The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education

The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education (SFE) Grant Program awards grants to schools, nature centers, or other non-profit educational organizations for the purpose of establishing outdoor learning centers. Grant funds may only be used to purchase native plants and seeds. Awards range from $100 to $500 each. Successful grants are eligible for partnership with SFE native plant nursery partners for discounts on seeds, plants, etc.

Projects must emphasize involvement of students and volunteers and increase the educational value of the site. Creativity in design is encouraged but must show complete and thoughtful planning. The use of and teaching about native plants and the native plant community is mandatory and must be appropriate to the local ecoregion and site conditions (soil, water, sunlight).

The application deadline is October 15, 2010. 

Visit http://www.for-wild.org/seedmony.htm to apply

National Education Association Invites Grant Applications From K-12 Teachers for Environmental Education Projects

The National Education Association is offering Green Across America grants of up to $1,000 each to help K-12 teachers across the United States implement their innovative education program, activity, lesson, or event to increase environmental awareness, create positive learning programs, and excite students about ways to create a better planet.

The program will award a total of $50,000, in grants of up to $1,000 each (dependent on the cost of developing the activity, lesson, or event). Information on the grantees' programs will also be posted on the NEA Member Benefits Web site for use by the education community.

The program is open to any educator employed by a public or private school (K-12) located in the fifty United States and the District of Columbia.

For more information: http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=298900029

Ocean Education "For The Sea" - Pearl and Hermes Atoll - Papahānaumokuākea

On a research cruise to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument aboard the Hi'ialakai ship.
For more information please log on to: www.hawaiianatolls.org

Grant Writing Workshop available on Oahu

Institute for Strategic Funding Development 
Strategic Grant Writing Proposal Workshop (Sponsored by ISFD)  

Location: University of  Hawaii - Manoa (Oahu)  May 19 - 21, 2010

In today’s challenging environment, learning the secrets to effective grant writing is critical to secure funding. What if you could learn directly from the experts? Think of the time you could save and the mistakes you could avoid.  This may be the one simple action you take that will dramatically increase your chances of securing grant funding.
All ISFD Workshops are considered CFRE Accredited Courses for 20 contact hours or 20 CFRE Continuing Education Points!  

Participants completing the ISFD grant writing workshop will receive the following: a Certificate of Completion accredited by CFRE, grant funding CD, bonus fundraising CD, expert grant training instruction from grant industry leaders and much more! Please visit our website at  or give us a call 877.414.8991 to sign up now.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Educators, non-profit professionals, graduate students, administrators & researchers in the sciences and social sciences should register as soon as possible. Spaces fills up quickly, which means registration is on a first-come-first serve basis. 

The Institute for Strategic Funding Development's grant writing workshop designed to teach the basics of grant writing for industry professionals. It provides a comprehensive overview of effective grant development techniques, including: finding best fit funding sources, creating innovative programs, and planning for funding sustainability. The workshop is great for government, academic, research, health and non-profit professionals new to the grant writing world as well for professionals looking to expand their grant writing knowledge. The workshop will provide an intensive and interactive grant proposal development experience where you will learn the proposal writing process in its entirety. As an added bonus, you will be able to develop a draft proposal or have our instructor review one of your existing grant proposals. 

The Strategic Grant Writing Proposal Workshop will be presented in 3 sessions: 

Strategic Proposal Writing 
Preparing a successful written proposal requires an organized, systematic approach to effectively convey your story. This workshop provides a step-by-step writing process to deal with any and all application requirements. What's more, you will learn why proposal writing is much different than other kinds of writing. 

Strategic Program Planning
Planning a winning proposal requires developing ideas that are clear, significant and compelling. Your ideas must not only meet the criteria of a grant maker, but they must also demonstrate your in-depth knowledge about a grant maker.

                                                                
Strategic Grant Research 
Through interactive exercises, discussions, applicable research assignments and individual consultations, you will learn how to strategically identify appropriate funding agencies. This course will expose you to database applications, online research tools, as well as traditional publications that contain information about multiple grant opportunities.
Tuition for our three-day grant writing workshop is $598 per person, with a $50 discount for early sign-ups (10 business days or more before the workshop). 

Each participant will receive the following:
* ISFD Certificate of Completion accredited by CFRE with 20 Continuation Education Units (CEU) or 20 Contact Hours 
* Strategic Grant Proposal Writing Workbook and Fundraising & Research CD
* Strategic Grant Proposal Personalized Materials
* On-Going Consulting Services with ISFD Instructors & Staff 

Registration:
1) Online - www.isfdonline.com/strategic.html
2) Phone - Call us at 877.414.8991. An ISFD consultant will be more than happy to assist you with your registration and answer any questions or concerns.
3) Email - Send an email to info@isfdonline.com with your basic contact information and a seat will be reserved.

Grants, Awards and Scholarships Page

Are you looking for funding to integrate more Environmental Education into your teaching?

Are you interested in engaging your students in environmental projects?

Are you an educator that already uses Environmental Education methods, but could use some additional funding to expand or continue your program?

Check out the "Grants" page above for websites and organizations that provide funding for Environmental Education nationwide!

Know of any other grants that we should be aware of? Leave us a comment!

Advice FROM Educators, FOR Educators

Here's some advice from educators, for educators interested in incorporating the environment in their teachings.

• Look for real-life connections that students can relate to.
• Don’t brainwash students, let them reach their own understanding based on facts.
• Get the whole school involved. A holistic approach that incorporates the environment in more than just science classes.
• As the teacher, you need to get out in the field. Try a summer project with the Nature Conservancy or a university professor.
• Talk about science careers.
• Connect with a local university so that you can bring a scientist into your classroom as a guest speaker.
• Show school administrators that you’ve done your homework and have a workable plan if you want to sell them on a class project that takes the kids outside the classroom.
• Learn how to write and apply for grants.
  
  *This list is part of the article "Teachers and schools embrace green curricula" by Harriet Blake for KABC TV - Los Angeles.

Earth Day - 40th Anniversary

8 Ways to Get Outside, Reduce Your Waste and Have Fun!

This year marks the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day (April 22nd). It’s a time to support the environment and this year’s theme of “a billion acts of green.” You don’t have to be an eco-guru to care about nature. Start with a few simple “green” activities, including spending more time outdoors to jump start your spring!

Get Outside

1. Help to get 100,000 kids outside – Join the Be Out There™ movement and sign the pledge to spend time outside with the kids in your life. Get started with the activities listed below and then find more at the Be Out There website.

2. Cultivate your child’s green thumb – Garden with your children and encourage them to lead upkeep of the plants.

3. Play good old-fashioned games – Get nostalgic with these 8 outdoor games you’ll love.

4. Watch for feathered friends in your yard – Then share your sightings and stories online.

Reduce Your Waste

5. Talk to your kids about climate change – Help your children understand global warming and build a foundation of skills that will allow them to appreciate nature. You can calculate your carbon footprint together.

6. Conserve energy at home – Turn off lights when you’re not using them, air dry your clothes, and use small appliances over larger ones.

7. Compost your kitchen scraps – It reduces waste and makes “liquid gold” nourishment for your garden or potted plants.

8. Walk, ride your bike or carpool to school or work – Consider alternative transportation to get where you need to go.

Get 'em Outside video

The No Child Left Inside Coalition has put together a video about the importance of getting students outside to learn. The video is also about celebrating environmental education and its impact on children's learning, health and leadership.

Visit http://www.nclicoalition.org to increase environmental education opportunities at your school.

Online EE Courses Available This Summer and Fall

Online Environmental Education Courses offered through the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP) and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point offer four online courses for students and professionals in the field of environmental education.  

Registration deadline for Summer 2010 courses is  May 1st. For registration details, including tuition rates, visit: www.uwsp.edu/natres/eetap/index.aspx

Making EE Relevant for Culturally Diverse Audiences
This course is designed to provide participants with the basic knowledge and skills needed to make EE relevant to culturally diverse audiences. Through this course you will broaden your perspective of EE to encompass interests and issues of concern to culturally diverse audiences, assess barriers to participation among these audiences, and appraise the role and significance of building relationships and partnerships with members of an audience you intend to work with in the future. As part of this course you will adapt a component of your program to make it more relevant for a culturally diverse audience of your choice. 

Leadership Development in Natural Resources: Strategic Planning and Implementation
Learn how to develop successful strategic planning and implementation models, processes and techniques. Emphasis will be placed on managing the strategic planning process to build the capacity of organizations to provide effective environmental education programs. Course participants will also have an opportunity for individual consultation time with the course instructor to discuss specific issues/questions they might have regarding strategic planning. This new course has been designed for environmental educators, natural resource professionals and graduate students who are currently involved in a strategic planning process or may become involved in one in the future.

Fundamentals of Environmental Education
Gain a foundational knowledge of environmental education and learn how to incorporate quality EE into your instruction. Participants discuss the history and goals of EE, develop an understanding of the professional roles and instructional methods of environmental educators, and interact with other educators from across the country.

Applied Environmental Education Program Evaluation
Learn to evaluate environmental education and outreach programs by designing evaluation tools such as questionnaires, observation forms, and interview and focus group guides. This course was designed for environmental educators, natural resource professionals, and graduate students who can apply the tools they develop to a specific
education program or research study.

Certification
The Fundamentals of EE and the Applied EE Program Evaluation online courses have been designed to address the competencies for professional environmental educators identified by the North American Association for Environmental Education. To find out more information about how these courses can provide the professional development needed by those seeking certification, click here.

Course Structure 
All of EETAP's online courses are semi-synchronous. Semi-synchronous refers to the course structure, as each course is offered 100% online. Students start, end and progress through the course together.  However, there are no designated times that students must be logged into the course. There are specific deadlines on assignments within each section, but students are able to work on the assignments any time before the due dates.  

To register for summer 2010 courses please contact Jessica Tomaszewski: jtomasze@uwsp.edu or 715-346-3854.

National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There™ movement

“Sixty minutes of daily unstructured free play 

is essential to children’s physical and mental health.”
~American Academy of Pediatrics, 2008

National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There™ movement is connecting American families to the outdoors to raise happier, healthier children with a life-long love of nature.

National Wildlife Federation has just launched an ambitious campaign to get 100,000 pledges by year-end for our innovative Be Out There™ initiative. 

By taking the Be Out There Pledge, you’ll be joining the movement to ensure all American children reap the benefits of outdoor time – simply by promising to start with your own family.

Engaging in regular outdoor play helps your children by:

• Reducing stress and anxiety
• Improving health
• Increasing performance in school

When you take the Be Out There™ Pledge, you’ll get helpful tips and fun, interactive tools to help your family get the most education and enjoyment out of the great outdoors.

Celebrate Environmental Education Week April 11-17 2010

Environmental Education Week is April 11-17 this year, and there are lots of ways to celebrate!

Calculate your carbon footprint and then try to reduce your daily impact during EE week and beyond! There is also a carbon footprint calculator made just for youth!

Make a nature journal to record your observations about your surroundings.

Take photographs of your local environment and the plants and animals that live there.

If you are a teacher, integrate some environmental lessons into your classes. Create posters about the importance of taking care of our local environment, do a nature craft like leaf rubbings, or research local plants and animals. Photo: Maui teachers engaged in a hands-on EE lessonIf you are a parent, take your kids outside to explore! Observe your backyard or a nearby park, create an experiment, go on a nature scavenger hunt, or sit outside and read a book about nature. There are so many ways to learn about the environment!

Visit http://www.eeweek.org/ for more ideas and ways to connect with other people

What are YOU going to do to celebrate Environmental Education Week this year?

Attention Full-time Teachers- Travel to the Galapagos Islands with the Toyota International Teacher Program!

Toyota International Teacher Program

The Toyota International Teacher Program, administered by the Institute of International Education, is offering U.S. secondary school educators a unique opportunity to travel to the Galapagos Islands from November 20 through December 4, 2010.

The program aims to advance environmental stewardship and global connectedness in U.S. schools and communities through creative, interdisciplinary, and solution-based teaching methods.

Full-time grade 6-12 teachers and teacher librarians in the U.S. who have at least three years of teaching experience are encouraged to apply. While in the country, participants will meet with biologists and conservationists, explore the natural wonders of the Galapagos Islands, and work on interdisciplinary lesson plans together with educators from the Galapagos Islands.

The application deadline is May 26, 2010. Visit the program’s website to learn more about this opportunity and submit an online application. There are quite a few steps involved in the application process, so if you are interested, check out the website as soon as possible!

Visit www.toyota4education.com for more details.

A Teacher's Guide to Navigating Change - Updated Curriculum available now!

The NEW Teacher's Guide to Navigating Change- a standards based, grade 4-5 curriculum is now available!

Visit: www.hawaiianatolls.org/teachers/NavChange.php to download the entire curriculum.


The Teacher's Guide to Navigating Change is a five part, Hawaii DOE Standards (HCPS 3) aligned curriculum for grades 4-5. The guide includes five units that are designed to help students explore their relationships to the environment and ways that they can “navigate change” in their own communities.

The instructional activities focus on Hawaii DOE science, social studies, and language arts standards as well as Na Honua Mauli Ola, guidelines for culturally healthy and responsive learning environments in Hawaii that were develoed by the Native Hawaiian Education Council in partnership with the Ka Haka `Ula O Ke`elikolani, College of Hawaiian Language, UH-Hilo.

Project Aloha ‘Aina Curriculum Workshop

Educators who are looking for creative ways to inspire Hawaii’s youth to excel in science, math, social studies and language arts standards and to care for resources within their ahupua‘a are invited to participate in the Project Aloha ‘Aina Curriculum Workshop.

The hands-on workshop is offered on the following dates:
Kaneohe, Oahu: July 17 - Workshop for teachers of grades 3-8
Hilo, Big Island: August 13-14 - Workshop for teachers of grades 3-6

The workshop will include a teacher’s guide that offers standards-based lesson plans, student activity sheets, rubrics, related media, pre-post tests designed to help measure student achievement of standards, a half-day field excursion and lunch.


The Aloha ‘Aina curriculum allows students to learn about Hawaii’s unique environment while meeting the current Hawai‘i Content and Performance Standards (HCPS III) and the Na Honua Mauli Ola guidelines.

Each grade level’s unit builds upon a foundation of culture and place-based learning while immersing students in scientific inquiry and related social studies explorations. Math and language arts skills are incorporated as a means for students to interpret and express their findings.


Shaping the future while preserving a heritage, Project Aloha ‘Aina is working to provide Hawaii’s youth with culturally relevant curricula to inspire them to embrace aloha ‘aina as a way of life. This educational project fosters foundational learning experiences that reflect Native Hawaiian culture and core values.


The Aloha ‘Aina and Kahea Loko (Hawaiian fishpond) curriculum were created by the Pacific American Foundation whose success was recognized in 2007 when it was awarded the “Partner in Excellence Award” from the Department of Education.


To register, go to http://www.thepaf.org/. For more information, contact Joylynn Paman at joy@mauifishpond.com or call 808-359-1172.

A virtual field trip to Kaena Point, Oahu

If you've never been to Kaena Point, this post will be a great way to get to know the area a bit, and maybe inspire you to make the trip out to the Northwestern tip of Oahu someday!

Sometimes you can see huge waves along the shoreline, especially in the winter months.

Have you ever wondered what an albatross bolus is, or what a dancing albatross looks like? See below for answers to both of these strange questions!

A bolus (see photo at left) is the regurgitated mass composed of undigestable items. Recently, rather than squid beaks and other natural food items, plastic has made up a large portion of the contents of many albatross boluses, reflecting the growing problem of plastics in the marine environment. Photo (left) by Forest and Kim Starr.

See video below to see a dancing Laysan Albatross!



The hike to Kaena Point is relatively flat, with no noticable elevation gain. The road is bumpy and there are many potholes created by 4 wheel drive vehicles. The hike is 6 miles, roundtrip, and the area is usually hot and dry. Be prepared and bring plenty of water, a hat, sunscreen, and wear good walking shoes.  You'll begin your hike in the Kaena Point State Park area. make sure to pay attention to posted signs and warnings. 

You may run into the Kaena Point Ambassedor along the way, in which case you can feel free to ask any questions you may have, and learn a bit more about the area and what makes it so special.

Above: A group of middle-schoolers engaged in a cultural lesson shared by the Kaena Point Ambassedor.

The Natural Area Reserve boundary is marked with a boulder barracade that prevents any vehicle traffic from going any further. Once you make your way through the "gate," depending on the time of year, you may begin to see Laysan albatross flying overhead. 

Remember to stay on the path and you'll be rewarded with the sight of many native plants that thrive in the Kaena Point coastal ecosystem. 

Naupaka kahakai - "Naupaka by the sea":

'Ohai (Sesbania tomentosa):

Pa'u o Hi'iaka (Jacquemontia ovalifolia):

Once you reach the point, look out toward the tidepools and the edge of the water and you may see monk seals resting on the shore. They can be hard to see at first:

 

 Can you see the seals in the above photo?

A closer photo of two monk seals at the point.

Make sure to give the seals some room and stay at least 100 feet away from them. A great way to see them closer is to remember to bring a pair of binoculars. Or just use the zoom function on your camera.

Depending on the time of year, you may see adult Laysan albatross:

Or maybe even a newly hatched Laysan albatross chick:

For more information about hiking to Kaena Point, or about the plants and animals that call it home, click here.

National Wildlife Week - March 15-21, 2010

 

Celebrate National Wildlife Week 

March 15-21, 2010 

Get Wild, Child!

See below for ideas from the National Wildlife Federation for how to celebrate an entire week dedicated to wildlife and the outdoors!

Studies show that children who spend time outside are more creative, have less stress and perform better in school. Help your child unlock their learning and imaginative potential "after-school" during National Wildlife Week. Celebrate nature and jump-start your spring with fun outdoor activities, tips for gardening with children and more.
Get started:

1. Download your custom Family Activity Passport

2. Spend an extra hour this week outside with your children observing wildlife and doing fun outdoor activities.

3. Capture the wildlife in your neighborhood - with your camera! Children can enter the youth competition in the National Wildlife Federation Photo Contest.

 Digital Outdoor Toolbox

• Get a Green Hour year-round with more free outdoor activities for families 
• Find animals and plants to watch for in your state 
• Use your zip code to find a local spot to play outside or watch for wildlife 

 Exploration and Education

• 16 Tips for developing your child's green thumb
• More ideas for gardening with children
• Make your yard wildlife-friendly 
• Help your child green their school experience too with Eco-Schools USA 
• Make sure America's kids get a sound outdoor education; support No Child Left Inside

The above information is from the National Wildlife Federation. It is being provided here as a resource for those interested in environmental education, wildlife conservation and other environment-focused topics.

Announcing 2010 Project Learning Tree Environmental Education workshops on Oahu and Maui!

Announcing 2010 Project Learning Tree Environmental Education workshops on Oahu and Maui!

Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an award-winning, multi-disciplinary Environmental Education program. These FREE professional development opportunities will provide educators with the chance to meet and share ideas with other teachers and participate in interactive lessons while learning how to use the PLT activity guide.

Maui educators participating in the PLT activity "Tree Factory"

Oahu PLT Workshop
Location: Hawaii Nature Center
Date: February 20th 2010
Time: 9-3:30pm
Details: Join us at the Hawaii Nature Center in Makiki to learn how the Project Learning Tree (PLT) curriculum can be integrated into 7th and 8th grade science classrooms. We will be offering PDE credits through the Department of Education to DOE teachers of 7th and 8th grade science that complete additional requirements. If this is of interest to you, please ask for more details prior to registering.
Educators of other grades and subjects are encouraged to attend, and may adapt materials for their own use. Lunch will be provided by Whole Foods Honolulu, and participants will receive the PLT activity guide with 96 interactive lessons as well as other educational resources.
For more information, visit www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/PLT/2010

Maui PLT Workshop
Location: Hawaii Nature Center in Iao Valley
Date: March 20th 2010
Time: 9-3:30pm
Details: Meet at the beautiful Hawaii Nature Center in Iao Valley and learn how to use the Project Learning Tree (PLT) Activity Guide with your students. This interactive workshop will demonstrate several hands-on activities from PLT as well as Ohia Project and Hoike o Haleakala - two valuable Hawaii-specific environmental education resources. Lunch and snacks will be provided, and participants will receive free educational resources in addition to the PLT Activity Guide which contains 96 interactive lesson plans.

The Project Learning Tree (PLT) Pre K-8 Guide

Kauai and Hawaii Island PLT Workshops
Details to be determined. If you are interested in attending a workshop on Kauai or Hawaii Island in 2010, please ask for more info!

For more information about the workshops and to register, visit www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/PLT/2010.

For more about Project Learning Tree, visit www.plt.org

PLT workshops in Hawaii are sponsored by the Department of Land and Natural Resources - Division of Forestry and Wildlife, in cooperation with Hawaii Nature Center, the US Forest Service, the American Forest Foundation and other partners.

Free Resources for Teachers

Are you looking for a fun activity to teach your students about Hawaii's special plants and animals? Check out the coloring books and other resources available for educators online from Division of Forestry and Wildlife!

Click here to see the other pages to the fun and educational Endangered Animals of Hawaii coloring book available free to educators of all kinds. Simply print out the pages and have fun!

Check out the Forest Jewels of Hawaii coloring book online too. Learn about pueo (sample page above), 'i'iwi, 'amakihi and more of the unique and beautiful birds that call Hawai'i home.

Also see the Teacher Resources page to see curriculum, lesson plans, posters and other great resources for educators.

While you're on the Forestry and Wildlife kids page, explore some of the resources available from other agencies like NOAA.

Have fun and happy teaching!

No Child Left Inside Day - Tuesday October 13th

By now, many educators have heard about the No Child Left Inside Act, but what about No Child Left Inside Day?

Now in it's 2nd year, No Child Left Inside (NCLI) Day was created by the American Geological Institute as part of its annual Earth Science Week. Earth Science week celebrates the geosciences, and NCLI Day was created to promote Earth Science Education.

For ideas about how to celebrate NCLI Day, visit the No Child Left Inside Day webpage. Here you'll find tips for organizing an effective and safe event for your class or for your family. Examples of lessons and activities include: "Look up! Observing Weather," "Be a Paleontologist!" and "Dig into Soil."

For a less structured NCLI day, simply take a walk to your neighborhood park, or spend some time looking closely at a patch of soil. Lay in a field and look at the clouds, or go for a hike. Spend a little bit of extra time enjoying the outdoors, and you never know, you may end up celebrating No Child Left Inside Day everyday!

Hawai'i Science Teachers Association Fall Conference

DOFAW outreach staff attended the HaSTA Fall conference on October 3rd, 2009 to share information and resources with teachers.

Science teachers met at Punahou School to network with other educators, explore new classroom ideas, collect resources and participate in workshops. DOFAW provided posters, teacher guides, coloring books, backyard conservation guides, and more. (Click on links for info)


The Hawai'i Science Teachers Association Fall conference featured Tony Wagner, education expert and author of The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don't Teach The New Survival Skills Our Children Need--And What We Can Do About It, as the keynote speaker.

After the Science Teacher's conference, OCEANIA Marine Educators Association (which also serves as the HaSTA Marine Science Section) met for their Marine Education Fall Conference. 

As if the day was not full enough already, many teachers and marine educators headed down to the Educator's Evening from 6:30-9 at the Waikiki Aquarium to learn about the NOAA Ocean Explorers Program, and other marine education resources.

It was a fun and productive day for all who participated. Thanks to all the teachers who stopped by the DOFAW booth to ask questions, stock up on posters and share resource ideas!