Missouri Environmental Education News
October 2017
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2017 MO Green Schools and EE Conference November 3-4
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Table of Contents - Main Article, October Calendar, 2017 MOGSEE Conference, MEEA News, In Other News, Grants and Awards, Conferences, Workshops, Missouri Events Calendars, Jobs
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Board Secretary, and Conference Committee Liaison Linda Lacy shares updates on the 2017 conference. |
Excitement is building for MEEA’s annual Missouri Green Schools and Environmental Education (MOGSEE) Conference! On November 3-4, environmental educators will come together at the Kansas City Zoo. This event features a full day of interactive presentations and networking opportunities. Admission to the Zoo will be free at the close of the conference presentations.
This year’s theme, “Nature: Pathways to Learning,” focuses on three pathways strands: Green schools, Standards, and Sustainability.
Friday Conference Events
Beginning at 3:30 at the Zoo, we start with a Missouri Green Schools workshop. This national USDOE program is co-sponsored by the MO Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and MEEA. The program recognizes K-12 schools that take a comprehensive approach to greening their school by incorporating environmental learning with improving environmental and health impacts. Learn about the three sections in the program: Sustainability, Health and Learning, how to put together a "green team" at your school to plan and carry out projects to green up your school, and the application process. School administrators, district operation directors, and other school district leaders are encouraged to attend this workshop. Participants will have a chance to learn more from two of the 2017 Missouri Green Schools awardees on Saturday.
From 5pm to 7pm, we move to the Lakeside Nature Center for a fun social gathering with your new and “old” EE friends. Highlights include tours of the facility, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, and a video celebrating Missouri State Parks' 100th Anniversary. This is a great time to socialize and network with other EE leaders in nature!
Saturday Conference Highlights
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On Saturday we are honored to have Robyn Ratcliff, Executive Director of the Wildwood Outdoor Education Center, as our Keynote speaker. |
Her presentation, “Kids Grow Better Outside (But It Takes Some Work to Get Them There),” will focus on the needs of underserved communities. She’ll share lessons she's learned (the hard way) about connecting with underserved communities. Together, we will discuss opportunities to improve our offerings and learn more about the needs and interests of our target audiences. How can you bring the best practices and proven benefits of "camp experiences" to your classroom or program? You will leave with practical "next steps" in hand for reaching out to underserved groups in your part of the state. Come prepared to laugh, share and find some insights you can put to use to reach your goals.
We have a full schedule of presenters from around Missouri. Topics range from “STEM Activities for a Sustainable Planet” to “Hiking Through History: Natural and Cultural History Along the Ozark Trail” to “Environmental Opportunity Gaps: Green Ribbon Pursuit.” Check out the roster of great sessions at: 2017 MOGSEE session descriptions
In addition to the interactive sessions, you have the opportunity to share information and resources during “drop-in” Table Talks and Poster Presentations. Or, if you and your organization simply wantto stand up and briefly share a cool technique, a handy tool, a project you are working on, a book you wrote, a grant you want partners for, even a wild idea for changing the culture and direction of EE, sign up for the EE Slam. Submit a Table Talk or Poster, or sign up for the EE slam, at Table Talk, Poster Session, EE Slam proposal. The deadline for Table Talks and Posters proposals is October 15. EE Slam deadline is November 4 or whenever slots fill up.
You can register now for the conference at: Conference registration
Early Bird registration ends October 15, but registration continues on until the day of the Conference.
We look forward to sharing and learning with you!
The MEEA List of Things to Know About the State of Environmental Literacy (Why you should attend the conference!)
- Most Americans believe they know more about the environment than they actually do. For example, that the ocean is a source of fresh water, disposable diapers are the leading landfill problem and hydropower is America's top energy source. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED522820.pdf
- A national survey of science teachers showed roughly 75% teach about climate change. But more than a quarter of these gave "equal time" to the idea that warming was natural or the idea that scientists disagreed about the causes. Mixed Messages: How Climate Change is Taught in America's Schools https://ncse.com/files/MixedMessages.pdf
- Missouri has Environmental Literacy Standards. Developed collaboratively, the standards outline 7 common themes: 1) Environmental Principles, 2) Systems and Processes of Nature, 3) Systems and Processes of Human Societies, 4) Environments and Resources, 5) Environmental Problems, 6) Recognizing, Investigating and Solving Environmental Problems, and 7) Environmentally Responsible Behavior. http://www.meea.org/standards.html
EE Resources Related to the Conference
- The Conference Website Missouri Green Schools and Environmental Education Conference Information: http://www.meea.org/conferences/2017/conference-2017.html
- Wildwood Outdoor Education Wildwood gives underserved youth transformational outdoor learning experiences through the support of community organizations, donors, and foundations. Wildwood programs are designed to deliver three key learning experiences: https://wildwoodctr.org/about-us/
- Missouri Green Schools Program Missouri Green Schools is the place for information on greening a school's footprint, encouraging healthy behaviors in a healthy building, and helping students learn to care about, understand and act for the environment. Missouri has aligned its program with the U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools (DoE GRS). Nominations for the award are due December 15. http://missourigreenschools.org/
- Missouri Environmental Education Certification Program. The MEEA Environmental Educator Certification program is a way for any formal or non-formal educator or community citizen to ensure that she or he has the necessary knowledge, understanding and skills to be an effective voice for the environment. http://www.meea.org/certification.html
- Kansas City Zoo Education Programs: https://www.kansascityzoo.org/for-educators/
- MO-DESE Missouri Learning Standards Expectations for Science, adopted April 2016 https://dese.mo.gov/college-career-readiness/curriculum/missouri-learning-standards#mini-panel-mls-standards3
Things to Look for (or Look Out for) in October
- Vegetarian Awareness Month - http://www.worldvegetarianday.org - North American Vegetarian Society
- Third Week - Solar Week - http://www.solarweek.org/cms/ - NASA and Rice University
- 1 World Vegetarian Day (annually)- http://www.worldvegetarianday.org - North American Vegetarian Society
- 4 World Animal Day (annually) - http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk - Nature Watch Foundation (animal welfare organization)
- 8-12 Cephalopod Awareness Days (annually)- http://laughingsquid.com/international-cephalopod-awareness-days
- 16 World Food Day (annually)- http://www.fao.org/world-food-day/home/en/ - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
2017 MOGSEE Conference
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Registration is open for the November 3-4 at the Kansas City Zoo for the 2017 Green Schools and Environmental Education Conference! We are accepting proposals for the Table Talks and Posters until October 15, for the EE Slam until the 4th or space runs out. |
MEEA News
- People
- Memberships - Welcome to new professional members Kory Kaufman, Kathy Love, Diana Papoulias and Nic Rogers from Missouri River Relief, Kim Hoorman from the St. Louis Zoo, Sarah Holmes from Barstow School, Rob Didricksen from Missouri's Office of Administration, Christine Roberson from the Columbia Area Career Center, Margaret Carrel from the University of Iowa, Sarah Guenther from Oakville H.S., Wendy Parrett from the KC Discovery Center, Kate Delehunt from KC Water Services, and Wendy Oelrichs from New Haven H.S.! Thanks to renewing professional members, Judy Mitchell, Jennifer Wellman, Mary McCarthy, Lea Langdon, Eve Cooney, Jill Gordon, Laura Seger, Danna Hilleren, Theresa Thomas, Jan Weaver and Christine Li. The number of current Professional memberships is 110. Total MEEA membership is at 351.
- Networking - Look for MEEA at the Science Teachers of Missouri (STOM) meeting October 13 & 14.
- MELAB (Missouri Environmental Literacy Advisory Board) - The next meeting is Thursday December 14 at Runge Nature Center in Jefferson City 10 am to 3 pm. MELAB is a group of groups whose mission statements include environmental education. Any group can send a representative to our meeting. Just contact Jan at weaverjc@missouri.edu to get on the list.
- Recognition and Awards - Do you know an environmental educator who should be recogonized? Please nominate them for a MEEA EE Award. Awards and nomination forms
- Purpose
- Conference - Nature: Pathways to Learning. Registration is now open. Deadline for Table Talks and Posters is October 15.
- EE Certification - Learn more about certification
- MEEA EE Grants - Six $250 awards. Application is now open for an October 15 deadline at https://meea.wufoo.com/forms/mannylm0nmi5yh/
- Missouri Green Schools - We are gearing up for this year's crop of green schools. Intent to nominate deadline is November 15. This is not a required step, but if you aren't at this point by mid November, getting a complete nomination ready by December 15 will be very challenging. View the rationale, process and forms at http://www.missourigreenschools.org
- Presentations - Jan presented at the annual Association of Missouri Interpreters meeting in Steelville on using nature observations to teach math. She also learned the history of Dillard's Mill, about hatchery operations in Missouri, and caught a trout.
- Resources
- Governance
- Board - The board discussed crowdfunding campaign, pursuing a grant application, a proposal to have the upcoming conference's environmental footprint assessed, and contacting the previous presidents group about Missouri Green Schools.
- Administration - no updates from last month
- Grants
- Missouri River Relief - Jan helped board member Kristen Schulte with the Teacher Workshop in St. Charles.
In other News
- MDC saves more than $1 million by reducing energy use
- 18 MODNR Staff return from helping with Florida cleanup
Coming Up in the Next Month or So ...
- Grants and Awards Deadlines more info here
- Project Green Challenge (10/1 to 10/31); Wild Ones Seeds for Education (10/15); Save the Frogs Art Contest (10/15); MEEA Environmental Educator Grants (10/15); Lexus EcoChallenge (10/16); Keep America Beautiful Recycle Bowl (10/13); State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship (10/31); 7th Annual Missouri Snapshots Photo Contest (10/31)
- Conferences and Meetings more info here
- October 11-14 - Midwest Environmental Education Conference - St. Charles Illinois - http://meeconference.org
- October 13-14 - Science Teachers of Missouri, Columbia Missouri - https://scienceteachersofmissouri.wildapricot.org
- November 3-4 - Missouri Green Schools and Environmental Education Conference - http://www.meea.org/conferences/2017/conference-2017.html
- Workshops around Missouri more info here
- Fall Color Hike (10/21 & 22) - Trenton
- Green Fire Screening (10/10) - Kansas City
- Project WILD (10/14) - Warrensburg
- Nature Revealed (10/20) - St. Charles
- Snake Awareness and Safety (10/28) - Lebanon
- Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Level I Workshop (10/21) - West Plains
- Project WILD & Flying WILD (11/3) - Mingo National Wildlife Refuge
Be sure and check out the webinars, they count for Certification too!
- Outdoor, Nature, Environmental and Sustainability Event Calendars- visit our page of organization and agency calendars - if you would like to have your organization's regularly updated calendar added, email Jan Weaver
EE Jobs more info here
- Youth Educator, Gateway Greening (11/1)