Join Us for the Oregon Climate Education Hub Launch Event!
I’m thrilled to invite you to our Oregon Climate Education Hub launch event, an initiative focused on advancing climate education in Oregon. This online gathering will be an inspiring and informative experience, and we'd love for you to be part of it. (Even if you can't join live, sign up to receive a link to the presentation.)
Event Details:
Date: Friday, October 13, 2023
Time: 12:00 PM PDT
Location: Online, Register Here
Cost: Free
The launch event will bring together experts, dedicated educators, and passionate individuals who share a common goal—educating Oregon students about climate change. Through this initiative, we aim to equip Oregon educators with credible, free resources that enable them to seamlessly integrate climate education into their classrooms.
During the event, you'll have the opportunity to:
Explore Free Resources: Access a wealth of free teaching materials, lesson plans, and educational tools that can empower you to make a difference in the classroom.
Network with experts, educators, and community members who are equally passionate about building a more sustainable future for Oregon, and learn about opportunities to get involved.
Receive updates on Oregon's environmental education initiatives.
Thank you for your commitment to this vital cause. I hope to see you on October 13th!
Drawdown Eco Challenge
Connect the Dots
Putting Climate Solutions into Action
Drawdown Eco Challenge is a fun and social way to connect the dots between climate solutions and climate actions to help reverse climate change. There are many action categories to get involved with, such as electricity, transportation and more.
Lane County Audubon Society's Lights Out Campaign
Lights Out programs help reduce the impacts of light pollution on birds, insects, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, plants, and humans. They also save energy and money, reduce our carbon emissions and preserve our view of the night sky. Please sign the Pledge!
As a Eugene resident, business, property owner or manager, you can pledge to minimize all non-essential lights and make seasonal lighting changes from 10pm to 6am during peak spring bird migration April through June and fall migration September through October.
Specific actions you can take include:
–Turn off unnecessary and decorative lighting.
–Make sure that outside lights are aimed down and are well-shielded.
–Install motion sensors so that lights are only on when needed.
–Choose warm bulbs (under 3,000 Kelvins, closer to 2000 is better) with negligible blue light.
–During migration seasons, draw blinds or curtains to reduce light spill.
–Reduce lobby and atrium lighting, where possible. Turn off rooftop lighting and exterior architectural lighting not used for security.
–Turn off lights before leaving the home or office.
For more info: Lane County Audubon Society's Lights Out Pledge
GET THERE CHALLENGE
Are you ready to get active, save money, and win prizes? Join the Get There Challenge, October 1-15!
Now in its 11th year, the Get There Challenge is an annual two-week event to help Oregonians drive alone less and use transportation options more. Participants can unlock fun and knowledge-building achievements for points toward weekly and grand prize drawings. Anyone age 18 and older who lives or works in Oregon can join!
National Writing Project-Write Out!
Write Out will officially begin on October 8 and run through the 22nd. As they get ready, make sure you’re signed up to receive all the news, check out this infographic to get an overall sense of the flow of a week of Write Out, and see upcoming events below.
There are many place based opportunities and ideas to get yourself and/or your students writing!
Check it out: Write Out!
Annular Solar Eclipse October 14th
Eugene Science Center will hold a free eclipse viewing party on Sat., Oct. 14, 8:30-10 a.m., weather permitting.
Learn more about this eclipse at NASA's website and be sure to check the eclipse viewing safety precautions. Inexpensive protective glasses are widely available at stores and online.
Leading up to the date, join Eugene Public Library for fun and educational free events.
Learn more here: Eugene Public Library Eclipse Activites
The Great Oregon Shake Out
Living in the Ring of Fire in the Cascadia Subduction zone is no joke. The "Big One" could be upon us at any time, so it's good to ask yourself, "Am I 2 weeks prepared?" "Do I have a reunification plan with my family?" "What emergency assistance will be available in our area?"
This year's International ShakeOut Day is October 19, when millions of people worldwide will participate in earthquake drills at work, school, or home!
At 10:19 am (local time) on 10/19, you can join people across Oregon practicing earthquake safety.
Check out the 4J/EEP Aware and Prepared page for some home tips to get prepared.
And, here is EWEB's Pledge to Prepare page.
BRING
BRING’s K-12 waste prevention education program encourages students to think critically about their consumption habits and adopt sustainable practices from an early age. Armed with knowledge and enthusiasm, they’ll become champions of recycling and waste reduction in their school and at home.
Each engagement is free of charge and includes activities and interactive discussions on how to build healthy relationships with people and the natural world.
BRING offers: K-2 Worms, 3-12 Field Trips, 3-12 Classroom Presentations/Activities, 9-12 CTE
Email educator@bringrecycling.org to schedule today!
*MECCA
Free Materials and Lessons for teacher!
The Teacher Resource Area is perfect for hands-on projects, with bulk items for making and learning, supplies for science or art projects, and materials to organize your classroom. Teachers receive 25% off on Tuesdays and 10% off every day on all other products.
MECCA has supplies for community events, activities, fundraisers, and social justice work. We also donate select materials from our storefront.
They also have supplies to help with community events, activities, and fundraisers.
For project ideas, check out MECCA's Recycled Art Curriculum.
For a complete list: MECCA for educators
*Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts
SPLASH!
Take advantage of this grant opportunity by doing stormwater related activities, teaching students with the SPLASH! site/curricular link, as well as raising salmon.
SPLASH! offers grants of $500-$2000 available for teachers that participate in Salmon Education and/or use the SPLASH! resources to teach their students.
Check out SPLASH! site for resources. Or, schedule a classroom visit for the 3 Water Systems of Eugene.
Look for an email soon with more info about SPLASH! grant applications.
K-12 Climate Educator Advocacy Toolkit
From wildfires to hurricanes, flooding to heatwaves, the impacts of climate change are happening now, and many educators are increasingly concerned about what the future
will hold for students. But educators can work to advance solutions — solutions students
can see in their schools.
Taking climate action in schools can help communities reduce and prepare for climate impacts while creating hands-on learning opportunities for students. Many students are already impacted by climate change and have shown leadership by asking adults to take
climate action. Learning about climate solutions in schools can help students feel prepared to act in their communities and become leaders for a more sustainable future. These solutions can also create healthier learning spaces and significantly reduce schools' energy costs, which can then be redirected to support teaching and learning through salary raises
and other supports.
Smithsonian Science Education Center-Educating for Sustainable Development
Measuring progress in this Educating for Sustainable Development report is an important step toward the inclusion of sustainable development in U.S. K-12 education and beyond.
Sustainable development, as defined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is “a resolution to meet the needs of the present without compromising the future.”5
In spring 2023, the Smithsonian Science Education Center contracted with Gallup to conduct a study of U.S. K-12 teachers and school administrators, as well as teachers of students in comparable grade levels in four peer countries: Brazil, Canada, France and India. The goal was to gauge attitudes toward, and demand for, education and resources related to sustainable development. In the United States, educational resources exist within school and district curricula, which must adhere to state standards. This study was an outgrowth of the Smithsonian Science Education Center’s Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project, which aims to improve STEM Education for Sustainable Development for youth around the world.
CLEAN
Their primary efforts are:
- to steward a reviewed collection of free, high-quality teaching materials for teaching climate and energy
- to support the CLEAN Network, a community of professionals committed to improving climate and energy literacy.
STEMMaterials.org
4J/EWEB Education Partnership
TOSA-Climate, Energy, Conservation
Grant Coordinator-EWEB, SPLASH!, Love Food Not Waste
Email: shepard_t@4j.lane.edu
Website: https://bit.ly/4J-eep
Phone: 541.790.5533