Welcome to SY 24/25!!
Hey People!
What a lovely summer...clear air, sunny days, hands in the soil...sigh....my sensory memory bank is brimming! As you begin SY 24/25, try to hold onto a little summer in your mind to call on as you get into the thick of as the year unfolds around us.
I am looking forward to working with you ALL this year. Say 'hi' as you see me bopping around your buildings this month checking in with the varying projects our program provides in our district.
Best wishes,
Tana aka Eco Chick
In this issue:
Get 'em Outside!
Outdoor Learning School and Store free webinar series
Resources and Ideas
Get Outside-Living River Exploration at Green Island
September Environmental Focus "Good Clean Fun"
Climate Action Week
Join Eugene 4J for the McKenzie River Clean Up Day September 29th
Climate Education Resources
- Join the Oregon Climate Education Thought Leaders Group
NEA Micro-credential-Climate Change and Environmental Justice
Fall with the 4J/EWEB Education Partnership (4J/EEP)
4J Loves Food, not Waste-A Systematic Approach
Link to past newsletters
Get 'em Outside!!
In the 1980's EO Wilson coined the term biophilia: that humans are instinctively drawn towards their natural surroundings. Our students are showing us with their "behavior and apathy", that they are ready to connect with our dear Mother Nature. Getting students outside this spring could very well be one of the top priorities for all educators. A core routine, even.
Getting outside provides more than a fun break for youth. It is also good for their physical and mental health and development. Being outside builds confidence, promotes creativity and imagination, teaches responsibility, provides different stimulation, makes one think, and reduces stress and fatigue. It can reduce the negative affects of screen time!
Building a routine around outdoor learning can have it's challenges, but I will tell you from experience-it is WELL worth it. In my 5th grade class at Chávez Elementary, we had clipboards, pencil boxes and book boxes-all mobile and at the ready, just in case the weather called to us to do our free write out, partner read or complete an observation out in the courtyard space. We had "assigned" sit spots and took time every week rain or shine to check in on our micro-ecosystems. Often directions would be delivered indoors to take the "work" outside-then I could wander between the students, helping, just as I did indoors. It is a shift, but I found that my students would work in earnest just for the opportunity to go outside for a 5 minute swallow watching break, laying on their backs taking in the marvel of their flight. Sigh-it was magic.
If you'd like support getting your students outdoors this fall, I would love to work with you. Feel free to email shepard_t@4j.lane.edu to set up a consultation.
Book: Richard Louv Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder
Article: Healthy Children.org Playing Outside-Why It's important
Article: Child Mind Institute Why Kids Need to Spend Time in Nature
Article:Science Daily Getting Kids Outside can reduce the Negative Effects of Screen Time
Free Outdoor Learning Seasonal Virtual Workshops!
A great variety of topics, including: Land based Learning and Reconciliation, Nature journaling, climate connections for outdoor learning and MORE! Begins September 17 and goes through November!
Offered in partnership with Take Me Outside and our Outdoor Learning Partners!
- Registration is FREE and there will be plenty of draw prizes for attendees!
- All registrants will receive a discount code to access outdoor learning resources when they register
- All Virtual Workshops are 60 minutes and will take place at 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern
- For those who can’t attend live these will each be recorded and all registrants will be emailed with the link to the recording
- Following the workshop, participants will receive a link to access a Certificate of Attendance
Get Outside!
McKenzie River Trust's Living River Exploration Days at Green Island
2nd Saturday of the Month, March - December
Take a walk near the place the Willamette and the McKenzie Rivers meet. Observe 15 years of tree-planting work on Green Island, a habitat for beaver, river otter, and over 150 species of birds. If you’re looking for a special place to connect to nature this year, join in the fun on the second Saturday’s, March through December, and explore the Living Rivers in your backyard!
September Environmental Focus "Good Clean Fun"
What would happen if every person picked up at least one piece of trash?
September is a great time to get your students outside to take action for the planet. Let's clean her up! Below is a list of some of the September environmental recognition days. Litter pick-ups are a great way to connect students to the environment....and collect data using the Litterati app.
Zero Emissions Day 9/21
World Rivers Day 9/22
Choose a date and reserve the 4J/EEP litter pick-up kit. Our staff would love to join you!
Climate Action Week September 23-27
It's been thirteen years since local climate activist, Kelsey Juliana first started her legal advocacy for limiting climate change. It's been six years since Greta Thunberg skipped school and protested against climate change. These actions, among others taken by youth, have spurred quite a movement.
Striking isn't the only way for us to stand up for the planet...let's think outside the box to give students time to share their voices for our dearly beloved, Mother Earth.
Consider some of these options:
- UN: Transforming Climate Issues into Action
- Do One Thing DOT mural
- Lunch time Climate March around your school grounds or the 10 block allowed walking distance
- Gather at the flag pole and recite the Earth Pledge
- Climate Strike and Art Activism activity
- Write to a local or national leader , How to...
- Digital "strike"
- Have an idea? Please share.
Please share your projects with us! 🌎🌏🌍
Join Eugene 4J for McKenzie River Clean Up day
Please help make this the great event it has always been: an annual partnership in renewing and preserving the beauty of the McKenzie. Clean up will take place from 9am-12pm followed by a BBQ at Hendricks Bridge County Park from 12-2 pm. Cleanup supplies (Trash bags, trash grabbers, gloves) can be picked up on the day of the event or at the McKenzie Watershed Council office (175 W B St, Suite D, Springfield, OR) on the days leading up to the event.
This year’s cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, September 28th.
Eugene 4J is signed up for the Hendricks Bridge Park Land Pick up. More info soon!
Stormwater Awareness Week September 23-27th
Stormwater Awareness week takes place every year in the fall. This year it is September 23-27th. You are the voice of stormwater! Tell your story. Share your voice.
SPLASH! offers grants of $500-$1000 available for teachers that participate in Salmon Education and/or use the SPLASH! resources to teach their students.
Check out SPLASH! site for resources.
Look for more info about SPLASH! grant applications via email soon.
Subject to Climate
In addition, they have free asynchronous training modules available. I had the opportunity to try them out last summer and recommend them to anyone interested in integrating climate change into their subject matter. These modules highlight climate change explained, teaching tips and lessons. And, it is FREE!
Take a moment to check out the links included-it will be well worth your time.
STEM teaching tools Climate Education
Check it out!
Join us on the third Thursday of each month!
You are invited to join the Oregon Climate Education Thought Leaders Committee to:
Build a community that empowers educators to teach and learn about climate change
Help shape and grow the Oregon Climate Education Hub by sharing resources and providing feedback so that it remains relevant to Oregon educators
Identify ways to collaborate to spread awareness of these resources in a way that grows all stakeholders’ work
Register in advance for this meeting by filling out this Google Form.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting (a Zoom link and Google Calendar Invite).
Background
To support Oregon classroom teachers across all grade levels and subjects, Oregon Educators for Climate Education partnered with SubjectToClimate to create the Oregon Climate Education Hub, which launched on August 29, 2023. The Oregon Climate Education Hub (www.oregonclimateeducation.org) is an online website that provides Oregon educators with comprehensive resources to integrate climate change across all grade levels and subjects.
About the Advisory Committee
Our aim is to create a community of practice toward the goal of making it easier for Oregon educators of all grade levels and subjects to integrate climate change education into their existing lessons and teaching practices so their students will have access to powerful climate education throughout their lives.
Description
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing our planet today and is already having a significant impact on the environment and the lives of educators and students. As the impacts of climate change will continue to have more severe consequences in the future for generations to come – particularly on communities of color and under-resourced communities – educators play a critical role in preparing students to understand the impact of climate change and prepare them to think critically and creatively to work toward solving this evolving problem. This stack of micro-credentials will help you gain the knowledge and skills you need to effectively understand how climate change impacts school communities and how to equip yourself, your colleagues, and your students with the tools to help move toward environmental justice for all.
What You'll Learn
In this stack of micro-credentials you will gain awareness of the impacts of climate change, how climate change is an equity issue, what it means to adapt and mitigate climate change, how to engage the community in finding solutions for climate change and strategies to teach climate change to your students.
Who Should Apply
- All Educators
As you start wrapping your head around school year 24/25, I'd like to remind you the 4J/EWEB Education Partnership Program is here to support you and your students!
The 4J/EWEB Education Partnership (4J/EEP) is a grant funded program within Eugene School District 4J. About 30 or so years ago, this phenomenal partnership was formed to support and supplement science education, particularly in the areas of energy and water. Prior to the pandemic, the program was slightly revisioned with the theme: Our Changing Planet-Preparing for Our Future.
Check out our website's teacher page for program offerings. (Note: updates always in progress)
Reach out with questions. shepard_t@4j.lane.edu
Salmon Education
We have space for up to 60 classrooms to raise salmon in their classrooms with the ODFW Fish Eggs to Fry program, a priority to third and fourth grade. If you are new to 4J, check in with your team/building leadership to find out which grade level participates in your setting.
We are so excited to work with teachers and students from late October to winter break raising salmon in your classrooms and releasing them into the "wild". A teacher training is provided the first week in October.
This experience is has great science and social studies connections with Tribal History, Shared History and the NGSS standards, especially 3rd and 4th grade.
No Time to Waste
Understanding the value of natural resources, what they and and where they come from, as well as how to conserve, protect and regenerate them is important knowledge to carry forward as humans sharing planet Earth.
Schedule a classroom visit with Eco Chick. We will work with you to streamline the visit to your teaching needs. Visits typically include a story, information and an activity.
4J Climate Justice
(photo: 4J CJT students presenting to the school board last June)
Interested in starting a "Green" Team" in your building this year? Need a little help with how to get started?
We're here for you!
Set up an initial consultation and we will work together to get a team going at your site.
This year Eugene 4J will continue our carbon reduction efforts with the 4J Loves Food Not Waste Plan in ALL kitchens and ALL cafeterias across the district. The plan is part of our Climate Action Plan partnership with the City of Eugene and our shift to in-house cooking in 4J Nutrition Services prior to Covid closures.
Understanding the value of food and where it comes from, as well as how to dispose of your meal remains is important knowledge to carry forward as humans on planet Earth.
Check out the Love Food Not Waste Resources for information about the plan and some resources to help you help your students understand this shift in their cafeteria experience.
24/25 Elementary Love Food Not Waste Resources
24/25 Secondary Love Food Not Waste Resources
Be a Waste Warrior-K-12 lessons (by grade band), activities, and resources to teach the planetary impact of what we eat and what we throw away. WWF Food Waste Warrior FREE!!
4J/EWEB Education Partnership
TOSA-Climate, Energy, Conservation
Grant Coordinator-EWEB, SPLASH!, Love Food Not Waste
Email: shepard_t@4j.lane.edu
Website: https://bit.ly/4J-eep
Phone: 541.790.5533