On Friday, April 27th, over eighty middle and high school students from across the state of Minnesota gathered at the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus for the YEA! MN Student Sustainability Summit.  The energy, maturity, and inquisitiveness the students brought to the event was inspiring.  I felt extremely privileged to be working with and getting to know these brilliant future leaders of Minnesota!

Happy Spring! As many of you plan action projects this spring, share your plans with us! As always, feel free to contact us with any questions.

New City School submitted this creative PSA for the Parks Climate Challenge:

Last week, the first White House Summit on Environmental Education was held. Read Richard Louv's reflections on this event and the importance of environmental literacy.

There have been various phenological indicators of this year's early spring in Minnesota such as the early return of loons. There has also been recent writing about examples of phenological changes in Concord, Massachusetts that have been documented thanks to the early phenology records in Thoreau's journals. Bring your students outside to document changes of their own! Another benefit to taking your students outside is the link between physical activity and improved academic performance that is being shown in recent research. As we are enjoying this beautiful spring season, take your students outside to connect with their place and post their observations and journal entries to the Minnesota's Changing Climate online classroom. We love seeing your students' excellent work!

Happy National Park Week-especially to our Parks Climate Challenge cohort!

Kristen and Ann

Featured Resource

Weather Underground launched a great new page on climate change. This site presents climate data in an accessible way and also features local climate data for students to explore.

Professional Development Opportunities

Interested in joining a virtual climate change education book club mostly focused on young adult fiction? Find out more. You will have to register to the ICEE forum if you would like to join the conversation!

Classroom Earth is offering professional development grants for a six week online course on wildlife conservation with the Wildlife Conservation Society. Application Deadline: April 30

The National Environmental Education Foundation is accepting applications for the Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award. The 2012 award will go to an outstanding high school teacher who successfully integrates environmental education into their curriculum and engages students in interdisciplinary solutions to environmental challenges. Nominate a colleague or yourself. Application Deadline: June 8

Apply to the National Science Teachers Assocation's New Science Teacher Academy. Application Deadline: July 1

Exciting news!  The Minnesota's Changing Climate Project- which includes all of the great work you have been doing, has beennominated for a Minnesota Environmental Initiative Award.  Winners will announced at an event on May 24.  More info.

We have confirmed that Eugenie Scott,the Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education(NCSE), will be speaking on Climate Science in Schools: the Next Evolution, at our free public forum held the evening of August 6th at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Cowles Auditorium, with Will Steger. Moderated by Steve Kelley. 

For the past 30 years NCSE has primarily focused on defending the teaching of evolution in the classroom. In 2012, in response to complaints from teachers that they were coming under fire for teaching global warming and other climate change concepts, NCSE decided to support the teaching of climate change in addition to evolution.  The work of NCSE is clearly important, especially after yesterday's passage of a bill in Tennessee that allows teachers to teach that the science and issue of climate change has "two sides."  More info. 

Friday, April 27th 8:30-2:30 PM
University of MN St Paul Campus

This free event will feature keynote speaker Will Steger and a series of exciting youth led workshops related to environmental sustainability and climate change solutions.

Register Today…