Iowa Conservation Education Coalition - ICEC

Do you have a sense of place? - https://mailchi.mp/af0348002f41/be-a-phenologist-6416100

A “sense of place” refers to a child’s connection with their community and natural environment. A sense of place is developed with a place-based education approach that fosters those connections.

Help your students learn about flooding - https://mailchi.mp/783ac1c74e7e/be-a-phenologist-6403801

Use the flooding events in Iowa during June 2024 as the jumping off point to study why floods happen and ways to reduce future flooding events.

~ This! ~

Love.

A research-backed way to help students feel more motivated and focused: nature journaling! 🌿🪲 https://edut.to/3JMNsII

~ loose parts! ~

Teachers, as you start to think about going back to your classroom, read this article from Edutopia about loose parts on the playground!

Integrating Loose Parts Play Into Recess Providing materials such as milk crates, tires, and pieces of wood amplifies student curiosity and imaginative play at recess.

Activity Ideas for Summer Fun - https://mailchi.mp/9cd0ecdb16cc/be-a-phenologist-6370085

Need an idea for a local adventure with your children, your students, or your youth group?? Read on!

~ You know how we like learning from and in nature! ~

Mother Nature is one of the best teachers. 🌱

Sketchnote via

Learn about habitat restoration 🐝🌳 - https://mailchi.mp/f701ce0a0a00/be-a-phenologist-6367481

Check out this Project WILD activity designed for middle school and high school students!

~ Congratulations Ellie! ~

Ellie Miglin was awarded a $1,000 scholarship by the Iowa Chapter Soil and Water Conservation Society. Pictured are Jerry Neppel, Chapter President, Ellie (center), and Miranda Haes, Chapter President-elect. Awards ceremony was held 4/26/2024 on the University of Iowa campus.

Ellie was a 2023 Green Iowa AmeriCorps Member serving with ICEC.

What a fabulous day we all had at Jester Park for the 2024 Iowa Envirothon!

Phenomena is phenomenal! 🔍💯 - https://mailchi.mp/8b4d3c6448eb/be-a-phenologist-6363042

Learn about using phenomena in your science teaching and check out an upcoming event in NW Iowa.

~ We should all strive to be lifelong learners! ~

Keeping an open mind and being a good listener can help you stay a lifelong learner.

Ideas via John P. Kotter
Sketchnote via

Land-use planning simulation - https://mailchi.mp/cd7ec37f2939/be-a-phenologist-6333433

Middle and High School students role-play the many interested parties in a county that is faced with conflicting issues on land use.

You need to check out Science Journal for Kids!

With a quick click, get kid-friendly adaptations of scientific papers that can be downloaded for free! Science Journal for Kids creates resources that are accessible to the general audience and particularly to children. Bonus: They also offer materials to easily integrate this scientific literature into a classroom curriculum! Learn more at https://eepro.naaee.org/resource/science-journal-kids (link in bio)

~ check this ~

Always enjoy the info-grams from MindShift!

Find your purpose at the intersection of what the world needs, what you're good at, and what you love doing.

Sketchnote via Sylvia Duckworth

Citizen Science in Your Classroom - https://mailchi.mp/22c20ca1c74a/be-a-phenologist-6265737

Click to find activities to help your students learn to collect data and use your school yard to help with that data collection.

ICEC's Annual Professional Development Workshop! - https://mailchi.mp/47457d39e014/be-a-phenologist-6264341

~ Scholarships Available for WW24 ~

Thanks to generous donor, ICEC is now able to offer a limited number of scholarships and expense stipends to support Iowa conservation educator attendance at the 2024 Winter Workshop. If you are a classroom teacher, naturalist or other non-formal educator, AmeriCorps Service Member, a pre-service teacher/college student, or otherwise involved in engaging students in conservation education, you qualify!

Visit https://iowaee.org/winter-workshop-2024/ to learn more.

Prepare now to count birds for science - https://mailchi.mp/75798951cffd/be-a-phenologist-6263561

Bird watching can be done by all ages -- in the classroom, as a family, and on your own. There are many bird-related citizen science projects. If you're new to citizen science projects, the Great Backyard Bird Count is a good first project.

Ready or not, winter will soon be here! ❄️ - https://mailchi.mp/4a3c30af2512/be-a-phenologist-6261113

All animals prepare for winter, but maybe not all the same way - lay eggs, grow a new coat, fortify or build a new home, gather and cache food, migrate, prepare for sleep, slumber, or bid farewell and perish.

Learn about turkeys 🦃 - https://mailchi.mp/7105cf0e7fd0/be-a-phenologist-6256893

While the turkey was not chosen for the US national bird, this bird is still a sight to behold!

~ Still time! ~

Yes, there is still time to get your workshop proposal submitted!

Deadline extended to October 27, 2023.

Changing leaves of fall! - https://mailchi.mp/dcd4108944e0/be-a-phenologist-6250753

The changing leaf color in the fall can lead to so many conversations with your students -- why do the leaves change color, what else happens in the natural world in the fall are just two!

~ Two Weeks to go -- ExCom Noms due soon! ~

ICEC is looking for individuals interested in joining the leadership of ICEC. ExCom (executive committee) is a volunteer board of directors working together with members and partners to provide opportunities for Iowa's conservation and environmental educators to learn, build relationships, and creatively collaborate. Nominees must be regular or life members of ICEC (not complimentary members).

For the 2024-2026 term, up to four (4) Executive Committee positions can be filled. Nomination forms are due by October 20, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. https://iowaee.org/2023/08/excom-nominations-for-2024-2026-term/

~ Registration Extended! ~

Thought you missed the boat?! Nope, the Midwest EE Conference registration deadline has been extended to October 13!

Sign up now!

Learn about threatened and endangered species in Iowa - https://mailchi.mp/7c052f5af314/be-a-phenologist-6247745

Look to Aldo Leopold's famous essay "On a Monument to a Pigeon" for inspiration to help current threatened and endangered species.

~Nominations are Open! ~

ICEC is looking for individuals interested in joining the leadership of ICEC. ExCom (executive committee) is a volunteer board of directors working together with members and partners to provide opportunities for Iowa's conservation and environmental educators to learn, build relationships, and creatively collaborate. Nominees must be regular or life members of ICEC (not complimentary members).

For the 2024-2026 term, up to four (4) Executive Committee positions can be filled. Nomination forms are due by October 20, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. https://iowaee.org/2023/08/excom-nominations-for-2024-2026-term/

~ Winter Workshop 2024 Call for Presentations! ~

Closes October 6, 2023. Submit your proposal here: https://forms.gle/xPw8tPnB5oNAFNqC7

~ Share and Register! ~

The Midwest Environmental Education Conference (MEEC) is excited to offer a variety of field trips for attendees to explore the region's natural beauty. These field trips are a great way to learn about the unique ecosystems of the Midwest and connect with the land.

The next field trip we would like to highlight is Reclaimed Nature with the Nature Place! Come see how The Nature Place, located in a city park on a former dump and dealing with lead contamination of the water, is home to a vibrant nature education effort.

Check back tomorrow as we highlight more of our field trips! And register today to start planning your conference experience! https://meeconference.org/

Nature Place La Crosse
Environmental Education Association of Illinois
Minnesota Association for Environmental Education - MAEE
Iowa Conservation Education Coalition - ICEC