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December already!! It has been an interesting Fall, elections, weather, and of course our students learning and growing. We have seen many of you at our Green Schools Information sessions and at our new professional learning opportunity, Using your Classroom as a Laboratory: Air Quality and Energy. "This was the best professional development I have ever attended! These topics are relevant to all students and I walked away with activities that I know I can use with my students and they will love them!" November 15, Baltimore training. Check out future dates in this Newsletter and register yourself or your department, come as a team. Thanks to EPA and BGE for funding to support the training. The workshop is eligible for an MSDE continuing education credit.
Check out all of the PD and funding opportunities in this Newsletter as well as energy tips and resources for teachers.
As we head towards the New Year, we hope that you will continue to share your "Green School" examples with us. Your stories are proof that our students are reflecting and taking action at school, home and in the community. Thank you for all of the work that you do to teach our students and to encourage them to explore and investigate, challenge and grow.
Laura
Executive Director
MAEOE
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Important Dates:
December 6, 2016: Using your School as Laboratory (Professional Development Opportunity)
December 16, 2016: Deadline for the Intent to Apply Form and Fee. Fill out your intent to apply here.
January 11 and 19, 2017: Using your School as Laboratory (Professional Development Opportunity)
February 2-5, 2017: MAEOE Conference (Professional Development Opportunity)
March 17, 2017: Application Deadline
May 18th, 2017: MAEOE Youth Summit and Green School Awards Ceremony |
Want to learn more about the Maryland Green School Application? Check out one our information sessions:
12/8, 4:30-7:30: Brookside Gardens Visitors Center, 1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, MD 20902
Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE) presents the 2016-2017 Green Schools program! This 3-hour session will provide an introduction and overview of the Maryland Green Schools program and the application process. You will also be provided with examples of successful applications and tips to take back to your school. If you are planning on submitting an application to become a new Maryland Green School, this session is important. If you re-certified or certified during the 2012-2013 school year, your school is scheduled to re-certify year. We will go through the application which has had several updates in the last 4 years. We will also share new examples that can help you to organize and present your on-line application. Please note, all sessions run from 4:30-7:30 and light snacks will be provided.
Registration is required. Please click here to register. There is a $10 fee for the session.
1/24, 3:00-4:00: How to make a Weebly/Prezi Webinar
During this webinar, we will go through the steps on how to make a Weebly/Prezi. The webinar will run through the basics of each of the programs. You must sign up to receive the webinar information. This does not count as PD.
Click here to register. Space is limited to 30 participants. There is no fee for this webinar. |
 Using your School as a Laboratory: Student Lead Investigation of Air Quality and Energy
A MAEOE Professional Development
The goal of this course is to give educators the resources, the knowledge, and experience necessary to guide students to complete indoor air quality and energy conservation student sustainable practices in school environment. Teachers will have the opportunity to gain hands on experience in collecting data on air quality data and energy conservation data to lead students on inquiry based investigations on and around their school grounds. After the investigations, students will have the knowledge to implement sustainable practices to conserve energy and clean air quality.
After the workshop teachers will have an understanding of Air Quality, Energy Conservation, NGSS alignment, Environmental Literacy alignment, Maryland Green School application, and tools to implement these investigations.
Teachers can earn 1 MSDE Continuing Professional Development for this workshop by completing the pre-workshop online portion, the in-service workshop, and the post workshop investigations. (A total of 15 hours is required.)
Registration is required. Cost: $35 for members, $45 for non-members. Click here to register.
In service workshop dates:
December 6th: Anita C. Leight Estuary Center
January 11th: The Ward Museum of Waterfowl Art
January 19th: The Lathrop E. Smith Center
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Registration is now open for the MAEOE Conference!
Register Now!
This year we have so many events occurring at the conference like two keynote speakers, Greg Mort and Stacy Levy, a Star Party, Beautiful Swimmers Revisited film, over 100 workshops, a student Juried Art Show from Pre-K to college, and so much more! To learn more about the conference, click here to see the conference website.
Did you know that early bird closes on Jan. 6th?
Or that we have package deals? Why not check out our 2-day for $225 or our 3-day for $350 Early Bird deals?
Never been? Check out our first time conference attendee scholarship!
For more information click here.
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Maryland Zoo: Free Field Trips for MD Schools
Public, Private, and Home School Students
Immerse your students in the world of science, math, and reading, and other subjects with a free self-guided field trip. This interactive visit to the Zoo engages children with the animals and habitats of Africa and the sub-Arctic, as well as the caves, forests, meadows, and wetlands of Maryland. Visits are enhanced by special Zoo Education Stations where students interact with knowledgeable Zoo educators, come face to face with Animal Ambassadors, and participate in hands-on activities designed to support Maryland curriculum requirements. Field trips are FREE for students of Maryland public, private and home schools, day care facilities, and Head Starts. One adult (teacher or chaperone) enters free for every four Maryland students admitted. Additional, non-student children can attend at a cost of $8 per child. From August 26, 2016, until June 17, 2017, additional adults visiting with a pre-registered Maryland school will pay $11.
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Educational Materials from Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Dedicated to advancing science education, HHMI provides powerful teaching tools for use in high schools, colleges, and universities across the country, free of charge.
http://www.hhmi.org/educational-materials
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My NASA Data Lesson: Cold, Clouds, and Snowflakes
This lesson comes from NASA Data and uses satellite data to explore the relationship between the amount of water vapor and the temperature of clouds, as well as snowflake shapes and cloud temperature. This lesson has been vetted by MSDE and for 4-7th grade.
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Irvine Nature Center offers a variety of Nature in the Classroom programs ranging from "All About Animals" to "Taking Care of the Earth" to "Earth Rocks!". For more information click here. **Baltimore City Title One Schools can receive one free outreach! |
| Elms Environmental Education Center and Interstate Commission on the Potomac River are offering 9 scholarships for the MAEOE Conference. Join them on Thursday and Friday for their "Score Four: Students, Schools, Streams, and the Bay" Professional Development Workshop and you can choose your Saturday sessions! To apply click here. |
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| Maryland Green Centers |
When is the last time you said "Hello!" to your local Green Center? Green Centers have resources for your school like materials, offering professional development, programming, and the list goes on! Here is our list of all our MD Green Centers (along with contact information).
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| Below are some Events and Green Holidays. If your school plans a school wide activity for one of the Green holidays you could use it on the MD Green School app under section 1.4. Look for ** for events to use on your Green school application. |
 Audubon's Christmas Bird Count**
Audubon's 117th Christmas Bird Count will take place this fall between the inclusive dates of Wednesday, December 14th, 2016 through Thursday, January 5th, 2017.
Since the Christmas Bird count began over a century ago, it has relied on the dedication and commitment of volunteers like you.
To learn more and find a count near your school: http://www.audubon.org/join-christmas-bird-count
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Cromwell Valley: Night Out with Nature
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Anita C. Leight Holiday Open House |
December 9, 7 PM - 9 PM
2002 Cromwell Bridge Road, Baltimore 21234
Middleton Evans is one of Maryland’s most devoted photographers. A Baltimore native, Middleton has spent the majority of his 25-year career documenting the many faces of Maryland. “The Miracle Pond,” Middleton Evans’ most recent book, celebrates abundant wildlife discovered in Baltimore’s Patterson Park over a 15-year period.
More info about the event.
$10/person or $15 per couple
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December 31st, 10 AM - 1 PM
700 Otter Point Rd, Abingdon, MD 21009
Gather up your family and guests and drop in to the Estuary Center for a relaxing mid-day
visit with the naturalist, celebrating a year of accomplishments, taking a holiday themed photo with the critters, and enjoying light refreshments.
http://www.otterpointcreek.org/events/details/1688/
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Thanks to our following sponsors for their generosity:
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In This Issue
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2016-2017 Green School Dates
Green School Information Sessions
School Tip: Energy
Professional Development Opportunities
MAEOE Conference
Did you know? Resources for Teachers
Grant Opportunities
Upcoming Events
Follow MAEOE
Follow our Facebook and Twitter accounts as well as our blog for the latest information about professional development opportunities, job announcements, and Green Schools deadlines.
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| Tip of the Month: Improve Your Energy Consumption Over Winter Break |
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1. Close the blinds or shades. Make sure windows are tightly closed and secure.
2. Make sure to turn off power stripes to reduce your phantom energy usage on appliances in your classroom.
3. Check faucets for drips or leaks. Make sure that they are turned all the way off.
4. Compete in county wide energy challenge.
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Green Leaders Needed
Do you have experience putting together a green school application? Are you interested in assisting a school or more with Sustainable Schools activities or helping a school build a green team? Sign-up to be a Green Leader! Explore the Green Leader Page here. Email mdgsorganizer@maeoe.org for more information.
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A Message from our partner:
National Wildlife Federation
Eco-Schools USA
We would like to welcome Holly Shields as the new Regional Education Manager for the Mid-Atlantic Eco-School program.
MAEOE and Eco-Schools are partnering with 10 Baltimore City Schools to make a green corridor in the Gwynns Falls watershed. To learn more about the project and other partners involved, check out NWF's blog post here.
If your school is in the Gwynns Falls Watershed and you are interested in joining the project, contact Holly via email: ShieldsH@nwf.org
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Green Ribbon Schools Application
The Green Ribbon Schools award is given to select schools across the nation that the U.S. Department of Education recognized as schools that save energy, reduce costs, feature environmentally sustainable learning spaces, protect health, foster wellness, and offer environmental education to boost academic achievement and community engagement. For more information:
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools/index.html
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Grant Opportunities
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Lowe's Toolbox for Education
It's almost that easy when you take advantage of Lowe's Toolbox for Education grant program. Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF) knows how hard you work for your kids and your community and we're dedicated to helping your parent-teacher group achieve even more for your school. Apply for our Toolbox for Education Grant now and build on your already impressive parent group success with Lowe's. Spring grant cycle opens on December 18th and closes on February 9, 2017. http://www.toolboxforeducation.com/
Chesapeake Bay Trust: Mini Grant
The Chesapeake Bay Trust Mini Grant Program was established to provide accessible funds to schools, organizations, and agencies for pre-K-12 Environmental Education to educate students about their local watersheds and how they can become environmental stewards and make a difference in watershed health. To accomplish this goal the program supports meaningful outdoor learning experiences around a watershed issue investigation including field trips, fieldwork, student-led action projects and schoolyard habitat projects as well as building teacher capacity to implement environmental education including professional development trainings and programs to advance environmental literacy in the Chesapeake Bay region. Deadline: January 13, 2017. For more information: http://bit.ly/2gl85iL
The Bill James Environmental Grant
This grant offers up to $1,000 to school groups, science and ecology clubs, and other nonprofit youth groups for proposed environmental education projects. The objectives of the grant is to encourage a sense of stewardship and personal responsibility for the environment; stimulate a better understanding of environmental issues and more. Deadline March 31st. For more info:
http://dnr2.maryland.gov/met/Pages/bill_james.aspx
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