News

EARTH SCIENCE WEEK THEME

Earth Science Week 2021 officially takes place Oct. 10–16. This year's theme is "Water Today and for the Future" and highlights the many ways that natural resources impact humans and the ways human activities impact these materials. Earth provides numerous raw materials, such as metals, industrial minerals, and groundwater. These resources provide us with the materials necessary for creating products we depend on every day. However, extraction of these resources has many impacts on Earth and its inhabitants. Earth Science Week will promote public understanding of geoscience and responsible use of natural resources.

Visit the website for events & activities!!  https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-odnr/geologic-survey/educational-resources/earth-science-week-ohio

2022 Earth Expeditions

Miami University’s Project Dragonfly is accepting applications for 2022 Earth Expeditions graduate courses that offer extraordinary experiences in 15 countries throughout the world. http://EarthExpeditions.MiamiOH.edu

Earth Expeditions can build toward the Global Field Program (GFP), a master’s degree that combines summer field courses worldwide with weblearning communities so that students can complete the GFP master’s part-time from anywhere in the United States or abroad. http://GFP.MiamiOH.edu

Project Dragonfly also offers the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) master’s degree that combines web instruction from Miami University with experiential learning and field study through several AIPMaster Institutions in the U.S.

Applications for Miami’s 2022 cohorts are being accepted now with place-based experiences provided at zoos and botanical gardens in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Jacksonville, New York, San Diego, Seattle, and St. Louis. http://AIP.MiamiOH.edu

Graduate tuition for all programs is greatly reduced because of support from Miami University.

Grant Writing Workshops

The Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education typically offers grant writing workshops around the state throughout the year. Once staff are able to travel again, the following workshops will be offered. If interested in finding out more, please contact Dennis Clement at dennis.clement@epa.ohio.gov

• Grant Writing 101: Finding the Right Funder. Prospecting tips to help you identify foundations, corporations, and government grant programs, and how to approach different kinds of grantmakers.

• Grant Writing 102: Writing a Winning Proposal. How to avoid common mistakes applicants make, and develop realistic objectives, activities and budgets. OEEF will be referred to during this session.

Grant Applications

The Ohio Environmental Education Fund (OEEF) invites applications for mini grants ($500 - $5,000) and general grants ($5,000 - $50,000) for education projects targeting pre-school through university students and teachers, the general public, and the regulated community.

Prospective applicants can start the application process by opening an account in Ohio EPA’s eBusiness Center at https://ebiz.epa.ohio.gov/

Ohio EPA encourages OEEF applicants to discuss their proposal ideas with OEEF staff members before completing their applications. OEEF staff members will be happy to provide a pre-review of draft applications as they are under development in the online grant service.

Electronic Letter of Intent Deadline is due by 5:00 p.m. on January 8th, 2022.

Application Deadline is 5:00 p.m on January 15th, 2022.

Student Career Resources

Career Paths in Arboriculture: International Society of Arboriculture https://www.isa-arbor.com/Careers/Careers-in-Arboriculture/Career-Paths-Flowchart

American Water Works Association Career Center AWWA Career Center https://careercenter.awwa.org/

Ohio Department of Education Career Pathways https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Career-Tech/Career-Connections/Career-Pathways

Students who are looking for a career in Science and Research here is a great site https://kids.niehs.nih.gov/topics/environment-health/meet-the-scientist/lab-coat/index.htm

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife has information about education and preparation for positions in Wildlife Enforcement, Fish Management, Wildlife Careers, and more. https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/buy-and-apply/sup-port-odnr/jobs/wildlife-careers

Save the Date: EECO Annual Conference 2022

Hueston Woods State Park, in SW Ohio
March 31 - April 2, 2022

Get ready to join us in SW Ohio for the EECO Annual Conference which will be packed with fun, learning, community, and fossils!

Thursday
Student Wildlife Research Symposium

Friday
Field trips, Workshops, Open Space

Saturday
Sessions, Annual Meeting, Auction, Awards Banquet

Saturday Keynote
Learn about “the Big Woods”
with Shawn Connor, Hueston Woods Naturalist

Sunday
Bird Hike, EECO Tour

Information & registration will be posted at
https://eeco.wildapricot.org/

Student Wildlife Research Symposium: Call for Proposals

The Call for Proposals is now open for the Ohio Student Wildlife Research Symposium. The Symposium will take place as part of the Annual EECO Conference on March 31, 2022 at Hueston Woods State Park.

Any middle or high school-aged student can present a poster on research related to native Ohio wildlife and their habitats. Paper presentations are selected by a panel to "ill a limited number of presentation slots. Paper presentations must be completed research. Posters can be either completed or ongoing research. Guidelines are included in the Call for Proposals. Submissions not selected for Paper Presentations will be allowed to present their research as part of the Poster Session. Please see the abstracts from previous Symposiums below for past presentation and poster topics.

Proposals shall be accepted between now and January 14, 2022. For more details, please visit https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/discover-and-learn/education-training/environmental-education/student-wildlife-research-symposium

Anyone with an interest in Ohio’s wildlife can attend the Symposium. Registration fees apply, discounted rates for students. Registration will open in December or January through the EECO website https://eeco.wildapricot.org/.

Winter Snow – Creative Ways to Teach STEM in the Winter!

EECO Winter VIRTUAL CONFERENCE 2021

This years’ “Winter Snow CONFERENCE,” will be January 30th, 2021. The conference will be held online, and presenters are encouraged to create lessons that are hands-on and transferable for classroom teachers. If your lesson has outdoor components, keep modifications in mind for students who do not have access to the outdoors at home.

Presentation topics can be diverse and if possible relate to winter, but should relate to one of the following: STEM, Arts, Environmental Literacy, 21^st Century Skills or Careers and the Environment. If interested, please fill out the presenter form completely and return by September 7th  to: Amanda Kriner at akriner@richlandcountyoh.us

We hope you are all healthy and safe during this time. We are starting a collection of at-home outdoor education resources. If you have something you would like to add, drop us a line at administrator@eeco-online.org.

Camp Nuhop Online "At Home" Outdoor Education Modules

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Virtual Classroom

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens Home Safaris

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Digital Learning Center

COSI Connects

Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center and spring activities

Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District SWIFTLETS

Hidden Worlds of the National Parks

National Groundwater Association resources

REI Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

Summit Metro Parks At Home in Nature

The Wilderness Center

Polar Bear Toolkit: This time of year students often think about artic animals, and this toolkit could be a huge help. The polar bear resource guide is designed to give you all the information you need to teach your students about polar bears and climate change. The guide provides fun polar bear facts, why they matter, what threats they face, what WWF is doing to help polar bears and the Arctic, and what kids can do. Check it out.

Penguins Marching Through Your Classroom: Are you learning about penguins this winter? Check out the cool resources and projects about Adelie Penguins, which only exist in Antarctica. There are lots of resources for teachers, plus citizen science projects, ask a scientist opportunities, the Postcard Project, the Flag Project, and much more! Learn more.

Nutrient Cycling and the Serengeti: A key dilemma in studying ecology is how plants can obtain nutrients when they are relatively immobile. In this new nutrient cycling card activity that accompanies HHMI Biointeractive's newest short film, see how Serengeti plants obtain the macronutrients carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus from decomposition by soil microbes and inorganic reservoirs.