The Be BIG Contest

Share Some BIG Ideas

Clifford is excited to celebrate his 50th Birthday with you!  He is asking all of his fans to give him the best gift ever to BE BIG!  Being Big is about being Big-Hearted.  It’s about having a Big Spirit.  Being Big is something we should all do more often.

It only takes a little to BE BIG.

Clifford’s BIG Ideas (Share, Help Others, Be Kind, Be Responsible, Play Fair, Be a Good Friend, Believe in Yourself, Respect Others, Work Together and Be Truthful) were borne out of the curriculum developed for the award-winning animated television series – which airs on PBS KIDS.  The goal of BIG Ideas is to support children’s growing understanding that the actions they choose make a difference to themselves and others.  The BIG Idea present value-based content that engage children in important life lessons.

 

The Contest

Bring YOUR BIG Idea To Life!  If you have a BIG Idea that demonstrates Clifford’s BIG Ideas, let us know!  The BE BIG Fund can help bring YOUR winning idea to life with the help of Scholastic, HandsOn Network and, of course, Clifford!  The 5th Annual BE BIG in Your Community Contest is open NOW!  Enter now for the chance to bring your BIG Idea to life with a $5,000 community grant.  Other prizes consist of 5 $1,000 first prize grants.  Remember, it only takes a little to BE BIG!

You can enter online, or by mailing in this entry form.

This contest is open until June 23, 2013.  Full contest rules can be found here.

Unique Community Resource

Have you ever heard of a Little Free Library?  If you haven’t you’re not alone.  I myself did not know this amazing program even existed until recently.

Begun by a group of enthusiastic entrepreneurs, this program promotes literacy and the love of learning while also building a sense of  community that spans across generations.  How this program works is amazingly simple.  You either purchase or build a “Little Library;” mount it in a public, accessible place; stock it with books; spread the word and voila!  A Little Free Library is born!  The principle behind these libraries is “take a book, leave a book.”  There’s no lending period, no rental fees.  The idea is a continual book exchange.  The contents of the Little Free Library can change every day depending on the amount of use.  Many of these little libraries contain books for all ages.  And if you want to start your own and need help, their website has a lot of helpful tips and resources, plus a host of people to contact if you have trouble.

 

                     

Examples of Little Free Libraries

 

This is an international program with a global map.  If you want to start your own Little Free Library location you can get yours added to the map, or you can use it to find ones near you.  There is at least one location in every state in the U.S. and on nearly every continent.

This unique “little” idea certainly has an extensive reach.

 

         

Next Week Is Groundwater Awareness Week!

Groundwater: Out of sight, but not out of mind

Celebrate National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 10-16, 2013

Although most people know very little about it, groundwater is worthy of public recognition because of the role it plays in human lives and the environment.

 

The drinking water supplies of 44 percent of Americans rely on groundwater—the water that fills cracks and other openings in beds of rock, gravel, and sand below the ground’s surface. In rural areas, the number is about 96 percent. Those facts alone justify the need for Groundwater Awareness Week, started 15 years ago by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA).

 

But groundwater is important in many other ways as well.  Consider:

• An estimated 99 percent of all available fresh water in the world is in the form of groundwater.
• Groundwater provides much of the flow of many streams; often lakes and streams are “windows” to the water table. Groundwater adds 492 billion gallons per day to U.S. surface water bodies. In large part, the flow in a stream represents water that has flowed from the ground into the stream channel.
• Scientists estimate U.S. groundwater reserves to be at least 33,000 trillion gallons — equal to the amount discharged into the Gulf of Mexico by the Mississippi River in the past 200 years.
• The United States uses 79.6 billion gallons per day of fresh groundwater for public supply, private supply, irrigation, livestock, manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power, and other purposes.
• Groundwater is tapped through wells placed in water-bearing soils and rocks beneath the surface of the Earth. There are nearly 15.9 million of these wells serving households, cities, business, and agriculture every day. Wells are constructed by the 8,100 contracting firms employing nearly 45,000 people dedicated to providing and protecting our nation’s groundwater supplies.
• Irrigation accounts for the largest use of groundwater in the United States, about 67.2 percent of all the groundwater pumped each day. Some 53.5 billion gallons of groundwater are used daily for agricultural irrigation from more than 407,913 wells. Irrigation is a major reason for the abundance of fresh produce and grains that we all enjoy.
• One ton of groundwater used by industry generates an estimated $14,000 worth of output.

 

These facts underscore the important role people play as stewards, or managers, of groundwater. People can adversely affect the resource. Fortunately, there are simple steps that will help protect groundwater. Groundwater protection is particularly important for people with water wells that provide their household water supply:

 

• Keep hazardous materials away from any well. Never dump such materials, motor oil, or anything else that could impact water quality onto the land surface, into a hole or pit, or into a surface water supply.
• Always use licensed or certified water well drillers and pump installers when a well is constructed or serviced, or when the pump is installed or serviced.

 

For more information on groundwater, visit www.ngwa.org, or www.wellowner.org.

 

Find resources specifically for Michigan or any other state.

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Awareness week poster 2013

Make Your Go Green Youth Challenge Collection a Success!

We want your Go Green Youth Challenge to be a success.  The greatest tip we can offer is don’t be afraid to customize your fundraising campaign.  Think of ways your community likes to get involved in projects and incorporate that into your efforts.  We have come up with tips we think will help you run a successful campaign.

• Talk about why trees are important.  Ask yourself, friends, parents, teachers and anyone else you can think of the following questions: Why do we need trees?  What do trees provide for humans? Do trees provide different services for wildlife, insects, birds, etc?  Explore the world-wide web for information about trees. Or click here for information about trees.
• Challenge yourself to set a goal.  You will have more success if your goal is realistic and achievable.
• Brainstorm who you can team up with.  Perhaps your classroom, school, youth group, business, friends and family, etc.
• Spread the word.  Let people know about your efforts to raise money for trees. You can send letters, put up flyers, call people, email, whatever it takes to get the word out.
• Think about how you can raise money – get Creative!  Ask friends and family for donations. Hold a garage or bake sale.  Collect pop cans from neighbors.  Power off electronics at home and donate the money saved.
• Talk about where in your community trees are needed…….schools, neighborhoods, parks, etc.
• Contact a local professional to learn about trees in your area.  Your local city or town might even have an urban forester on staff.
• Get excited and motivated!  Decorate a collection jar, make a banner or anything else you can think of to kick off your campaign.

Hopefully, these tips will get you started and thinking of ways to run a successful Go Green Youth Challenge.  The sky is the limit.  All it takes is a little creativity and you will be on your way.  Don’t forget we want to hear how you did.  Send your photos, drawings, or letters to gogreenyouthchallenge@gmail.com.

** Modified and Re-posted from January 11, 2011 **

The Go Green Youth Challenge Begins Again!

PRESS RELEASE

Contact Information:

Jennifer Hunnell
Michigan Arbor Day Alliance
551 Courthouse Dr., Ste. 3 Charlotte, MI 48813

 

 Phone:  (517) 543-5848 ext.5

Website: www.miarbordayalliance.com

Email: miarborday@gmail.com

 

Sent: 12-17-12

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: On or after 12-17-12

Writing Contest Added to Go Green Youth Challenge

The Michigan Arbor Day Alliance’s Go Green Youth Challenge engages Michigan youth in environmental stewardship, community development and service-learning through a statewide effort to plant trees in Michigan. Children, pre-K through 12th grade, are challenged to collect coins, as an individual, classroom or club. All money collected directly funds community tree plantings across Michigan. Next year, the Go Green Youth Challenge runs from January 14 until April 1, 2013.

New to the program is our Creative Writing Contest. This contest runs alongside the youth coin collection. All K-12 students are eligible to submit a creative writing piece of any type and tell us “What Do Trees Mean To You?” Prizes are available to students for both the fundraiser and the writing contest. You can even win trees for your community or school. Program details and rules can be found on our website at www.miarbordayalliance.com/creative-writing-contest.

Since the beginning of the program, Michigan’s youth have helped plant over 600 trees in 12 different communities across our beautiful state! We invite you to join the cause and Go Green in 2013!

The 2012 Go Green Youth Challenge raised a total of $15,470 for tree planting in Michigan. We would like to thank everyone who participated including our sponsors:  ITC, Lansing Board of Water and Light, Glenn Buege Chevrolet of Eaton Rapids, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Eaton Conservation District and Michigan State University Federal Credit Union.

The Michigan Arbor Day Alliance (MADA) is a coalition of organizations and agencies dedicated to the promotion and celebration of Arbor Day throughout Michigan. Our dedication comes from our belief in the importance of trees and their role in community health and well-being. Since 1993, MADA has provided educational programs and services to Michigan communities.

 

MADA is a program of the Eaton Conservation District.

– END –

MSU Program Teaches Youth Land Use Issues and Community Responsibility

Junior Citizen Planner curriculum teaches community land use issues to youth in fun ways

There are a multitude of reasons for educators to use fun, hands-on MSU Extension Junior Citizen Planner curriculum to teach youth about land use issues within their communities.

 

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Judy Ratkos, Michigan State University Extension

 

Michigan State University Extension’s Junior Citizen Planner program strives to develop responsible and involved citizens by educating youth through fun, hands-on learning activities within their communities on land use issues. The 33 lessons in the Junior Citizen Planner curriculum make it easy for kids to visualize the impact of development. Lessons are divided into five subject areas:

• Community and civics indoor activities
• Geography indoor activities
• Environment and land use indoor activities
• Outdoor community service activities
• Technology enhancement activities

Each lesson plan includes an overview, objectives, subject, skills to be gained, activity duration, background information, materials needed and step-by-step instructions with:

• Fun and creative teaching strategies and learning meth­ods, including experiential and hands-on components
• Information on the pertinent Michigan curriculum standards – content and skills that are included in the Common Core State Standards which Michigan adopted in 2010 and is transitioning toward
• Unbiased background information presenting all sides of controversial land use issues in a fair and honest manner
• A  design that builds knowledge and skills for inquiry, investigation, analysis, decision-making and action
• Evaluation strategies directed toward a variety of learning styles that assess student learning
• Adaptation ideas and technology extensions on activities to further student understanding and investigation
• Potential to spark ideas for projects that can be displayed at fairs or community events
• Additional data, facts, resources and reference material

The lessons are age-appropriate and really help youth appreciate the need to be thoughtful about land development issues. One activity, A Slice of Planet Earth, uses apple slices and fractions to create awareness of the very small amount of useable land we have proportionately to the whole planet. The debriefing discussion gives kids a chance to process and apply what they’ve learned to their local community.

The Michigan Map Road Trip activity is a great way for youth to really learn how to read a map and everything on it. It’s a fun activity because it is hands-on and like a game. Adults will likely learn some new things right along with the kids. Land Uses – There Are So Many is also often deemed a favorite. It teaches zoning in fun and meaningful ways that youth can understand.

Junior Citizen Planner is just one of many 4-H environmental and outdoor education programs that help young people develop a sense of stewardship toward our natural resources.

Related MSU Extension articles and resources:

• “Junior Citizen Planner program provides youth lessons in community, environment and civics”
• Michigan Citizen Planner
• Junior Citizen Planner

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visithttp://www.msue.msu.edu. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Mini Grants for Safe School Routes

Michigan Fitness Foundation and Michigan Department of Transportation announce Safe Routes to School Mini-Grants

 

The Michigan Fitness Foundation (MFF) and Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) request proposals for the development of programs that promote organized initiatives that encourage Michigan students in grades K-8 to walk, bicycle, or use other means of physical activity to get to and from school safely. The program is intended to help increase the number of children walking/biking/rolling safely to and from school by providing 15 active transportation program grants of up to $5,000 each.

Eligible recipients include public, private, parochial, charter and other elementary and/or middle schools serving any grades in the K-8 range, as well as schools with existing SRTS programs. Awarded funds will be provided for the spring semester of the 2012-2013 school year and fall semester of the 2013-14 school year on a reimbursement basis.   Go to www.saferoutesmichigan.org/srts-mini-grants for a copy of the RFP.  Example programs include but are not limited to the following…

Walking School Bus (pictured above)
Bike Train/Bike Brigade
Corner Captains
Mileage Program
Golden Sneaker Award

Please contact Linda Patrick, Program Coordinator at LPatrick@michiganfitness.org  should you have any questions on this or need assistance.   The proposal deadline is December 7, 2012 at 4:30 p.m.

Science Resource for Your Classroom

Free.  It’s one of the best words in the English language to most people.  To an educator, it can be a valuable window of opportunity.  The Natural Inquirer, a publication by the U.S. Forest Service, is a middle school science education journal.  Think a more advanced Ranger Rick if you are familiar with that magazine.  The articles are written by actual U.S. Department of Agriculture – Forest Service scientists who want to share what they do with students around the country.

Topics vary widely – from wildlife and habitats to outdoor activities to bio-energy and climate change, and everything in between.  You can even do a keyword search to pull up volumes that may contain the topic you are looking for.  And the best part?  It’s absolutely free!  The different volumes can be viewed on their website, downloaded to your computer, or you can order hard copies for your classroom.  Their website also has many other additional resources for pre-K through 8th grade students.

So check them out if you’re looking for a unique addition to your classroom resources.

Outdoor Classroom Guide

Now that school is back in session thoughts may be turning toward potential fall projects.  Among the many options have you considered an outdoor classroom?

There have been countless studies recently that show how important getting outside is for kids.  But time outside is hard to find and once you find it, what do you do with it?  This guide to constructing your own outdoor classroom may give you some inspiration…or some much-needed help if you are already pursuing this.  Designs can be as simple or as complex as you like.

Originally published by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and then updated by the National Association of Conservation Districts, this pdf gives diagrams of different outdoor classrooms, links to educational resources, a long list of activities, and tips on outdoor classroom components and maintenance.

Now I know what you’re thinking…that this sounds like a great idea, but there’s no way my school could afford to do it.  Your plans do not have to be extremely complicated.  Just by incorporating one or two ideas or activities you can introduce your students to a whole range of new experiences and possibilities.  But if you want to pursue a larger-scale project here are some resources that may help you make your dreams a reality:

Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grants

The North Face Explore Fund Grants

Captain Planet Foundation Grants

American Community Gardening Association – there’s a listing of available community garden grants in their newsletter

Michigan Community Foundation Grants

The deadlines for the two grants listed below have already passed for this year, but will be offered again next year:

Go Green Youth Challenge Tree Planting Grants

MI Department of Natural Resources Community Forestry Grants

Connecting Kids to Nature: Family Outdoor Activities

Nature can make the perfect classroom.  This is an easy activity to get kids to use something other than their eyes to connect to the world around them.  Try it out on your next nature hike, camping trip, or even in your own backyard!

If you have difficulty reading the above image, click here to see the original pdf.

 

Need more?  Here are some helpful links:

http://www.learnoutside.org/familyactivities.html - Every Student Learns Outside, PLT

http://www.americanhiking.org/hikingresources/kidscorner/ - American Hiking Society

http://www.outdoor-nature-child.com/ - Outdoor Nature Child.com

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10369_45551—,00.html - No Child Left Inside, MI Department of Natural Resources (This is a national initiative so look for programs in your area. View the proclamation by the President here.)

 

And if you know of any other great activities you would like to share be sure to post a comment!