recipes of successeeintennessee.org/files/eetn/2012/teeafall12.pdf · by hilary hargrove. karen...
TRANSCRIPT
page 1
www.eeintennessee.org
A Q
uarte
rly N
ewsle
tter
of th
e Te
nnes
see
Envi
ronm
enta
l Edu
catio
n A
ssoc
iatio
n . . . education that cannot wait
Recipes for Success Page 1
2012 - 2013 Board Page 2
President’s Pen Page 3
Catching Insights Page 4
Conference Cookbook Page 5
Rain, Sun, Bio-fuel, and Pervious Paving Page 7
TOCS Surprise Page 8
Bradley-Hobgood Field Trip (TOCS) Page 9
Blending Science and Math Page 10
Feeding Inspiration Page 11
Opportunities for You Page 14
On the Web Page 16
Nomination Form Page 17
Mini-Grant Application Page 18
Membership form Page 19
Fall 2012
In This Issue:
Recipes of Success
It’s that time of year when we start pulling out favorite recipes to make for the upcoming holidays and family gatherings. If you missed the 2012 TOCS and TEEA Fall Conference, you missed some great homemade dishes along with some great EE experiences dished out by the fantastic conference committee and the presenters and special speakers. Check out our conference “recipe album” and the listing of the presenters’ contact info in case you missed a session or have a follow up question. As for the homemade dishes served at the conference, Wanda Blurton has taken care of that with her collection of recipes from the conference committee.
Next year’s conference is already set for the beautiful Natchez Trace State Park in West Tennessee. The Natchez Trace State Park Inn and cabins are just a few minutes off Music Highway (I-40) less than two hours west of Nashville. So start planning ahead now to get together with teachers from your school or region and come spend a great weekend with your TEEA family September 27-29, 2013.
Romona
page 2 page 3
Tennessee Environmental Education Association2012-2013 Board of Directors and Executive Board
Hilary Hargrove, President138 Ziffell DriveMurfreesboro, TN [email protected]
Ramona Nelson, President ElectUT Martin Jackson Center3031 Hwy 45 By-PassJackson, TN [email protected]
Joe Solomon, [email protected]
Wanda Blurton, SecretarySt. Ann School6529 Stage Road;Memphis, TN [email protected]
Mickey Larkins, Past [email protected]
Regional Coordinators
Karen VogelsangWest TN Regional [email protected]
Bonnie ErvinMiddle TN Regional Coordinator Programs Chair; Fall Conference(TOCS) Co-Chair502 Southeast Broad StMurfreesboro, TN [email protected]
Megan GassEast TN Regional Coordinator
Members at Large
Gina Harris Member at Large: West;Executive CommitteeMemphis Botanic Garden;750 Cherry RoadMemphis, TN 38117(901)636-4116; FAX: (901)[email protected]
Charity NovickMember at Large: West TN;Marketing Committee, Co-ChairMemphis Botanic Garden, EducationProgram Coordinator750 Cherry RoadMemphis, TN 38117(901)636-4119; FAX: (901)[email protected]
Mollie VannMember at Large: West [email protected]
Karen Hargrove, PhD.Member-at-Large: Middle TNFall Conference [email protected](615) 890-0314
Cindi Smith-Walters PhD.Member at Large: Middle TNMTSU Box 60, Biology/CEEMurfreesboro, TN [email protected]
Michelle RogersMember at Large: Middle TNLeadership Committee ChairPO Box 4718Clarksville, TN [email protected]
John DiDiegoMember at Large: East TN,Membership ChairEducation Director, Great SmokyMountains Institute at Tremont9275 Tremont Road,Townsend, TN 37882(865)448-6709, ext. [email protected]
Colleen MattisonMember at Large: East TN,Silent Auction Chairperson3637 Channel DriveLouisville, TN. [email protected]
page 2 page 3
Whetting Your Appetite for EE
I have to say, I think our annual conference in Murfreesboro, “Schoolyards + Standards + Stories = Healthy Students,” was a pretty awesome recipe for successful environmental education, as well as for a guaranteed good time! (Thanks again to our fabulous conference committee!) Both of our speakers, Dr. George Smith and Denny Olson, encouraged our membership to take students outside and experience nature with them - either by setting the stage for nature play or being the storyteller to guide their exploration.
When I think of other ingredients for environmental education, I cannot help but turn to a classic: Joseph Cornell’s “Sharing Nature with Children”. Cornell describes five tenets for taking students to learn outdoors: 1. Teach less, and share more. (Add your feelings to the factual information; students will remember your story.) 2. Be receptive. (Tune into what excites your students outdoors and turn it into the lesson.) 3. Focus the child’s attention without delay. (As soon as you get outside, start honing your students’ observation skills.) 4. Look and experience first; talk later. (You don’t have to be a nature expert to take students outside; be a fellow-learner.) 5. A sense of joy should permeate the experience. (Meet standards and have fun!)
Whether you use a new idea that you gained at the conference or employ Cornell’s tenets for making learning outdoors contagious, it’s time to dig into EE and invite others to the feast!
Hilary
Pre
side
nt’
s P
enBy
Hila
ry H
argr
ove
Karen Hargrove, PhD.Member-at-Large: Middle TNFall Conference [email protected](615) 890-0314
Cindi Smith-Walters PhD.Member at Large: Middle TNMTSU Box 60, Biology/CEEMurfreesboro, TN [email protected]
Michelle RogersMember at Large: Middle TNLeadership Committee ChairPO Box 4718Clarksville, TN [email protected]
John DiDiegoMember at Large: East TN,Membership ChairEducation Director, Great SmokyMountains Institute at Tremont9275 Tremont Road,Townsend, TN 37882(865)448-6709, ext. [email protected]
Colleen MattisonMember at Large: East TN,Silent Auction Chairperson3637 Channel DriveLouisville, TN. [email protected]
page 4 page 5
Catching Insights with a Butterfly Netby: John DiDiego
Insight can come at any moment, but think about how often it happens when you are immersed in nature…
I stalked, I leapt, I swished a net. I was having about as much fun as grown man can have out behind a very large church under major construction. I needed an enclosure full of butterflies to wow a group of teachers at the TEEA conference the following morning. One particularly bright orange caught my
attention…wait for it…swish. I got it! I carefully transferred the fragile insect to the netted enclosure and took a look at it up close. I had seen the back (or dorsum) of it in flight – bright orange. In the enclosure however, he was perched – not only that, but he was perched upside down, on the clear plastic at the top. No longer orange, but vivid stripes, light and dark along its ‘belly’ (ventral) side. Not content, I got out my hand lens and crouched next to it. I was stunned by the luminous contrast of the lines, that under magnification, had facets of light…
here was an amazing Gulf Fritillary…
I guess that was when the insight hit me. The closer you look, the more amazing nature is. Just moments before, I had been thinking of how catching butterflies was like a cool video game. It has similar components – a random appearance, a certain amount of skill and technique, the thrill of the chase, and the satisfaction of the catch. BUT, when you get closer to a video game, either the screen itself, or the code that governs the game, what happens? Well, the realistic graphics get pixilated and are reduced to uniform color dots; and, the code, well, knowing the code can take some of the excitement out of the
game. What seemed random was really a programmed occurrence. You get the answer.
Now return to the example of nature. The closer you get, whether physically or conceptually, the more complex and sometimes, the more beautiful it gets. And instead of answers, closer examination of nature often leads to more and more questions, more lines of inquiry. Viewing a magnified insect wing will blow your mind.
I grew up on video games and watched my share of TV. There is nothing evil or wrong about it. But I am reaffirmed in my vocation when I think about what nature can offer a world of kids (and grownups) who are scheduled, busy, and subject to too much pre-programmed ‘reality’. Nature offers layers of detail, hidden wonders, and no
end to unanswered questions. Nature is imbued with real mystery. And it’s the job of the scientist, the poet, the artist, engineer, and designer, etc. to search it out, draw on its beauty and learn from its complexity.
The conference session was awesome. I had a net full of fluttering butterflies, a hillside full of weeds and flying insects, and a handful of grownups, swinging nets, examining lepidopterans, and recapturing the wonder of being inquisitive, explorers, investigators…kids.
Photo credit Warren Bielenberg
Close up of a Gulf Fritillary caught on a Tremont monarch-tagging foray this fall. Same species as I caught before the conference.
page 4 page 5
TEEA TOCS Conference CookBook
Fall Conference Extraordinaire
Ingredients:2 Distinguished Service Awards 2 Great nights at the Discovery Center A dash of Informative Exhibits (with lots of goodies to take away)1 spunky president1 Colleen with tickets for sale1 Lively square dance with George
Season with a variety of informative sessions and 2 helpings of Denny Olsen, AKA Professor Guano
Delicious dish to suit everyone’s taste!
page 6 page 7
page 6 page 7
Rain, Sun, Bio-fuel, and Pervious Paving
Ingredients:1 rain garden1 bio-fuel production unit1 solar array1 large pervious paved lot
Stir gently with a friendly leader and knowledgeable hosts in warm sunshine to make a great visit to learn about the environmental projects on MTSU campus.
page 8 page 9
TOCS SurpriseIngredients:1 Inspiring Speaker (Dr. George Smith on Natural Playgrounds) Large group of teachers2 Hardworking Conference Committee Members1 Duck Whistle per serving of feedback form6 Great fieldtrips14 Informative sessions
Mix together teachers and speaker, blend in a buffet of homemade salads provided conference committee and yield a delicious networking luncheon and ideas to take back home.
page 8 page 9
Bradley-Hobgood Field Trip (TOCS)
Ingredients:1 Productive Vegetable Garden 1 Water feature built by Scouts1 Hydroponic Unit1 Greenhouse project
Take these ingredients and mix with excited K-5 students and incredible teachers to get a fantastic outdoor classroom. The students at Bradley Academy get to experience planting, caring for, harvesting and enjoying eating vegetables and herbs from their garden. The students at Hobgood Elementary learn about plants and serving others while growing poinsettias for the local nursing home residents
page 10 page 11
Blending Science and Math in Outdoor Classroom
Ingredients:1 George Bartnik1 Standards-based Math Activity1 Outdoor Area20 TOCS Attendees
Combine to get a fun and exciting way to teach biodiversity with hands-on data collecting and applying math skills for middle grades.
page 10 page 11
Feeding Inspiration
As in most every experience in life, food is important for life, energy and comfort. In addition to all of the above, food is just one more example of the learning experiences to be had at a TOCS/TEEA Conference. The 2012 Conference was certainly no less so. For example, can you identify which of the recipes below would be examples of a. energy food, b. a meal that a vegan would have no problem enjoying, c. a dish that could be picked almost directly from your outdoor classroom vegetable garden and d. the dish that would be considered the most nutritious?
Bonnie’s TOCS 2012 ‘Build Your Own’ Salad Bar (Or how we learned to love kale)
Salad greens, including romaine, spring greens, fancy lettuce pieces, kale, spinachgrape tomatoescucumber slicessliced carrotschopped celerysliced eggsbroccoli and cauliflower piecescheddar cheese, shreddedthawed raw green peasred onions, choppedgreen olivesavocado Black, pinto beanraisinssoy nuts2 types of potato salads (am making)2 types of pasta salads (Courtney making one)cole slaw (sweet sour)corn and bean saladchicken saladhummussalsa4 kinds of crackers
…and for dessert: 5 kinds of cupcakes with buttercream, chocolate, and cream cheese icing (you are on your own with the icing---ours was
homemade, by Bonnie, of course, but if you use ‘tub’ icing, we’ll never tell!)
Golden Butter Cupcakes(Yes, it makes a difference. Use the butter!)
Line the muffin pans, oven preheated to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, with mixer set at low speed:2 c. all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)1 ½ c. sugar2 ½ tsp. baking powder1 tsp. salt ADD and blend until just blended:3/4 c. softened butter3/4 c. milk1 ½ tsp. vanilla3 large eggs Change speed to high, blend 1 -2 minutes until creamy. 1/4 c. batter into each cupcake liner. Bake 20 - 25 minutes (top is light brown).
Immediately remove the cupcakes to cooling racks.Frost when completely cooled.
page 12 page 13
Bonnie’s First-Timers Chicken Salad(First time making it. I cooked the chicken in the pressure cooker many months ago and froze it.)
cooked chickendill picklesceleryHellman’s olive oil mayonnaise
Chop the cooked chicken into fine bits, add celery to taste, add chopped dill pickles to taste, I used Hellman’s olive oil mayonnaise to taste and I think that was it. You could add chopped boiled eggs --- none in the batch made for the 2012 TOCS lunch.
Kathy DeWein’s Inspired No-Mayo Potato Salad (The amounts of each ingredient are flexible---add what you like until there’s enough of it!)
potatoes, boiled, peeled, and cut up in the size you like --- we like 1” cubescelery, chopped smallsweet pickle relishyour favorite vinaigrette or Caesar-type bottled salad dressing.black pepper
Add the celery and relish to the cut-up potatoes. (We thought about adding green onions, parsley, chopped green pepper, and chopped boiled egg but didn’t --- this time.) The “inspired” part of this recipe came when we had added the vegetables, and Kathy suggested the bottled dressing instead of mayonnaise. You might like to add your favorite dressing instead!
Bonnie’s 24-Hour, Sweet & Sour Slaw
1 head of green cabbage, shredded2 Tablesp. salt***2/3 cup white vinegar1 cup granulated sugar1 teasp. mustard seed1 teasp. celery seed1/3 cup water
Mix the shredded cabbage and the 2 T. salt (I usually add more) in a large bowl. Let stand 24 hours.
Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze the cabbage, and then fluff the cabbage.
Boil for 5 minutes: 1 c. sugar, 2/3 c. white vinegar, 1/3 c. water, 1 t. mustard seed, and 1 t. celery seed. Let cool and pour over cabbage; refrigerate overnight.
Karen’s 2012 TEEA Board Breakfast Casserole
(9” x 13” pan)
1 pound good mild sausage (TN Pride or Jimmy Dean)11 to 12 English muffin halves (5 ½ to 6 whole English muffins)9 eggs½ tsp. dry mustard1 ¼ tsp. salt1 tsp. Worcestershire sauceDash of nutmeg3 cups milk (I used powdered milk)@ 10 ounces shredded cheddar cheese4 green onions, chopped
To get a head start, tear or cut the muffins in pieces
page 12 page 13
about 1” cubed and refrigerate in a zip-top bag. While preparing muffin pieces, brown sausage in a skillet, crumbling with a fork occasionally, until done. Remove sausage and let cool on a paper towel, then refrigerate in a separate zip-top bag.
When ready to prepare, layer crumbs over the bottom of a 9” x 13” baking dish, then spread crumbled sausage over the bread. Add chopped green onions, then shredded cheese, sprinkling evenly over the surface.
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, add milk, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and nutmeg. Pour egg mixture over all, cover dish, and refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
The members of the 2012 Conference Committee prepared almost all of the food, and it was nutritional, delicious, energizing, and brought plenty of comfort to everyone in attendance! Thank you, ladies, for sharing the recipes! Now, if you would like to play the food game, send me your answers via email and I will respond! Keep the communications going by sharing the recipes and by letting us know which you tried and which your favorites were!
Send responses to: [email protected].
--Wanda Blurton, Secretary
Seeing in a new lightby Sarah E. ReddingTennessee State ParksSeasonal Interpretive Ranger
The TOCS/TEEA conference has opened my eyes. I am a Seasonal Interpretive Ranger with Tennessee State Parks. When I explain this to kids, I simply say, “I want to be a Park Ranger when I grow up.” This position has been full of fun, both for me and for those I teach as a non-formal educator. Much of what I do consists of sharing nature with children. I work with the Junior Ranger program, leading wildflower hikes, playing predator-prey games, and showing children how to be safe outdoors. One thing I never grasped before this conference was a realization of how everything I do as an interpreter can be so easily and harmoniously bound to what formal educators accomplish.
I had the privilege to attend the Rock Springs Elementary School field trip. It was on this field trip, when I saw the entire outdoor classroom filled with kids, laughing as they learned everything from Moon Phases to Math and Measures, that I realized each park is an outdoor classroom, each program is a lesson Mother Nature can teach better than I, and each person is a student hungry to know what secrets she has to offer. It is my job as an interpreter and non-formal educator to help all people see the intricacies of nature. Where I have fallen short, before this conference, was the fact that I limited my view of nature to just the science behind it. Nature has so much more to offer. To see kids using gravel to understand the balance of weights and measures, and to see them discover the letter W at the same time they find a worm, is a priceless expression of how we can harness all the lessons Mother Nature would teach in subjects that are less obviously connected.
It was a privilege to attend the TOCS/TEEA conference.Thank you for the opportunity.
page 14 page 15
NASA Educator Online Network (NEON) Student Competitions
2012 Humans in Space Youth Art Competition This international competition invites students ages 10-18 to express their ideas about the future of human space exploration through visual, literary, musical or digital art. Go to http://www.lpi.usra.edu/humansinspaceart/ for more information. Submissions are due October 21, 2012.
Call for Papers from Middle School & High School Student Researchers/Authors Journal of Emerging Investigators is publishing a series of peer-reviewed climate-related research papers authored by middle- and secondary-school students (standalone or science fair projects; go to http://instesre.org for more information). The “intent to submit a manuscript” e-mail is due to David Brooks ([email protected]) by November 30, 2012.
O P PORTUN ITI E S FO R YOU !
NASA Announces Asteroid Naming Contest for Students Students worldwide have an opportunity to name an asteroid from which an upcoming NASA mission (OSIRIS-REx) will return the first samples to Earth.
Go to http://planetary.org/get-involved/contests/osirisrex/ for rules, guidelines and a video explanation of the contest. Entries are due December 2, 2012.
2013 Alan Shepard Technology in Education Awards Do you know K-12 teachers or district-level administrators who are making a difference in education through the use of technology? Go to http://www.amfcse.org/alan_shepard_award/default.html to nominate them for this award. Nominations are due January 14, 2013.
2013 NASA Space Settlement Design Contest Students in grades 6-12 propose a design for a space settlement, a permanent community in orbit rather than on another planet or moon. Go to http://settlement.arc.nasa.gov/Contest/ for more information and registration details. Proposals are due March 15, 2013.
page 14 page 15
Free WorkshopLandscaping with Native Plants
Are kudzu and other exotic, invasive speciestaking over your yard?
Are you interested in landscaping with native
plants but aren’t sure where to start?
For more information or to register, call (615) 880-2237 or visit www.tneppc.org
Presented to you by the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council (TNEPPC).
November 10, 20129:00 am – 3:30 pm
Warner Park Nature Center7311 Highway 100
Nashville, TN 37221
page 16 page 17
Recipes for Successful Outdoor Classroom Experiences
Whether you’re using your school grounds or a field trip site, here are some website suggestions for ensuring that your outdoor sessions are true learning experiences – from planning through implementation.
www.nps.gov/arch/forteachers/outdoorclassroom.htm Although written for a specific audience, these “tips” are generic in nature and apply to all outdoor settings. Just think of them as building on your regular classroom management skills.
www.eealliance.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=25%3Ainitiatives&id=71%3Aoutdoor-classroom-guide&Itemid=92 Check out the EE website from one of our neighbors to the south for a comprehensive outdoor learning guide. Although some links are Georgia-specific, others are applicable to Tennessee.
www.alabamawildlife.org/uploadedFiles/OC%20Planning%20Guide%20Final%20(for%20web)(1).pdf And here’s a website from another neighbor to the south, Alabama. Just like the Georgia website, much of the information is applicable to Tennessee.
www.jefferson.k12.ky.us/Departments/EnvironmentalEd/SchoolyardHabGd/schoolydhabgd.html We can’t ignore out northern border! Here’s Kentucky’s schoolyard habitat guide, complete with a link to the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s Schoolyard Habitat Project Guide. Check out the reading list.
www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/education/outdoorclass.pdf Although accessed through the Iowa DNR website, this is actually a comprehensive UT Extension document for Tennessee outdoor classrooms.
www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdoor-Activities/Garden-for-Wildlife/Schoolyard-Habitats/Create/How-To-Guide.aspxThe National Wildlife Federation provides a “how-to-guide” for schoolyard habitats in pdf format, taking you from creation to maintenance. The website also includes sample lesson plans.
www.state.nj.us/dep/seeds/syhart/outclass.htm The New Jersey state EE directory provides links to many websites related to outdoor classrooms.
Onl
ine
Res
ourc
es
by G
eorg
e Ba
rtnik
On
the
Web
—
Recycle Bowlhttp://recycle-bowl.org Check out this website to enter a recycling contest to possible win $2,500 for your schools. Use NWNA as the place you heard about the information. It’s open to all public, private and magnet schools in the 50 states. PLT is one of the sponsors as well as Nestle Waters
page 16 page 17
DEADLINE IS MAY 31, 2013 – DO IT NOW!TENNESSEE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATIONNOMINATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AWARD
Check the award category for which this nominee is to be considered:
__________ Outstanding Regional Environmental Educator of the Year__________ Outstanding Regional Environmental Administrator of the Year (A State Educator of the Year will also be selected from the regional nominees)__________ Special Recognition Certificate (for specific accomplishments of individuals/organizations not considered for regional awards)
Please provide the following information about the nominee:
FULL NAME______________________________________________________________________________
COMPLETE ADDRESS_____________________________________________________________________
City___________________________, State_____Zip_______E-mail_________________________________
PHONE ( )_____________________________ REGION______East_____Middle_____West
List the nominee’s top four (4) accomplishments/projects involving environmental education.1.________________________________________________________________________2.________________________________________________________________________3.________________________________________________________________________4.________________________________________________________________________
Please include a typed narrative (maximum of 2 pages one-side-only, or 1 page front-and-back) explaining why this individual should receive the award for which he/she is nominated. Also include a letter of recommendation from one other person (this person need not be a member of TEEA). The completed nomination packet will include: (1) this form; (2) typed narrative (two-page maximum), and (3) one letter of recommendation (may be sent under separate cover).
Nominator Information (nominator MUST be a TEEA member):
Print Name_______________________________________________________________________________
Signature_______________________________________________________Date_____________________
Street address____________________________________________________________________________
City___________________________, State_____Zip_______E-mail_________________________________
Work phone ( )________________Home phone ( )_________________
Send information to: Jim Holt, TEEA Awards Chair, 311 Colonial Circle, Greeneville, TN 37745.Email: [email protected]
(Deadline for nominations is May 31, 2013.)
page 18
TEEA 2013 MINI-GRANT APPLICATIONTo apply for a mini-grant, you MUST have been a TEEA member as of May 1st of the current year and cannot have received a TEEA mini-grant the previous year. Send completed application by September 1, 2013 to: TEEA Mini-Grants, Nancy Gronostaj, 6529 Stage Road, Bartlett, TN 38134, 901.388.8623 [email protected]
Teacher’s Name____________________________School______________________________________
School Address________________________________________________________________________
Street City Zip_________________________________________________________________________
School Phone ______________________________________ Email:______________________________
Amount Requested________________________(Most awards will be for $100 or less, but you may re-quest up to $300 in rare cases.) (Preference will be given to materials requested for hands-on projects involving students)
How many students will be affected by your project?________________ Is this a new project?__________
If not, have you received a TEEA Mini-Grant to support this project in the past?_______
What other sources of funding do you have for the project?______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
How long have you been a member of TEEA? ________year(s)(If you are NOT a current member, please complete and include membership application)
Do you plan to attend the TEEA Fall Conference?______
Did you attend the Regional Spring Conference?_______
Please sign, and have your principal sign, this application in the space provided below, and attach the following:1) A one page (250 words maximum) summary of WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO.2) A bulleted list of ITEMS FOR WHICH TEEA FUNDS WILL BE USED.
Signature of Teacher ________________________________________
Signature of Principal________________________________________
Date ____________________
Winners will be asked to submit a photo and/or article on how funds were used to appear in future newsletters.
page 18
YES! I want to renew my membership to TEEA!
Name
Address
E-Mail Address: Region: West Middle East
Affiliation
$10 Student $25 Individual $30 Organization*
Donation (tax deductible)
*Each organization should select one representative to cast votes and receive the newsletter.
Mail to: TEEA Membership, c/o MTSU Center for Environmental Education MTSU Box 60, 1301 East Main Street Murfreesboro, TN 37132
please send newsletter information to:
Ramona Nelson,[email protected]
VISIT TEEA AT: www.eeintennessee.org
✁