Northeastern
Serving Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity Counties

For Teachers

ON THIS PAGE: 

Catalogs - Magazines	Field Trips
Conferences - Continuing Education	Research - Environmental Education
Curriculum Resources - Materials	Website Links

                         
CATALOGS & MAGAZINES

Acorn Naturalists
Resources to help advance environment-based education and interpretation. From curriculum manuals and field guides to science and nature kits, games, environmental testing equipment, animal track and skull replicas, optics, orienteering and field supplies, the Acorn Naturalists' collection provides just about everything you would need for the field or classroom.
Website:  http://www.acornnaturalists.com/store/index.aspx ;  

Green Teacher - Education for Planet Earth
A magazine that helps youth educators enhance environmental and global education inside and outside of schools. Fifty pages of ideas and activities, four times a year.  Print or electronic
-Ideas for rethinking education in light of environmental and global challenges.
-Practical articles and ready-to-use activities for various age levels from 6-18.
-Resource  reviews: evaluations of dozens of new books, kits, games and other green resources.
Website:  http://www.greenteacher.com/

CONFERENCES-CONTINUING EDUCATION

California Green Schools Summit - December 8-10, 2008 - Anaheim Convention Center
California is on the leading edge of the green school movement, creating a statewide framework and incentives for sustainable schools. This groundbreaking event will focus on the strategies, technologies and services that will ensure that new and existing public schools are models of sustainability and provide healthy learning environments for students.  Join colleagues and experts from across the state at the Green California Schools Summit and Exposition. The conference takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Website:  Green California Schools Summit and Exposition

Forestry Institute for Teachers (FIT) - Summer 2008
Work with professional forest managers and enviornmental education specialists to learn about the relationship between forest ecology and forest management.  Participants receive copies of Project Wild, Project Aquatic and Project Learning Tree curriculum and use them to develop a standards correlated environmental education unit for their classroom. Week long summer sessions take place in Shasta County, Plumas County, Humboldt County and Tuolomne County.  Receive a $200 stipend plus housing, meals and curriculum, free of cost.  University and Professsional Growth Units are available.
Deadline:  Registration is still open.  Call 800.738.8733 for more information.
Website:  http://www.forestryinstitute.org/  Applicants may also register online.

Forensic Ecology - 20th Annual Summer Science Institute
UC Davis - College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences & School of Education
When:  July 6 - 12, 2008 (Shasta County Session)
Where:  UC Davis                                                                                                   
An investigative exploration of the Earth, physical, toxicological and biological aspects of the ecosystem.   The course covers both science and agricultural standards.  Two quarter units and housing are available. 
Contact:  Richard Engel, 530.754.6249 or rrengel@ucdavis.edu
Website:  www.aes.ucdavis.edu/events

CURRICULUM RESOURCES - MATERIALS

Disney's Environmentality Challenge
Enroll now in the Disney's Environmentality Challenge Program. Disney's Environmentality Challenge consists of two parts - the Pledge and the Class Project competition. The level of commitment is up to you and your students. The Pledge (available to grades 3-4-5) entails a small commitment, while the Class Project Competition (5th grade only) requires a more comprehensive, action-based project.  Enrollment deadline is December 19 2008.  Class projects must be submitted by February 27, 2009.

If you would like a poster of the program sent to you please contact us at dewart@shastacoe.org (limited quantities, teachers only please)

California Department of Water Resources
Free materials for teachers including videos, student workbooks, teacher guides, flannel board stories, posters, stickers and more.  Good for Grades 1-6. 
Website:  http://www.publicaffairs.water.ca.gov/education/catalog_index.cfm

Evergreen
An on-line resource to help teachers find lesson plans for outdoor instruction.  This Canadian website has ready made and peer reviewed lesson plans for grades K-12.
Website:  http://www.evergreen.ca/en/lg/lg-teach.html

Facing the Future
A non-profit organization dedicated to teaching students to understand the links between local and global issues. Curriculum is available for download or purchase. All curriculum is aligned with California State History-Social Science and Science Content Standards for grades 6-12. It is also aligned with United States National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Standards and National Science Education Standards (NSES). 
Units:
-Climate Change: Connections and Solutions Grades 6-8, 9-12
-It's All Connected: A Comprehensive Guide to Global Issues and Sustainable Solutions Grades 9-12
-Global Issues and Sustainable Solutions: Population, Poverty, Consumption, Conflict, and the Environment Grades 6-8
-Engaging Students Through Global Issues: Activity-Based Lessons and Action Projects Grades 5-12
-Teaching Global Sustainability in the Primary Grades: A K-4 Curriculum Guide Grades  K-12
Website: http://www.facingthefuture.org/
Download curriculum:   http://www.facingthefuture.org/Curriculum/DownloadFreeCurriculum/tabid/114/Default.aspx

The Forest Foundation
The foundation provides materials to educators free of charge.  Posters, wildlife identification handbooks, bookmarks, natural resource career handouts and media are available.  The foundation's mission is to foster public understanding of the role forests play in the environmental and economic health of the state and the necessity of managing a portion of California's private and public forests to provide wood products for a growing population.
Preview and order materials online:  http://www.calforestfoundation.org/order_materials.html

Natural Resources Conservation Service - U.S. Department of Agriculture (Main Web Site)
A wealth of information available for research by teachers, middle school and high school students.  Most helpful links are:  Plants Data Base, Photo Gallery, Publications, Teachers and Students.  Be sure to look on both left and right side of page for links.
Website: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/

Natural Resources Conservation Service - U.S. Department of Agriculture (Conservation)
Backyard Conservation:  Bringing Conservation from the Countryside to Your Backyard  is available for down load or in print format.  The electronic format is 28 pages, to obtain a print copy, call 1.888.526.LANDCARE. The color booklet consists of 10 chapters to help the average person to conserve resources, enhance the environment and become more mindful of wildlife. Chapter titles: Ponds, Wetlands, Composting, Mulching, Nutrient Management, Pest Management, Terracing, Tree Planting, Water Conservation and Wildlife Habitat.  Written for adults with many photographs. 
To download:  http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/BkYrdHit.html

South Yuba River Citizens League - River Teachers Program
Salmonid Savers, a free booklet to educate students about salmonids and their ideal habitat. Covers  water quality and conservation.  Good for grades 3-5. 
Preview and order online:  http://www.syrcl.org/riverteachers/main.asp 

USGS Education Resources for Earth Science Week
Discover a wealth of curricular ideas, scientific data, maps, books and other resources to support earth science, biology, geography and hydrology.  Good resources for middle and high school teachers.
Website:  http://www.usgs.gov/earthscience/docs/usgs_earth_science_week.pdf

Watershed Education Lending Library (WELL) - Shasta Conservation Fund
A resource for schools and non-profit organizations involved in watershed education and research.  Items are available for loan, free of charge.  The extensive library includes display kits, electronics (such as cameras or measuring devices), equipment, hand tools, watershed educational materials and videos.  Everything you need to make your outdoor education lesson work without buying all the equipment.
Website: http://www.shastaconservationfund.org/WELL.htm

FIELD TRIPS 

                                    
Waterfall Week - Whiskeytown National Recreation Area Who:  K-12
When:  Beginning April 20, 2008. 
Where:  Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Cost:  Free
Contact:  Ranger Clinton Kane, 530.242.3451 
Guided hikes to select waterfalls emphasizing both physical activity and science concepts will be provided to school groups.
Contact the ranger to reserve a date and time. 
To view park trails and maps: http://www.nps.gov/whis/planyourvisit/hiking.htm

RESEARCH - ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

General Environmental Education Research
This section links to Region 4 and includes alphabetical listings to documents and websites pertaining to environmental education and academic achievement.  Information covers:
Research studies, surveys, needs assessments, literature reviews and websites
Region 4 Website link:  http://www.creec.org/region4/stories/storyReader$56

WEBSITE LINKS

ANIMALS
  
Biodiversity In Your Backyard     

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area can serve as your learning lab to teach biodiversity.  Species and habitats from different climates collide in this unique area.  Whiptail lizards typically found in arid Great Basin habitats reside alongside Pacific yew trees, usually found in Pacific Northwest Forests.  Take an online tour and learn about diversity at Whiskeytown.
http://www2.nature.nps.gov/views/Index_WHIS.htm

CalPhotos - UC Berkeley
CalPhotos is a collection of 171,238 photos of plants, animals, fossils, people, and landscapes from around the world. A variety of organizations and individuals have contributed photographs to CalPhotos.   The site has an easy search engine.  Find photos by common or scientific names or just browse.  Multiple photographic examples of species.
Website:  http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/ 

Encylopedia of Life - Smithsonian Institution & Partners
The Encyclopedia of Life is an system of websites that makes all key information about all life on Earth accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world.   Natural history museums, botanical gardens, other research institutions, and dedicated individuals are working to create the most complete biodiversity database on the Web.  Photos, description, ecology and distribution, evolution and systematics and more are included on all plant and animal life.
Website:  http://www.eol.org/index

Urban Bee Gardens - UC Berkeley
Learn about creating habitat for bees, pollination and bee research.
Website:  http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens/index_research.html

EARTH SCIENCE

NASA and Watershed Management
NASA research benefits Chesapeake Bay ecology. See how watershed health impacts the Chesapeake Bay and the choices made about watershed management projects that affect aquatic life. Watch the video online.
Website: http://anon.nasa-global.edgesuite.net/anon.nasa-global/ccvideos/GSFC_20080421_ChesBayVid.asx

PLANTS

Biology of Plants-Plant Adaptations
The Missouri Botanical Gardens website explores 8 different biomes and the adaptations plants make to survive in a variety of habitats.  Plant biology is also covered.  Lesson plans and games are available for download. 
Grade Levels:  4th & 6th
Website:  http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/adapt.html 

Desert USA  
This website maintained by Desert USA has some commercial links, but covers desert plant adaptations, minerals and geology, animals and wildlife, plants and wildflowers as well as peoples and cultures of the American Southwest.  A wealth of information. 
Grade Levels:  Good for 4th grade and up.
Website:  http://www.desertusa.com/du_plantsurv.html

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