Environmental Education

In honor of Earth Day, this Surf Report presents a collection of Web sites that will make it easy to infuse environmental education into your curriculum.

EEK! (Environmental Education for Kids), from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, is an electronic magazine that offers students in grades 4-8 activities and information about Wisconsin wild animals, the seasons, and more.

Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time from the Aldo Leopold Foundation is a film which features highlights from Leopold's life and career, explaining how he shaped conservation in the 20th century and continues to inspire people today. The website features clips and discussion questions you can use after viewing the film.

John Muir in the New World is a 90-minute documentary that delves into Muir's life and influences with reenactments throughout the majestic landscapes he visited: Wisconsin, Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada, the Alhambra Valley of California, and the glaciers of Alaska. Placing our nation's most important natural assets in a cultural and social context, this documentary is a timely reminder of America's unique and, ultimately, threatened eco-systems.

EEinWisconsin.org promotes opportunities to learn about, participate in, and promote environmental education. The site contains a calendar of events, lists of grant opportunities and contests, and links to other sites with teaching resources and environmental facts and figures.

Give Water A Hand, from the University of Wisconsin Extension, provides information and handbooks that help students and educators join natural resource experts and community members to study local water issues and then take action.

The Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education site offers a collection of resources for Wisconsin teachers interested in environmental education. LEAF, the Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Education Program connects students with forests and features an online tree key. The Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program, KEEP offers ideas and resources for teaching students about energy. It features field trips, in-services, lesson plans, and activities such as building a solar oven or a personal power plant.

Earth Day Groceries Project offers a simple way to increase community environmental awareness on April 22. Students decorate paper grocery bags for a local food store to share their Earth Day messages.

Keep the Wild Alive from the National Wildlife Association features information on 25 endangered species in interactive format.

National Wildlife Week from the National Wildlife Association contains an educator s guide, interactive games for children and an opportunity to order the NWF free posters.

EcoHealth (Environmental Change and Our Health) examines the changes that are transforming the earth and how they affect human health. This site from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is geared for middle school students and features information on these five topics: global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, the balance of nature, modern agriculture and drinking water, and globalization and disease. Images, video clips, a glossary and lesson plans are included.

The EDF Scorecard site lets students enter their zip code and find out what pollutants are being released into their community. Students also can learn about health effects of chemical pollutants and send electronic mail or faxes to the EPA or the companies causing the pollution.

The World Resources Institute Environmental Education Project provides materials for high school teachers, including the EarthTrends database, PowerPoint slideshows, and color graphs and maps illustrating earth trends in environment and development.

The John Muir Exhibit, from the Sierra Club, celebrates the life and legacy of the famous conservationist who lived in Wisconsin. Included are information written for students and a John Muir Day (April 21) study guide for children in kindergarten through grade 12.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Learning Landscapes for Kids offers information and activities on soil, invasive plants and animals, fire, and more.

National Park Service Interpretation and Education provides descriptions of and links to educational resources from the National Park Service (NPS). For example, students can take an electronic field trip to Glacier National Park or see photos and video of Olympic National Park. Explore Nature provides links to NPS sites on air quality, invasive species, biodiversity, and other environmental topics.

NOVA s World in the Balance site includes interviews with experts and information and activities focusing on population growth and global trends.

Operation RubyThroat uses the study of hummingbirds to help students develop an understanding of natural systems and how human activity can impact on individual species and habitats. Students share data with other students and scientist throughout the bird s range. This project, sponsored by the Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History and affiliated with the GLOBE program, is also available in Spanish.

The Center for Global Environmental Education sponsors interdisciplinary projects which allow students to study environmental phenomenon such as Rivers of Life.

Space for Species from the Canadian Wildlife Federation and the Canadian Space Agency allows students to track migratory animals using real data. A complete scientific process designed for students grades 6-9, a teacher guide, and lots of information are featured.

EcoKids OnLine from Earth Day Canada features games, activities and currciculum connections for teachers.