Teachers
Interactive
soil activities, lesson plans, and soils
background information page from NRCS
Discover
Barnegat Bay Workshop: Friday, December 5, 2008
There is still
time for one more workshop this year! Join us for a unique
professional development opportunity to Discover Barnegat
Bay. Gain a wealth of resources for incorporating Barnegat
Bay specific topics into your existing programs and curricula
and experience the beauty and serenity of the 194 acre
Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education in Waretown.
Register early as space is limited. Click
here for more details and a registration form.
2008
Poster Contest Winners
The 2008
Poster Contest theme of “Water is Life” was quite timely
and held special appeal for the students of Ocean County
and the Barnegat Bay watershed. We received over
200 entries this year. Click HERE to
view the winning posters. The cash
awards are $100 for First Place, $75 for Second Place,
and $50 for Third Place. The first place
entry from each category of the local contest is sent
to the State for competition. The NJ Association
of Conservation Districts oversees the State Competition
which is held at the end of May in Trenton. The
winning State poster is reproduced as the cover of a
folder which is distributed at various conservation education
events throughout the year. It is so important
to the future conservation of natural resources that
teachers encourage their students to learn about the
role they play in protecting, conserving, and respecting
the environment. Collectively, we can all make
a difference! Congratulations and thank you to veryone
who participated!
Announcing the 11th
Annual Barnegat Bay Educators Roundtable
Wednesday,
April 30, 2008 ~ 4:00 to 8:00PM
Click here for
more information
Soils Sustain
Life ~ Educational Resources for Teachers
The New Jersey Soil Conservation Districts have a wealth of educational
and informational resources available for FREE for students, educators,
the general public related to the environment and conservation. The 15 Soil
Districts and partners, including Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
and the State Soil Conservation Committee have a shared website.
Please visit it at: http://njenvirothon.org/njconed/
Visit
the State Environmental Education Directory (SEEDS) Website! -
A wealth of information for teachers!
Is
Your School Yard Thirsty? Make a Rain Garden!
A Rain Garden is a specially designed
landscape that absorbs rainwater using native
plants that act as natural sponges. Rain Gardens reduce the need
for maintenance' provide improved stormwater infiltration'
and enhance wildlife habitat. They also
become outdoor classrooms with cross-curricular
opportunities for students to participate in
hands-on monitoring' observing' and nurturing
of on-site projects. [ Application | Application
Guidelines | Evalutation
Criteria ]
Discovering Barnegat Bay Workshops
What is Discovering Barnegat Bay?
Discovering Barnegat Bay is a regionally significant educational resource
specifically designed for teachers of the Barnegat Bay region. Using
the expertise and creativity of the members of the Barnegat
Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable Steering Committee, coupled
with the input and feedback from area teachers, we compiled a wonderful
guidebook which includes:
o Forty lesson plans and activities designed specifically about the Barnegat Bay watershed.
o Activities that incorporate locally significant topics and issues into existing curricula and that meet New Jersey State Standards.
o
Lessons that are interdisciplinary and offer opportunities
in Language Arts, Science, Social Studies & Mathematics.
o
Chapters that focus on themes: Soil, Water's Path,
Natural Wonders, People and Places, and Boundaries
of our Watershed. All are created to help make
learning more meaningful for students by bringing
it "closer
to home."
General information
Professional Development and In-Service
Opportunities
As you plan for Professional Development opportunities
for the school year, Ocean County Soil Conservation
District would like to offer a unique program now
available to Ocean County schools. Discovering Barnegat
Bay is an activity guidebook that was developed through
expert collaboration among the members of the Barnegat
Bay Watershed Environmental Educators Roundtable Steering
Committee. The Steering Committee consists of
representatives from nearly all of the agencies and
organizations that conduct non-formal education within
the watershed and Ocean County.
Discovering Barnegat Bay is designed for easy integration
into existing curricula and is multidisciplinary. While
primarily developed for the upper elementary to middle
school grade levels' it offers significant flexibility
and adaptability to all grade levels. Discovering Barnegat
Bay is a regionally significant educational resource
and our goal is to have it integrated to some degree
into all schools within our watershed and Ocean County.
We have also compiled a Treasure Chest of resources
to accompany the guidebook for each Ocean County school.
This kit contains 63 various items meant to augment
and supplement the activity guidebook. Each school that
participates receives this valuable Treasure Chest for
FREE. The guidebook cost is $35 per participant and
we require a minimum of ten participants in order to
hold a workshop. There are no other fees or compensations.
Click here to find a summary
sheet that describes some of the details of the Discovering
Barnegat Bay activity guidebook.
The Ocean County Soil Conservation District (OCSCD)
is the lead agency in this endeavor and would like to
conduct an in-service workshop at your school. The OCSCD
is a registered provider with the Department of Education
(#1872) and can help your teachers meet their Highly
Qualified Teacher requirements and 100 hours of Professional
Development. We are flexible in scheduling in-service
workshops to meet your school and/or district's special
requirements. Generally' we present Discovering Barnegat
Bay as a full day (six hour) workshop' but can offer
partial day and/or after school sessions if this is
more convenient and better fits your schedule.
Please contact us at 609-971-7002' Extension 21' or
email at info@ocscd.org
with any questions or to schedule a professional development
opportunity for your school or district.
Teacher
Workshops
OCSCD sponsors various workshops' such as Project
Learning Tree' Project Wild' Project Aquatic Wild' WILD
School Sites' and Project WET.
Teachers participate in hands-on activities that
can be used in the classroom or outdoors' depending
on the workshop.
They receive valuable information and material
that prepares them to bring environmental education
into their classrooms.
For information about current workshops' click
into our Schedule
of Programs & Events.
The
Tutor (PDF Format)
This newsletter provides news and information
about upcoming environmental education programs' activities
and events. To
subscribe to The Tutor' send name and address
to subscribe@ocscd.org.
The
Barnegat Bay Watershed Educational Resource Guide
This guide is designed to help educators in
locating watershed information and materials that can
be integrated with existing curricula. View
the Barnegat Bay Watershed Educational Resource Guide.
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Student Conservation
Contests
Each year, OCSCD sponsors a
poster contest. The contest is for
Grades K – 12. A
contest theme is chosen each year that is designed
to promote understanding about the connection between
individual actions and the environment. Cash prizes
are awarded. First place entries in the contests
go on to compete on a statewide level. The winning
State entry is professionally reproduced as a folder
and distributed at various public functions throughout
the year.
The
Ocean County Soil Conservation District
is pleased to sponsor the 2008 Conservation
Poster Contest
"Water is Life" is the theme for the 2008 Poster Contest sponsored
by Ocean County Soil Conservation District and the NJ Association of Conservation
Districts. Students in 2nd - 12th grades in Ocean County are encouraged to explore
how important water is in our everyday lives and to creatively illustrate their
ideas. Prizes include $100, $75 and $50 for each grade-level category. All first
place district level posters will be submitted to a State level competition. Click
here to download the entry form, email info@ocscd.org,
or call 609-971-7002 to receive an entry form. Additional
Information | WATER
at the American Museum of Natural History
Please follow all 10 Poster Contest Rules as described.
TEACHERS, PLEASE SUBMIT ONLY THE TOP THREE (3) POSTERS FROM EACH
CLASS FOR CONSIDERATION.
Posters are due to the OCSCD office at 714 Lacey Road, Forked River, NJ 08731
by March 14, 2008
2007 Poster Contest Winners
- "Conservation's
Power"
National Association of Conservation District’s
official Soil and Water Stewardship Week
April 27 – May 4, 2008
More Information
-or-
Check out the website at www.stewardshipweek.com
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