Environmental Education Events

New Zealand Association for Environmental Education 6th Biennial NZAEE Conference
January 17-20, 2012, Hamilton, New Zealand
http://www.nzaeeconference.co.nzto

The Waikato Branch of the New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE) has great pleasure in inviting you to the 6th Biennial NZAEE Conference. The conference theme is '*Changing course for a Sustainable World*' and we hope the event will attract educators who are passionate about contributing to change towards sustainability. To help us set that scene, we have invited three amazing speakers:. Joseph Cornell, US author of Sharing Nature books and an inspirational promoter of connecting to our natural places (confirming shortly); Les Robinson, Australian behavior change guru and motivational speaker (confirmed); and New Zealand's Rod Oram, political commentator and sustainability advocate (confirmed). We hope that you will join us to present your work, discuss your ideas and network with colleagues, as the sector works together and prepares for this important 'next step' in changing course for a sustainable world. We encourage you to register your interest now at www.nzaeeconference.co.nzto receive updates as they come to hand. A Call for Papers will open on 20 May and will close on 31 July. Applications to present and to register are only being accepted through the conference website.

Explore High Park in the winter time and learn to draw with Nature with the help of celebrated author and illustrator Clare Walker Leslie. For over thirty years, Clare Walker Leslie has taught nature drawing and journaling in classrooms across the U.S as well as art schools, colleges and Universities. She is a professional wildlife artist, naturalist and educator nationally recognized for her work. Her most recent book, the Nature Connection has won teaching awards and is being praised by educators across North America. This is Clare's first time offering workshops in Toronto. Through drawing, writing, listening and discovering we will use the format of the Field Naturalist's Journal to help root us to place, Clare will help you to set up your own journal as we explore the landscapes, trees and animals in High Park. Cost: $80. To register: email kimberleyfry<at>gmail.com and or send a cheque for 40.00 to Kim Fry (350 St. Clarens Ave. Toronto M6H 3W3) to hold your spot. The balance can be brought to the event. If you need to make other arrangements, please e-mail. We have a limited number of spots and registration will be on a first come, first served basis.

Friday January 27th, 7:00-8:30pm - Book signing and talk at Another Story Bookstore, 315 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto
Saturday January 28th, 9:30am-4:30pm - Nature Journal Workshop at the High Park Nature Centre
Sunday January 29th, 11:30am-4:00pm - Workshop on nature journals in the classroom for teachers at the High Park Nature Centre

Monarchs in Mexico Trip to the Overwintering Colonies
February 4-11, 2012 and February 11-18, 2012, State of Michoacán, Mexico
http://www.monarchsandmore.com

What makes this trip to the monarch butterfly overwintering sites unique? Our itinerary includes visits to three monarch colonies. You'll learn about local efforts to promote sustainable and environmentally sound economic activities. We'll also visit a school near the monarch preserves to donate books purchased through our Mexico Book Project. The emphasis will be on exploring the natural history of the region, but the trip will also include many cultural and culinary delights. This trip is limited to sixteen participants and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. (The trip is open to all adults.) Georgia certified teachers my earn five professional learning units (5 PLUs. Three partial scholarships of $1,000 each are also available to Georgia educators. Admission: $1,550 per person (double occupancy). The balance of the trip fee must be received by December 31, 2011.

Teaching for a Positive Future Online Course for Educators (Institute for Humane Education)
February 6 - March 16, 2012 (Please note--this course is also offered July 9 - August 3, 2012, and October 8 - November 16, 2012)
http://humaneeducation.org/sections/view/teaching_for_a_positive_future

Are you passionate about building a just and sustainable world through education? This online course is designed to deepen your understanding of the interconnected issues of environmental preservation, animal protection, human rights, and media & culture. It will challenge you to think creatively and critically about integrating global issues into your classrooms and communities, preparing you to enliven your teaching and add even greater depth and relevancy to your curricula - regardless of the grade you teach, the educational setting, or the subject areas in which you specialize. This program is suitable for teachers, community educators, and homeschooling parents. Explore relevant issues without the need to travel! Earn 4.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) through the University of Maine (45 contact hours). To Learn more and register, please visit the website.

2012 Great Backyard Bird Count
February 17-20, 2012, North America-wide
http://www.birdcount.org

The annual Great Backyard Bird Count is a citizen science project which provides a snapshot of the whereabouts of more than 600 bird species in North America. The event is hosted by Audubon, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada. Anyone can participate in this free event and no registration is needed. Watch and count birds for at least 15 minutes on any day of the count, February 17-20, 2012. Enter your results at www.birdcount.org, where you can watch as the tallies grow across the continent. The four-day count typically records more than 10 million observations.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Bronx Teacher Institute: NYC Environmental Explorations
February 20-25, 2012, Bronx, NY
http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1905.html#5rivers

We will explore different aspects of nature (including wildlife, plant life, and ecosystems) and how these different aspects interact with each other. Materials covered include Project WILD, Project WET, Project Learning Tree, Bronx River Classroom (an educator's guide to the Bronx River), and NYC's Butterfly Project curriculum, in addition to introducing teachers to local environmental resources. Teachers will be provided with new strategies for introducing environmental topics in connection with math, literacy, and art, fostering student leadership and developing higher order thinking skills. (Grades K-8, 3P credits) For more information, please visit the website. To register or for questions about the workshop, contact Sarah Kempton at Friends of Van Cortlandt Park at 718-601-1553 or email Betsy Ukeritis at r2ed <at> gw.dec.state.ny.us.

New York State Outdoor Education Association Winter Weekend 2012
February 25th & 26th, 2012, Olivebridge, NY
http://nysoea.org/2011/12/12/winter-weekend-2012/

For almost two decades, Ashokan (with the help of NYSOEA) has hosted this annual gathering for outdoor educators resulting in friendships and education experiences that have spanned the years. Now, for the first time, it is entirely in the hands of NYSOEA to keep it going for the future. Workshop proposals, lodging & meal info, and other details will be posted in the upcoming weeks.

The theme of the 2012 conference is "Growing Green & Healthy Schools for All Children." This event provides a unique forum and opportunity for the national K-12 education community to meet, network, learn and share ideas around all aspects of greening U.S. schools. The projects and experiences shared at this event lay the groundwork for preparing future generations of green citizens who will make the world a better place to live in. 2012 Conference Highlights include: Over 100 breakout sessions focused on all aspects of green and healthy schools; Student Summit and Parent Summit; Solutions Summits: Getting Healthy Food into Schools and Lessons from the Bin: Meaningful Recycling Programs for Schools; Green Jobs Showcase; Student STEM and Green Schools project showcase; Healthy food and beverage integrated into main conference meals; Paperless conference program guide/Smart Phone App. For more details and to register, please visit the website.

Connecticut Outdoor & Environmental Education Association Fund (COEEA) 2012 Annual Conference: "Greening STEM: Using the Environment and Sustainability as Inspiration for 21st Century Learning"
March 23, 2012, New Britain, CT
http://www.coeea.org

COEEA and the CT Partnership for Sustainability Education are working to develop an exciting conference that brings together outdoors, natural history, education and sustainable actions through STEM. STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, is the focus topic for this year’s National EE Week celebration. Registration will open mid-January 2012.

The idea behind the conference theme is that direct, intimate experience with nature is a crucial element to connect ourselves with our natural world. Art and the creation of art engages our emotions, which in turn, when combined with scientific knowledge of the subject, engages our whole selves making learning more readily retained. More details, including the complete program schedule, scholarship information, and registration will be coming soon! One professional learning unit (1 PLU) is available to Georgia certified teachers. Admission: TBA

National Healthy Schools Day in Canada - Journée des écoles saines du Canada
Tuesday, April 24, 2012, Across Canada
http://www.casle.ca/HealthySchoolsDay

Do you know that many schools have problems linked to indoor air quality? That children are more vulnerable than adults to environmental hazards? That poor indoor environmental quality is associated with a wide rage of problems that include respiratory illnesses and poor concentration leading to poor learning? That many studies have found positive health impacts from improved indoor air quality, and also that resources put into improving indoor environment quality have a rapid pay back? Healthy Schools Day was created to celebrate successes and encourage projects that make indoor environments of new and existing schools the best they can be – from healthy products and practices for existing schools to construction of Healthy new schools. You can help improve school indoor air quality and reduce exposure to toxins by promoting the use of less toxic cleaning materials, building materials, and classroom materials; see that safe alternatives are used for pest control; reduce bus and car idling; help control and remove indoor mould growth, and much more--your project can be big or small. Everyone, from students to governments to community groups can take part. Register a project on the website’s Project Registry at the website above. Projects don't have to be held on the exact day. They can be an ongoing project(s) or take some other form. They just need to be designated as a Healthy Schools day project to mark or draw attention to Healthy Schools Day in Canada. The Healthy Schools Day website has ideas for projects, big or small. If you would like some help with ideas email info <at> casle.ca and a volunteer will assist you.

The Otesha Project 2012 Cycling and Performing Tours
May-October 2012, NB, NS & ON, Canada
http://otesha.ca/

The Otesha Project cycling tours involve groups of volunteers on bicycles, living as a sustainable community and delivering a play on environmental and social justice issues to schools and other community groups. This year's tours are:
May to June: Rising Tide Tour – Fredericton to Halifax
July: 9 Day Shift Tour – Ottawa (All ages tour)
September to October: Phenomenal Food Tour – Kitchener-Waterloo to Ottawa
September to October: Water Works Tour - Kitchener-Waterloo to Ottawa
The Otesha Project is currently putting together teams of a dozen or more motivated and energetic young volunteers, aged 18 to 30, who will share in an incredible experience living in mobile sustainable communities. If you would like to apply, please click here. First applied first considered.

"The Growing Classroom: An Introduction to Garden-Based Learning"
May 5-6, 2012, Pocantico Hills, NY
https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?D=13064&I=1045788&H=1

Spend time at Stone Barns and learn from the experts of the award-winning Life Lab Science Program. This special hands-on two-day workshop is for 1st- 8th grade teachers interested in deepening their program with garden-based learning. Using The Growing Classroom – a nationally recognized activity guide – the workshop integrates gardening into science, math and language arts and is a valuable resource for any school that has a garden (or would like to have one). Find out how to connect to standards and curriculum while you guide students through the natural cycles of the garden (using the flourishing seasonal gardens at Stone Barns) and focus on making outdoor, inquiry-based education work for different student populations. In-service credit is available based on school district policy. Register early to take advantage of this exclusive opportunity; Life Lab does limited training on the east coast and the workshop is available to only 30 participants. Sponsored by the Center for Environmental Education at P/NW BOCES. For more information and to register, please visit the website.

2011/12 GreenLearning Canada Solar Oven Challenge
Registration now open (entries due June 8, 2012), Canada-wide
http://www.greenlearning.ca/node/399

Registration is now open for the 2011/12 Solar Oven Challenge. GreenLearning Canada hosts this popular renewable energy challenge for Canadian classes every year. Students build, test and bake with solar ovens using the solar oven construction plan provided at re-energy.ca, or using plans of their own design. In the past, participants have ranged from grade 3 through to grade 12, and from science classes to environmental clubs. The Solar Oven Challenge is open to all Canadian students. To participate: 1) Teachers, register your class by sending an email with your name, school, grade, address, and phone number to Kathy Worobec at GreenLearning Canada. She will send you a copy of the Teacher's Guide; 2) Build, test and bake with solar ovens!; 3) Email us photos and descriptions of your creations by June 8, 2012 to be eligible to win prizes; 4) See your recipes and photos showcased at re-energy.ca - GreenLearning's renewable energy website. To see our Showcase of past winners and submissions and learn more about the Solar Oven Challenge, visit http://www.re-energy.ca/solar-oven-challenge.

The world is changing at an extremely rapid pace, affecting the essence of how we learn, interact, and work. As educators, can we create learning experiences to equip our students for a future that is constantly changing? This week-long course is designed for educators working in formal and informal settings, within institutions and in grassroots community contexts. The Earth Charter will be presented and discussed as a unique educational framework for helping build a more sustainable, peaceful and just global community. For more information, please visit the website, or contact the Centre Director, Mohit Mukherjee at mohit <at> upeace.org.

2012 Family Nature Summit at YMCA of the Rockies
July 7-13, 2012, Estes Park, CO
http://www.familysummits.org/

Family Summits, Inc. was created by a group of National Wildlife Federation member families and Summit participants. This week-long outdoor discovery program appeals to families, singles, and anyone who wants to explore unique natural areas, increase their environmental awareness, and learn from a variety of classes, hikes, field trips, workshops, crafts, lectures, and outfitted adventures…each geared toward their specific age group. Knowledgeable naturalists and dedicated educators bring the surroundings to life, and families have fun while building a lasting foundation of outdoor knowledge and environmental awareness. There are scholarships available for both teachers and students to take advantage of this opportunity. For more information and to register, please visit the website.

Designed for both science and non-science educators, this session will generate exciting ideas for creating and incorporating environmental education activities into your curriculum and teaching. Participants will visit the nearby restored Atlantic Puffin and seabird colony, as well as explore Hog Island’s magnificent spruce forest and its rich intertidal zones. Instructors will discuss the latest trends in environmental education, such as “nature deficit disorder,” and will be sharing their favorite approaches, methods, and activities for engaging children with nature. Workshops using techniques in art, music, theater, journaling, and other disciplines will be presented, as well as a host of classic Audubon Camp field trips. Participants will visit the nearby restored Atlantic Puffin and seabird colony, as well as explore Hog Island’s magnificent spruce forest and its rich intertidal zones. These inquiry-based lessons will get your students outside to participate in citizen science, invite them to conduct their own investigations about local birds, and engage them in high-tech and hands-on activities that will lead to science and math understandings. Continuing Education Credits are available. For for full details, photographs, staff biographies, information on scholarships and to register, please visit the website.

Environmental Concern POW! and WOW! Wetland Workshops for Educators
Various dates - OH, NY, NC, MD, FL, WA, KY, PA, WV, DE, NV, IN, and more
http://www.wetland.org/education_professional_dev.htm

POW! The Planning of Wetlands: Learn the step by step process for creating or enhancing a wetland on school grounds or within the community. POW! guides you through wetland design and construction with activities that allow students to participate in designing, preparing, and monitoring a schoolyard wetland, and utilizing it as an outdoor classroom.
WOW! The Wonders of Wetlands: Get an introduction to wetland ecology through a study of the three parameters of wetlands (vegetation, soils, & hydrology) as well as wetland functions and values by utilizing K-12 hands-on, inquiry-based, cross-curricular activities. Leave with over 50 hands-on multidisciplinary activities in lesson plan format, ideas for student action projects, and a wetlands resource guide.

For more information and to for the complete state-by-state schedule, please visit the website.

TerraCycle "Trash to Cash" Brigade programs for schools and non-profits
Canada-wide
http://www.terracycle.ca/

TerraCycle’s Brigade programs are free fundraisers that pay schools and non-profits to collect a range of non-recyclable products and packaging including drink pouches, chocolate wrappers, sandwich bags or yogurt cups. For each piece of “waste” returned, TerraCycle pays two cents to the school or a charity of the collector’s choice. Schools that are not already in the TerraCycle program can sign up for the Brigade at www.terracycle.ca.

Francophone School Twinning Project in Canada
Begins January 1, 2011, Quebec and various other locations in Canada
http://www.aqpere.qc.ca/

To celebrate their 20th anniversary, AQPERE (i.e. the Quebec association for environmental education) is launching an ambitious school twinning program on the theme of Eco-Citizenship on January 1, 2011. The program will twin Quebec schools with francophone schools elsewhere in Canada to promote eco-citizenship. As well, students in partner schools will have opportunities learn about each other, improve their writing skills and graphic design capabilities, and share their school greening ideas and accomplishments. For more information, contact Robert Litzler, the JEFCA-Québec project coordinator at aqpere <at> videotron.ca or visit the website.

Zerofootprint Challenge - Compete to reduce your school's ecological footprint
http://www.zerofootprint.net/

Is your school green? Prove it. This year, students take climate change into their own hands by competing to reduce their environmental impact. Join to see what your footprint is, then challenge another school to a race to reduce! The school that achieves the highest percentage reduction wins! For more information on signing your school up, please visit one of the websites above.

Eco-Schools is an internationally acclaimed program that provides a framework to help educators integrate sustainable principles throughout their schools and curriculum. The Eco-Schools program strives to model environmentally-sound practices, provides support towards greening the curriculum and supports science and academic achievement. Additionally it works to foster a greater sense of environmental stewardship among youth. Through school-based action teams of students, administrators, educators and community volunteers, Eco-Schools combines effective "green" management of the school grounds, facilities and the curriculum. Schools that are certified in the program undergo a thorough application process and succeed in organizing and implementing a comprehensive assessment of their school. Visit the website for more details on how your school can become an Eco-School!

A “BioBlitz” is an event that engages people with biodiversity, inviting them to get directly involved in surveying and monitoring their surrounding wildlife. The target age group is 7-11 year olds, but any age group can take part. The Bristol Natural History Consortium encourages schools to get outdoors and see what wildlife is living in their grounds by holding their very own event. A BioBlitz can provide a creative and stimulating link to your school’s learning in Science, Geography, Math and English. There are three different ways you might choose to structure your BioBlitz: contribute to a national nature survey; invite a wildlife expert to run a BioBlitz at your school; or organize your own BioBlitz challenge. Although the BNHC is located in the UK, they will put you in touch with wildlife organizations that can assist you, regardless of what country you live in, and provide as much help and support as possible. For more information please see take a look at the PDF accessible at the URL above, or contact us by email: schools <at> bioblitzuk.org.uk.

Journey North Annual Global Wildlife Study -- Register now!
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/

Teachers and students in K-12 classrooms are invited to sign up now for Journey North's 16th annual global study of wildlife migration and seasonal change. An Internet-based citizen science project, Journey North enables students in more than 18000 schools to watch the wave of spring unfold. Students share observations with classmates worldwide and look for patterns. Participants are prepared to explore how climate and other factors affect living things.

Cool the Earth Elementary School Climate Change Awareness Program
Registration currently open, North America-wide
http://www.cooltheearth.org/

Cool the Earth is currently enrolling elementary schools in its free Climate Change awareness program. The program, which educates students about climate change and gives them the tools to get the whole family engaged in taking action to reduce their carbon emissions at home, is available to any elementary school in North America. Run by a teacher or parent volunteer, the program launches with a school-wide assembly featuring an age-appropriate play, which educates children about global warming and empowers them to take action. Students then go home with a coupon book which lists 20 low or no-cost actions they can take with their parents to reduce their energy use at home. Once the children taken an action they bring the completed coupons back to school and the results are tallied and celebrated on a visible banner. Cool the Earth is a non-profit organization which has already motivated over 50,000 kids and their families to take over 115,000 actions to reduce their carbon emissions, eliminating 90 million pounds of global warming gases from the air. The program is run outside of classroom time and is led by a parent or teacher-volunteer. Typically, kids are asked to take action within 6-8 weeks of program launch. For more information and to register your school, please visit the website.

National Healthy Schools Day in Canada - Journée des écoles saines du Canada Tuesday, April 24, 2012, Across Canada http://www.casle.ca/HealthySchoolsDay

National Healthy Schools Day in Canada - Journée des écoles saines du Canada
Tuesday, April 24, 2012, Across Canada
http://www.casle.ca/HealthySchoolsDay