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ACNW Environmental Education News
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June 3, 2019
Dear Charter School Leaders, EE Contacts, Teachers, and Board Members,
Join us this summer at the 2019 ACNW EE Teacher Workshop, July 31-August 2! This year we are partnering with Climate Generation for an in-depth look at teaching climate change across ages and disciplines, as well as expanding your skills for outdoor learning. The workshop will be held at the Audubon Center of the North Woods in Sandstone. ACNW expects that each school will send one teacher, and will cover the cost (meals and lodging) of up to two teachers. Registration information is included in this update.
This June, ACNW is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and we’d love to have you join us to celebrate! On Saturday, June 15, ACNW will host an Open House, free for everyone to try the new high ropes course, canoeing, archery, climbing wall, and hiking trails. Meet our animal ambassadors in the barn and get a tour of the campus. Find more information on the ACNW website.
The summer is a great time to dive into the EE resources we’ve been sending out all year. Let us know what cool things you discover as you’re planning for next year. Keep in touch!
Finally, this will be my last EE Update as I am moving into the role of Director of Charter School Authorizing for ACNW. But don’t worry, you’re in good hands—Nalani McCutcheon will be taking over as lead evaluator of environmental education. Nalani has lots of great experience, including serving as the Founding Executive Director of Cannon River STEM School (an ACNW authorized school) for nine years and as the Executive Director of River Bend Nature Center in Faribault for eight years. Reach out to say hello!
Sincerely,
The ACNW Charter School Division
43 Main Street SE, Suite 507
Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 331-4181
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2019 ACNW EE TEACHER WORKSHOP
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The ACNW Teacher Workshop is back for a fifth year! This year we are partnering with Climate Generation for an in-depth look at teaching climate change across ages and disciplines, as well as expanding your skills for outdoor learning. Over the course of the workshop you'll build climate literacy, discover new project ideas and curriculum, explore climate change connections across the humanities and science, and recharge with time to learn and play outside. You'll leave with plenty of hands-on training and ideas to use right away when you get back to your classroom. (Watch your inbox next week for a draft agenda!)
This is a great opportunity to learn with and from teachers in other ACNW schools who are finding new and innovative ways to create environmentally literate students. We are looking forward to another great workshop!
- Date: Wednesday, July 31 (check-in at 11:00 AM) through Friday, August 2 (end at 1:00 PM)
- Where: Audubon Center of the North Woods, Sandstone
- Who: PreK-12 teachers in ACNW-authorized schools
- Cost: ACNW expects that each school will send at least one teacher. ACNW will cover the cost (meals and lodging) of up to two teachers. Additional attendees may participate as space allows at $225/person.
- Pre-registration is required by July 17, 2019. Register online.
Please email Nalani if you have any questions. We look forward to learning with you this summer!
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The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is the law that governs K-12 education in the United States. Passed at the end of 2015, ESSA includes language making environmental education explicitly eligible for federal education funding for the first time. In Title IV, Part A of ESSA, environmental education is an enrichment activity called out as eligible for funding under a new grants program that supports “a well-rounded education” and student health and safety programs.
All charter schools in Minnesota have received a Title IVA allocation (formerly a competitive grant). The minimum allocation that has been awarded is $10,000. ACNW encourages its authorized schools to consider using these funds, at least in part, to support environmental education as part of its efforts to provide students with a well-rounded education. Integrating EE into the curriculum can help to achieve other academic goals, including meeting Next Generation Science Standards and providing students with opportunities to practice STEM skills. Research demonstrates that EE helps students gain not just knowledge, but also important skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. This is a great opportunity to advance goals associated with your school’s Environmental Literacy Plan.
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SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: CANNON RIVER STEM SCHOOL
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This spring, third grade students at Cannon River STEM School tapped maple trees on campus to make maple syrup. Students had to find three trees big enough to wrap their arms around, drill holes, insert taps and harvest sap. According to the school’s naturalist, the students gathered three or four quarts of sap to boil into syrup for their “syrup party.”
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SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: CROSSLAKE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
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Crosslake Community School is fulfilling its mission of educating environmentally aware, community conscious learners with the introduction of a hydroponics lab to teach students about growing produce with alternative mediums. To learn more about this project, reach out to Todd Lyscio. In other news at CCS, preschool and elementary school students are helping to raise future pollinators and learn about their impact.
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SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: GLACIAL HILLS ELEMENTARY
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The Junior Envirothon team from Glacial Hills Elementary School pitted their knowledge about soils, agriculture, forestry, aquatics, and wildlife against 12 teams. One GHES team came in first, and another finished ninth. Congratulations to these young environmental stewards!
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SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: NORTHERN LIGHTS COMMUNITY SCHOOL
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Northern Lights Community School was awarded the 2019 State Champion Water Stewardship Award for their hard work on water related projects including safe drinking water research, raising trout in their classroom, educating the community on aquatic invasive species, and more! The team received a $500 prize award sponsored by Waste Management. To earn their way to the State Competition, the NLCS team had to win its regional competition and was presented with the All-Star Award for their high scoring in teamwork, goal setting, community leadership, ecological impact, community education, and water stewardship. Congratulations NLCS!
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SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: PARTNERSHIP ACADEMY
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Partnership Academy was awarded $15,000 to start an organics recycling program and expand the recycling program at their new building. Partnership Academy will set up on-site compost bins so the students can learn about composting first-hand. They will also get a set of reusable dishes and utensils for staff to reduce waste from disposable foodservice ware. Congrats PA!
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SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: PRAIRIE SEEDS ACADEMY
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In March students from Prairie Seeds Academy visited the Audubon Center to adventure and learn. The school’s EE Coordinator reported, “Not only was this environmentally-educational but also enhanced teamwork, collaboration, cooperation, attitude, and trust among members. Students attended activity-based classes regarding renewable/nonrenewable resources, limnology, maple syruping, birds of prey, and the historic Hinckley fire.” One student explained, "I liked the rock climbing and high ropes because it tested my courage." In addition to the experiential learning activities, one student's favorite activity was free time because "I got to bond with people who I never knew closely or not that well." Thanks for sharing your adventures, PSA!
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Schools throughout the state can help protect area lakes, rivers, and wetlands by adopting local storm drains and committing to keep them clear of leaves, grass clippings, trash, and other debris through the changing seasons. The simple act of sweeping up around storm drains protects local lakes and rivers by preventing pollution from entering our shared waterways. Schools in the metro area can sign up to adopt a storm drain near your school at adopt-a-drain.org. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll receive tips on how to clean up safely. In addition, the Protecting Land and Water section of the Hennepin County environmental education activity guides includes numerous activities to teach your students about stormwater runoff and the importance of programs like adopt-a-drain.
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NAAEE Conference Scholarships
The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) is now accepting applications for conference scholarships—students, K–12 educators, non-formal educators, faculty, and more are eligible to apply. This year’s conference will be held October 16-19 in Lexington, KY. Learn more and apply online. Applications are due June 17, 2019.
Captain Planet Foundation Grants
The Captain Planet Foundation invests in high-quality, solution-based programs that embrace STEM learning and empower youth to become local & global environmental change-makers. Educators, both K-12 classroom and informal, who are interested in receiving support for students to design and implement hands-on environmental solutions are eligible for project funding. Three grant programs, ecoSOLUTION, ecoTECH, and ecoSTEM have upcoming deadlines on July 15, 2019. The CPF website also has a Grants Portal where you can search for funding options from similar organizations to fund your EE!
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Teaching in the Outdoor Classroom Workshop
Join the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center on June 17-20 to learn how to use the outdoors as a classroom with integrated curriculum and in support of state academic standards. They will gain knowledge and hands-on experience with the prairie pothole ecosystem, discover ways to motivate students, strengthen outdoor teaching and reflection skills, and apply those skills to indoor curriculum. Register here.
Rivers Institute by Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education
Join Hamline University’s Center for Global Environmental Education for their acclaimed Rivers Institute, a FREE, three-day, field-based professional development opportunity for educators. The institutes are designed to increase teachers' science content knowledge and investigation skills and help area educators translate their professional experiences into meaningful, engaging classroom investigations. The focus for the institutes is on elementary and middle school classroom teachers as well as teams of teachers. All educators are welcome to apply.
Two sessions are scheduled for 2019: the St. Croix River Institute June 24-26 and the Mississippi River Institute from 22-24. Learn more and register.
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Our Planet on Netflix
WWF’s 2018 Living Planet Report revealed the scale of human impact on the precious natural world. Our Planet, launched on Netflix earlier this month, takes the story further. The eight-part series, voiced by David Attenborough, reveals the natural wonders that remain, and explores what we need to do to ensure a future in which nature and people thrive.
Water Scarcity and Perseverance: A Humanities Module
Climate Generation has introduced its second standards-based, interdisciplinary humanities module using historical fiction (A Long Walk to Water) to tell the story of Nya and Salva and bring the discussion of water scarcity to the English Language Arts, social studies, and science classroom. Download for FREE from the CG website.
Math Trails Reveal the Beauty of Numbers and Patterns in Nature
This blog post from the Green Schools National Network explores ways you can take math outdoors! Learn how to design math trails that can increase student engagement and appreciation for math found in the natural world.
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