HELPFUL RESOURCES

Below are resources that may be helpful both in and out of the classroom or field:

Montana Educational Trunk List
A comprehensive list of educational trunks available in Montana. Compiled in 2007 (currently being updated and revised).

i-Tree Lite Learning Lab (curriculum by US Forest Service)
In this activity, students will discover the benefits of the urban forest around them.
They will take an inventory of trees growing on their school-grounds and calculate
the environmental benefits provided by those the trees. Learn more.

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has teamed up with the newly released film Where the Wild Things Are, to launch Be Out There™, a national campaign to get families and kids to spend daily time outdoors to connect with the natural world. Explore ideas for wild outdoor fun, download the Where The Wild Things Are poster and activity guides, learn ways to find amazing wild creatures, build a fort, and more. Learn More


For over two decades Acorn Naturalists has provided educational resources for science teachers, outdoor educators, naturalists and interpreters. Connecting students with their environment through relevant, thought-provoking, inquiry-oriented activities provides a multitude of benefits. Research has shown that increased contact with the natural world also encourages inquisitive behavior, thus nurturing the next generation of innovators and scientists.

From creative, hands-on kits to field observation equipment, animal skull, scat and track replicas, optical supplies, activity guides, innovative curricula and DVDs, Acorn Naturalists offers an exemplary collection of New Resources for the Trail and Classroom®.


NAAEE Evaluating Your EE Programs: A Workbook for PractitionersNew NAAEE Publication to Help You Evaluate Your EE Programs
By Julie A. Ernst, Martha C. Monroe, and Bora Simmons.
Want to evaluate your EE program, but unsure where to begin? NAAEE has a new resource to help you. Evaluating Your Environmental Education Programs: A Workbook for Practitioners walks you through how to design and conduct an evaluation. Throughout the workbook, 23 exercises ask you to check your understanding (the answers are included). In addition, 47 application exercises point you to tasks that will help you develop your own evaluation. A liberal use of case studies and examples illustrate the concepts in each chapter, and over 45 figures and tables provide graphic representations for visual learners. A case study of one program demonstrates how to use each chapter to conduct an evaluation. NAAEE members can purchase this publication at the discounted rate of $20! Learn More


EETAP Releases New Study: Issues Associated with Nonformal Environmental Education Certification
This study gauged the interest among nonformal environmental educators, their employers, and college/university trainers in certification, the various dimensions of value which they ascribe to certification, and their thoughts about how it might best be implemented. Questions regarding the likelihood of seeking certification, the level of support for developing certification programs, and degree of influence certification might have on hiring practices guided the study. Four populations of respondents were surveyed: nonformal EE practitioners, NAAEE affiliate liaisons, employers of nonformal environmental educators, and college/university faculty. Findings suggest that support for certification varies among these populations. The report identifies six recommendations and details suggested steps to help stakeholders advance development and implementation of state environmental educator certification programs. The study also suggests that certification programs should be considered in the larger and more strategic context of state capacity building. The study was conducted by the Environmental Education Association of Oregon. To read or download the study visit:  http://eetap.org/html/new_reports.php

 

Writing Successful Appeals: A 12-Step Program
Written for The Brainerd Foundation by Ellis M.M. Robinson
Author of The Nonprofit Membership Toolkit published by Jossey-Bass

 

US Fish and Wildlife News: Special Issue - children and nature

US Fish & Wildlife News: A Special Issue on children and nature. Editor’s note: Connecting children with nature is a theme that clearly resonates with Service employees. We received about 100 submissions for this special issue from all regions and nearly every Service program. To accommodate the high volume of stories, we have added a regular section called Around the Service that
highlights events, programs and activities in all Service regions. Stories that did not make it into the print edition eventually will be included in an online version of Fish & Wildlife News, which is
currently under development.

 

Nature Rocks: This site will help you find all sorts of nature activities, plus tools to help guide and plan your adventures. You’ll also find useful tips and information to help you get into nature without getting over your head. It's fast and easy so you can shut your computer down quickly, open up that door and be on your way in as little as 5 minutes. Nature is closer than you think!

 

Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature: For Kids of all Ages and their Mentors
The new book from Wilderness Awareness School "Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature: For Kids of All Ages and their Mentors", is the product of 25 years of experience with thousands of students in nature. Coyote's Guide shares a teaching model that guides parents, teachers and outdoor leaders to share the wonder of nature with kids and adults. It helps address the rapidly shrinking amount of time that today's kids spend outdoors, and provides an opportunity for kids to rediscover nature play as a source of exercise, creativity and joy. For more information, visit Wilderness Awareness School.

 

 

 

Easy-to-Use Climate Change Action Projects for K-12 Students
Facing the Future has released a comprehensive service-learning resource for climate change. The Climate Change Action Project Database includes more than 25 ready-to-use action projects that will prepare students to understand and take action on climate change. The online database provides:

  • Meaningful projects to fulfill graduation requirements

  • Ideas for transforming classroom learning on into action

  • Project details and contact information needed to get started

  • Options for projects that take place both on and off school grounds

Thanks to funding from the McKibben Merner Family Foundation, these service-learning projects are accessible free. Click Here

 

 

If you have resources to share, please email Frances Graham.