Registration is open for the NoVA Outside School Environmental Action Showcase (SEAS) at the Center for the Arts on George Mason University's Fairfax campus on Tuesday, April 25, 2017.

Students can participate in several ways:

• General showcase (all grades) – bring up to 10 of your eco-leaders and a display to show what your school is doing to be environmentally friendly.
• SEAS Music Festival (K-8) – make your own recycled or upcycled instrument and bring it to SEAS to play with others and experiment with musicians to get the best sound! See guidelines at www.novaoutside.org
• Caring for Our Watersheds (grades 6-10) – Earth Force hosts this competition that asks what you can do to improve your watershed. Learn more at http://caringforourwatersheds.com/usa/Virginia/
• High School Track (grades 9-12) – Network with GMU students and staff during STEM career sessions and visit the mobile Thinkabit lab to learn about how engineering and the environment connect.
• Smart Cities Research Tools (grades 9-12) – The Virginia Tech Thinkabit Lab provides hands-on experiences using microcontrollers, sensors, actuators, and servo motors to explore new ways to collect environmental data.
• SEAS Partner Village (K-8) – Have fun engaging in hands-on STEAM activities from local, state, and national government agencies, non-profits, and businesses.

By registering for the General Showcase, students in elementary and middle school will automatically be registered for the Showcase and Partner Village. Students in high school will automatically be registered for the General Showcase, High School Track, and Smart Cities Research Tools. Participation in the SEAS Music Festival and Caring for Our Watersheds is optional.
 

All are welcome to stop by and learn about the amazing stewardship projects underway at Northern Virginia schools. Have questions?  Interested in hosting a hands-on activity as a partner?  Email showcase@novaoutside.org. 

On March 25, the Early Childhood Committee of NoVA Outside organized the “Getting Kids Outdoors in Nature” conference at the Fairlington United Methodist Church. The conference brought together educators in varied roles from the usual mix of early childhood programs, all interested in learning more about nature education. 

In her keynote address, Outdoor Education and Nature Connection Specialist Amy Beam encouraged us to let children take risks that help develop their gross motor skills and their confidence in their own problem-solving abilities.  The examples she brought of the many different materials she and the children take with them on their long walks through natural areas helped us plan for our own programs. In her breakout sessions Beam taught fun activities, games, songs and techniques that awaken and deepen children’s innate love of nature and learning.
 
Directors Debbie Brown, Susan Parker, and Margaret Moran lead half-day parent co-op programs with classes that spend days each week entirely outdoors on “field trips” in partnering local parks. They talked about the on-going process to educate parents and other family members on the benefits of outdoor experiences that take place off the playground.
 
Lesley Romanoff, also the director of a half-day parent co-op program, has found that play gets a child closer to “ready to learn” than anything else, but adults/parents need to see that teachers are checking off the boxes of curriculum and standards. She advised directing attention to the value of play and playful learning by documenting and explaining to parents how nature play does more than check all the boxes. For educators who plan to incorporate more time in natural areas, Romanoff recommends to “start small."
 
Alonso Abugattas, Arlington Parks Naturalist and Capital Naturalist blogger, advises us to be flexible and use the “interpretive moment” to teach about whatever in nature has children’s attention. His enthusiasm for small wildlife was infectious: “Those millipedes are so cool!” making me excited about searching for them. If you have difficulty locating small animals like millipedes and isopods, use his technique of putting a board or old door down on the ground. After a few days, open this “Door to the Underground” to reveal millipedes, isopods, slugs, worms, and more. Remember to check for yellow jacket wasps first, since they may be nesting.
 
Naturalist Sarah Glassco says a school garden is great for getting kids outdoors and attracting wildlife. Many programs do not have access to a natural area so a garden is a good place to experience nature. She brought a mini-library of her favorite resources so participants could become familiar with them and research their nature observations when she took the group outdoors.
 
In every session, participants shared their successes in teaching children in outdoor settings and problem-solved how to work through the hurdles that keep us from teaching outdoors. After the sessions we gathered for lunch and casual discussions. Lunch and networking, two very important experiences for early childhood educators that we often don’t get time for!

Looking for some native plants for your garden?  There are several native plant sales coming this spring.

Wondering why you should plant natives? Jessica Bowser wrote this article, "Turn Your Yard into a Wildlife Sanctuary… Plant NoVA Natives" for Plant NoVA Natives.
 

The seasons are changing, the temperature is rising and homeowners are cleaning up their yards and making plans for improvements in their landscapes and gardens.  The plethora of plant options at the garden centers can seem overwhelming and there are many factors to consider to ensure that the plants you choose will survive and thrive in your yard without intensive maintenance.  There is an option that will add beauty and sustainability to your yard, attract wildlife, positively impact the environment and is easy to maintain…Native plant species. 

Native plants are perfectly adapted to our local environment.  They will thrive in our soil conditions without needing special fertilizers, pesticides or extensive watering.  They are hardy plants that will last once they are established in your yard and will attract birds, butterflies and other pollinators for years.  Native plants have colorful blossoms, berries and bright foliage throughout the seasons. 

The natural beauty of native plants raises property value, conserves water and will make your yard attractive for years to come, but that’s not all.  Native plants do more than save you time and money.  They are good for the environment too. 

Development in Northern Virginia has eliminated many natural areas with plant species that are needed to maintain a healthy ecosystem.  Non-native species have been introduced that interrupt the natural cycle, including invasive plants that can destroy ecosystems.  Insects, birds and bees all rely on native plants for food and habitat.  Planting native species in your yard will contribute to the restoration of our delicate ecosystem while supporting our environment.  Your yard can become a sanctuary for pollinators and other wildlife!

Ready to get started?  Plant NOVA Natives is a local organization that promotes and supports the planting of native species.  Their website has everything you need to help you choose the right species for your yard.  They also provide information on garden centers and local native plant sales.  Are you looking for personalized support?  Plant NOVA Natives has partnered with organizations such as Audubon At Home, who will come to your home at no charge and help you choose plants that are well-suited to your yard. 

Real Food for Kids Healthy School Advocacy Training is designed to help you foster a more robust and engaged culture of health at your school by turning your passions into an Action Plan.

Who Should Attend
This highly interactive training is for parents, educators, staff members interested in elevating the culture of health in their schools.

What We Will Cover
– How to define your identity and your issue – Who you are and what you want to accomplish. Why the change is important
– How to build a constituency – Forming a chorus of diverse voices and determining the assets of your group
– Understanding your audience – Those who support what you want-those who can make decisions (and how they are made)
– How to do your research – Gathering the facts and growing your understanding (expertise not needed!)
– Planning your strategy and taking action – setting goals and tactics to ensure success
– Assessing your progress to sustain and grow – Taking a step back to evaluate, continue or pivot

How You Will Benefit
Leave with an Action Plan! We'll start this training by identifying the issues you'd like to tackle – that way we can put the workshop content into context and empower you to build an Action Plan for when you return to your school. We'll send you back with actionable strategy, tools and resources to accomplish your goals – plus a network of like-minded advocates from your training and support from the Program Team at Real Food for Kids.

The fee of $15 covers materials provided to you for this training. Register at Eventbrite. To ensure a level of individualized attention, registration is limited to 15 participants. Register today to ensure your seat at this training!

Questions?  Email mporter@realfoodforkids.org.

The annual Outdoor & Experiential Educators Workshop is open for registration. This year's host is Congressional School in Falls Church, Virginia. The workshop provides a space for Virginia, D.C., and Maryland educators to discuss programs their schools run that get students adventuring outdoors. It is a great day of information exchange among colleagues. And… it's FREE! For more information and to see past workshop subjects, visit the website.

• Guest speakers and presentations
• Student perspectives, a dialog about positive outcomes from the students
• Tips & Talk will be breakout sessions focused on specialized topics in the industry
• Roundtable discussions to go over details on how-to's in program development
• Stay for the Swag Swap to exchange small school logo'd items like mugs, pens, and ball caps from your colleagues

Please join your outdoor colleagues for a full day of information. If you wish to be a speaker, contact Lynda Hoag. The workshop is very casual and the coffee will keep flowing. This workshop is sponsored by Flint Hill School.
 

Registration is now open for the 2017 Smithsonian Science Education Academies for Teachers! The Academies provide teachers with an opportunity to take part in a week-long professional development course behind-the-scenes at Smithsonian museums and other world-class research facilities throughout the greater Washington, DC area. The Academies help to bridge the gap between the formal science education programs the Smithsonian Science Education Center offers and the informal science education that exists throughout the Smithsonian. The Academies combine training in science pedagogy with content presented by scientists and researchers who are experts in their fields.

The Water ECubeG RET Site provides a unique interdisciplinary research experience funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that integrates water research perspectives from engineering, ecology, environmental science, and geosciences, giving a holistic understanding of environmental monitoring and water/watershed related issues for teachers of students in grades 9-12 and community college. During the program the teachers will participate in a 6-week research project, professional development activities, and develop learning modules/activities in their subject area, which will be included in their taught courses the following year.

The 6-week research experience will include $5500 stipend, an iPad, travel and subsistence allowances, continuing education credits (CEUs) from Virginia Tech.

For more information, contact Dr. Vinod K. Lohani at vlohani@vt.edu or 540-231-0019.

The Annual CELF Summer Institute in Education for Sustainability (EfS) is an intensive 4-day workshop that enables teachers to integrate the concepts of sustainability into their existing curricula. The Institute equips K-12 teachers with practices and teaching methods to address the core concepts of EfS – the intersection of social, economic, and ecological systems – and how the balance of those three systems is vital to a sustainable future, and relevant to all subject areas.

Each Institute begins by building a learning community and a common vocabulary around sustainability, and progresses with hands-on activities, case studies, guest presentations, evening excursions and field work. The schedule includes supported planning time so that participants will have tangible materials to bring back to their classrooms.

Register and learn more at celfeducation.org. Register by May 1 for early bird rates.

• 1.2 kilowatt photovoltaic system that converts sunlight into electric power, often referred to as "solar on a stick"
• An online monitoring tool, to provide real-time data on the system's activity and the amount of electricity generated
• A data display to show teachers, students, parents, and school visitors the output of the system
• Solar Energy training for classroom teachers and school personnel
• Virginia SOL focused solar curriculum and hands-on kits that will teach students how solar works and how energy, the environment and economics are all part of energy decision making.
• A Solarbration to cut the ribbon and showcase the school's new installation to the local community
• Connections to other Solar Schools to share data, partner on projects and expand learning