Education E-News from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
2013 Invasive Species Education Summit – Register Today
Join education and outreach professionals from across Wisconsin for the second annual Invasive Species Education Summit hosted by the Wisconsin Invasive Species Council.
When: Wednesday, June 19th, 2013 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Where: Trees For Tomorrow in Eagle River, WI. Distance participation will be available via webinar.
Visit the Council’s website for full details at: http://invasivespecies.wi.gov/awareness/section.asp?linkid=808&locid=63
Please register by June 10th, 2013 to attend either in person or via the webinar. This summit is free, and lunch will be provided; registration is required. You will receive updates via email as the summit approaches once you are registered. Visit the summit website to register.
New Aquatic Invasive/Project WET Poster Lesson Available (pub# WT998)
DNR Project WET and aquatic invasives staff have partnered to create a new aquatic invasive species poster lesson. The poster includes the Project WET activity Invaders! along with some other Wisconsin specific information and resources to teach students about aquatic invasives, their impacts and what students can do to prevent their spread to WI lakes and rivers. The poster lesson is available free of charge to teachers and informal educators working with elementary and middle school children. Contact Christal Campbell at christal.campbell@wisconsin.gov, 608-266-0061 to request a free copy.
Crex Meadows Offers Nature Programs for Kids
A variety of summer programs are being offered at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area that will teach children and adults about nature and help them gain a greater appreciation and understanding of our environment. Children ages 3 - 7 are invited to take part in the “Nature’s Little Explorers” program.
The program occurs on Tuesdays from 10 – 11:15 a.m. June 11 – August 20, 2013. A different nature related theme will be featured each meeting. Natures Little Explorers is a free, no-registration, no-obligation program that encourages families to get out and enjoy nature. An adult is asked to remain with the child for the session. When weather permits, the program will take place outdoors.
For more information on Nature’s Little Explorers or other Crex happenings, please contact: Kristi Pupak, wildlife conservation educator at 715-463-2739 or via email: Kristina.Pupak@wisconsin.gov For details and updated information, visit www.crexmeadows.org
Forestry Grants Available
The Wisconsin Environmental Education Foundation (WEEF) will award approximately $35,000 in grants for the development, dissemination and implementation of forestry education and school forest projects. There is a $5,000 limit for school or school district proposals and non-school proposals that are local in scale. There is a $10,000 limit for multi-school district or statewide proposals. Application directions and forms are available on www.EEinWisconsin.org (short link: http://bit.ly/12JaS6h). Application deadline is July 10, 2013.
Natural Resources Foundation 2013 Small Grants Available
If you’re a teacher needing a little extra funding to take your students into the field or a nonprofit with a conservation project, check out the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin small grants program. Grants ranging from $100-$1000 are awarded annually to projects in Wisconsin that benefit the public, involve management and restoration of Wisconsin’s natural resources and/or contribute to knowledge about Wisconsin’s natural resources through education. Recipients are required to match the grant award on a 1:1 basis with funds or in-kind services. For more information and the application form, visit: http://www.wisconservation.org/besadny-grants/
2013 Air, Air Everywhere Poetry Contest Winner
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources held a poetry contest in May to celebrate Clean Air Month. Third through fifth grade students across Wisconsin completed an activity from DNR’s Air, Air Everywhere activity guide and wrote poems and riddles on what they learned about air. Ingrid Sokup of Hayward School District took first place in the competition. Congratulations Ingrid! Here is her winning poem:
Air
Like an invisible magic
It’s nothing, but something
Quiet, watching us play
It’s foggy and smoky
Has no boundaries
And never ends in a way
It’s crispy and cool
On a mid-fall day
It’s edge, but clean
And has a particular sway
It’s freezing and frigid
On a wintery day
As soft as a cloud
But as hard as a rock
In summer it’s humid
And hot and sweet
With a faint blueberry smell
And big waves of heat
In springtime it smells
Like nothing ever happened
And tomorrow is perfect
And everything’s good
For more information on the Air, Air Everywhere guide and to view the runners up, visit the EEK! Web page. Teachers may order the Air, Air Everywhere guide by sending your name and mailing address to DNRAirEducation@wi.gov.
Educational Opportunities
June 24-June 28. Big Splash! An experiential, two-graduate credit class offered in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Viterbo University. Using the Coughlin Center as our base camp, we’ll venture out to explore Lake Winnebago’s unique fishery, wade a nearby stream and spend time in the lab learning just what makes a fish a fish. Together, we will link fishing to science standards through hands-on investigations of fish and their habitat, tying one of Wisconsin's most venerable traditions to social studies, language arts, fine arts and physical education. Participants will practice stream sampling methods, look at service learning opportunities to protect aquatic resources in their community, and find out what can be done to hold the line on invasive species. Enriching activities from Project WILD, Project WET and other water education materials will help you meet state standards and foster meaningful civic involvement. All participants who complete the course will be certified in Project WET, Project WILD, and as DNR Angler Education Instructors. Location: James P. Coughlin Center at 625 E. County Road Y, Oshkosh, WI. Costs: $270.00, includes two graduate credits and Project WET and Project WILD certification. The non-credit cost of the workshop is $50 for Project WET & Project WILD. Registration Deadline: Please complete and mail by June 12, 2013 along with the $50.00 deposit to reserve your spot; see details on the registration form. Contact Kimberly Anderson, (608) 261-6431.
August 5 and 6. Project WET Teacher Workshop. Retzer Nature Center, Waukesha, WI. Teachers and nonformal educators will love Project WET's environmental education program focused on aquatic resources! Project WET is a multidisciplinary program that uses over 90 hands-on, fun activities to promote water systems, quality and quantity, water management and stewardship, as well as the historical, societal, and cultural connections between water, people, and communities. Workshop participants will develop new skills, learn how to adapt activities to their curriculum, explore literature and technology connections, and share expertise with colleagues. The activity guide contains a variety of learner-centered activities compatible with instruction in science, social studies, language arts, environmental science, and mathematics. In addition to the guide, participants will learn about and receive a collection of educational resources from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources that complement the activities presented in the guide. These programs meet state teacher and academic standards, are eligible for inclusion in an initial educator plan, and can be used in renewal of your licensure. Graduate Credit Option is Available. Contact Jayne Jenks, (262) 896-8305.
September 4. Authentic Student Voice and Leadership in Green Schools. 3-4 p.m. Project Learning Tree GreenSchools! Has capitalized on the energy generated from its first webinar series this past year by becoming part of the US Department of Education 2013 Green Ribbon Schools webinar series. National PLT Green Teams, the US Forest Service, and other experts will present this webinar.