Posted on February 16th, 2017 by Mary Lord
No two snowflakes are alike, right? We know this thanks to a Jericho, Vermont, farm boy and citizen engineer named Wilson A. Bentley, who adapted a microscope to a camera and spent 40 years capturing thousands of unique images.
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Filed under: Class Activities, Special Features | Comments Off on Snowflake Chronicler
Tags: Environmental Engineering, Environmental science, Science of Snow, Smithsonian, snowflake, University of Utah, Web Resources, William Snowflake Bentley
Posted on February 16th, 2017 by Mary Lord
When Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake in 2010, Notre Dame engineering researchers created an online system that let students review hundreds of photos and reliably classify the structural damage. The effort is just one example of how “citizen engineers” and “citizen scientists” are advancing research in areas from astronomy to air pollution to penguins. Even snowflakes!
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Filed under: Special Features | Comments Off on Citizen Engineers
Tags: Bumpass Cove, citizen engineering, Citizen Science, crowdsourcing, Environmental science, Flint water crisis, Great Backyard Bird Count, NASA GLOBE Observer app, Notre Dame. Haiti earthquake, RoboSub, UAV, Virginia Tech
Posted on February 4th, 2017 by ASEE
Students in grades 5-9 learn about urban planning as they assess the environmental health of their community, taking a walk around their neighborhood. They construct a map that identifies both positive and negative features and then recommend improvements.
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Filed under: Grades 6-8, Grades K-5, Lesson Plans | Comments Off on Lesson: Map the Green Space
Tags: Community Awareness, ELA, Engineering Design, Environmental Engineering, Environmental science, Grades 5-9, Grades 6-8, Lesson Plan, literacy
Posted on November 23rd, 2016 by Mary Lord
In this three-part activity, students in grades 5 to 7 act as agricultural engineers, learning about and testing the effectiveness of a sustainable pest-control technique that uses organic waste and sunlight rather than toxic chemicals to reduce weeds.
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Filed under: Class Activities, Grades 6-8, Grades 6-8, Grades K-5, Lesson Plans | Comments Off on Soil Biosolarization: Sustainable Weed Killer
Tags: Agricultural Engineering, biosolarization, Class Activities, Environmental science, farming, Grades 6-8, Grades K-5, growing, soil, sustainable agriculture
Posted on April 21st, 2016 by Mary Lord
The world wastes 1.4 billion tons of food annually, with the average American chucking out 250 pounds’ worth. Designers, engineers, and even restaurants are shrinking that global garbage heap with innovations ranging from “smart” food packaging to urban composting.
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Filed under: Special Features | Comments Off on Hidden Wealth in Food Waste?
Tags: biogas, composting, Environmental Engineering, Environmental science, food, food processing, garbage, industrial design, Sustainability, Trash, waste
Posted on March 31st, 2016 by Mary Lord
Whether it’s a school garden or national park, the natural world offers a great way to encourage inquiry and STEM learning. To support the integration of Greening STEM into current or new programs, the National Environmental Education Foundation is offering grants of up to $1,000 to teachers, after-school programs, and nature organizations. Apply by April 5, 2016.
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Filed under: For Teachers, K-12 Outreach Programs, Special Features | Comments Off on Greening STEM Grants for Educators
Tags: after-school program, Contest, Environmental Engineering, Environmental science, funding, grants, National Environmental Education Foundation, Programs for Teachers, STEM education
Posted on November 24th, 2015 by Mary Lord
Are you passionate about the environment and between the ages of 15 and 22? EarthEcho International, a nonprofit environmental education group founded by the grandchildren of legendary underwater explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau, seeks 15 individuals to serve on its first Youth Leadership Council. Apply by December 31, 2015.
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Filed under: K-12 Outreach Programs, Special Features | Comments Off on Environmental Youth Leadership Council Forming
Tags: EarthEcho International, Environmental Engineering, Environmental science, Grades 9-12, hands-on learning, leadership, Programs for Students, youth advisory council
Posted on October 29th, 2015 by Mary Lord
From weather patterns and food supplies to society’s daily electricity needs, energy drives everything. The U.S. Department of Energy’s new energy literacy video series highlights the seven principles that demonstrate energy’s role across the natural and social sciences, and is part of a broader set of education resources, lessons, and activities maintained by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
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Filed under: K-12 Outreach Programs, Web Resources | Comments Off on Energy Literacy Videos
Tags: Alternative Energy, Class Activities, Energy, Environmental science, Internet Resources, Sustainability, U.S. Department of Energy, Web Resources
Posted on June 27th, 2015 by Mary Lord
From tidal curiosities and solar flares to bad weather jokes, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s SciJinks website offers a wealth of resources for learning and teaching about Earth’s climate and geography.
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Filed under: K-12 Outreach Programs, Special Features, Web Resources | Comments Off on SciJinks for Kids: Wild Weather
Tags: clouds, Environmental science, games, hurricanes, Internet Resources, JPL, NASA, NOAA, Resources for Teachers, Satellite, Space, Tornadoes, Weather, Web Resources