October 29, 2002

["Katharine Wang" <wangkn@xxxxxxxxxx>]

EE-NEWS @NAAEE
October 29, 2002

The semi-monthly email bulletin provided by the
North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE),
with funding from the Environmental Education and Training Partnership
(EETAP).


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EE-NEWS ITEMS
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* RESEARCH/PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITIES*
1. Science and Children - Call for Papers

* GRANTS*
2. Envision: An Environmental Science Institute For Teachers
3. Shell Science Teaching Award
4. The Columbus Foundation Community Grant

* UPDATES FROM THE HILL*
5. EPA Budget Proposal For FY 2003 - Update
6. USDA Organic Label

* EE RESOURCES*
7. Earthwatch Institute Annual Public Conference
8. Resident Environmental Learning Center Director's Conference
9. Environmental Film Festival
10. International Experiences On Sustainability
11. Project Based Learning
12. Scholarly Articles Research Alerting (SARA)


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RESEARCH/PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITIES
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1. SCIENCE AND CHILDREN - CALL FOR PAPERS

Science and Children is a preschool through middle level science teaching
journal produced by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). The
content of the journal reflects the needs and interests of its audience of
classroom teachers, science teacher supervisors and administrators, teacher
educators, resource people, and parents. Papers on the topic of Outdoor
Adventures in science education are being accepted until December 1st.
Author guidelines are available online.

http://www.nsta.org/177



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GRANTS
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2. ENVISION: AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS
Spring Pre-Institute May 1-2, 2003, Summer Institute July 7 - 29, 2003 -
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

ENVISION trains leadership teams of middle level teachers through active
research while focusing on environmental issues, inquiry skills for
investigating these issues, and appropriate pedagogical and assessment
practices for teaching science within studies of the local environment.

Application Deadline: February 15, 2003. Participants receive a $1200 summer
stipend and 6 hours of free graduate credits. Funded by the National Science
Foundation. For more information and an application contact ENVISION via
email: envision@xxxxxxxxxx or visit:

http://www.eas.purdue.edu/geomorph/envision



3. SHELL SCIENCE TEACHING AWARD

This National Science Teacher Association award, sponsored by Shell Oil,
recognizes an outstanding K-12 classroom science teacher who has had a
positive impact on their students, school, and community through exemplary
science teaching. Nominees must have taught science for at least eight years
in the United States, U.S. territories, at a Department of Defense Dependent
school or in Canada. The award includes $10,000 and an all-expense-paid trip
to NSTA's National Convention; two finalists will also receive
all-expense-paid trips to the convention.

Application deadline: November 15th. Application available online in PDF:
http://www.nsta.org/192



4. THE COLUMBUS FOUNDATION COMMUNITY GRANT

The Christopher Columbus Awards program is a cross-curricular activity that
meets science standards, combines science and technology with community
problem-solving, and can be used in any setting - public or private schools,
home schools and youth organizations. With the help of an adult coach, sixth
through eighth-grade students work in teams of three or four to identify an
issue and develop an innovative solution using science and technology for
the competition.

Application deadline: January 31, 2003. For more detailed information visit:
http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/events/bayernsf/intro.htm



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UPDATES FROM THE HILL
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5. EPA BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR FY 2003 - UPDATE

Despite recent actions by the House and Senate VA, HUD and Independent
Agencies Appropriations Committees to maintain $9.16 million for
environmental education programs at EPA, funding for environmental education
remains uncertain.  Recent reports indicate that the EPA will treat the
funds allotted by Congress for FY2003 as discretionary, which means that the
$9.16 million may or may not be expended on environmental education programs
and grants.  The Agency is also recommending withdrawing official budget
support completely for the Environmental Education Program, the Office of
Environmental Education and the National Environmental Education and
Training Foundation (NEETF) in FY2004.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had proposed transferring EPA's
environmental education program to the National Science Foundation (NSF),
earlier this year, a recommendation that was rejected by Congress. EPA
Administration's current position contrasts with other agencies, such as
NOAA and the USGS, which were also caught up in this same OMB/NSF effort but
have since been active in supporting the programs OMB sought to transfer.

National EE Act of 1990: Overview, Implementation, and Reauthorization
Issues, David M. Bearden, February 26, 2002
http://www.cnie.org/NLE/CRS/abstract.cfm?NLEid=24682

The National Environmental Education Act of 1990
http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/whatis.html



6. USDA ORGANIC LABEL

On October 21st, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new Organic label
began appearing on commercially sold produce. There are three types of
organic labels. Products that are entirely organic, raised without
conventional pesticides or fertilizers, antibiotics or growth hormones, will
be described as "100 percent organic." Those labeled simply "organic" are at
least 95 percent organic. Products labeled "contains organic ingredients" or
"made with organic ingredients" are foods that are 70 percent organic or
less.

Organic Gets An Additive: A U.S.D.A. Seal, NYT, October 21, 2002
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/21/national/21FOOD.html?todaysheadlines

Conventional vs. Organic: Is There Really No Health Difference?,
Environmental Working Group
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/index.php



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EE RESOURCES
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7. EARTHWATCH INSTITUTE ANNUAL PUBLIC CONFERENCE
November 16th - Hyatt Regency, Cambridge, Massachusetts

This year's conference will focus on "Engaging the Public in Scientific
Field Research." Educators and school administrators are encouraged to
register for the unique opportunities offered in the Education Track
sessions. The Education Track offers targeted Education workshops and
benefits in addition to the general program, including: Workshops on how to
use the Earthwatch experience and field research techniques in the
classroom; Lesson plan packets related to Biodiversity, Cultural History,
Global Change and Endangered Ecosystems; and, Eligibility for one of five
expedition fellowships offered exclusively to Education Track participants.

Early Bird Registration Deadline: October 31st. For more information contact
Phoebe Congalton, Education Network Manager at pcongalton@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx or
800-776-0188 x211, or visit:
http://www.earthwatch.org/conference/index.html



8. RESIDENT ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER DIRECTOR'S CONFERENCE
January 29 - February 2, 2003, Bradford Woods, Martinsville, Indiana

A great opportunity for directors and administrators to share information
and discuss issues and trends related to running residential programs and
facilities. The conference group as a whole will create the agenda by
identifying topics that are important to the individual regarding
residential environmental education.  A schedule will then be created and
participants attend sessions most applicable to their interests and
concerns.  The National Center on Accessibility will also provide a day of
training focusing on the Principles of Universal Design as the primary
method of inclusion of all visitors to environmental education programs and
facilities.  A tour of the Bradford Woods facilities will highlight session
topics and efforts toward accessibility.  This event is co-Sponsored by the
Association of Nature Center Administrators.

For more information please contact Jim Rogers at jarogers@xxxxxxxxxxx or
call 765-342-2915



9. ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL
March 13-23, 2003 - Washington, DC

The Environmental Film Festival will screen documentary, feature, archival,
animated, and children's films selected to provide fresh perspectives on
environmental issues around the globe. Selections from Britain's Wildscreen
Film Festival, the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival, Germany's Okomedia
International Environmental Film Festival, and the United Nations
Association Film Festival will be among the highlights. Most screenings are
enhanced by discussion with environmental experts and filmmakers and are
free; all are open to the
public. For further information, contact 202-342-2564 or visit:

http://www.dcenvironmentalfilmfest.org/



10. INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES ON SUSTAINABILITY

Volume 12 of the Environmental Education, Communication and
Sustainability series is a compendium of international experiences on
sustainability. The papers in this volume provide concrete examples of
successful or promising governmental, inter-governmental, and
non-governmental sustainability implementation efforts and initiatives,
showing that sustainability as both a process and a goal may be pursued in
multiple ways.

The index of papers and ordering information is available at:
http://www.projekte.org/international.experiences/



11. PROJECT BASED LEARNING

The second in an ongoing series of free teaching modules developed by
education faculty and professional developers, and sponsored by the George
Lucas Educational Foundation (GLEF). Part One, Guided Process, is designed
to give participants a brief introduction to project-based learning. Part
Two, Group Participation, assigns readings and activities for experiential,
project-based learning. The modules draw from GLEF's archives of best
practices and correlate with ISTE/NCATE NETS standards.

http://www.glef.org/PBL/index.html



12. SCHOLARLY ARTICLES RESEARCH ALERTING (SARA)

SARA is a special email service designed to deliver the tables of contents
for any Carfax, Martin Dunitz, Psychology Press, Routledge, Spon Press or
Taylor & Francis journal in advance of the printed edition. Journals that
may be of interest include: Applied Environmental Education and
Communication, Environmental Education Research, Ethics, Place and
Environment, International Journal of Environmental Studies, Journal of
Environmental Planning and Management, Local Environment, SAR and QSAR in
Environmental Research, and, Society and Natural Resources. This service is
free of charge. Registration available online at:

http://www.tandf.co.uk/sara/



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