We are happy to announce that Minnesota's Changing Climate received the Environmental Education Award at the 2012 Environmental Initiative Awards! Thanks to all of our partners who made this work possible!

As the school year is winding down and you are looking back on all you have accomplished this year, please share your thoughts on Minnesota's Changing Climate with us by taking our brief survey. This is your last chance to share feedback before the new edition is finalized. Thank you so much to those who have already shared their thoughts!

The first public draft of the Next Generation Science Standards became available last week and we were happy to see the inclusion of climate change as a core idea. Read more.

Duluth News Tribune published Kristen Poppleton's response to Congressman Chip Cravaack's amendment to cut funding for the National Science Foundation's Climate Change Education Program.

Thanks for all your great work!

Kristen and Ann

Featured Resources

The Natural Resources Defense Council has a great resource that examines what states are doing to prepare for climate change impacts on water resources and what risks they face.

Read this excellent article on the signifcant impact of climate change on moose in Minnesota's coniferous biome.

Upcoming Event

The White House is hosting a Community Partnership Summit in Minneapolis on June 8, and there will be a Clean Air, Climate and Health roundtable event at the summit.

Professional Development Opportunities

Start your summer reading with the Not-So-Serious Book Club:

You are invited to discuss Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd online June 1, Friday 2:30 CT.

The Carbon Diaries 2015 is a story told through the eyes of a teen punk rock guitarist girl. The UK is the first to ration carbon emissions, and society is turned upside down. It's a quick read, maybe a good way to relieve your mind of end-of-semester woes. if you can, please share thoughts on the ICEE forum - even if you do not have time to read the book this is a great way to learn about this Young Adult Fiction book. You may view and post here and log into the meeting space here. Enter as a guest-you don't need a login and password. You will get a free conference call number next week and it will be on the meeting space as you come in. Join here.

Take the time to share information about the 2012 Summer Institute with any of your colleagues who may be interested. Check out the great representation we already have on the map of schools registered for the 2012 Summer Institute. Let's get even more!

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week and many thanks to all of you for doing the great work that you do! We loved this observation describing the Spring posted to the online classroom today from Nikolaus at Great River School.

He titled it, There Is Life Among Us.

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. 

It is hard not to notice the unusually warm weather that hit Minnesota in the last few weeks, following what we like to call, "the winter that never was."  There has been some pretty
interesting coverage that highlight these anomalies.

Climate Central's interactive map shows how early spring has arrived around the country

Spring is finally upon us! It's a perfect time to get your class outside with their journals and make some observations as Minnesota "wakes up." It is maple syrup time and we wanted to share this video about how the industry is changing that we came upon a few weeks back.