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December 2014                                                    News for Teachers
Community Events

Edmonton

Edmonton Regional Community of Practice Meeting. This is a free event.

 

When: Thursday, December 11, 2014, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

  

           Register here

  

 
A national conference about energy and environmental education - for a sustainable future.
                                               
          15-17 October, 2015                          Coast Hotel, Canmore, Alberta 

 

Keynote speakers:
  • Wade Davis, Explorer in Residence at National Geographic
  • David Orr, author of Hope is an Imperative and Ecological Literacy
  • Suzanne West, CEO of Imaginea Energy

Click here to learn more about the 2015 conference - registration will open very soon. 

 

Join the Conversation

     

Environmental Education is often described as perfect tool for self assessment. It is also a powerful tool for the class, the school, the Board, the province and even beyond.

 

For almost two years now, Rob Ridley, (t: @RangerRidley) Field Centres Coordinator for the Peel District School Board on the border of Toronto and Paul Kelba, (t: @PaulKelba) Curriculum Specialist with the Calgary Board of Education have organized and moderated #EnviroEd chat on Twitter on Wednesday nights from 7-8 pm MT.


 

Discussions vary from practices to concepts, from theory to behaviours. Participants come from every hemisphere and all educators interested in environmental education are welcome to participate.


View the full library of EE conversations here. 


 

 

World of 7 Billion Student Video Contest

Back by popular demand, the World of 7 Billion student video contest can help you bring technology and creativity into your high school environmental education classes. 


 

The contest challenges your students to create a short (60 seconds or less) video illustrating the connection between world population growth and one of three global challenges dealing with either the sixth extinction, available farmland, or global education. Students can win up to $1,000 and their teachers will receive free curriculum resources. The contest deadline is February 19, 2015. Full contest guidelines, resources for research, past winners, and more can be found here.

 

 

Call to Participate: Help Make Schools More Sustainable  

 

The Sustainability and Education Policy Network (SEPN) is a national research-based partnership that is examining sustainability in education policy and practice across the entire education system in Canada.  They invite you to participate in their national survey and help identify how education policy and practice on sustainability might be better developed and implemented across our entire education system.  


The SEPN is particularly interested in your feedback on:
  • Existing sustainability practices in your educational setting
  • What has affected the development of sustainability practices in your educational setting
  • How policies have been developed in your educational setting

Participants can enter a draw for 1 of 3 $150 gift certificates for a bookstore of your choice.


Click here to take the survey.

 

 

Program Inspires Student Action on Climate Change

 

DreamRider's Planet Protector Academy is an innovative climate change teaching resource that trains kids as 'apprentice' Planet Protectors and sends them home on superhero missions to change their families' energy and transportation behaviours!

Curriculum-linked (Gr 3-6) and storyline-led, this transformational resource uses the best of the digital world to inspire offline learning, creativity and action - our fun characters appear to 'skype' into the classroom and guide students through a range of interactive arts-based activities. The resource is flexible for teachers, incredibly fun for kids and designed to fit municipal targets and educational outcomes.
 

Edmonton Regional Community of Practice Meeting

     
Want to learn more about getting people to take action and change behaviours? Join the Edmonton Regional Community of Practice on December 11th (from 12:00 - 4:00 pm) at the Muttart Conservatory. 

Topics will include moving from awareness to action, the Edmonton Region Inventory, curriculum redesign work, collective impact models and engaging others in the Edmonton region.

For more information contact Kathy@abcee.org

 

Canada's Coolest School Trip Contest

For the fourth year, the My Parks Pass program has launched Canada's Coolest School Trip contest. With the support of Air Canada and Arm & Hammer, this year's winning grade 8/secondary 2 class will visit Parks Canada's places in Québec. This five-day all-expense-paid trip will take students to the stunning La Mauricie National Park, and the awe-inspiring historic sites of Québec City.


 

To enter the contest, grade 8/secondary 2 classes must pick a Parks Canada place that they believe is extraordinary and create a one-minute video that demonstrates why their chosen place is significant to Canadians. 

 

Find out how you can enter the contest.

 
Can You Dig It?  

The University of Alberta Museums invites you and your classroom to unearth the Cretaceous flora and fauna of Alberta during our new exhibition, Discovering Dinosaurs. Revealing the fascinating story of Alberta's dinosaurs, this exhibition showcases hundreds of never-before-seen specimens, new discoveries, and recent U of A research. Can you dig it?


When: September 22, 2014 - January 30, 2015.

Currie - ous Cretaceous Elementary Program

Grades 3 - 5

Science, Social Studies, Art, and Math


 

Diverse Dinosaurs Junior High Program

Grades 7 - 9

Science, CTS, Environmental and Outdoor Education

 

For more information or to book a program, click here.

 
Upcoming Webinars- Free to Green Teacher Members 

Engaging (Urban) Youth in Outdoor Education 


  

When: Wednesday, Jan. 13th, 2015 

Time: 7:30 - 8:30 pm EST


 

Students are more disconnected from being outside than ever before which presents additional challenges to the outdoor educator. In addition students are distracted by electronics and numerous pop culture diversions. This session will discuss theory and techniques for engaging even the toughest of students in the outdoors.

 

Register here.


 
Quick Links

"The Finnish Way"  

The Finnish Way to Optimize Student Learning is a valuable resource for those wanting to improve educational policy and practice.
 

Free Issue of Green Child Magazine

Download your free copy of Green Child Magazine. Inside, you will find kid-friendly DIY gifts, ideas to deck the halls naturally, and tips for keeping your family healthy this winter.

For more information visit:  
www.abcee.org
Questions or comments? Please contact rosemarie@abcee.org.