The Countdown to National Green Week is On!

January 28th, 2013 by Molly Hislop

Get ready for National Green Week!

With National Green Week 2013 kicking off February 4-8, now is the time to join the movement and start planning your Green Week! Green Week is Green Education Foundation’s (GEF) flagship program and has grown to become the largest K-12 sustainability education movement in the nation.  It’s a time for educators and youth group leaders to discuss sustainability topics with students and identify the ways we can each make a difference.  GEF offers six sustainability themes to choose from for Green Week, and each includes free lessons and resources.  Don’t forget – you can choose any week to be your Green Week between February 4 and April 30.

Getting involved is easy! First, sign up for National Green Week by becoming a member on GEF’s website. Then, start thinking about which sustainability theme is right for you this year. You can choose from:

Next, pick your week (or day if you’re tight on time) between February 4 and April 30 to participate and spread the word to get your colleagues and students excited! Hint: Schedule your Green Week lessons and activities around your Earth Day celebrations for a double whammy! Now the fun part – decide how you want to participate. Browse GEF’s lessons in the Clearinghouse or in the curriculum section of your sustainability theme. You’ll also find activities, audits, tips and recommended reading for each theme. If you’re feeling fun and innovative, come up with an event or project for your students or school. Hint: these events and projects can lend to a great Green in Action award application! For example, you could organize a school yard clean-up, a waste free snacks week, walk or bike to school day or a turn-out-the-lights campaign. The possibilities are endless!

Also, be sure to explore the fun contests available to Green Week participants. There are lots of great prizes and national recognition to be won!

  • Green in Action awards – win $250 for your class or school by submitting a chronicle of your Green Week activity, event or lessons!
  • Water Audit Raffle – win $250 and 500 water bottles for your school by conducting one of GEF’s audits (or your own audit if you have one) and submitting their results.
  • Green Classroom Pledge – win 20 Green Packs (reusable water bottles, shopping bags and snack packs) for your class by signing the pledge and sending it to GEF.
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Molly Hislop is the Director of Programs and Marketing at Green Education Foundation (GEF).

Announcing Second and Final Public Draft of the Next Generation Science Standards

January 21st, 2013 by Sarah

The Next Generation Science Standards are composed of the three dimensions from the NRC Framework.

Through a collaborative, state-led process, new K–12 science standards are being developed that will be rich in content and practice, arranged in a coherent manner across disciplines and grades to provide all students an internationally benchmarked science education. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are based on the Framework for K–12 Science Education, developed by the National Research Council (NRC) in July 2011.

Since the May draft NGSS release, the Lead States and the writers evaluated the tens of thousands of comments collected during the May 2012 review period and worked on revising the standards.

The second draft of the Next Generation Science Standards is now available. This second public comment period opened for feedback on January 8, 2013 and will remain open for feedback until January 29, 2013. All interested parties are fully encouraged to review the draft as individuals or in groups and provide feedback to the Lead States and writers.

To review the draft and provide feedback go to: http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards

This will be the last public opportunity to add your voice to the science standards that are expected to change the teaching and learning of science nationwide. The final NGSS standards are expected to be released in late March.

Additional Information

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Sarah Brzezinski works for the Chesapeake Research Consortium as the Chesapeake Bay Program's Fostering Stewardship and Education Workgroup Team Staffer. She also serves as the content manager of Bay Backpack.

Add Bay Backpack to your Facebook News Feed!

December 24th, 2012 by Sarah

Did you know that Bay Backpack has a Facebook account? Are you missing us in your News Feed? Facebook recently modified it’s preference settings, so it is possible that you are no longer seeing our updates. Keep our posts a part of your life! Visit our Facebook profile, hover over the “Like” button and select “Show in News Feed.” Or, you can add us to an Interest List!

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Sarah Brzezinski works for the Chesapeake Research Consortium as the Chesapeake Bay Program's Fostering Stewardship and Education Workgroup Team Staffer. She also serves as the content manager of Bay Backpack.

Environmental Literacy in the District of Columbia

December 17th, 2012 by Grace Manubay

On Thursday, December 13, 2012 the District Department of the Environment awarded $272,000 to implement components of the DC Environmental Literacy Plan.

2012 has been a banner year for environmental literacy in the District.  On July 2, 2012, Mayor Vincent C. Gray submitted our state Environmental Literacy Plan to the Council of the District of Columbia.  Like other states across the country, the development of our state Environmental Literacy Plan (ELP) was mandated by legislation.  Passed by the DC Council in 2010, the Healthy Schools Act seeks to improve the health and wellness of all District students.  The legislation addresses nutrition, health education, physical education and physical activity, Farm-to-School programs, and school gardens.  Additionally, the law acknowledges that creating and sustaining an environmentally-friendly school environment and integrating environmental education into the schools’ curriculum are essential to the health and wellness of students, as well as the health of the local environment and community.   The Act also directed the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) to draft a plan in conjunction with other District education agencies and stakeholders.

Since submitting the ELP to Council in July, the big question has been, “Now what?” On Thursday, December 13, 2012, DC Council held a Roundtable Discussion on the Healthy Schools Act and District’s Environmental Literacy Plan Implementation.  Four public witnesses testified on the importance of at implementing the ELP as well as on the need to hold agencies accountable for this.  Council plans to draft Healthy Schools Act Amendments in the Spring of 2013.

On the same day as the DC Council’s Roundtable, Mayor Gray announced the winners of the Sustainable DC Budget Challenge, a grant competition in which District agencies proposed projects to test innovative sustainability initiatives.  DDOE was awarded $272,000 to implement components of the DC Environmental Literacy Plan.  Sustainability has been a priority for Mayor Gray and his for  a Sustainable DC includes recommendations to integrate sustainability concepts into the school curriculum.  What better way than through the DC Environmental Literacy Plan?

As exciting as 2012 has been, many promising things are on the horizon to take place in 2013.  We will be looking at building capacity for environmental literacy integration in the schools by encouraging networking between school administrators and environmental education program providers, hosting Green Jobs fairs for students, and more.  We’ll keep you posted on what happens next!

To read more about the plan and DDOE’s environmental education initiatives, visit: http://ddoe.dc.gov/education.

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Grace Manubay is an Environmental Protection Specialist with the District Department of the Environment, and has been the project lead for the development of the DC Environmental Literacy Plan.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust Awards Program is now OPEN

November 5th, 2012 by Kristin

Celebrate environmental education and stewardship in the Chesapeake Bay region by nominating a teacher and student for these Chesapeake Bay Trust awards and scholarships!

The leaves are beginning to change and school is back in session, which means it is time for the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s annual awards program! The Trust’s Student of the Year Scholarship, Honorable Arthur Dorman Scholarship,  and Teacher of the Year award, celebrate Maryland students and teachers who have shown a strong commitment to their local environment and the Chesapeake Bay. The students are honored with a $5,000 college scholarship and the winning teacher will be given a $2,500 grant award through the Trust. Applicants can be self-nominated or nominated by individuals who are not family members. The deadline to apply is December 20, 2012 at 5:00 pm.

Read a full description of the awards below and to nominate, visit the Chesapeake Bay Trust’s webpage.

2013 Teacher of the Year Award:

This award is given to a Maryland educator who has shown outstanding commitment to environmental education. Applicants for this award can be self-nominated or nominated by individuals who are not family members. The winner will receive a $2,500 mini grant for environmental education and restoration from the Chesapeake Bay Trust. (Please note that the $2,500 grant award can only be applied to one application and not spread throughout the year.) To nominate a teacher in Maryland for this award, click here.

2013 Student of the Year Scholarship:

The Student of the Year award is given to a Maryland high school or college student who has shown an outstanding commitment to environmental stewardship, Chesapeake Bay restoration and community involvement. Applicants for this award can be self-nominated or nominated by anyone except family members. The winner will receive a $5,000 college scholarship. To nominate a student in Maryland for this award, click here.

2013 Honorable Arthur Dorman Scholarship:

This award recognizes a Maryland high school or college student who demonstrates a commitment to improving the health of the environment and the Chesapeake Bay and who, as a student of color, exhibits exemplary leadership in promoting diversity and inclusion in his/her school and broader community. Applicants for this award can be self-nominated or nominated by anyone except family members. The winner will receive a $5,000 college scholarship. To nominate a student in Maryland for this award, click here.

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Kristin Foringer is the Communications and Development Associate at the Chesapeake Bay Trust. She can be reached at 410-974-2941, ext. 113 or at kforinger@cbtrust.org. Kristin is also a former Environmental Management Staffer at the Chesapeake Bay Program.

Governor O’Malley’s Stream Restoration Challenge

September 27th, 2012 by Gabe Cohee

Check out the new Stream Restoration Challenge resources from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources!

With less than six weeks until the deadline for proposals, Governor O’Malley’s Stream Restoration Challenge has already brought organizations, governments, and school systems together to restore and protect local watersheds.  And we’re just getting started.

Maryland’s Stream Restoration Challenge is a competitive grant program open to local governments and non-government organizations to establish 1,000 acres of stream-side forests by 2015. For this challenge, the State and its partners will make available $6 million to plant forested stream buffers with the goals of improving Bay water quality and creating opportunities for middle and high school students to engage in service-learning and environmental literacy activities.

The word is out.  Local governments, school systems, watershed organizations, land trusts, and community groups have all been reaching out with project ideas and excitement for the potential of these projects.  Engaging the community, namely middle and high school students, in restorative practices will build their capacity, appreciation, and stewardship of our natural environment and local waterways – all leading to healthier Chesapeake and Coastal Bays.

As the deadline approaches, the state has made new resources available to potential applicants.  On the website, we have links to Marylanders Plant Trees, where applicants can find technical assistance, local nursery information, and tree coupons.  We have also posted Evaluation Guidelines, Application Components, and a Sample Budget.  Additionally, we have made the webinar presentation and Q&A session available on the site.

Don’t miss the great educational materials that the Bay Backpack has put together for the Challenge as well.

I have been greatly encouraged by the collaborative nature and innovative thinking around this Challenge, and I look forward to getting these projects in the ground with the help of Maryland students!

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Gabe Cohee works for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Chesapeake & Coastal Service.

Marine Debris Art Contest

September 20th, 2012 by Sarah

Want to help raise awareness about marine debris? NOAA’s annual ‘Keep the Sea Free of Debris’ Art Contest begins September 24th. Tell your favorite Kindergarten through 8th graders to grab their art supplies, and show NOAA staff what marine debris means to them!

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Sarah Brzezinski works for the Chesapeake Research Consortium as the Chesapeake Bay Program's Fostering Stewardship and Education Workgroup Team Staffer. She also serves as the content manager of Bay Backpack.

Green Strides Webinar: Learn About the Role Indoor Air Quality Plays in Creating a Healthy Learning Environment!

June 18th, 2012 by Andrea Suarez Falken

The Framework for Effective School IAQ Management: Six Key Drivers

Robust Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) management plans and healthy learning environments are essential components of green, healthy schools. Recognizing this importance, the first webinar in the Green Strides series will detail the role indoor air quality plays in creating a healthy school.  This webinar is co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Program.

EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools guidance provides schools with the tools and resources they need to create healthy indoor learning environments. Learn more about this guidance by registering for the ED’s first Green Strides Webinar on Thursday, June 21, 2012, from 1 – 2 p.m. EDT.

This free webinar will describe how the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance can help applicant schools meet the criteria for Pillar Two — healthy school environments.  Hear from ED Green Ribbon Schools and IAQ Tools for Schools about why IAQ is an essential component of green and healthy schools, and how IAQ Tools for Schools guidance helped them create a robust IAQ management plan.

States, districts and schools may attend this webinar to:

  • Discover why IAQ is an essential component of green and healthy schools.
  • Learn how robust IAQ management plans promote academic achievement.
  • Gain in-depth knowledge on how the IAQ Tools for Schools guidance provides simple, low-and no-cost resources, such as the IAQ Tools for Schools Action Kit, to create healthy learning environments.
  • Hear examples of how 2012 ED-Green Ribbon Schools met the criteria for Pillar Two.
  • Gather ideas for how your state agency can be better equipped to evaluate applicants with respect to Pillar Two.

Register today!

This webinar is offered at no cost to participants. Don’t miss your chance to have your questions answered. Send your questions to IAQTfSConnector@cadmusgroup.com by June 14, 2012.

Please note: This webinar will last approximately 60 minutes. You will need a high-speed Internet connection and a telephone line to interact with speakers and other participants. Call-in information will be provided upon registration.

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Andrea Suarez Falken is Special Assistant and Acting Program Manager of the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools.

Announcing the US Department of Education Green Strides Webinar Series!

June 11th, 2012 by Andrea Suarez Falken

Secretary Arne Duncan recognized the first 78 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools during Earth Week.

The Green Strides Webinar Series is a new component of the US Department of Education (ED) that is being conducted in parallel with the Green Ribbon Schools recognition award (ED-GRS). While the award spotlights a few high performers in reducing environmental impact and costs, improving health and providing well-rounded education that prepares graduates for the 21st Century and to communicate their best practices, the webinar series is designed to connect more school communities and state and local education officials to existing federal resources.

The webinars are hosted by ED, in conjunction with numerous other federal agencies, and provide introductions to various useful programs, standards and resources in the areas of facilities, health and environment. The full 2012-2013 Green Strides Webinar Series will be published on the ED site this summer.  If you wish to keep informed of developments with the series, be sure to connect with ED-GRS on Facebook and sign up for the ED-GRS newsletter.

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Andrea Suarez Falken is Special Assistant and Acting Program Manager of the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools.

2012 Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award

June 4th, 2012 by Sarah Kozicki

John Schmied, from Skyview Junior High School in Bothel Washington, won the 2011 Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award.

Nominate yourself or a colleague for the 2012 Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award!

The 2012 Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award is a $5,000 award given annually to an outstanding teacher who integrates environmental education into their curriculum and engages students in interdisciplinary solutions to environmental challenges.  This year, the Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award will recognize the exceptional work of a high school (grades 9-12) teacher.

In addition to the award, the winning teacher will receive a trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with environmental leaders and nonprofits and federal agencies alike. There are also two $750 merit awards.

In recognition of this busy time of year, the nomination deadline for the 2012 Bartlett Award has been extended to June 15. The winners will be selected in late July and announced in August.

Read about past Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award winners.

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Sarah Kozicki is an Education Program Coordinator for National Environmental Education Week.
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