Summer Teachers Institute 2016

2016 Summer Teacher Institute

Oceans: Sea Level Rise & Ocean Acidification

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge – June 27, 28, 29 2016

Day 1

Guest Presenters:

Team Building & Improv in the Classroom (*resources coming soon!)– Katherine Billings

NOAA Resources and the Next Generation Science Standards         

Climate Change – Lessons and Resources

Communicating Climate Change to Millennials

Sightline Flashcards

Climate Change for Elementary: 

Climate Change for Middle School and High School: Alicia Keefe, Education and Outreach Coordinator, NOAA shared a great presentation that summarizes all of the resources below and includes great lessons and activities for you and your students!

    • Climate Change: Connections and Solutions from Facing the Future
      • Climate.Gov – NOAA’s website for “science and information for a climate smart nation”, which includes many teaching resources! 
      • National Climate Assessment – A summary of climate impacts in the US, now and in the future.
      • Global Change – reports, assessments, graphics, visualizations, and indicators of climate change (new!). Plus, find special collections of resources related to climate change adaptation, education, coastal resilience, and impacts on health. 
      • Climate Voices – The Climate Voices network brings non-partisan conversations about the research findings of the majority of climate scientists to citizens across the United States and Puerto Rico.
      • Young Voices for the Planet – The Young Voices for the Planet films allow youth voices to be heard. Seeing what others have accomplished will inspire and empower you!
      • Climate Voices Podcast – Climate change is the defining challenge of our time but it’s also dizzyingly complex. In this podcast we try and break it down to a more human scale.
      • Alliance for Climate Education – Alliance for Climate Education’s mission is to educate young people on the science of climate change and empower them to take action. By empowering youth to take action with a frame of justice and optimism, they are shifting the national discourse on climate in ways that are proven to affect public opinion and policy.
      • Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) A collection of 600+ ready-to-use resources rigorously reviewed by educators and scientists for secondary through higher ed classrooms.
      • NASA Climate Change Curriculum – The lessons featured on this page provide a few possible ideas for climate change related studies using MY NASA DATA.
      • Yes! Magazine – Today’s world is not the one we want—climate change, financial collapse, poverty, and war leave many feeling overwhelmed and hopeless. YES! Magazine empowers people with the vision and tools to create a healthy planet and vibrant communities.
      • Story of Stuff – We have a problem with Stuff. We use too much, too much of it is toxic and we don’t share it very well. But that’s not the way things have to be. Together, we can build a society based on better not more, sharing not selfishness, community not division.
      • 7 Billion Others– 6,000 interviews were filmed in 84 countries by about twenty directors who went in search of the Others. From a Brazilian fisherman to a Chinese shopkeeper, from a German performer to an Afghan farmer, all answered the same questions about their fears, dreams, ordeals, hopes.
      • Climate Voices – The Climate Voices network brings non-partisan conversations about the research findings of the majority of climate scientists to citizens across the United States

Ocean  Acidification  – Lessons and Resources

Featured Resource: Sightline Flashcards – Climate Science in 4 Pictures

Ocean Acidification for Elementary: Acids, Bases, and Shell Building Races, Aimee Christy and

Mary Middleton, Pacific Shellfish Institute

Ocean Acidification for Middle/High School, Visitor Center Auditorium, Heidi Kirk, Science

Teacher, SCUBA Diver, Pyrotechnician, Olympia High School

    • Demo with dry ice and Bromothymol Blue
    • Data analysis worksheet
    • Video/powerpoint from Meg C. (3:30 min)
    • Drop chalk in vinegar to show what happens to calcium carbonate in acidic environments
    • Demo regarding gas solubility and temp
    • Upwelling video (2 min)
    • Seattle Times video (9 min)
    • Breath hold demo

 Sea Level Rise – Lessons and Resources

Featured Resources:

  • Sea Level Rise Viewer – NOAA’s interactive map let’s you visualize Sea Level Rise +1-5ft around the country!
  • Sea Level Quiz – NASA’s on-line quiz for Sea Level Rise basics with great visuals!

Sea Level Rise for Elementary

Sea Level Rise for Middle School

Sea Level Rise for High School:

    • Resilient Cities- Climate change uncertainty and coastal impacts game. This game will be available very soon at games.noaa.gov.

 Day 2

Site Visits:

Day 3

NOAA Resource- essays written about climate change by 5th graders

Success Stories from the Region

Action Projects for Community Resiliency

    • “Do One Thing”  – Students record their own video to declare what actions they will take for #climatechange! 

 Action Through Art

OSPI’s Environmental and Sustainability Standards- These standards describe what all students should know and be able to do in the area of Environmental and Sustainability Education. Consistent with the intent of the law governing environmental education in Washington state (WAC 392-410-115), these standards are intended to be integrated into core content areas and across all grade levels. The Integrated Environmental and Sustainability Standards were updated to reflect the adoption of new science, ELA and Math Standards.

Tend, Gather and Grow Curriculum – Elise Krohn, Herbalist and Wild Foods Educator, Center for World Indigenous Studies Fellow and Charlie SittingBull, Science Teacher, Salish Middle School 

Mindfulness in Schools – Katy Lehman, Counselor, Aspire Middle School Carol Kochta, Counselor, Horizons Elementary; Pam Turlove, Counselor, Lakes Elementary North Thurston Public Schools.  What are the benefits of practicing mindfulness for ourselves and our students?  Neuroscience research shows that by practicing mindfulness, we can manage our nervous system, lower stress levels, practice compassion and focus awareness- and help our students to do so, as well!

Here are various mindfulness exercises inside the classroom and outdoors in nature.

Mindfulness Menu of Ideas_Page_1 Mindfulness Menu of Ideas_Page_2