Archives | The Pembina Foundation's Environmental Education Programs Deliver Hands-on Tools for Learning

Archives | The Pembina Foundation's Environmental Education Programs Deliver Hands-on Tools for Learning: "Archives August 2008 1. Register for the 2008/09 Solar Oven Challenge! 2. Set Sail with eCards to the Arctic, September 2008 3. Go Back to School with EnerAction 4. Find or Request a Workshop Near You 5. What's My Password? 6. Seek and Ye Shall Find 7. Our Thanks May 2008 - Special Kobe Challenge Announcement 1. Teachers, Invite Your Students to Participate in the Kobe Challenge.

Celebrate International Polar Day on 24 September, 2008!

NORTHERN TEACHERS: NOTE SPECIAL REQUEST BELOW This particular Polar Day will focus on the human dimension of IPY and we have created four (4) activities around this Day that will allow classes of all ages and subjects, as well as the general public, to get involved in the celebration http://www.ipy.org/index.php?/ipy/detail/people/. For more information about any of the events, contact: Kristi Skebo skebo@ualberta.ca ---------------------------------------------------- Here are the (4) ways in which you can celebrate IPY day: 1. Launch a Virtual Balloon Show the involvement of your class or school in these Polar Day events (http://www.ipy.org/index.php?/ipy/detail/people_launch_a_virtual_balloon/) and watch balloons fly around the world. See if you can find some of the other classrooms who participated in these activities! 2. Connecting Communities From Pole to Pole We encourage classrooms around the world to engage in discussions about the changes (climatic, socio-economic, political, health) affecting their own communities and lives. These discussions will all come from very different places and perspectives and part of the exercise will be to think about people living in other places dealing with similar changes, for example, polar regions or non-polar regions for those who live in the Arctic. An English-language flyers and translated versions of this activity (French, Italian, Greek, Inuktitut to name a few) will be available from www.ipy.org over the next couple of weeks. 3. Global Student Discussion As a follow-up to the classroom discussion listed above, we encourage those classes or teachers with internet access to join in a GLOBAL DISCUSSION - share your class ideas, videos, artwork, poems, songs, etc. in an online forum at http://polarday.tiged.org/. The on-line classroom is now live although we are still making some adjustments. You can register your class ahead of time and look around the site. During the week of September 22, social science researchers from around the world will be available to answer questions that arise from your discussions, questions about their work and what¹s it like to live in the polar regions. Teachers can exchange lesson plan ideas on the Polar Day website (http://polarday.tiged.org). Be sure to share a description of your class (school and class name, location, grade, subject) ­ classes from grades 3-12, in any subject (English, Geography, Science, etc) are encouraged to participate. WE ARE LOOKING TO RECRUIT SCHOOLS IN ARCTIC REGIONS (CANADA, ALASKA, GREENLAND, EUROPE, SIBERIA) TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GLOBAL DISCUSSIONS. WE HAVE NUMEROUS SCHOOLS FROM NON-POLAR REGIONS (U.S.A., BRAZIL, ZAMBIA, CONGO, etc.) WHO ARE INTERESTED IN EXCHANGING IDEAS DIRECTLY WITH NORTHERN CLASSROOMS. PLEASE CONTACT KRISTI SKEBO AT THE CANADIAN IPY SECRETARIAT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THIS DIRECT EXCHANGE (skebo@ualberta.ca). 4. Live Radio Event CKLB Radio - an independent aboriginal community radio station based in Yellowknife, NWT, is proud to be hosting a new type of live event celebrating our connection with the North. For 24 hours CKLB will be connecting people around the world through an Internet radio stream which can be found at http://www.ncsnwt.com There will be three opportunities for students to speak LIVE with the radio show announcers and experts. They can also send in questions by email or blog real time questions through the CKLB website. Each radio show will be 2 hours long and include interviews with researchers, community leaders and teachers involved with polar research and activities. Some of the topics include: · Caribou migration and health of Inuit community health · Discussion of climatic, social and health issues in indigenous communities in Australia and Canada¹s North · Inuit Sea Ice Use and Occupancy (link) · The University of the Arctic: Providing Higher Education and Outreach Programs for the International Polar Year · Map of Arctic People project (link) · Discussion of what it¹s like to overwinter at the Mawson Research Station in Antarctica · Antarctic Tourism · Storybook exchange between schools in Alaska and Tasmania (Australia) The times for this event are: Europe - Sept 24 1330-1530 UTC+2 (7:30-9:30 am EST or 5:30-7:30am in Yellowknife) North America - Sept 24 1300-1500 UTC-4 (1:00-3:00pm EST or 11am-1pm in Yellowknife) Australia/Asia - Sept 25 1300-1500 UTC+10 (11pm -1am EST or 9:00-11:00pm in Yellowknife) Tune in, stream from the internet, ask questions, and use the information provided to stimulate debate in your classrooms about important IPY projects and issues. All broadcasts will be archived on CKLB¹s website (http://www.ncsnwt.com) so if you miss one on Sept 24, you can ³tune in² at a later date! CKLB would love to put your students on the air and allow them to ask participating IPY project representatives questions directly, live during the broadcast. WE ARE LOOKING FOR 3 OR 4 CLASSROOMS IN EACH TIME ZONE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EXCITING OPPORTUNITY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, PLEASE CONTACT KRISTI SKEBO (skebo@ualberta.ca) WITH A SCHOOL PHONE NUMBER WHERE YOUR CLASS CAN BE REACHED DURING THE BROADCAST. CKLB WILL SET UP A TIME WITH YOU IN ADVANCE TO CONNECT WITH YOUR CLASSROOM DURING THE PROGRAM SO YOUR STUDENTS CAN ASK QUESTIONS LIVE ON THE AIR. We hope to see lots of balloons flying on the map on September 24! Kristi Skebo Communications Coordinator Canadian IPY Secretariat Z-908 Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton, AB, CANADA, T6G 2E9 Tele: 780-492-0486 Fax: 780-492-0493 Website: www.ipycanada.ca

The APPLICATIONS FOR POLARTREC 2009/2010 TEACHERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE

PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) program is currently accepting teacher applications from teachers for the third year of teacher research experiences. Teachers are invited to submit an application to participate in field research learning experiences during the 2009 (Arctic) or 2009-2010 (Antarctic) field seasons. More information and application forms are available at: http://www.polartrec.com. ABOUT THE PROGRAM PolarTREC is a three-year (2007-2009) program of the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) focusing on a wide variety of research activities occurring in both the Arctic and Antarctic during and after the International Polar Year (IPY). PolarTREC pairs K-12 teachers with researchers to improve science education through authentic polar research experiences. The program integrates research and education to produce a legacy of long-term teacher-researcher collaborations, improved teacher content knowledge, and broad public interest and engagement in polar science. The International Polar YearIPY presents an outstanding opportunity for researchers to share their passion for polar research through topics that naturally engage students and the wider public. PolarTREC is funded by the National Science Foundation. Through PolarTREC, over 40 U.S. teachers will spend two to six weeks in the Arctic or Antarctic, working closely with researchers in the field as an integral part of the science team. PolarTREC teachers and researchers will be matched based on similar goals and interests and teachers will be trained to meet the program requirements prior to the field season. While in the field, teachers and researchers will communicate extensively with their colleagues, communities, and students of all ages across the globe, using a variety of tools including satellite phones, online journals, podcasts, and interactive "Live from IPY" events and web-based seminars. Teachers and research projects will be selected and matched to fill the openings available. All major expenses associated with teacher participation in PolarTREC field experiences are covered by the program, including transportation to and from the field site, food, lodging, and substitute teacher costs. We expect that teachers will be notified of selection decisions in December 2008. APPLICATION DEADLINE Teacher Application Deadline: Monday, 29 September 2008 POLARTREC INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR Interested teachers, researchers, and the public are encouraged to participate in a PolarTREC informational webinar (web conference), scheduled for Wednesday, 10 September 2008, at 2:00 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (12:00 p.m. HST; 3:00 p.m. PDT; 4:00 p.m. MDT; 5:00 p.m. CDT; 6:00 p.m. EDT). Please register early! An online webinar registration form is available at: http://www.polartrec.com/join/informational-webinar/form Instructions will be sent to all registered participants. Participation in the webinar is free, optional, and is not a prerequisite for applying to the PolarTREC program. Webinar Registration Deadline: Tuesday, 9 September 2008 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION More information about PolarTREC, including program goals, requirements, expectations, and frequently asked questions, is available at: http://www.polartrec.com For further information, please contact: E-mail: info@polartrec.com Phone: 907-474-1600 Funding for PolarTREC is provided by the National Science Foundation (Award Number: 632401).

Links from the EE in Alberta Newsletter

News for Teachers

Funny, Informative Animated Shorts: "Animals Save the Planet" Share these hilarious claymation-style animated cartoons with your students. Punning animals tell you how they're saving the planet and how we can too. > http://animalssavetheplanet.com/ New Climate Change Website: "One Hundred Months" The premise: we have less than 100 months before the earth reaches a tipping point, beyond which reversing climate change seems beyond our reach. Providing a 100-month count-down clock, the aim of this organization is to provide one simple thing we can all do every month to combat climate change. > http://www.onehundredmonths.org Climate Change, Energy and Alberta Talking about Alberta's ecofootprint and carbon footprint: Alberta's ecofootprint is 21% higher than the national average. Here are some resources for talking about this in a constructive way: The Pembina Institute has a thorough, easy-to-read report on Alberta's large ecofootprint: > http://pubs.pembina.org/reports/51.Ecological%20Footprint.pdf World-famous Canadian lawyer and member of the Order of Canada, Clayton Ruby, has written a stirring article about the role of the Alberta tar sands in contributing to Alberta's - and Canada's - carbon footprint: > http://www.thestar.com/article/479670 Bullfrog Power now provides wind power supplementation to on-grid households. See how even apartment and condo renters can get involved: > http://www.bullfrogpower.com/home/alberta.cfm The Better World Shopper is just one of many powerful tools to learn and teach how to "vote with your wallet." This website is dedicated to providing a comprehensive, up-to-date, account of the social and environmental responsibility of every company on the planet. > http://www.betterworldshopper.org

---

View this and previous newsletters at http://abcee.org/ee-in-alberta

Call for Papers: 5th World Environmental Education Congress, Montreal, May 10 to 14, 2009

Calls for Papers

Dear Environmental Educators

We warmly invite you to submit your abstract to the 5th World Environmental Education Congress to be held at the Palais des Congrès in Montreal from May 10 to 14, 2009.

The 5th World Congress will draw a large attendance, potentially becoming one of the field's most significant gatherings on environmental education. The mobilization of support behind the organization of this Congress is further evidence of the tremendous enthusiasm at play.

Your proposal must be submitted online. Thematic niches are:

1. Relationships between ecology and economy: the issue of sustainability

2. Questions of fairness in socio-ecological issues

3. Environmental health

4. Urban challenges

5. Ecologizing colleges and universities

6. School and community

7. Learning in society

8. Heritage interpretation

9. Indigenous knowledge and practices

10. Ethics, environmental thought, and worldviews

11. Art: imagination, creativity, and meaning

12. Ecological identity

More information about these themes can be found at: http://www.5weec.uqam.ca/EN/presentation_themes.asp

Types of presentations are: oral presentation, poster presentation, roundtable presentation, workshop, NGO/NPO forum. Detailed instructions are available at the Congress site: http://www.5weec.uqam.ca/APPEL/index.asp under "Calls for Papers."

The submission deadline is September 30, 2008. However, we encourage early submissions.

For more information on the Congress or your trip to Montreal, please visit the Congress site: www.5weec.uqam.ca. Further details will be added to in the coming months.

We look forward to seeing you in Montreal!

Bob Jickling and Lucie Sauvé

Co-Chairs

5WEEC 2009

5th World Environmental Education Congress

Congress Secretariat - JPdL

1555 Peel Street, Suite 500

Montreal, QC H3A 3L8

Canada

5weec@jpdl.com

www.5weec.uqam.ca

Tel: +1 514-287-1070

Fax: +1 514-287-1248