Newsletter

Here's What's Trending in October

STARTING THE YEAR THE "WRITE" WAY

YOUNG REPORTERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Have students who are passionate about the environment and want to investigate environmental issues and solutions? Then we invite you to join the International Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) Competition.

• YRE is open to students ages 11-25
• Age Categories

  11-14
  15-18
  19-25

• Media Categories

  Article
  International Collaboration - Article
  Photograph
  Video

Learn more and utilize our resources to make this a true learning experience.  

SCHOOLYARD HABITATS®

GLOBE Training

Are you looking for an opportunity to engage students in Green STEM with opportunities that take students out of the classroom and into the natural world? The next online GLOBE Program training course, Using Earth Systems Science in Your Schoolyard Habitat®, will be opening on November 14th. The course will explore how to use a schoolyard habitat to engage students in field investigations where they will practice science skills and develop a deeper understanding about Earth’s systems and processes. Registration for this free course is open now.

FROM THE WILDLIFE GUIDE

Bats

It’s October, and there’s no better time to teach students about bats. The National Wildlife Federation’s Wildlife Guide is a great student resource to find information such as species description, range, diet and current conservation efforts. According to the guide, the United States is home to more than 40 species of bats, the majority of which hunt at night and are insectivores, eating insects like beetles, mosquitoes and moths.  Check out Ranger Rick Adventures in the October issue of Ranger Rick® magazine, which is focused on white-nose syndrome, a disease that has sickened and killed large numbers of bats.

The October Ranger Rick Educator’s Guide provides an educational extension activity which provides writing prompts for students, along with ways to become involved in bat conservation.

RESULTS: END OF YEAR TEACHER SURVEY

Part 2

Continuing to highlight the results of our End of Year Survey, this month we focus on specific impacts associated with the implementation of the Eco-Schools USA program including:

• Observed environmental impacts
• Using green initiatives to involve the community
• Opportunities to practice NGSS science and engineering concepts

Thank you again to those teachers who participated in the survey.

ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS AREAS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR ACTION

During October, we’re highlighting the Consumption & Waste Pathway and related Sustainable Development Goal #12, Responsible Consumption and Production. It’s an opportunity for students to support the UN’s 2030 targets for #GlobalGoal12, including the substantial reduction of waste generation through reduction, recycling and reuse, and to halve global food waste at both the retail and consumer level. Potential actions include, addressing excess paper use in the classroom, or creating a culture of zero waste in the school community. Follow @EcoSchoolsUSA on Facebook and Twitter to get more tips and information related to this pathway and SDG. Remind students to share our tips and information during morning announcements, news programming and/or monthly communications.

ON THE BLOG

10 WAYS NATIONAL WILDLIFE EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE HELPING WILDLIFE

Did you know?

• National Wildlife Federation's Green Hour program is working to connect 21 million American children, teens and young adults with the outdoors?, or that
• Baltimore Wildlife Week encourages people in urban environments to take action for pollinators and wildlife in their own communities?

Here at the National Wildlife Federation, there are many ways we work to help wildlife, from legislative activity in Washington, DC to our on the ground programs that encourage the planting of pollinator habitats. The recent blog 10 Ways National Wildlife Federation Education Programs are Helping Wildlife highlights some of our education programs from around the country. Read the full story and learn how you can participate.

FAQs

We let you know how important your feedback is to our program’s success and so we are working to provide answers to three more popular questions received from our 2018 End of Year survey. As always, feel free to reach out to us via email at Eco-SchoolsUSA@nwf.org with any additional questions or suggestions.

1. How can I find out what other schools are doing?

2. How can we get the community involved in or aware of our activities? Step 6 of the Seven Step Framework requires involving the community in your sustainability initiatives. While this looks different at every school, some ways include:

3. How do I convince my fellow teachers/administrators that the program will add value?

• Share our blog Top 10 Reasons to Join Eco-Schools USA, which highlights benefits like place-based authentic learning experiences and engagement in Green STEM activities.
• Share school stories of success, also found in the Students and Nature section of the blog, using the tag, Eco-SchoolsUSA.

GREEN OPPORTUNITIES

• October is Farm to School Month 
• 4-H National Youth Science Day celebration starts 10/1. Learn about the Code Your World challenge
• National Walk to School Day is 10/10/18; learn more and plan an event
• Earth Science Week 10/14 – 10/20; learn how to participate
• Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant Program open through 10/15/18
• Green Apple Day of Service; learn more and get project ideas    
• Toshiba American Foundation Grants for Science & Math Projects, Grades 6-12    
• The Great American Campout continues through early fall! Take the pledge to camp before 10/31         
• Wild Ones Seeds for Education Grant Program
• Project Learning Tree Greenworks Grants
• Monarch Watch Milkweed Grants
• Green Strides Webinar Series
• THEGOALS.org – Oceans course on sustainable use of our oceans, seas, and marine resources
• Out2Lunch – 10-minute demos of Earth Science data tools and resources
• The Green Teacher Webinar Series
• Captain Planet Foundation Grant Opportunities
• GetEdFunding