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January 2015                                                           News for Teachers
Upcoming Events

Red Deer

Join the next Conservation Community of Practice Meeting to learn more about environmental inquiry and best practices. 

 

This is a free event but registration is required.

 

When: Tuesday, Feb.3, 2015, 10:00 pm to 3:00 pm

  

Register here

  


 

Early bird registration is now open for Earth Matters

     
Join us for Earth Matters, with keynote speakers Wade Davis, David Orr, and Suzanne West.  

This national conference on energy and environmental education will take place October 15-17, 2015 at the Coast Hotel and Conference Centre in beautiful Canmore, Alberta.  

Come and be inspired by our amazing keynotes and informative workshops on energy, environmental, and outdoor education. For a limited time, you can register at the early bird rate of just $225.00, which includes the meal plan!  

To learn more about the conference and to register, click here. 

 

Free Classroom Resources for Teachers

     
Did you know ACEE has a searchable Environmental Education Resource Database? It's simple to use - just type in a keyword and search for programs, lesson plans, professional development and more for your family, classroom or community.

If you have a program or resource you would like to share, you can create an account and add your resources directly to our database. 

Here are just a few examples of resources you might find: 
Click here to access the searchable resource database.
 

Urban Environmental Education: Free e-Book

Written by environmental educators in the U.S., this book advances our understanding of settings, audiences, teaching approaches and goals of urban environmental education. This book can be a useful reading for in-service and in-training educators who are interested in urban environmental education. The authors of this book hope that it will help educators in the U.S. and elsewhere to reflect on their own work, and inspire new ideas to improve their educational programs.


This book is a collaboration between the Cornell University Civic Ecology Lab, NAAEE, and EECapacity. Download your free copy below.

 

Empowering the Next Generation to Connect with Nature

 

 
The Parks Journal recently published an excellent article on the importance of empowering youth to connect with nature. Part of the 2014 IUCN World Parks Congress Series 8: Inspiring a New Generation, much of the work is focused on creating a legacy whereby future generations will develop and nurture life-long relationships with nature and the support for conservation that flows from that connection.

 
February 4th is Winter Walk Day!

      
Winter Walk Day 2015 is open to everyone! Join schools, community groups, workplaces and individuals to walk for at least 15 minutes on February 4th. Register and then record your minutes after your walk.

Learn what schools across Alberta are doing, and get tips to create your event, get people to join in, and share your pictures & stories!

Find an Alberta winter walk day event near you! We have events in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, and towns across Alberta.
 

Call For Nominations: Environmental Achievement

Nominations are now open for the Environmental Achievement Awards. These awards recognize deserving individuals, corporations, community groups, schools and organizations which have made an environment-related contribution to our community in such areas as advanced technology, management, conservation, protection, education and promotion.


 

If you are aware of a project or achievement that deserves recognition this year, please ensure that a nomination form be completed and submitted before Friday, February 27, 2015. For more information on the nomination process and to request brochures, please contact:  calgary.ca/calgaryawards or call 403.268.8881.


 

 

Nature Play Resources for Practitioners

Recognizing the need to re-integrate nature play into the lives of children, the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association has partnered with the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation of the University of Alberta to create a series of "Nature Play" research and resources for teachers, parents and practitioners.


View the full suite of resources here.


 

 
ACEE Launches New EE Video Series 

We here at ACEE are thrilled to announce our new YouTube channel, where we'll showcase some promising practices and cutting-edge work that will help inspire you - and advance environmental education in Alberta.  For example, you can view...

  • stellar work by teacher Greg Neil and his students to study the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline ('Northern Gateway Pipeline Inquiry')
  • how environmental education helps students develop ALL of the cross-curricular competencies in the Ministerial Order ('RVS Learning Story')
  • Cool energy literacy videos by the U.S. Department of Energy

Please visit the link below and be sure to subscribe to access great EE videos! http://www.youtube.com/user/AlbertaEE/


We'd love to hear from you: please send your suggestions for new playlists or new videos to: info@abcee.org

 

 
Caring For Our Watersheds: Resources for Teachers

The Caring For Our Watersheds program asks students to submit a proposal that answers the question, "What can you do to improve your watershed?" Students must research their local watershed, identify an environmental concern and come up with a realistic solution. 


 Community judges select the top entries to compete at a final competition. Cash awards are given to schools who participate. Implementation funding is also available to turn ideas into solutions.


Teachers may request a free classroom presentation to introduce the topic of watersheds, discuss local environmental concerns and explain the contest. Free watershed resources are also available.


For more information or to request a free in-class presentation visit :


 

New M.Ed. Interdisciplinary Outdoor Education Program


The University of Calgary is very pleased to                                
offer a Graduate School M.Ed. Interdisciplinary Outdoor Education that is unique in Canada.

The program is designed for:
  • Designed for professionals in education, social work, youth leadership, service providers or anyone leading groups in outdoor settings;
  • Focused on skill development, core competencies, and integrated approaches to curriculum design, delivery and assessment;
  • Delivered through a combination of online, self-directed and face to face adult education experiences;

For details on how to apply, admission requirements, program delivery, program requirements, program schedules and fees, click here.


 
Quick Links

The Gift of a Good Start

In this heartfelt and personal TED talk, Colin Powell, the former U.S. Secretary of State, asks parents, friends and relatives to support children from before they even get to primary school, through community and a strong sense of responsibility. 

Kids Learn to Use Water Wisely

Get water saving tips, play games and take the home water challenge! 

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