 

Under the Connecting People with Nature section, you can find more information about the plight of the monarchs and how to grow milkweed.  You will also find under CPWN a submission by San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge and their highly successful NASCAR event.

Don't miss reading the exciting opportunity in Alaska for educators and youth interested in Climate Change under the Youth in the Great Outdoors section.

We're starting 2015 with plenty of resources for you, and we will continue to bring you useful tools bi-monthly throughout the year.

Keep your submissions coming.  Your "voice" does make a difference.  Send questions, comments, suggestions, and your region's resources to
 [email protected]

Kathy
Connecting People with NatureConnecting

Monarch Butterflies Need Your Help 
The North American monarch butterfly and its phenomenal migration are in trouble, but we can help!  The Service is busy this winter developing monarch conservation strategies including habitat creation and restoration, building partnerships, and enhancing outreach, education, and engagement activities.  Find basic information about monarchs and their larval food source, milkweed.  Links are also provided to the Monarch Watch, Monarch Joint Venture, and the Service's Pollinators websites.
www.fws.gov/refuges/news/MonarchButterfliesTrouble.html

BirdNote 
Do you have two minutes for a story about birds and the environment?  BirdNote is supported by people who value work on behalf of birds and the natural world. Discover why bird poop is white and other interesting stories.  
http://birdnote.org/show/why-bird-poop-white

New Nature Activities for Families Guide
Project Learning Tree has compiled 25 of its most popular activities for families into a 40-page booklet. These fun and easy-to-do activities are perfect for parents-and grandparents-to help introduce children to nature while walking in the forest, visiting a local park, exploring your own backyard, or when all else fails--inside!
www.plt.org/store

Unique Opportunity with NASCAR
Over 50,000 people and Puddles the Blue Goose flocked to the Sonoma Raceway for the Toyota/Save Mart 350 NASCAR race day. The race was a great opportunity for staff and volunteers from the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge and regional office staff to connect with NASCAR fans both young and old. The booth supplied information about the National Wildlife Refuge System, 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act, and included an air boat. The Service booth proved to be a hit and was unlike any other booth at the track. Sonoma Raceway and the San Pablo NWR will continue working together and explore the possibility of having a booth at future race events.  What can your refuge do to draw the crowds?
www.fws.gov/refuge/san_pablo_bay/


Youth in the Great OutdoorsYouth
Climate Change Academy
Come discover wild Alaska on an educational journey to  the last frontier. The second Climate Change Academy program, in collaboration with the National Park Service, will be held July 14-24, 2015. We seek educators with a passion for travel, a commitment to teaching students about responsible global citizenship, and a proven track record for success as an educator in and out of the classroom. Experience with the subject of climate change is helpful, though not required.  Eligible students are current 9th through 11th grade students who demonstrate leadership potential, have some outdoor experience, a clear affinity the environment and interest in climate change.
www.nobarriersyouth.org/programs/climate_change_academy

 

FWS Professional DevelopmentFWSProfessional
Register in DOI Learn:  www.doi.gov/doilearn/index.cfm

Education Programs for Youth: School's Out - OUT8162

Date: September 21-23, 2015
Location: NCTC, Shepherdstown, WV

This course presents participants with the elements of  

designing outdoor programs for youth (e.g. after school, day and residential camps, and weekend programs) in a non-formal setting, such as wildlife refuges, parks, etc.  This course offers opportunities to create or modify exciting, safe, natural resource focused youth programs that help to address site missions and/or management objectives.

Contact:  [email protected] or 304-876-7685

Registration Deadline: July 13, 2015 

 

Teaching Youth Outdoor Skills - OUT8062

Date: May 4-8,2015

Location: NCTC, Shepherdstown, WV 

This course provides participants with skills and tools that actively engage youth in the outdoors. Through a variety of instructor certification modules including fishing, archery, photography, and interactive classroom and field based sessions, participants will be prepared to develop new or enhance existing wild-life dependent recreation programs.

Registration Deadline: March 15, 2015 

 

Online: Supervising Young Adults in Conservation
FWS-OUT8045-ELEARNING

Date: Ongoing                                 
Location: DOI-Learn - OLT course   
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 & U.S. 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: [email protected]; 304-876-7314 or [email protected]; 304-876-7783

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. four-month intervals to complete this online course. Receive 2 � 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: [email protected]; 304-876-7314 or [email protected]; 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. four- month intervals to complete this online course.  Receive 2 � hours credit annual diversity training upon course completion.  Contact: [email protected]; 304-876-7314 or [email protected]; 304-876-7783
                                       
Other Professional DevelopmentOther
Two Online Courses on Management of
Recreation Resources   
Course Dates: February 2 - May 22, 2015
Two courses, Management of Recreation Resources in Wilderness (Undergraduate) and Managing Recreation Resources in Wilderness Settings (Graduate) will be offered online with a facilitated discussion group led by instructor Kari Gunderson. Invited guest instructors may include Carhart Wilderness Training Center staff, academics, and working wilderness managers.
Registration deadline: January 15, 2015
http://wmdep.wilderness.net/407_562%20online.pdf 
 
National Leadership Institute Applications Available
Applications to the 2015 National Leadership Institute are now open. The BEETLES (Better Environmental Education, Teaching, Learning, Expertise and Sharing) National Leadership Institute for residential outdoor science school leaders will take place in California from August 2-7, 2015. This institute is open to 2 leaders (one person in a director/administrative role, and one education director/lead instructor with staff training responsibilities) from each of 25 selected programs across the country. This all-expenses paid trip to California is for 5 days of free professional learning and networking. 

Educational ResourcesEducationalResources 

 

ARKive: An Excellent Visual and Virtual Resource
With the help of the world's best wildlife filmmakers and photographers, conservationists and scientists, ARKive is creating an awe-inspiring record of life on Earth. Freely accessible to everyone and preserved for the benefit of future generations, ARKive features videos, photos and activities by age groups that can be used for conservation, education and public awareness.  
www.arkive.org/


Hands on the Land

USFWS welcomes four new Hands on the Land sites, increasing Service sites to 13. The new sites are Alaska Peninsula & Becharof NWR, Black Bayou Lake NWR, Necedah NWR, and Minnesota Valley NWR. Hands on the Land is a national network of field classrooms and agency resources to connect students, teachers, families, and volunteers with public lands and waterways.  
http://handsontheland.org

Encyclopedia of Life
The Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) is a free online resource bringing together information about all life on Earth including text, images, video, sounds, maps, and classifications. EOL brings together trusted information from resources across the world such as museums, learned societies, expert scientists, and others into one massive database and a single, easy-to-use online portal.
http://eol.org/discover

Environmental Education Teaching Aids
The National Service Center for Environmental Publications is offering new order forms listing materials grouped by grade range (K-3, K-12, Elementary School, Middle School, High School, and General Information for Teachers).  Each form has a picture of the item, title, brief description of the item, and the quantity limit that can be ordered.
www.epa.gov/nscep/teaching_aids.html

Keys to Keep Your Outdoor Classroom Growing
Learn methods to keep people excited about using and maintaining nature-based learning spaces.
10 Best STEM Resources
The National Education Association offers a list of 10 Best STEM Resources - Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Resources for preK-12.  Be sure to browse the lesson plans linked to on this website, along with grants, and teaching strategies.
 www.nea.org/tools/lessons/stem-resources.html

Top 100 Sites for Going Green

The websites featured here offer stories, advice, and resources about sustainable living.

www.environmentalsciencedegree.com/green-living/  

 

 

Events, Conferences & WorkshopsEvents

Children & Nature Network Conference
Join leaders from around the world to hear what others are doing to create nature-rich communities that are so critical to the health and well being of children and families.  Learn about the latest research and policies, hear from leading health and urban planning experts, and discover innovations in technology that bring new audiences to nature.  The conference is at the Hyatt Lost Pines in Austin, TX from April 7-9, 2015.

Citizen Science 2015

Citizen Science 2015 is the inaugural conference of the Citizen Science Association. It will be held at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, California, USA, February 11-12, 2015. Enjoy two days of building connections and exchanging ideas across a wide spectrum of disciplines and experiences.
International Trails Symposium
Presentations in support of the International Trails Symposium's theme, Solutions for Success, are being accepted for the conference, May 17-20, 2015 in Portland, Oregon. 

Grants, Awards, & ContestsGrantsAwards

Captain Planet Foundation Grants

The Captain Planet Foundation provides grants of up to $2,500 to school and community groups to support hands-on environmental projects. Deadlines are January 31 and September 30, 2015.

http://captainplanetfoundation.org/apply-for-grants/� 

 

Celebrate Urban Birds Mini-grants  
Every year, organizations, educators, and youth are invited to apply for mini-grants to help fund creative, bird-related neighborhood events. All mini-grant applicants are offered materials and training to support their events (even if their proposals are not funded). Mini-grants average between $100-$750.  The deadline is January 15, 2015. 
http://celebrateurbanbirds.org/community/minigrants/articles-tab/

Christopher Columbus Awards  

The Christopher Columbus Awards for middle school students is a community-based STEM program.  Students work in teams of three to four, with an adult coach, to identify a problem in their community and apply the scientific method to create an innovative solution to that problem.  The deadline for submission is February 2, 2015.
 
EPA Proposals 
Proposals for the initial stage of the Environmental Education (EE) Grants Program are now being accepted.  This year, EPA intends to issue two Requests for Proposals (RFP) under the EE Grants Program; the EE Model Grants RFP is now available for viewing.  Three grants, for approximately $192,200 each, will be awarded under this RFP.  Applications are due by February 2, 2015.
www2.epa.gov/education/environmental-education-ee-grants

UL Grant for E-STEM
The Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Innovative Education Award aims to recognize and support the critical work of U.S. and Canadian nonprofits that embrace E-STEM to inspire school-aged children (K-12) to be the next generation of game-changing scientists, business leaders, researchers, inventors, and engineers.   One $100,000 grant, two $50,000 grants, and two $25,000 grants will be awarded in the final program.
http://naaee.org/ulinnovativeeducation

Youth Learning Grants
Youth Learning as Citizen Environmental Scientists offers this initial grant solicitation to support the efforts of those working with youth to do environmental citizen science or student research projects.  The deadline for application is January 15, 2015.
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