Professional Development

Be a Catalyst for Change…Become a Green Schools National Network Member

The green schools movement is the most critical education reform initiative of our time. Through the Green Schools National Network (GSNN) membership program, you can show your support and become a catalyst for change for green schools everywhere.

GSNN’s membership program is designed for leaders (like you!) who use sustainability to drive innovation in their classrooms, schools, or school districts. As a member of the program, you will learn from and be inspired by the people who are transforming schools across the country.

Choose from 5 different levels of membership: Individual, Nonprofit, preK-12 School, School District, or Corporate. Each level comes with its own set of benefits and discounts, some of which include: professional publications, a subscription to Green Teacher Magazine, discounted Green Schools Conference and Expo registration, discounted and free professional development opportunities, networking opportunities, and discounted fees for GSNN school and district coaching.

Visit GSNN’s membership website to learn more and sign up.

 

Green Schools Conference and Expo

Register to attend the 2018 Green Schools Conference and Expo (GSCE) to advance healthy, high-performing green schools! The 8th annual conference is scheduled for May 3 – 4, 2018 in Denver, Colorado at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center. Gather with green school champions for two days of learning and collaboration to support our shared mission of equitable, healthy, and high-performing schools, where students can learn how to sustain and improve the world around them. GSCE will be hosted in partnership this year with Rocky Mountain Green (RMG). Both events will kick off with a joint opening plenary and share an Expo Hall. Make plans to attend today…we look forward to seeing you in Denver!

Are you a Green Schools National Network member? If so, you can register for the early bird registration rate even after that deadline ends! Learn more about becoming a member above.

A limited number of reduced rate hotel rooms are available.  Learn more about registration packages and travel/hotel information here.

Looking to plan your GSCE experience? Check out the 2018 program schedule to peruse the seven conference tracks and pre-conference workshops. Also, learn more about this year’s keynote speakers, Janine Benyus and Emily Pilloton.

 

2018 CELF Summer Institute: Education for Sustainability

The Annual CELF Summer Institute in Education for Sustainability (July 9 – 12, 2018, Manhattanville College, New York) is an intensive 4-day workshop that enables teachers to integrate the concepts of sustainability into their existing curricula. The Institute equips K-12 teachers with practices and teaching methods to address the core concepts of education for sustainability – the intersection of social, economic, and ecological systems – and how the balance of those three systems is vital to a sustainable future, and relevant to all subject areas.

The Institute begins by building a learning community and a common vocabulary around sustainability, and progresses with hands-on activities, case studies, special guest presentations, and field work. The schedule includes supported planning time so that participants will have tangible materials to bring back to their classrooms.

Benefits and Resources:

  • Gain access to CELF’s online resource library.
  • Align curriculum projects with national education for sustainability standards and performance indicators.
  • Learn from and share best practices with Institute facilitators and peers from across the region and around the world.
  • Access post-Institute support for on-going education for sustainability implementation.

Learn more about registration and credit options here.

 

The Biomimicry Institute

The Biomimicry Institute is the world’s leading nonprofit dedicated to innovation inspired by nature. Biomimicry offers an exciting project-based approach that helps teachers blend STEM and environmental education in creative, hands-on lessons students love. The Biomimicry Institute helps educators and organizations bring biomimicry into their teaching by providing curriculum and training, networking opportunities, and content development support. Learn more about our services and visit the online library, AskNature, for the resources and information you need to bring biomimicry into your teaching practice.

 

The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education

The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education works with schools and school districts to help them integrate Education for Sustainability (EfS) into their curriculum. Core services include consulting and leadership development (on-site and off-site); professional development and faculty coaching; curriculum design, assessment, mapping, and alignment; and school and community partnerships. The Cloud Institute holds an annual Summer Design Studio that enables educators, administrators, and program designers to learn how to design and embed EfS into curriculum, assessments, and programs.

Summer Curriculum Design Studio: Educating for a Sustainable Future

August 6 – 10, 2018

Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, New York

Join the Cloud Institute for a 5-day curriculum design studio where educators, administrators, and program designers will learn how to design and embed Education for Sustainability into curricula, assessments, and performance tasks without the need for additional class time!

Held at the beautiful Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, you will get access to expertise, resources, and tools to reorient and enrich curricula. Through working sessions, learning circles, coaching, peer review, and optional mini-sessions, you will create and develop units and protocols that educate for sustainability.

Come yourself or bring a team! Space is limited. Register today.

 

Community Works Institute

Community Works Institute (CWI) supports and promotes exemplary teaching strategies and practices for K-16 educators and community programs that support students in becoming caring, responsible, and active members of their communities. CWI offers a variety of professional development opportunities for K-16 and community-based educators in the United States and internationally, including on-site training, retreats, coaching, and consulting. Their signature offering is a series of summer institutes that integrate field-tested service-learning best practices and principles of sustainability to engage K-16 students in academically based service that contributes to sustainable communities.

CWI is now offering early bird rates for each of its 2018 summer institutes. See below and visit the website to learn more about these professional development opportunities and to register.

2018 Summer EAST Institute on Place Based Service-Learning and Sustainability

June 25 – 29, 2018

Champlain College, Burlington, Vermont

The longest running service-learning training for educators in the world, Summer EAST is a powerful learning lab for educators, set in one of the most progressive cities in the U.S. A week of inspiration and expert training, amid the breathtaking summer landscape of northern Vermont.

 

2018 Summer WEST Institute on Place Based Service-Learning and Sustainability

July 23 – 27, 2018

Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, California

An immersion for K-16 educators in CWI’s acclaimed learning lab, using one of the world’s most vibrant and culturally rich urban settings as our classroom. An exceptional week of transformative professional development, program design, and networking.

 

Creative Change

Creative Change is a national educational consulting firm based in southeast Michigan. Districts and universities turn to us when their curriculum isn’t working – when achievement is low, inequalities persist, or it’s time for fresh thinking. We provide professional development, curriculum, and consulting to help educators across grades and disciplines reframe instruction around sustainability and social justice.

Our work integrates project- and place-based learning and culturally responsive instruction. Topics include food systems, ecological economics, and multiculturalism. Evaluations show consistent gains in student achievement, especially in underserved communities. Grounded in scholarship, our approach will be published by Routledge in 2018.

Creative Change offers:

  • On-site and hybrid professional development combining interdisciplinary content and effective pedagogy.
  • Ongoing support and one-on-one coaching for educators.
  • A curriculum library featuring exemplary lessons, frameworks, and complete course modules.

 

Curriculum Development Master Class: Reframing for Social Justice and Sustainability

June 18-19 | Ann Arbor, Michigan

Offered in partnership with the University of Michigan School of Education

This hands-on master class provides knowledge, skills, and a step-wise process to develop curriculum grounded in the concepts of healthy communities, democratic societies, and social justice. Participants will develop or redesign a unit or course that engages students in authentic problem-solving while also meeting required standards and content. Michigan SCECHs available.

Cost: $169 (reduced rate for U of M students)

Click here to register.

 

EcoRise

At EcoRise, we believe in the power of teachers to ignite innovation and the potential of students to design a sustainable future for all. Our school-based program empowers youth to tackle real-world challenges in their schools and communities by teaching sustainability, design innovation, and social entrepreneurship. Over 350 schools have implemented our full program and 1,800 teachers in 26 countries have accessed our educational materials. Our curriculum, classroom grants, ongoing training, and support engages educators and students in meaningful learning experiences. Our program empowers teachers to confidently champion sustainability and innovation in their classrooms, while students cultivate 21st century skills and sustainable living practices.

We offer:

  • Online and in-person professional development, curriculum, and self-paced resources for green industry connections to K–12 educators, STEM educators, and Project-Based Learning teachers.
  • For U.S.-based schools, we award micro grants to student-designed sustainability projects.
  • Our committed partnership with like-minded institutions and corporate supporters to expand reach and impact.

Visit www.ecorise.org to learn more.

 

Getting to Zero National Forum

The Getting to Zero National Forum, hosted by Rocky Mountain Institute and New Buildings Institute, is the premier global event dedicated to defining the future of low energy and zero energy (ZE) buildings. The 2018 event will take place April 17 – 19 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

ZE has captured the imagination of building professionals and energy efficiency advocates as a path to transform the built environment. Nearly all those surveyed believe ZE will be mainstream by 2050. The Getting to Zero National Forum is a platform for changemakers working to realize that vision.

Forum attendees will share perspectives on the growth of ZE, discuss the policies driving new projects, engage in best practices for successful outcomes, and collaborate on opportunities for ZE to become the standard for the built environment.

Visit the forum’s website to learn more about the main program, workshops, speakers, travel, and registration.

 

Green Schools Alliance

Green Schools Alliance is an international organization that advances student success and saves schools resources by fostering whole school sustainability. Originally developed as a network created by schools for schools, the Alliance has evolved to provide integrated and organized support to students, school professionals, schools, and districts to foster sustainability work.

Alliance programs are scaled and developed from member ideas to make them more accessible for other member schools. The Alliance conducts work via its international coalition of schools, rooted in the idea that collaboration among schools brings the greatest change for sustainable learning environments and communities. They:

  • promote student success through leadership training, project-based learning, and a support system.
  • inspire school professionals through access to training, resources, and a community of fellow sustainability champions.
  • provide schools with tools to accelerate whole school sustainability efforts through collective purchasing power, access to resources, and reporting and recognition systems.
  • offer districts the programs to leverage high-volume purchasing power, foster collaborative communication, and gather system-wide information on school efforts.

Learn more about upcoming events and training programs.

 

Green Strides Webinar Series Calendar

The Green Strides Webinar Series provides school communities with the tools they need to reduce their schools’ environmental impact and costs; improve health and wellness; and teach effective environmental education. It provides all schools access to the resources that help them move toward the Pillars of the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools recognition award. Sign up for Green Strides Webinar Series email updates to receive information on future webinars.

 

National Farm to Cafeteria Conference

The 9th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference will be held April 26 – 27, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Hosted by the National Farm to School Network, this biennial event convenes stakeholders engaged in farm to cafeteria activities who are working to source local food and promote a culture of food and agricultural literacy across the country. Registration is open through April 9, 2018. Learn more about pricing and programming for the 2018 event.

 

North American Association for Environmental Education Annual Conference – Save the Date

The 48th North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) annual conference will be held in Spokane, Washington from October 9 – 13, 2018. The theme for this year’s conference is EE: A Force for the Future.

For more than four decades, NAAEE has convened one of the leading annual conferences for environmental education professionals, designed to promote innovation, networking, learning, and dissemination of best practices. The annual Research Symposium, held in advance of the conference, attracts new and established researchers to examine in-progress EE research and promote dialogue between researchers and practitioners.

The Call for Presentations is now open! Submit a proposal to present at this year’s conference by April 2, 2018. Learn more about this opportunity on the website.

More information on registration and travel will be coming soon!

 

Shelburne Farms  

Shelburne Farms is a nonprofit organization educating for a sustainable future. That means learning that links knowledge, inquiry, and action to help students build a healthy future for their communities and the planet. Its home campus is a 1,400-acre working farm, forest, and National Historic Landmark.

Shelburne Farms’ school programs staff support both student learning and professional development for educators. The ideas of place and sustainability are at the heart of its work. Shelburne Farms offers a variety of experiences that inspire deep connections to community and a commitment to a healthy future.

Upcoming Programming

Project Seasons for Young Learners: Cultivating Joy & Wonder

July 9 – 13, 2018

Are you looking for new ways to connect your program to the community outside of your classroom? Join us at the Farm for hands-on, interdisciplinary activities and explore ways in which these can be adapted to your own learning community. Connect with other early childhood professionals to share best practices over these four days in a picturesque setting, leaving you energized and inspired to create even more meaningful opportunities and experiences within your program.

Cost $575. Includes light breakfast and lunch; excludes accommodations and graduate credit. A limited number of partial scholarships are available. Learn more and register here.

 

Education for Sustainability (EFS) Leadership Academy

A year-long, residential, leadership academy for those wishing to be part of a learning community exploring education for sustainability, systems thinking, and school transformation. ​

Our hope is to support education leaders in creating healthier and more just communities. The EFS Leadership Academy is designed for those in education who want to inspire change in partnership with a peer network committed to ecological integrity, economic vitality, and social justice. We will engage you with new ways of thinking, skills to create change and nurture yourself, and present you with innovative ideas and strategies to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of the future. At the heart of this work is educators and a sense of hope, love, and resilience.  Please join us and your colleagues in making a difference in the lives of children, families, and communities.

Cost $1500. Includes meals and accommodations; excludes travel and graduate credit. A limited number of partial scholarships are available. Limited to 16 participants. You can learn more about how to apply for the 2018-2019 cohort of the EFS Leadership Academy here. Applications must be submitted by May 4, 2018.

 

The Summer Institute on Education for Sustainability

July 23 – 27, 2018

Spend five rich days with colleagues from around the country at an informative and restorative institute created to give you the opportunity to deepen your understanding of education for sustainability. This week is part conference, part workshop, part retreat. The 2018 Summer Institute will draw upon the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals for inspiration, connecting you and your students to a global movement.

Cost $600. Includes light breakfast and lunch; excludes travel and graduate credit. A limited number of partial scholarships are available. Learn more and register here.

 

Education for Sustainability Immersion

August 16 – 17, 2018

For those who already have a strong foundation in Education for Sustainability, our two-day Immersion will provide you with the opportunity to reflect, learn, and collaborate with a small group of colleagues from across the country in a residential, retreat-like setting here at Shelburne Farms. The Immersion has a design studio feel with participants self-directing much of their work with a few inspirational speakers and workshops/explore times. Expect to take a deep dive into such topic areas as place-based education, social justice, systems thinking, or other topics in the field of Education for Sustainability that are important to you. This course is action-oriented with an expectation at the end that each participant has a solid project or curriculum to implement. Programming begins on the first day and continues into the evening, and then concludes mid-afternoon of the second day.

Cost $375. Includes meals and accommodations; excludes graduate credits. Limited to 15 participants. Scholarships are available to cover the course fee. Learn more and register here.

 

General Resources

Experiential Tools: Resources for Teaching and Group Facilitation

Experiential Tools was founded by author and educator Jennifer Stanchfield to provide educators with quality, unique, and user-friendly methods to enhance learning, increase engagement, build community, facilitate group development, and engage learners in meaningful reflection and dialogue.  Resources offered include consulting, professional development programs, workshops, books, and teaching and facilitation tools. Visit the website for a list of upcoming workshops.

 

Facing the Future 

Facing the Future is an international program, based out of Western Washington University, creating tools for educators that equip and motivate students to develop critical thinking skills, build global awareness, and engage in positive solutions for a sustainable future. The curriculum is organized around eight sustainability big ideas:

  • Connecting with Nature
  • Equity and Justice
  • Health and Resiliency
  • Interconnectedness
  • Local to Global
  • Peace and Collaboration
  • Respect for Limits
  • Universal Responsibility

Facing the Future curriculum materials and resources are available for K-12 teachers, teachers in colleges of education, and for some community college and undergraduate classes. All materials are developed for teachers, by teachers, with best teaching and learning practices in mind and are aligned with Common Core Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and most state standards frameworks.

 

Grades of Green

Grades of Green was founded in 2008 by four California moms who wanted a better world for their children. This nonprofit provides schools with free and easy access to over 40 activities that aim to instill environmental values in students. Activities are broken out into categories, including air, energy, toxins, waste, water, and earth. The organization also has a Youth Corps Eco Leadership Program that mentors 60 selected second through twelfth grade students to become eco-leaders. Participation in the program is free, though students must submit an application to be considered.

 

Learning Lab

A product of the U.S. Green Building Council’s The Center for Green Schools, Learning Lab provides K-12 teachers and school leaders with comprehensive, project- and STEM-based curriculum that encourages student leadership, environmental literacy, and real-world action.

Discover best-in-class content, training, and tools. Access their curated catalogue of lesson plans, interactive projects, assessment opportunities, and other multimedia resources in English and Spanish. Lessons are mapped to meet current educational standards and were created by educators, for educators.

 

NEEF’s Get Dirty! Learning Expedition Toolkit

The National Environmental Education Foundation developed this guide to assist educators in planning instructive and memorable outings that incorporate best practices of outdoor environmental education.

The toolkit proceeds step-by-step from planning, to conducting, to presenting place-based projects. Additional resources and tips are suggested. Supplemental activities that develop goal setting, leadership, and team building skills are also included.

 

Outdoor Classroom Day 2018

Outdoor Classroom Day is a global campaign to celebrate and inspire outdoor learning and play. On this day, thousands of schools around the world take lessons outdoors and prioritize playtime. In 2017, over two million children in over 100 countries took part. This year, Outdoor Classroom Day will be held on May 17 and November 1. To participate, visit the website, sign up, and check out the online resources for activities, lesson ideas, and materials to inspire your Outdoor Classroom Day.

 

Solar One’s Green Design Lab

A program of Solar One, Green Design Lab is a K-12 education program that promotes experiential learning opportunities through science, technology, and design. Solar One’s programs increase environmental knowledge about energy, water, materials science, and food while fostering sustainable behaviors and stewardship. Using the school as a learning laboratory, Solar One’s K-12 programs introduce students to hands-on, real world experiences, support the development of creative thinking and problem solving skills, and turn students into advocates for sustainability in their schools and communities.

The Green Design Lab program delivers professional development opportunities to teachers; offers a curriculum package centered on the school building as a learning laboratory; and provides resources including videos, worksheets, and a toolkit for educators.

 

Siemens STEM Day

Siemens STEM Day is a refreshed and expanded version of the beloved Siemens Science Day, now intended to span the whole K-12 STEM experience. Siemens STEM Day offers a variety of tools and resources that will help you reinvent your STEM curriculum, including original hands-on activities for grades K-12 and a teacher support center.

 

“Net Zero Schools” Spring 2018 Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly Related Resources

Cafeteria Culture

Cafeteria Culture works creatively and collaboratively with government, other environmental organizations, and entire school communities, including students, to achieve zero waste schools. Their Sort2Save toolkit provides a step-by-step guide for school cafeterias to go zero waste, and their Arts + Action Zero Waste School Program provides cafeteria and school solid waste reduction, recycling, composting, and sorting education for preK-12 students.

 

Collaborative for High Performance Schools

The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) provides resources to schools, school districts, and professionals about all aspects of high performance school design, construction, and operation. CHPS develops tools that help make schools energy, water, and material efficient; well-lit; thermally comfortable; acoustically sound; safe; healthy; and easy to operate. These resources include a well-respected six-volume best practices manual, training and conferences, a high-performance building rating and recognition program, and other tools for creating healthy, green schools.

 

Education @ USGBC – Pathway to Net-Zero

This “learning pathway” on the U.S. Green Building Council’s education platform offers a collection of online courses and resources related to net-zero buildings. School specific online courses include Why Schools are Embracing Net-Zero Energy; Sustainable School Design – From Passive to Transformative Education; and A Living Laboratory: Strategies Employed to Achieve LEED Platinum and Net-Zero Certification.

 

Energy Hog Challenge Teacher’s Guide

Energy Hog is an energy efficiency campaign developed by the Ad Council and run by the Alliance to Save Energy. This teacher’s guide includes a series of classroom activities that guide students through lessons about different sources of energy, how we use energy at home, and actions they can take to save energy.

 

EPA’s Indoor Environments Division Energy Savings Plus Health: Indoor Air Quality Guidelines for School Building Upgrades

Indoor air quality (IAQ) plays a critical role in the health, attendance, and academic performance of students and staff. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Savings Plus Health: Indoor Air Quality Guidelines for School Building Upgrades (the Guide) is designed to help K-12 stakeholders navigate the construction and energy retrofit process using an integrated approach and with IAQ, occupant health, and safety protections in mind. The Guide includes 23 IAQ priority issues and related assessment protocols, recommended and expanded actions, and resources and tools for project planning and communication. It is accompanied by the customizable, time-saving, and actionable Energy Saving Plus Health Checklist Generator (Microsoft Excel) that enables stakeholders to create IAQ checklists for specific upgrade or construction projects to protect and enhance IAQ. Schools districts can use the Guide to manage, design, and implement school facilities construction plans that maximize energy efficiency and minimize financial losses and negative health effects on students and staff.

 

The Green Schools Investment Guide for Healthy, Efficient, and Inspiring Learning Spaces

This U.S. Green Building Council report, available for free through the Center for Green Schools, is designed to help school stakeholders advocate for renovations, retrofits, and upgrades that improve student and staff well-being, enhance learning environments, conserve resources, and foster sustainable communities. In an action-oriented and accessible format, the guide helps to demystify the often-complicated processes of identifying building improvement opportunities and finance and implementation strategies. Using the tips, tools, and charts provided, any school stakeholder – from parents to teachers to school board members and more – can link opportunity with strategy to maximize the benefits of green school improvements and advance their school and community priorities.

 

National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project

Over 35 years ago, the NEED Project began as a one-day celebration of energy education when National Energy Education Day was recognized by a Joint Congressional Resolution. Since its founding, NEED has kept its Kids Teaching Kids philosophy as a fundamental principle of NEED programming – encouraging students to explore, experiment, and engage, and encouraging teachers to embrace student leadership in the classroom. NEED trains and assists teachers in harnessing the energy of the classroom – the energy of students.

The NEED Project offers curriculum resources and professional development for educators; energy information and resources, activities, and leadership programming for students; and an annual energy conference (open to students who participate in the Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement).

 

New Buildings Institute Zero Net Energy Resource Hub

The New Buildings Institute recently launched a Zero Net Energy Resource Hub on its website. This one-stop-shop for everything zero net energy includes sample codes and policy; current research; case studies; and a variety of guides and toolkits, including a Zero Energy Project Guide, Zero Energy Schools Stakeholder Engagement and Messaging Guide, and Zero Energy Schools Charrette Toolkit.

 

Northeast Recycling Council School Waste Reduction Resources

Resources cover composting, paper use reduction, rural school recycling, cafeteria waste reduction, reuse tips, and school waste assessments and audits.

 

Powering Down: Behavior-Based Energy Conservation in K-12 Schools

This U.S. Green Building Council report, available for free through the Center for Green Schools, follows the experiences of five public schools that have reduced electricity use by an astonishing 20 to 37 percent through behavior-based strategies alone. The report looks to these schools as models for others and examines common strategies for every school to reduce its energy usage.

 

Recycle Across America

Recycle Across America (RAA) is dedicated to expediting environmental progress by creating the world’s first and only society-wide standardized labeling system for recycling bins to make it easier for people to begin to recycle right, wherever they might be. RAA works with corporate partners to make it possible to donate free standardized labels to K-12 schools. Schools and school districts can request free standardized labels through RAA’s website. They can also download a free toolkit for creating a successful recycling program.

 

Seeing Green through Waste Prevention: A Guide for School Districts

Assembled by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, this guide illustrates waste prevention practices that school districts have found effective in reducing waste and, with few exceptions, in cutting costs. Topics cover getting started, developing a waste prevention strategy, how to conduct a facility walk-through, waste prevention ideas, evaluation, and measuring success.

 

Stop Waste

Stop Waste is a public agency in Alameda County, California that helps government, businesses, schools, and residents reduce waste. For schools, the site offers resources and information on preventing waste and recycling including case studies, activities and projects, lesson plans, and videos. Although lessons and projects were developed to meet California-based standards, they can easily be adapted for use in other states.

 

TeachEngineering Lesson: 3RC (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Compost)

In this lesson, contributed by the Integrated Teaching and Learning Program at the College of Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, students expand their understanding of solid waste management to include the idea of 3RC: reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost. They look at the effects of packaging decisions (reducing) and learn about engineering advancements in packaging materials and solid waste management. Through an associated activity, they observe biodegradation in a model landfill (composting).

This engineering curriculum is intended for grades 3 – 5 and meets Next Generation Science Standards.

 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WasteWise Program

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WasteWise program encourages organizations and businesses to achieve sustainability in their practices and reduce select industrial wastes. Program partners, including K-12 schools, demonstrate how they reduce waste, practice environmental stewardship, and incorporate sustainable materials management into their waste-handling processes. Learn more about requirements for new participants, levels of participation, and benefits (including annual awards and recognition).

 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense Program

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program provides facility managers, building owners, and other stakeholders (including K-12 schools) with a variety of resources and initiatives to help them save water, energy, and operating costs. Resources include tools, case studies, webinars, and WaterSense at Work, a compilation of water-efficiency best management practices to help commercial and institutional facilities understand and manage their water use, help facilities establish an effective water management program, and identify projects and practices that can reduce facility water use.

 

Grants and Awards

2018 – 2019 School Grants for Healthy Kids

Action for Healthy Kids has provided $7.7 million in grants to schools since 2009. Our School Grants for Healthy Kids can help your school health team achieve its goal to make every kid healthy and ready to learn. Applications are now being accepted until April 6, 2018 for the 2018 – 2019 school year. Two types of grants are available:

  • School Breakfast Grants. Thanks to these school breakfast grants, schools have served more than 58 million new school breakfasts since 2009. Nearly 250 schools will receive grant awards ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 to support increased breakfast participation. Eligible schools may apply to pilot or expand their School Breakfast Programs, including alternative or universal alternative.
  • Game on Grants. Action for Healthy Kids will award schools with Game On grants for physical activity and nutrition initiatives that support schools’ efforts to improve school and student health and become nationally recognized  as a health-promoting school. Grants are for $500 or $1,000 and K-12 schools in specific states are eligible to apply: AL, CA, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KY, MD, MI, MN NY, NC, OH, PA, TX, WV, WI. Schools where greater than 50% of students are eligible for free/reduced-price meals may receive priority, but all schools are encouraged to apply.

 

ASM Materials Education Foundation K-12 Education Grants

The ASM Materials Education Foundation awards 20 grants of $500 annually to help K-12 teachers bring the real world of materials science into their classrooms. “Living in a Material World” grants recognize creativity and enhance awareness of materials science and the role that materials play in society. Teachers must describe a hands-on, curriculum-based K-12 project that involves student observation, teamwork, mathematics, and science skills that enhance student awareness of the everyday materials around them. The deadline for applications is May 25, 2018.

 

Brower Youth Award for Environmental Leadership

Earth Island Institute established The Brower Youth Award for Environmental Leadership in 2000 to honor renowned environmental advocate David Brower and recognize the outstanding leadership efforts of young people who are working for the protection of our shared planet. Youth environmental change leaders ages 13 to 22 (as of July 1, 2018) living in North America (including Mexico, Canada, some Caribbean Islands) and U.S. “Territories” are encouraged to applyApplications are due Monday May 20, 2018 at 9 pm PT.

Each of the six recipients of the Brower Youth Awards will receive a $3,000 cash prize, a professionally produced short film about their work from an Emmy award winning film crew, and flight and lodging accommodations for a weeklong trip to the San Francisco Bay Area. During their stay, recipients will participate in coaching, visioning, leadership activities, and speaking and media engagements. The week of activities culminates in an awards ceremony in front of more than 800 guests in San Francisco on October 16, 2018.

 

Captain Planet Foundation ecoTECH Grants

Originally developed in partnership with the Ray C. Anderson Foundation and with ongoing support from Voya Financial, ecoTech Grants are specifically offered to engage children in inquiry-based, STEM-related projects that leverage technology and/or use nature-based design to address environmental problems in local communities. ecoTech Grants were created to combat the notion that students needed to choose between “the screen” or “the green” and to encourage educators and students to explore the role technology can play in designing and implementing solutions to some of our most pressing environmental challenges. ecoTECH grant projects must:

  • Be based in the U.S.
  • Integrate the use of technology to address environmental problems (not iPads or other tablets)
  • Be project-based
  • Be youth-led
  • Result in real, demonstrable environmental outcomes

ecoTECH grants are available as cash grants up to $2,500 and support the purchase of materials and other project implementation expenses. Deadline to submit an application is July 15, 2018.

 

Carton 2 Garden Spring 2018 Contest

Show your students’ creativity by re-purposing milk and juice cartons from your school cafeteria to either build or enhance your school garden. The Carton 2 Garden Spring 2018 Contest allows educators to engage students in a hands-on experience that creates teachable moments on environmental stewardship, sustainable packaging, and healthy living. Fourteen schools with the most unique carton creations will be selected on May 4, 2018 to win award packages. One school will win the grand prize, valued at $5,000. Three schools will win Specialty prizes (STEM, Sustainability, and Health & Nutrition categories), valued at $2,500. Ten schools – five elementary and five middle/high – will win prizes valued at $1,000. All schools that submit a completed entry form will receive a copy of Steps to a Bountiful Kids Garden book.

Entries are due Monday April 16, 2018.

 

Crayola Creative Leadership Grants

The 2018 Creative Leadership Grants program provides grants for innovative, creative leadership team building within elementary and middle schools. To apply:

  • Form a collaborative team to plan innovative ways of infusing creativity throughout the school.
  • Brainstorm a leadership program that will enrich creative capabilities and confidence within the school community.
  • Plan how and who will lead this collaborative effort.
  • Complete the application.
  • Submit application by June 22, 2018 (the principal must be a member of the National Association of Elementary School Principals).
  • Receive a gift — every Early Bird application submitted before midnight on Monday, June 4, 2018 will receive a Crayola product Classpack®.

Each grant-winning school (up to 20 grants awarded) receives $2,500 and Crayola products valued at $1,000.

 

Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge

The Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge is the nation’s premier science competition for grades 5-8. Students are invited to submit a 1-2 minute video describing a unique solution to an everyday problem for the chance to win $25,000 and an exclusive 3M Mentorship. Ten finalists will be chosen for their passion for science, spirit of innovation and ingenuity, and effective communication skills. Finalists will receive a summer assignment to develop an invention, to be completed under the mentorship of a 3M scientist. They will then travel to the competition finals where they will each give a presentation based on their work in the summer mentorship program and take part in a series of scored challenges to demonstrate their scientific knowledge. Travel dates are anticipated to take place from October 14th to October 16th, 2018, but are subject to change. To enter, students must submit their video as a YouTube link by April 19, 2018 at 8:00pm ET.

 

Dorothy Stout Professional Development Awards

The National Association of Geoscience Teachers gives these professional development awards to faculty and students at two-year colleges and to K-12 teachers in support of:

  • Participation in Earth Science classes or workshops
  • Attendance at professional scientific or science education meetings
  • Participation in Earth Science field trips
  • Purchase of Earth Science materials for classroom use

Awards of $750 are made annually in three categories: Community College Faculty, Community College Student, and K-12 Educator. Award winners are also given a one-year membership to the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, which includes an online subscription to the Journal of Geoscience Education and the In The Trenches magazine. The deadline to apply is April 15, 2018.

 

GetEdFunding

GetEdFunding is a curated collection of grants and awards created by education professionals for education professionals. Its database was designed to be easy-to-use and reliable, and all grant and funding opportunities are updated daily. Users can search by six criteria, including 43 areas of focus, 8 content areas, and 14 twenty-first century themes and skills, including environmental literacy. Once registered on the site, users can save grants of interest and return to them at any time.

 

Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams

The InvenTeam initiative, created by the Lemelson-MIT Program, offers an unparalleled opportunity for high school students to cultivate their creativity and experience invention. InvenTeams are teams of high school students, teachers, and mentors who receive grants up to $10,000 each to invent technological solutions to real-world problems. Up to 15 teams are selected for grants each school year. Each InvenTeam chooses its own problem to solve. Funds may be allocated for research, materials, and learning experiences related to the project. Funds may not be used to purchase capital equipment or professional services (e.g.: intellectual property legal protection, engineering services).

Initial applications are due on April 9, 2018. Educators selected as finalists are considered Excite Award recipients and attend EurekaFest at MIT June 19-22, 2018. The award is an all-expense paid trip to MIT and professional development on invention education. Only Excite Award recipients who attend EurekaFest will be invited to submit a final application.

 

McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation Teacher Development Grants

McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation Teacher Development Grants support small teams of teachers in the formation and implementation of groundbreaking K-12 classroom instruction. These grants provide opportunities for teachers to integrate fresh strategies that encourage critical inquiry and to observe their effects on students. Teachers have an opportunity to reflect and write about their projects, as well as to share their results with other teachers. The Foundation awards grants to individuals in amounts up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of $30,000 over three years, provided the eligibility requirements continue to be met.

Submissions are accepted January 15 – April 15. The application system closes once 350 submissions are received.

 

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the highest honors bestowed by the United States government specifically for K-12 mathematics and science (including computer science) teaching. Established by Congress in 1983, the President may recognize up to 108 exemplary teachers each year.

Awards are given to teachers from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Department of Defense Education Activity schools, or the U.S. territories as a group (American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands).

The award recognizes those teachers who develop and implement a high-quality instructional program that is informed by content knowledge and enhances student learning. Since the program’s inception, more than 4,700 teachers have been recognized for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession.

Recipients of the award receive the following:

  • A certificate signed by the President of the United States.
  • A paid trip to Washington, D.C. to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities.
  • A $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.
  • An opportunity to build lasting partnerships with colleagues across the nation.

This year’s awards will honor mathematics and science (including computer science) teachers working in grades K-6. Applications must be submitted by May 1, 2018.

 

Project Learning Tree GreenWorks! Grants

Project Learning Tree® (PLT), a national environmental education program for PreK-12 educators, offers GreenWorks! grants up to $1,000 to schools and youth organizations for environmental service-learning projects that link classroom learning to the real world. Students implement an action project they help design to green their school or to improve an aspect of their neighborhood’s environment. The projects partner students with their whole school, local businesses and/or community organizations, and provide opportunities for student leadership. Funds can be used by students for a variety of projects, such as implementing recycling programs at their school, conserving water and energy, or establishing school gardens and outdoor classrooms. To be eligible to apply, an educator must have attended a PLT training, either in-person or online, that also provides them with PLT lesson plans and other resources to help integrate these projects and environmental education into their curriculum. Apply by September 30, 2018.

 

Siemens 2018 Possibility Grant Sweepstakes

Enter the Possibility Grant Sweepstakes daily for your chance to win $10,000 for STEM at your school! “Fab” your lab with the latest and greatest gadgets, or purchase top-tier technology and supplies for STEM students. One school will be selected as our Grand Prize Winner in May 2018. The Grand Prize will consist of a $10,000 Siemens Possibility Grant, awarded in the form of a check made payable to the winning school and intended to be used by the school for a science lab makeover and/or STEM-related equipment, supplies, or technology. Eligible educators may enter the Sweepstakes once per day until April 27, 2018.

 

Stockholm Junior Water Prize

The Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) was founded in 1997 by the Stockholm International Water Institute to complement the Stockholm Water Prize. The SJWP is considered the world’s most prestigious award presented to a high school student for a water-research project. Any high school student in grades 9 through 12, who has reached the age of 15 by August 1 of the competition year and has conducted a water-related science project, is eligible to participate in the competition.

Teams of up to three students may enter. Projects should be aimed at enhancing the quality of life through improvement of water quality, water resources management, or water and wastewater treatment. Projects can explore water issues on local, regional, national, or global issues. It is essential that all projects use a research-oriented approach, which means they must use scientifically accepted methodologies for experimentation, monitoring, and reporting, including statistical analysis. Entries into the SJWP competition will be judged based on six criteria: relevance, creativity, methodology, subject knowledge, practical skills, and report and presentation.

Note: All students must enter the State SJWP Competition first. National competition entries are open to State winners only. 

The entry deadline for the 2018 competition is April 15th.

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