The Mojave Environmental Education Consortium is pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for (10) Grade K-12 teachers to receive a full scholarship to attend a two-day “place-based” outdoor workshop, Saturday, November 6, 2010 & Sunday November 7, 2010. This workshop is funded by the a grant from the Boeing Company.

Teachers will stay in a private residence at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, and will work directly in the field with wildlife biologist/photographer David Lamfrom. The workshop will demonstrate to teachers how to utilize concepts like exposition and sense of place to deepen and make richer the content of any lesson. Teachers will be instructed on, and discuss the benefits of, using digital photography, pen and ink drawing, 3-D modeling, sculpture, and other media to help students comprehend concepts and retain information by making it more personal and relevant. The workshop will take place in both Joshua Tree National Park and the Morongo Preserve over the two days. All meals, tuition, and lodging are covered, as well as a $25.00 transportation stipend. The Joshua Tree Desert Studies Workshop Scholarship announcement will go out to all teachers via email the end of September, so be sure to look for the email announcement. This is a competitive scholarship application.

“Solar Energy 101″ is a FREE two hour workshop presented by MEEC Sponsor Abengoa Solar, which will present the varieties and uses of solar energy. This will include descriptions of both PV and solar thermal systems and a special emphasis on the solar thermal power plants both in the area and planned for construction near here. This workshop is being offered on September 23, 2010, from 4:00 – 6:00PM, and is being held at the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District Office in Victorville. Seating is limited to 45. Early signup is recommended. To register for the workshop, please contact Christie Robinson, MEEC Program Specialist at (760) 245-1661 x 6101 or email: christier@mdaqmd.ca.gov

Begining in September, MEEC is offering several FREE and exciting new teacher workshops for our members in addition to our sponsor workshops. The first scheduled workshop is hosted by MEEC Sponsor Abengoa Solar. Three other workshops offered are hosted by our Boeing sponsor and will take place at different locations throughout the High Desert. A very limited, but very special, workshop will be offered in November, and will be limited to (10) teachers.

“Solar Energy 101″ is a two hour workshop presented by MEEC Sponsor Abengoa Solar, which will present the varieties and uses of solar energy. This will include descriptions of both PV and solar thermal systems and a special emphasis on the solar thermal power plants both in the area and planned for construction near here. This workshop is being offered on September 23, 2010, from 4:00 – 6:00PM, and is being held at the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District Office in Victorville. Seating is limited to 45. Early signup is recommended. To register for this workshop please contact Christie Robinson, MEEC Program Specialist at (760) 245-1661 x 6101 or email: christier@mdaqmd.ca.gov

Project Learning Tree “Energy & Society”: This fun, 3-hour workshop will provide teachers PreK-8 with new tools and activities which are designed to help you teach your students about their relationship with energy and how to investigate the environmental issues related to energy’s role in society. Each teacher that attends the workshop will receive a FREE Project Learning Tree “Society & Energy” activity kit (includes activity guide, music CD, video, and posters, valued at $40)!! PLT’s “Energy & Society” Program kit helps students develop critical thinking skills to make decisions about their personal energy use. In addition to hands-on activities, “Energy & Society” integrates music and dance to enhance the study of energy issues and correlations to the California Science Standards. Three workshops will be offered in the following areas; Antelope Valley, Morongo Basin, and Needles. Limited to (20) teachers at each workshop location. Dates to be announced.

“Clean Air” Workshops: This fun and informative workshop is a hands-on training session for teachers. The new MDAQMD “Ozi & Parti” Curriculum will be introduced. Four standards-based air quality lesson plans designed for middle through high school students will be included on a CD. Lesson objectives include understanding the density of air and the causes and effects of ozone. Students can also create their own statistics about recycling in their classroom and design ways to make a concrete contribution in the fight against air pollution. A fuel cell car kit, lab supplies, and standards-based activity lessons will also be included in the FREE $150.00 kit that each attending teacher will receive. Three workshops will be offered in the following areas; Victorville, Antelope Valley, and Barstow. Limited to (10) teachers at each workshop location. Dates to be announced.

Joshua Tree Desert Studies Workshop Scholarship. (10) Scholarships will be awarded for this two-day learning experience (Saturday 11/6 & Sunday 11/7). Teachers will stay in a private residence at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, and will work directly in the field with wildlife biologist/photographer David Lamfrom. The workshop will demonstrate to teachers how to utilize concepts like exposition and sense of place to deepen and make richer the content of any lesson. Teachers will be instructed on, and discuss the benefits of, using digital photography, pen and ink drawing, 3-D modeling, sculpture, and other media to help students comprehend concepts and retain information by making it more personal and relevant. The place-based outdoor workshop will take place in both Joshua Tree National Park and the Morongo Preserve over the two days. All meals, tuition, and lodging are covered, as well as a $25.00 transportation stipend. Scholarship announcement will go out to all teachers via email the end of September, so be sure to look for the email announcement.

For more information on any of these upcoming workshops, please contact Christie Robinson, MEEC Program Specialist at (760) 245-1661 x 6101 or email: christier@mdaqmd.ca.gov

MEEC and sponsor Mojave Desert & Mountain Recycling is pleased to be hosting a “Nike Re-Use-A-Shoe” teacher workshop in the Morongo Basin. This fascinating 2-hour workshop explores the life cycle of an athletic shoe from its construction to it’s rebirth as the surface of a tennis or basketball court, or playground safety surfacing!

Participants will learn how to bring important recycling concepts into their classrooms with a set of six lessons and pre-and post-assessment activities focusing on sustainability. Studying these concepts will allow your students to explore these perspectives and draw their own conclusions about the level of their participation in achieving these goals.

Each participant will receive a Shoe-Recycling Kit that includes end products from the recycled shoes, a video, and Teacher’s Guide. The standards-based curriculum will help students grades 4-12 become more scientifically literate and promotes responsible analysis of the world’s environmental challenges.

When: Thursday, May 20, 2010
Time: 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Where: Hi-Desert Water District, 55439 29 Palms Hwy, Yucca Valley, Ca 92284-2503
Presented By: Ro Ratliff, City of Victorville, Adm. Operations, Recycling
R.S.V.P. By: May 17th to MEEC at: (760) 245-1661 x 6101

Dear Teachers-

MEEC is pleased to announce the newest, and sadly, the last essay contest for the 2009/2010 school year. The Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District is sponsoring the essay for May, which is the National Clean Air Month. The title of the essay is “Be Air Aware”. You could go days without food and hours without water, but you would last only a few minutes without air. On average, each of us breathes over 3,000 gallons of air each day. Dif you know that breathing polluted air can make you sick? Protect yourself by checking the Air Quality Index daily to determine pollution levels and health effects.

“Air Quality Awareness Week” is May 3 -7, 2010. Encourage your students to write an essay no more than 250 words in length about why it is important to “Be Air Aware” (for more information visit www.epz.gov/airnow/).

A copy of the flyer may be downloaded here: MDAQMD Essay flyer 2010

Deadline for essay submissions is May 20, 2010 at 5:00 PM. Submissions may be mailed or delivered to: MEEC, 14306 Park Ave, Victorville, Ca 92392 or faxed to: Attn: Christie Robinson, (760) 241-6271

Winners will be notified by phone and invited to attend the MDAQMD Essay Contest Awards Presentation and all winners and their families will be treated to a special tour of the MDAQMD and its Clean Power Education Center!

It’s been a great year with hundreds of wonderful essays submitted by your students. Thank you for encouraging them to learn more about protecting their environment by researching and composing these essays.

The fourth 2010 MEEC essay contest challenges students in grades K-12 to tell us in 250 words or less “What effect does a healthy forest have on our earth?” Forests serve many functions. Forests renew the oxygen supply in the atmosphere by absorbing atmospheric CO2 and releasing oxygen back into the air, thus moderating the greenhouse effect. Healthy forests provide an environment for many species of plants and animals, thus protecting and sustaining the diversity of nature. These are just some of the things that a healthy forest provides our planet with. For more ideas and information about healthy forests, go to: “Library” or “Environment”

There are FIVE PRIZE CATEGORIES:
Kindergarten Grades 1-2 Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12
First, second, and third place winners will be awarded in each category. First place winners will receive $50; second place winners will receive $25; and third place winners will receive $15. Kindergarten winners only will receive a $10 award.

All essays submitted must contain the author’s grade, school and home phone number to be considered. Essay deadline for submission is April 9th at 5:00 PM. Submissions may be mailed or delivered to: MEEC, 14306 Park Ave, Victorville, CA 92392.

Winners will be notified by phone and invited to attend the Award Ceremony presentation at 4:30PM on April 21st at the Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District Office in Lancaster. Boeing will also present a special award recognition to all winners. For further information, please call Christie Robinson, MEEC Program Specialist, at: (760) 245-1661 ext 6101/

All submissions become the property of MEEC and the Boeing Company.

Aquarium of the Pacific Aquatic Academy Spring Course 2010 “STUMBLING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY”
(CEU Credit Available) April 21, 28, May 5 and 18

Sustainability and greening have become buzz words for strategies we must adapt to ensure that planet Earth will continue to have the qualities necessary to support human life. Unfortunately, some issues have become stumbling blocks on the road to sustainability. In this four week course, we will examine a number of them including:

Nuclear energy: an important place in the portfolio of non-fossil fuels or a threat to human health?
Cities: a burden on the environment or a green way to live?
Genetically-engineered crops: the work of the devil or a way to increase productivity, save land area for nature, and reduce use of pesticides and herbicides?
Ocean aquaculture (mariculture): needed to meet demand and protect wild fish stocks, or a threat to the ocean?

We invite you to join us in the exploration with experts of a set of controversial strategies that will be important either in facilitating or impeding our quest to achieve sustainability.

Speakers include Dr. Jerry R. Schubel, President and CEO, Aquarium of the Pacific; Joseph Wambold, energy consultant; Ed Feo, partner and head of Renewable Energy Practice at Milbank; Dr. Margaret Leinen, president and CEO, Climate Response Fund; Russ Parsons, LA Times columnist; David Anderson and Andrew Gruel, Seafood for the Future; Randall Crane, professor UCLA School of Public Affairs and Institute of the Environment.

When: 7:00-9:30 p.m., April 21, 28 and May 5 and 18, 2010
Cost: $50/members, $60/public and $10 extra for CEU credit
Where: Watershed Classroom, Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802
Free Parking at Pierpoint Landing lot after 6:30 p.m.

Course flyer is attached. Aquarium of the Pacific Stumbling Torward Sustainability

To register, please contact: Erin Russell at 562-951-1609, erussell@lbaop.org

Key Issues: Bringing Environmental Issues to the Classroom is a national teacher training Institute that provides middle school educators with the process, skills and confidence to investigate current environmental issues with their students using The Keystone Center’s non-biased framework.

Apply today for one of seven teacher scholarships to attend the “Key Issues” training session in beautiful Silverthorne, Colorado this summer! During the week-long training, selected High Desert teachers will gain the skills and confidence to explore local and global environmental issues with their students using a non-biased, standards-based framework. Scholarship covers full cost of instruction, curriculum, airfare, lodging and meals. Awardees may select to attend one of three sessions held between June 22 and August 8, 2010. DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING APPLICATION PACKAGES IS APRIL 22, 2010. To download an application packageclick here: 2010 Application < Components of the Key Issues Institute

Simulation
Using a simulated issue allows educators to paracticet he step of investigation. From issue identification to potential solutions and implementation, each step of the Framework is actively modeled.

Local Issue
Participants explore a local environmental issue as an example of how they can imvolve their students in an issue investigation in their community.

Small Group Explorations
During the week-long session, teachers are grouped in grade leverl-subject area configurations to discuss an explore ways to adapt Key Issues lessons to better address issues with their students.

For more information about this program contact MEEC Program Specialist Christie Robinson at 760.245.1661 ext. 6101.