Students
Trout Unlimited Tri-State Conservation & Fishing Camp
June 22-27, 2008
Graves' Mountain Lodge
A week of hands-on, action packed fun in our mountain stream environment that will help you become a skilled angler and an experienced conservationist. Open to all high school students; 24 will be selected. Click here for more information.
Your Environment, Your Choice
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to announce a new website designed especially for High School students. It provides teens with the information they need to make environmentally sound choices about the products they use, the waste they create, and the environment in which they live. The website encourages teens to reduce, reuse and recycle and become "environmental stewards" by conserving natural resources and saving energy. Useful and teen-friendly tips (e.g., carpool to school, athletic events and shopping to reduce energy consumption and save money) and a host of other resources--environmentally based games and quizzes and information on environmental careers--are included on the website to help teens think and act to reduce their environmental footprints.
Additional EPA educational resources for children, middle-school students and teachers may be found at www.epa.gov/epaoswer/education/index.htm
Young Naturalist Awards 2008
American Museum of Natural History announces the 11th annual Young Naturalist Awards, a research-based essay contest for students in grades 7-12 to promote participation and communication in science.
Valley AIRNow, a non-profit air quality outreach program serving the Winchester-Frederick County area, is inviting local young artists to celebrate Thanksgiving and clean air in the first annual Thankful for Clean Air art contest. Participating artists should address the theme “What YOU can do to protect the air that WE breathe!” Examples include carpooling, refueling in the evening, checking tire pressure, keeping your car properly maintained, and reducing vehicle idling. For more examples or contest details, visit the Valley AIRNow website at www.valleyairnow.com/artcontest.htm.
Lexus Launches Environmental Education Program
Lexus has announced the launch of the Lexus Environmental Challenge, a program designed to educate and empower students to take action to improve the environment. This all-new program encourages middle and high school students nationwide to develop and implement environmental programs that positively impact their communities. More than $1 million in scholarships and grants will be awarded to students, teachers, and schools. Lexus has joined with Scholastic, Inc. to create the program.
The Lexus Environmental Challenge has two distinct elements: standards-based supplementary educational materials and a contest to reward environmental action. The educational materials encourage teachers to integrate creative lesson plans into their classrooms to help teach students about the environment. The contest helps young people apply what they've learned in class through the program and empowers them to make improvements in their community by participating in any of the four environmental team challenges.
The Lexus Environmental Challenge launched in mid-September and concludes with the announcement of the finalist and grand-prize-winning teams on Earth Day, April 22, 2008. Middle and high school teams comprised of 5-10 students and one teacher advisor are invited to participate in four initial challenges, each addressing a different environmental element: land, water, air, and climate. For each of the challenges, teams will define an environmental issue that is important to them, develop an action plan to address the issue, implement the plan, and report on the results. In addition to submitting their entry online via a specially designed template, the teams will also be encouraged to provide visual documentation, including digital photos, videos, websites, and PowerPoint presentations.
Starting a Planet Protectors Club
This kit is designed for students is grades K-6 and comes with a membership card, sticker, coloring book and two activity books.
Fort Defiance Wins Canon Envirothon
Global Warming 101 Begins Next Expedition
This February, Will Steger and his expedition team on Inuit hunters, explorers, and educators will embark on a four-month expedition to get a first-hand look at how global warming is impacting the Artic landscape, wildlife, and human communities. The Global Warming 101 expedition will publicize this change using photo, audio, and text updates they collect and post to the website. Students and teachers around the country can follow along with the Expedition using the freely available educational curricula. www.globalwarming101.com/content/view/32/88888907/
The Secret Lives of Wild Animals
Modern technologies like global tracking systems and ultraminiaturized sensors now provide researchers with intimate glimpses of rarely seen behaviors of wild animals. Check it out!
Virginia State Parks Youth Corps
Recruitment for the Virginia State Parks Youth Corps (VSPYC) will begin the first of the year. In 2006, projects are being planned for three weeks duration. Youth crews will consist of approximately 10 young people, ages 14-17 from diverse backgrounds, and three crew supervisors, college age or older. This team of young people will live in the park in a structured program of work and learning closely supervised by professional park staff and committed adult volunteers. By day, the crews carry out priority park development and maintenance projects, and after hours they take part in planned environmental education, team building, work life or job readiness training and recreational activities.
The primary purpose of the Virginia State Parks Youth Corps is twofold:
- It is aimed at youth development, including disadvantaged youth, and
- it is a cost effective way to raise environmental awareness and strengthen stewardship of Virginia's valuable natural resources, particularly as state budget levels are curtailed. In essence, the program combines work experience, education and life skills development within the framework of environmental and community service.
For additional information or questions, please contact Gaston Rouse at 703-583-5497, or e mail vspycc@dcr.virginia.gov Additional information, including forms to download, may be found at the web site: www.dcr.virginia.gov/parks/ycc.htm.
Science Fair topics & ideas focusing on water
Elementary, Middle and High School projects
Educating and motivating people to care for and about groundwater. The site includes activities for teachers and students.
Start a club for students interested in environmental issues. We prepared some ideas for you to help get you started. Existing environmental clubs may also find suggestions to assist in their projects. Ecology Club Projects
Visit www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/kids/index.htm or www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/non-hw.htm#household to learn about the types of hazardous wastes in your home and in community and how to get involved and make a difference in your community by recycling and preventing pollution.
Quick and Dirty Fact Sheet on Waste Management
Student Resources:
- Kid's Zone
A center for information on Hard Bargain Farm located in Maryland outside of Washington DC. You can come here to get ready for your field trip, to check in on all your barnyard friends, or just to have a good time. Try out some of our cool on-line activities. - Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts
- Virginia Career VIEW
This site provides computer software, career exploration materials. poster, and a variety of online career exploration and information activities related to Virginia's Standards of Learning. - Club Invention
Club Invention® is an after-school educational enrichment program for children in grades 2-6. To find out which schools in your area have already launched the program or to bring Club Invention to your school, visit www.clubinvention.org.
Tips for waste reduction:
- Quick and Dirty Fact Sheet on Waste Reduction
- EPA: Waste Prevention
- Planet Protectors Create Less Waste in the First Place: A Story about Reuse on Earth
Climate Change for Kids
Learn about climate change with the help of kid friendly graphics and explanations. There is also a list of things that kids can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
WaterSense Kids
Tools and Resources on Water
EPA offers this colorful WaterSense Kids section, an interactive educational resource on water efficiency. The site includes a quick link to the kids' version of the Test Your WaterSense Quiz, information on why it is important to save water, and simple things that can be done to use less water, along with a link for parents on where to find WaterSense labeled products. This section is a great learning tool for children.