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Educational Outreach

The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program's Coastal Habitats Curriculum
"Sarasot Bay Coastal Habitats", a unique curriculum developed in conjunction with Mote Marine Laboratory and Around the Bend Nature Tours, is divided into two grade levels, Grades K-3 and Grades 4-8. The curriculum provides lesson plans and activities about watersheds, habitats, wildlife, native and non-native plants, storm water run off and pollution. Each topic has background information, resources, lesson plans and activities. Lessons correlate with the Sunshine State Standards and National Science Standards. To obtain a copy of the free "Coastal Habitats" contact Sara Kane at 955-8085 or sara@sarasotabay.org

A Map of the Sarasota Bay Watershed
To download maps of the Sarasota Bay watershed, including nearby bays such as Robert's Bay, Little Sarasota Bay and Blackburn Bay, go to http://www.sarasota.wateratlas.usf.edu.

Foundation for Teaching Economics (FTE)
The mission of the FTE is to introduce young individuals, selected for their leadership potential, to an economic way of thinking about national and international issues, and to promote excellence in economic education by helping teachers of economics become more effective educators.
www.fte.org

PBS TeacherLine
PBS TeacherLine's high quality, standards-based graduate-level courses offer teachers the professional development opportunities they need in an accessible online format that makes learning fun, flexible and collaborative. You can earn graduate credit, PDPs, or CEUs while gaining strategies and resources to bring directly to your classroom. Visit www.PBS.org/teacherline

Teaching resources from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Visit the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/teachers/

Teacher's Guides from Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD)
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) has many teacher's guides and student resources on wetlands, water conservation and landscaping for free at http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/publications/subject/education.  In addition the following pdf files:

A Guide to Understanding and Protecting the Southern Coastal Watershed pdf

Currents Teacher Guide - Wetlands pdf

My Water Activity Book pdf

Habitats, Healthy Land Equlas Healthy Waters pdf

Tampa Bay Estuary Program (TBEP)
Sarasota Bay Estuary Program’s sister program, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, also has awesome resources and free eco-curriculum for teachers.  Check it out at http://www.tbep.org/

Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council
Lists ecologically destructive exotic pest plants found in Florida.  Are any of the plants on the list in your schoolyard?  Apply for a Bay Partners grant to remove these exotic plants and plant natives! http://www.fleppc.org/index.cfm

National Geographic
My Wonderful World is a national campaign to give kids the power of global knowledge. Lots of games and resources for students, teachers and parents at http://mywonderfulworld.org/

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Habitattitude
Habitattitude - adopt a conservation mentality.  Protect our environment by not releasing unwanted fish or aquatic plants. http://www.habitattitude.net/

Global Invasive Species Database
Learn about the invasive species infecting Florida and other communities around the world at http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/

North American Amphibian Monitoring Program
Makes a great class project!  In Florida visit http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/NAAMP/volunteer/regions/FL.html

North American Pollinator Protection Campaign

Free curriculum for grades 3-6 about these critical partners in our food production and ecology. To learn more about NAPPC and download the curriculum visit www.nappc.org.

Eco Challenge
Challenge your students to loose tons in a carbon diet.  They can get their school and parents involved!  Who can be the biggest looser to help save our planet?  More info at http://www.slate.com/id/2151794/

National Environmental Education Week
Every year National Environmental Education Week is celebrated April 13-19.  Visit www.EEWeek.org to learn about program and events in your area as well as get great ideas for your classroom!

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AAAS Atlas of Population and the Environment
The AAAS Atlas of Population and Environment provides maps, text, and graphics that quantify and illustrate the broader links between population dynamics and the environment. Analyses of individual topics bring together what is known about the ways in which people impact the Earth's environment. Lastly, the atlas contains six case studies that look at population-environment relationships in selected areas. For more information, check out http://atlas.aaas.org

After the Storm Television Special about Watersheds
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Weather Channel co-produced After the Storm, a television special about watersheds. After the Storm shows the connection between weather and watersheds and the importance of watershed protection. Key scientists, water quality experts, and citizens involved in local and national watershed protection efforts provide insight into the problems as well as solutions to today’s water quality crisis. For more information, check out www.epa.gov/weatherchannel

Applied Environmental Education and Communication
Applied Environmental Education and Communication is an international peer-reviewed quarterly for both academics and practitioners. It features articles, a discussion and editorial section, and books and materials reviews. A special themed issue on environmental education and communication for biodiversity will be published in 2004. For more information, check out www.aeec.org

Aquatic Invasive Species: An Educator's Information & Materials Guide
This guide is a compilation of selected educational materials on aquatic invasive species, including curricula, posters and print materials, videos, books and compact discs, and web sites. The guide is available for down-load at http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/publications/X92. But for more information, make sure you check out the rest of this extensive website, at www.seagrant.umn.edu/exotics

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Assessing and Monitoring Floatable Debris
Assessing and Monitoring Floatable Debris is designed to provide guidance in assessing and monitoring floatable debris as directed by the BEACH Act of 2000. A copy of can be found on EPA's website. For more information, check out www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/debris/floatingdebris

At Sea – A Cruise and Virtual Expedition to the Oculina Banks
Scientists and students explored deepwater coral reefs of the Oculina Banks, stretching 30 miles offshore from Ft. Pierce to Cape Canaveral, Florida. This remote MPA is designated a habitat of particular concern, and is a model for efforts underway to create new MPAs throughout southeast U.S. waters and the Gulf of Mexico. The team used a Remotely Operated Vehicle to study the current health of coral on the banks. For more information: http://oceanica.cofc.edu/Oculina2003/home.htm

Avibase – The World Bird Database
Avibase is an extensive database information system about birds of the world, containing over 1.4 million records about 10,000 species and 22,000 subspecies of birds, including distribution information, taxonomy, conservation status, and more. This site is hosted by Bird Studies Canada, an affiliate of Birdlife International. For more information, check out www.bsc-eoc.org/avibase/avibase.jsp

Census of Marine Life
The Census of Marine Life assesses the diversity, distribution, and abundance of ocean life and to explain how it changes over time. The different elements include: Initial Field Projects; History of Marine Animal Populations; Ocean Biogeographic Information System; Future of Marine Animal Populations; Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research Working Group; and Known, Unknown and Unknowable. For more information, check out www.coml.org

Christman Tree for Wildlife

A fun hands-on activity that teaches kids about habitats and wildlife.  Clicke here to download the instructions from US Fish & Wildlife Service.

Classroom Earth
The National Environmental Education & Training Foundation (NEETF) launched Classroom Earth, a free website to help educators find the best and most usable environmental education programs available. It is a collection of environmental education programs and resources for K-12 teachers, parents, and students. This new site will help educators, after-school providers, and home-schooling parents to get started or improve their skills in environmental education. For more information, check out www.ClassroomEarth.org

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Clean Beaches Blue Wave Campaign
The Clean Beaches Council is a non-profit organization devoted to sustaining America's beaches. Their flagship program is the Blue Wave Campaign America's first environmental certification program for beaches. The goal of Blue Wave is to promote public awareness and voluntary participation in beach sustainability, including water quality, habitat conservation, public information and education. For more information, check out www.cleanbeaches.org/bluewave/bluewave.cfm

Clearing Magazine
The quarterly resource magazine, Clearing: Environmental Education Resources for Teachers, provides the latest news, information, perspectives, teaching ideas, and resources available to teachers of all grade levels and all subject areas with environmental and natural resources education. Published since 1978, Clearing has published over 100 issues. For more information, check out www.clearingmagazine.org

Coastal and Estuarine Science News
The Estuarine Research Federation offers Coastal and Estuarine Science News, funded by the Ocean and Coastal Protection Division of the EPA, to strengthen the link between science and management in coastal systems. Back issues are posted at www.erf.org/cesn

Coastwatching by Computer: Water Quality and the System-Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP)
The NERR System-wide Monitoring Program tracks short-term variability and long-term changes in estuarine waters to understand how human activities and natural events can change ecosystems. It provides long-term data on water quality and weather at frequent time intervals. There are lesson plans giving step-by-step instructions for accessing and downloading the data and a graphing exercise to help use the data in your classroom. For more information, check out
www.nerrs.noaa.gov/Monitoring/welcome.html

The C.O.O.L. Classroom Website
The Coastal Ocean Observation Laboratory Classroom, from New Jersey’s Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, is a series of Internet-based instructional modules aimed at middle and high school students, linking classrooms with active oceanographic research investigations. The website includes movie clips, downloadable worksheets and teaching guides, career cards, a glossary, and more. For more information, check out www.coolclassroom.org/home.html

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Coral Reef Education Materials Library
This Library contains descriptions of brochures, books, videos, and other items suitable for raising coral reef awareness and planning educational efforts. http://www.coral.org/%7Ecoralorg/resources/education-materials

Coral Reef Film Materials
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) reefEd website has many curricular materials at www.reefed.edu.au.  The MacGillivray Freeman Films'© Coral Reef Adventure Teacher's Guide has other downloadable film-related educational materials. For more information, check out www.coralfilm.com/edu.html

Coral Reef Report
This new online magazine has been launched to “celebrate the power and mystery of the planet's coral reefs." The Coral Reef Report features articles, personal stories, and audio interviews with scientists and others. The site also features a rotating photo gallery. For more information, check out http://coralreefreport.info

Digital Library of Earth System Education
The Digital Library of Earth System Education is creating an online library of educational resources and services to support Earth system science education at all levels in both formal and informal settings. A quick search on “marine” came up with 152 entries. For more information, check out www.dlese.org

The Dune Book
North Carolina Sea Grant offers a comprehensive book on sand dunes. This publication describes the benefits of dunes and dune vegetation, as well as the best dune management practices along developed shorelines where people, buildings and roads are already in place. It also describes how to select and plant the best dune grasses for the North Carolina coast and provides tips and colorful illustrations on the most common dune species. For more information, check out www.vims.edu/bridge/index_geology.html

Economic Values of the World’s Wetlands
This report highlights the high economic value of functioning wetlands. Seventy billion U.S dollars worth of goods and services from freshwater resources could be at risk annually if governments fail to manage their wetlands sustainably. For information check out:
www.panda.org/downloads/freshwater/wetlandsbrochurefinal.pdf

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Ecoventures: Focus on the Gulf
EcoVentures: Focus on the Gulf is a multimedia CD designed to help middle school students learn about the Gulf of Mexico’s aquatic environment and the issues associated with protecting and managing aquatic resources. Students enter the world of a fictional National Park to explore a variety of ecosystems and develop a management plan for the park. There are on-line activities, expert consultants, and a video encyclopedia. For more information, check out http://eea.freac.fsu.edu

Environmental Inquiry (EI) from Cornell University
Environmental Inquiry (EI) is a collection of ideas and resources to support student projects on a wide range of topics in the environmental sciences.  Students learn specific research protocols and then conduct interactive research projects. The EI website is designed for use by any interested high school students and teachers. http://ei.cornell.edu

Environmental Science Teacher Exchange
The Environmental Literacy Council’s website teacher exchange allows educators to share labs, activities, and ideas with colleagues online. The topics are drawn from the College Board's suggested labs and field investigations for the AP environmental science course. There are lesson plans, classroom curricula, and an AP Environmental Science course outline. Find the marine-oriented offerings under Teaching Resources. For more information, check out www.enviroliteracy.org/category.php/17.html

EPA Water Quality Booklet
The kids' water quality booklet, What's Up with our Nation's Waters? (EPA 841-F-02-002), is ready for distribution. Order individual copies from NSCEP at 1-800-490-9198 or request larger quantities by email at ncepiwo@one.net. The website highlights earlier versions. For more information, check out www.epa.gov/owow/monitoring/nationswaters

EETAP Resource Library
The EETAP Resource Library, now moved to EE-Link, makes environmental education resources more accessible. A major component of the Library is Info-Sheets, 1-2 page descriptions that summarize a specific EE topic and identify resources for additional reading. For more information, check out http://eelink.net/eetapresourcelibrary.html

Gulf of Mexico Facts
Visit the Gulf of Mexico Foundation website for information about the Gulf of Mexico. Representing a wide range of interests (agriculture, business, fisheries, industry, tourism, and the environment), the Foundation promotes and funds research, education, and conservation programs. The focus area encompasses all areas bordering the Gulf – Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Mexico, Cuba, and the adjacent Caribbean. The website covers geography, resources, history, environmental concerns, education, and more. For more information, check out: http://gulfmex.org/facts.htm

Florida focused Gulf of Mexico website

Celebrate and learn about The Gulf, and it’s importance to Florida and the Nation through this renovated website brought to you by the Gulf of Mexico Alliance – a federal, state, and local partnership program dedicated to the environmental and economic health of The Gulf.  The website includes:

  • ·       Gulf of Mexico Minute podcasts
  • ·         A media center for journalists
  • ·         Links to dozens of videos and online games
  • ·         List of Gulf-friendly events
  • ·         Interviews with real scientists studying The Gulf and its cool critters

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Long-term Monitoring Program and Experiential Training for Students (LiMPETS)
NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program introduces the LiMPETS network for middle school, high school, and other volunteer groups to monitor the rocky intertidal, sandy shore, and offshore areas of the five west coast sanctuaries (Olympic Coast, Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones, Monterey Bay and Channel Islands). The LiMPETS website describes the monitoring procedures used, both in general and at specific sites, along with some commonly found species. The collected data is set up in a manner that allows users to follow long-term changes. All of the information in this website is public and free to be used in any way. However, please credit the National Marine Sanctuary Program when information or photographs are used by other websites or in publications. For more information, check out http://limpets.noaa.gov

Living Waters: Aquatic Preserves of Florida
A one hour documentary, "Living Waters: Aquatic Preserves of Florida", highlights 12 aquatic preserves in Florida and features Clyde Butcher, renowned nature photographer. The Department of Environmental Protection through the Florida Coastal Management Program and the Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas cooperated with several sponsors to create this educational and artistic documentary to educate, inform and entertain Florida’s citizens and tourists, letting us experience the complexity of the essential components of these water-bound ecosystems. For more information, check out:
http://www.liveoakproductiongroup.com/AquaticPreserve/ap_home.html

Marine Education

Marine education links pdf

NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program
The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program supports effective management and sound science to preserve, sustain and restore valuable coral reef ecosystems. For Coral Reef Outreach and Education resources for students interested in learning more about reefs as well as lesson plans and other useful information for educators go to
http://www.coralreef.noaa.gov/outreach/welcome.html

Prescribed Fire: A habitat management tool.  Click here to download this PDF from the US Fish & WIldlife Service about how prescribed fire helps keep Florida's habitats healthy and productive.

Seafood Watch Pocket Guides
The new Seafood Watch pocket guides are here! The Seafood Watch program has launched a new pocket guide for the Southeast region and updated the West Coast pocket guide. The Southeast guide includes several new species such as tilefish, conch, mackerel, and mullet. Seafood Watch has also added or updated species reports to their website. To learn more about these new recommendations please visit the All-Fish List on their website. For more information, check out: www.seafoodwatch.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch

The Why Files
Science touches our lives in countless ways. Yet people often think science is relevant only to a white-coated, lab-dwelling elite. The Why Files portray science as a critical human endeavor conducted by ordinary people. They use news and current events as springboards to explore science, health, environment, and technology, with plenty of focus on the ocean. Their real-life approach to science writing, and correlation to science teaching standards, can help you bring the news and science into the classroom. For more information, check out: http://whyfiles.org/

Wonderful World of Weather
This standards-based Real Time Data Module for elementary students, developed by the Center for Improved Engineering and Science Education (CIESE) at the Stevens Institute of Technology, allows students to investigate weather phenomena locally and in other places around the world. By using hands-on activities and real-time data investigations, the students develop an understanding of how weather can be described in measurable quantities, such as temperature, wind and precipitation. The lesson plans have been designed to allow teachers to select the ones which fit into their curriculum to allow for flexibility in implementation. For more information, check out www.k12science.org/curriculum/weatherproj/index_NEW.html

Environmental Science Center Games
These games will help you learn about life in the Bay and the tools and techniques that scientists use to study the environment. Games courtesy of the Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov/region3/esc/library/games.htm

Secret Agent Worms
The Secret Agent Worms is an innovative soil and water educational program geared toward third through fifth graders.  Created by University of Illinois and EPA. http://www.secretagentworms.org/

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