Departments : Education Newswatch :
Education Newswatch April 2004
News and Grants for Teaching Professionals
In Brief
Free Online Resources for Garden-Based Education
For more than 20 years, the nonprofit National Gardening Association (NGA) has introduced innovative teaching materials, professional development programs and grants for educators interested in enhancing student learning through gardening. NGA is pleased to announce a crop of more than 80 new products and free teaching resources available on its teachers' website, www.kidsgardening.com
In the past five years, there has been a surge of interest among educators and administrators nationwide in using schoolyard gardens and habitats to enrich learning. The NGA carries a wide array of products such as a GrowLab Indoor Light Garden, Create-A-Butterfly Kit, Floral Bookmark Kit and Native Plant Kit, to help them do just that.
Through gardening, NGA promotes the advancement of multidisciplinary learning and scientific literacy while creating partnerships that restore and enhance communities. For further information about the National Gardening Association or to review the benefits of a NGA membership, visit www.garden.org or www.kidsgardening.com
Pests in School?
As part of the National Pest Management Association's (NPMA) mission to educate Americans about pests and the diseases they may pose, NPMA is launching an education initiative, "Pest Control Goes Back to School."
Pest control professionals will visit local elementary schools to discuss pests, pest behavior and ecology and the importance of protecting your home and health from pest-related threats. More information can be found at their new website, www.pestworldforkids.org This website was designed for kindergartners through sixth graders using National Science Foundation curriculum standards and features sections such as, Amazing Pests, Threats & Prevention, Learning Games, For Teachers and Pestcards. To locate a pest control professional in your area who is participating in the initiative, visit www.pestworld.org
CAPCO Science Class Challenge
The Consumer Aerosol Products Council (CAPCO) is again issuing a "Science Class Challenge" to teachers. The challenge is to incorporate provided activities or use their own creative method to teach about the Earth's protective upper ozone layer, CFCs and the environment. The Science Class Challenge provides an opportunity to win $500 to $5,000 for your school and a pizza party for your class!
Full-time teachers employed by a public or private school and who teach grades 4-6 or at the middle school level are eligible. Teachers must visit the CAPCO website at www.nocfcs.org and complete the required activity and participate in a brief online questionnaire to record results and feedback. Entries must be received by May 21, 2004.
Grants
"Win a Wireless Lab" Sweepstakes
Discovery Channel School and CDW-G have teamed up to give away a wireless computer lab valued at approximately $40,000. Each IBM lab comes complete with 20 notebook computers, Netgear wireless cards and on-site installation. Additional prizes include 10 Hewlett Packard projectors, 10 HP inkjet printers and 10 sets of curriculum materials from the Discovery Channel School library.
Deadline May 15, 2004
Eligibility Public and private schools
Contact www.discoveryschool.com/cdwg
Adopt-A-Classroom Grants
Teachers who register at the Adopt-A-Classroom website can be adopted by an individual, a business or a foundation. Once adopted, teachers will receive $500 worth of credit to purchase items that enrich the learning environment. Every donor receives information about the classroom it has adopted, including an itemized list of what teachers bought so donors can see the impact of their donation.
Deadline None
Eligibility Teachers who teach at U.S. public schools that have been established before August 15, 2001
Contact www.adoptaclassroom.com
Earthwatch Education Awards
Earthwatch Institute offers fellowships for K-12 educators to join two-week field expeditions in the summer. Projects range from archeological digs in Peru, to habitat studies in Oregon to running transects through reefs in the Bahamas. The institute is looking for adventuresome, curious and innovative people who are committed to lifelong learning.
Deadline Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but most decisions are made during the spring
Eligibility K-12 schools
Contact EducationAwards@earthwatch.org or www.earthwatch.org
