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 five 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.
Looking to plan your GSCE experience? Check out the 2018 program schedule to peruse the seven conference tracks and pre-conference workshops, read up on this year’s keynote speakers, and learn more about registration packages and travel/hotel information.
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 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 (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 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)
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.
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.
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 Children and Youth Garden Symposium
The 2018 National Children and Youth Garden Symposium (NCYGS) will be held July 11 – 14, 2018 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The symposium is your opportunity to network with like-minded teachers, garden designers, community leaders, program coordinators, and others involved with connecting kids to the natural world. NCYGS 2018 attendees will:
- Explore topics ranging from curriculum to program management to garden design and maintenance during four dynamic days of educational sessions, field trips, and expert keynote presentations. July 11 will feature optional pre-symposium trips, while July 12 – 14 will comprise the main body of the symposium.
- Experience Central New York’s breathtaking natural beauty and the world-renowned facilities of Cornell University.
- Share ideas, success stories, and inspiration with like-minded colleagues from across the nation.
Symposium registration opens in April 2018 and runs through June 25, 2018.
National Environmental Education Week (EE Week)
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)’s National Environmental Education Week (EE Week) is taking place April 13-29, 2018. This year’s theme is “Environmental Education: Every Way and Every Day.” Sponsored by Samsung, EE Week is the nation’s largest celebration of environmental education. Each year, NEEF partners with educators, students, government agencies, businesses, communities, nonprofit organizations, and others to inspire environmental learning and encourage stewardship of our essential resources: land, air, and water. Visit the website for a toolkit, resources, and updates on events and activities for 2018.
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.
Apply for a NAAEE Conference scholarship! The deadline to submit applications is June 8, 2018.
More information on registration and travel will be coming soon!
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.
Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council’s 2018 Sustainable Purchasing Summit
This annual summit, taking place this year May 14 – 16 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, brings together 400 purchasing and sustainability professionals, suppliers, and NGO experts from diverse sectors and regions to share and promote sustainable purchasing best practices for organizations. The summit’s expert-led sessions, networking, tradeshow, and buyer-supplier matchmaking are open to both members and non-members. Visit the website to learn more about the program, speakers, travel to the conference, and registration.
General Resources
Biocubes: Exploring Biodiversity
How much life can you find in one cubic foot? Studying the species that make up an ecosystem is the first step in understanding how biological systems function and predicting impacts of change. The Smithsonian Biocube Program encourages students to explore the biodiversity around them. This website includes how-tos, resources, and examples of biocubes from around the world.
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 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 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.
Green Schools Alliance Green Cup Recycle Challenge
Green Schools Alliance is holding their RECYCLE challenge from March 19 – May 11, 2018. You can choose any 4 weeks within that period that work best for your school. During this challenge, schools compete for Bin Points by “recycling right” – improving recycling compliance rates and decreasing contamination. Bonus points can be earned for additional waste reduction efforts such as composting or paperless communications. Weekly bin surveys provide instant feedback on your recycling efforts – no weighing required. There is a $75 registration fee.
Green Schoolyards America’s 2018 School Ground Activity Guide Set
Green Schoolyards America has updated its popular Living Schoolyard Activity Guides for 2018. Together, the Living Schoolyard Activity Guide – United States Edition and International School Grounds Month Activity Guide contain 235 activities contributed by 187 schools, agencies, non-profits, museums, universities, businesses, and utilities across the U.S. and 27 countries around the world. Both guides are available for free online and contains a wide range of ideas for use by PreK-12 schools before, during, and after school.
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 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.
People and the Planet: Lessons for a Sustainable Future
In our increasingly interdependent world, People and the Planet is a must for the middle school classroom. This interdisciplinary curriculum helps students understand the connections between human population growth, the environment, and our global family while inspiring them to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century.
An environmental education and global studies guide in one, People and the Planet covers concepts central to science, social studies, and math, while reinforcing skills in English Language Arts. Through 41 innovative activities, 18 readings, and 31 infographics, students explore contemporary issues like climate change, water scarcity, global wealth inequality, solid waste management, and more. Hands-on strategies keep students engaged, while emphasis on analysis and real-world problem solving make the activities an ideal match for addressing Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards, as well as the C3 Framework and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies.
People and the Planet is an online curriculum with an easy-to-use interface. The content is organized into seven comprehensive units made up of lesson plans, student readings, a summative assessment, infographics, a glossary, and sources for further research. After purchasing, simply set-up a user account to access the materials anytime you’re online.
Each individual unit can be downloaded separately for $3 per unit. The entire package can be purchased for $15.
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.
TeachEngineering is a searchable, web-based digital library collection comprised of standards-based engineering curricula for use by K-12 educators to make applied science and math come alive through engineering design in K-12 settings. The TeachEngineering collection provides educators with free access to a growing curricular resource of activities, lessons, units, maker challenges, and sprinkles for use in informal education settings. Every lesson and activity is explicitly aligned to the science and/or math educational standards of the state in which it was first developed and classroom tested, as well as to the Common Core Math, Next-Gen Science and ITEEA standards, if they apply.
Teaching Our Cities Practice Toolkits
Teaching Our Cities, a project of Common Ground, is creating a collection of toolkits that share best practices that are working at partner schools. Toolkits include videos, blog-style reflections, resources, and practice descriptions. Current toolkits cover teaching a sense of place, learning expeditions, green exhibitions, environmental leadership portfolios, and magnet theme days.
Green Purchasing Related Resources
The Buck Stops Here: Sustainable Procurement Playbook for Cities
The Buck Starts Here: Sustainable Procurement Playbook for Cities, developed by the Responsible Purchasing Network, is aimed at sustainability directors and city teams interested in launching or strengthening their sustainable purchasing efforts. The Playbook addresses sustainable procurement in general and takes an in-depth look at three product categories: fleets, electronics, and green building supplies. Much of the material covered in the Playbook can be adapted for use by K-12 schools and school districts.
Throughout the Playbook, you will find:
- Examples of best practices.
- Model language for sustainable procurement policies.
- Guidance for designing and implementing a high-functioning and practical sustainable procurement program that addresses issues such as staff roles and responsibilities, communication methods, and training.
- A customizable Sustainable Procurement Prioritization Tool to help cities focus their sustainable procurement efforts on product and service categories that can yield significant environmental, health, and economic benefits.
- Recommended procurement guidance for several high-impact product and service categories (including bid specifications, vendor survey questions, and bid evaluation procedures).
- Environmental benefit calculators as well as other tools and strategies for tracking and reporting sustainable procurement actions and benefits such as energy and water conservation, greenhouse gas reductions, waste prevention, and cost savings.
CalRecycle Environmentally Preferable Purchasing for Schools
CalRecycle has assembled a webpage on environmentally preferable purchasing for K-12 schools, covering benefits of environmentally preferable purchasing, getting started, and implementation resources. While the site is geared toward California schools, most information and resources are applicable for all K-12 schools and school districts.
EPA’s Purchasing Environmentally Preferable Products for Healthy Schools
This U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website focuses primarily on environmentally preferable purchasing for chemicals, including information on EPA’s Safer Choice label. State, national, and federal resources shared include a household products database, green cleaning pollution prevention calculator, green chemical alternatives purchasing wizard, and product review database.
Green Schools Initiative Buying Guide
The Green Schools Initiative developed this Green Schools Buying Guide to help schools make purchasing decisions that will protect children’s health and the environment. The guide pulls together information from a variety of sources to serve as a starting point for helping people navigate information about environmentally preferable products, brands, and sources. In addition, this website includes links to resources and information on programs to help you buy green, how to buy cooperatively or in bulk, how to write a green bid or contract, and sample green purchasing policies.
Healthy Purchasing for Healthy Schools
This guidance memo, assembled by Healthy Schools Network, covers environmentally preferable purchasing in six categories: cleaning supplies, office equipment, interior wall and ceiling paints, office supplies, art supplies, and furniture.
Grants and Awards
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 apply. Applications 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.
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.
EDspaces Educational Facility Grant Program
The EDspaces Educational Facility Grant program funds high-quality professional development for education-based facility planners, superintendents, purchasing officers, and related staff, introducing them to innovative solutions and best practices assisting effective decision-making about upcoming educational construction or renovation projects.
- Experience innovative products that support the creation of effective learning environments
- Participate in educational sessions led by nationally recognized speakers
- Engage in conversations with peers in the educational facility planning environment
- Learn more about innovative approaches in practice for planning, designing, and equipping facilities
- Connect with the vendors that will support your next design project
- Evaluate the latest in school equipment, fixtures, and furniture
The EDspaces Educational Facilities Grant includes hotel accommodations for up to three nights at an official EDspaces host hotel and full conference registration with enriching educational sessions, exhibits, and networking events. The 2018 grant program will open spring 2018.
Funding opportunities are available to any qualified K‐12 school enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60. Sponsored by the National Dairy Council, state and regional Dairy Councils, and other supporting organizations, the competitive, nationwide funding program provides money— up to $4,000 per year, per school — to jump start healthy changes. Funds are used to help schools implement one Healthy Eating Play and one Physical Activity Play from the 2017‐2018 edition of the Fuel Up to Play 60 Playbook.
To apply, schools must:
- Enroll in Fuel Up to Play 60
- Have a registered program advisor
- Participate in the National School Lunch Program
Learn more and download an application from the website. The deadline to apply is June 13, 2018.
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.
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. 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.
Toshiba America Foundation Grants
Do you teach in an elementary school classroom? Do you have an innovative idea for improving math or science instruction in your classroom? Is your idea project-based learning with measurable outcomes? What do you need to make learning math and science fun for your students?
K-5 teachers are invited to apply online for a $1,000 Toshiba America Foundation grant to help bring an innovative hands-on project into their own classroom. With a Toshiba America Foundation grant, elementary teachers can bring their best new teaching ideas to life.
Grant applications are due on OCTOBER 1st each year.
Grants are also available for teachers in grades 6-12 who are passionate about making science and mathematics more engaging for their students. Applications for grants less than $5,000 are accepted at any time. For grant requests of more than $5,000 deadlines are May 1 and November 1.
The Voya Unsung Heroes Awards Program provides educators nationwide with grants to help fund their innovative class projects. Full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, and classified staff with effective projects that improve student learning are eligible to apply. Applicants must work at an accredited K-12 public or private school located in the United States. The 100 finalists each receive an award of $2,000. At least one award will be granted in each of the 50 states, provided one or more qualified applications are received from each state. Of the 100 finalists, three will be selected for additional financial awards of $5,000, $10,000, and $25,000. All awards must be used to further the projects within the school or school system. Applications must be submitted online by April 30, 2018. Visit the Unsung Heroes Awards Program website to access the application and learn more about the program.