Revision of State Science and Technology/Engineering Standards and Review of Next Generation Science Standards Draft

This session will provide participants currentinformation on the revision of the state’s Science and Technology/Engineering (STE) standards. The state has been revising its own STE standards and participating in a multi-state collaborative effort to develop the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This session will focus on the broad directions and changes that any version of revised state STE standards will embody, and particularly look at the first public draft of the NGSS.

This draft of the NGSS will be open for public comment in May – this sessionis designed to encourage participant review and input to guide further standards development.

Revised STE standards will have implications for all participants, including school and district personnel, teacher preparationstaff and informal institutions involved in science education, among others. Participants will additionally learn about resources and efforts being put into place to support the eventual implementation of revised STE standards andrelated policy initiatives that will impact science education across the state.

To register, go to: http://www.doe.mass.edu/conference/?ConferenceID=1328.

Dates, times, and locations:

· May 14 - 9:00-11:00 Bridgewater State University
· May 15 - 9:00-11:00 Northern Essex Community College
· May 15 - 1:30-3:30 EDCO, Seefurth Conference Center
· May 16 - 1:00-3:00 MA College of Liberal Arts
· May 18 - 9:00-11:00 Fitchburg State University
· May 18 - 1:30-3:30 Holyoke Community College

Attend a teachers-only preview tour of the newly renovated Fishes Gallery on May 29, 2012. Learn about what it takes to plan and implement a successful museum exhibit as we tour the gallery with Jan Sacco, HMNH Director of Exhibitions, and hear about the latest in fishes research at Harvard from Kara Feilich, doctoral student in the Lauder Lab.

Informal gathering and refreshments starting at 3:30 pm in Classroom A. Tour and talk at 4:00 pm followed by a reception.

Reserve your space here or contact Jennifer at 617-496-9584. The museum is located at 26 Oxford St., Cambridge MA 02138

Northfield Mountain Recreation & Environmental Center is located at 99 Millers Falls Rd., Northfield, MA

Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood

Sat., April 28;  9:30 a.m. - 12:30  p.m .   $20

This Project Learning Tree early childhood education curriculum builds on children’s sense of wonder about nature.  This brand new activity guide, written for educators of children ages 3-6, includes over 130 experiences that engage children in outdoor play and exploration.  Educators will participate in a variety of hands-on, fun-filled activities and gain experience and skills helpful for taking children outside to explore the natural world. This professional development workshop is great for teachers, camp counselors, child care providers, home school parents and other educators of young children. Taught by Tim Rayworth, Regional Environmental Education Coordinator for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and Northfield Mountain’s Kim Noyes, this workshop will take place both inside and outside. PLT is correlated to the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards and the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework.

No Child Left Indoors

Thurs., May 31; 6 - 8 p.m.      $10   

Join Kim Noyes and Jim Lafley for an educational and entertaining evening with fellow educators.  With over 50 years of combined outdoor teaching experience, Jim and Kim have a wealth of activities to share and  inspire you to take children outdoors.  Build on children’s innate curiosity in the natural world with fun and engaging activities  using free or inexpensive materials.  This program will be filled with activities to enhance children’s observation, problem-solving, math, reading, language and science skills.  The evening will be spent both indoors, modeling activities to bring the outdoors in, and outdoors, because no child should be left inside.   This professional development workshop is great for teachers, camp counselors, child care providers, home school parents and other educators. Dress for the outdoors.  Light refreshments provided.

To register or for more information please contact Kim Noyes at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   or (413) 659-4462

The Captain Planet Foundation funds hands-on environmental projects that  encourage innovative programs that empower children and youth around the world  to work individually and collectively to solve environmental problems in their neighborhoods and communities.

Maximum award: $2,500. Eligibility: 501(c)3 organizations. Deadline: May 31, 2012.

http://captainplanetfoundation.org/apply-for-grants/

The Project WET USA conference team requests proposals for presentations from educators, policymakers, businesses, municipalities, program designers, implementers and practitioners, proposals that focus on school districts in partnership with local organizations to provide a community-based approach to water education and all others interested in water education. 

The goal of the conference is to increase the knowledge and capacity of conference participants to effectively reach children, parents, educators and communities of the world with water education. In the interest of innovation, engaging and interactive presentations are encouraged. 

If you wish to submit a proposal for a presentation, you can download the Presentation Request Form here.

For January's Observer, we asked for submissions related to ways indoor spaces support learning about the environment and time tested ways to bring the outdoors inside during the colder months. We hope you find a little inspiration for looking inward-- and getting outside-- in the winter months.  You'll also find a preview for the 2012 MEES conference.  If you enjoy this edition of the Observer, look for our next newsletter, Refreshing Reflections, which will take a look back at what we learned from the 2012 conference and ways we revitalize our work in the spring, and will be available in April. Or better yet, write a short article to contribute to the Observer!

          Citing the need for the nation’s schools to “work towards a future where school facilities…enable students to become environmentally literate citizens who are well prepared for the 21st century economy,” Secretary of Education Arne Duncan this week announced criteria for the Department of Education’s new Green Ribbon Schools Award.

         In accordance with comments submitted by Congressman John Sarbanes, the No Child Left Inside Coalition, and other proponents of environmental education, the final criteria encourages schools to put in place programs that, among other things, “promote environmental education that supports students’ strong civic skills, environmental stewardship and workforce preparedness.”

 Keep America Beautiful, Inc., the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization, announced the launch of “Recycle-Bowl,” the first comprehensive nationwide recycling competition for elementary, middle and high-school students. Recycle-Bowl was created to provide students with a fun, interactive way to learn about waste reduction and environmental responsibility through in-school recycling.

Open to all U.S. schools and classrooms, the incentive-based recycling competition and benchmarking program kicks off this October and registration is now open on the Recycle-Bowl website at http://recycle-bowl.org. The competition runs from October 17 through November 12, culminating around America Recycles Day. Participating schools will track and report how much recyclable material they collect for a chance to win prizes. At the close of the four-week competition, the school in each state that collects the most recyclable material per capita will win $1,000. A national champion will then be chosen from among the statewide winners to receive an additional grand prize of $2,500.