Summer Education Opportunities--Keep those Kids Outside!

Hey folks!


I hope everyone is ready to jump into summer! My daughter turns 6 months old this weekend and her daycare asked if I had a swimsuit to bring so she could enjoy the kiddie pool! I can't believe it! I think I've mentioned this before, but one of the reasons I love her daycare is because they take the kids outside ALL THE TIME! As long as it's not raining, they go out.

If you're looking for things to do with kids this summer, here are a few suggestions:

• Look to your local, county and state parks. Many, if not most, offer summer day camps for weeks at a time. It's a great way to keep your kids occupied and out from in front of the computer or television. And many of them are wildlife-themed, which obviously we encourage. :-)
• You can also check out your local zoos. All of the 5 Ohio zoos have summer camps for kids of all ages.
• Check out your local arboretums, plant conservatories, and science museums for similar offerings.
• Setting up play areas in your backyard where your kids can dig, plant, and dig some more can go a long way towards keeping them occupied and interested in the outdoors. Allowing them to build forts and tree houses, supervised of course, gives kids a place to hang out in nature on their own.
• Helping them create a nature journal by taking a few pieces of paper, folding them in half and wrapping a string through the middle for binding, is an easy way to give them a creative outlet for writing and drawing outside. And best of all, they don't have to worry about it being graded!
• Using a similar technique as the above journal, have your kids make a backyard field guide of all the plants and animals they find, either by drawing or collecting plants and drawing animals or signs of animals that they might find. You all might be surprised by what lives there. If you need help identifying some of the critters, check out the A to Z Species Guide on our Web site.
• Camping in the backyard is a great experience for kids. All you need is a small, inexpensive tent, a pillow and some blankets, and a flash light and you've got the makings of an outdoor adventure. Hearing the sounds of the backyard at night opens up a whole new world to kids. If you're really adventurous, you can invite the neighborhood kids and have a big group camp out.
• Fishing is an excellent way for kids to explore the outdoors. And it's free for kids under 16. Depending on the age of the child, plan on having other things to do if the fish aren't biting. Bring along some collecting boxes and small nets for insect collecting. Check out our Web site for good places to fish near you.

Outdoor exploration opportunities are endless in the summertime! Whether it's something as simple as splashing through the local creek or taking a canoe trip, kids love the opportunity to explore the outdoors. You're limited only by your imagination.

Please feel free to post any other suggestions you may have. Or if you know of any local events this summer, feel free to post them here.

In the meantime, GET OUTDOORS!!

West Geauga High School Teacher Recieves National Grant for Wildlife Education Projects

April 9, 2009
Submitted by: Bonnie Gruttadauria, Director of Communications, (440) 729-6802
bonnie.gruttadauria@westg.org

West Geauga science teacher receives TAPESTRY grant

West Geauga High School science teacher Michael Sustin was awarded $10,000 last week in grant money from the Toyota TAPESTRY Program for excellence and innovation in science education. The TAPESTRY grant will be used to support a study of bobcat and black bear populations in three northeastern Ohio counties.

“Supporting excellent teachers who can excite and energize their students is a great way to make an impact on future generations,” said Michael Rouse, Toyota’s vice president of philanthropy and community affairs. “TAPESTRY's reach over the past 19 years has allowed countless numbers of students to be inspired by the possibilities of science education.”

Sustin’s project, The Return of Apex Predators to Northeastern Ohio, proposes to research and document the permanent residency of bobcats and black bears in three Northeastern Ohio counties and investigate methods of managing for them. It will offer students the opportunity to use real scientific inquiry skills and technology to make a difference in statewide management goals and strategies and to raise awareness and respect for successful conservation efforts. Students will interpret topographic maps and Geographic Information System technology to identify and evaluate potential habitat to use in the study. Students will put in place cutting-edge remote sensing and imaging technology to capture visual evidence of the target species without unnecessary human intrusion. Students will then be challenged to investigate, evaluate and select innovative, effective and efficient wildlife and land management strategies that will promote continued success of bobcats in black bears in the study area. Finally, students will be empowered to realize their own efficacy by publishing and presenting their research findings to supporting agencies and in community forums through printed and electronic media.

Sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and administered by the NSTA, Toyota TAPESTRY is the largest annual K-12 science teacher grant program in the United States. Award-winning projects are selected from three critical areas for today’s youth: environmental science, physical science, and science applications that promote literacy. Fifty grants of up to $10,000 are awarded each year, along with a minimum of 20 grants of up to $2,500 each. In total, Toyota awarded $550,000 in grants to 82 teachers in 2009. More than $8.5 million has been awarded to 1,064 teams of teachers throughout the program’s 19-year history.

About Toyota:
Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants. Toyota directly employs over 36,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $17 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.

Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $464 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S.

For more information on Toyota's commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit www.toyota.com/community.

About National Science Teachers Association:
The Arlington, VA-based National Science Teachers Association is the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's current membership includes more than 58,000 science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives and others involved in science education.

What's Happening at Old Woman Creek

Canoe Tours and Nature Art Classes on the Calendar at Old Woman Creek
Free Educational Programs Offered April through October

HURON, OH - Ohioans are invited to explore a unique, protected Lake Erie estuary through free educational programs at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife's Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve, 2514 Cleveland Road East in Huron.

Programs include guided hikes, canoe tours, nature art classes, a seminar on invasive species, and hands-on rain garden and rain barrel workshops, which help protect streams and Lake Erie by dealing with storm-water run off at home.

Events are scheduled to begin April 4 and end October 21. For a complete program schedule and details, visit oldwomancreek.org and click on "Events."

Estuaries such as Old Woman Creek protect Lake Erie by removing pollutants from streams and rivers. Estuaries also benefit coastal communities by buffering against floods and erosion.

Serving as nurseries and homes to a wide variety of wildlife, estuaries are important to the environment and economy. Recreational fishing in the Ohio waters of Lake Erie contributes more than $300 million to the state's economy each year. Wildlife watchers spend about one billion dollars annually statewide.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

Early Childhood Education

Spring is getting closer and soon it will be time to start taking your kids outside more and more! I can't wait to get my daughter out in the stroller or the front carrier on a hike. I'm very fortunate in that her daycare takes the kids outside on any day that is 25 degrees or higher and pleasant. So, she'll get to go out a lot during her time there.

What are some ways that day cares and other early childhood care providers could get their students outside more often? What activities could they do? If you have some suggestions or know of any activities that you've used that have worked well with kids in day care, preschool or after school care, please post them here. We'd love to hear what you've done!

Also, the National Project WILD office is in the midst of field testing activities for its upcoming Early Childhood Supplement to Project WILD. This new booklet will contain over 20 activities geared to pre-K thru 2nd grade. Some are modifications of existing activities, others are completely new activities. Some Ohio facilitators and teachers are participating in the field testing and we look forward to the release of this new guide.

Welcome!

Welcome to the first ever Ohio Wildlife Education blog! Here you'll find up to date information on professional development opportunities, activity ideas, and more.

If you'd like me to post something to share, feel free to email me. Also, be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed so you'll know when to check for new information. I'll try to post at least once a month, sometimes more at certain times of the year.

Meanwhile, get outside and enjoy the outdoors!

Jen