E3 Washington Showcase News Articles (Newest to Oldest)
No Child Left Inside Movement Still Faces Challenges
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- Come Honor the 2013 Recipients of Statewide Awards for Excellence in Environmental Sustainability Education
- Oregon Community Foundation Presents A Guide to Launching, Managing, Sustaining an Outdoor School Program
- Puget Sound Tall Ship Captain Receives Audubon Toyota Conservation Fellowship
- White Salmon Art Show Celebrates Salmons Return Home
- A Roadmap for Advancing Green Chemistry in Washington State
- The US Department of the Interior Presents Redesigned Recreation Website
- Since Time Immemmorial” Curriculum Site Launch
- Washington Educator, Ben McMurry, Selected as Nominee for ASCD Outstanding Young Educator Award
No Child Left Inside Movement Still Faces Challenges 
Story Submitted by Jean M. Wallace, CEO Green Woods Charter School By Terri Akman FOR THE INQUIRER For the one year he attended public schools in Roxborough, learning was hard for Noah Cason. Today, as a fourth grader enrolled in Green Woods Charter School, Noah, 10, can’t wait to get to class. “...We get to hike and go to the stream to test the water quality, and write about how we can protect the stream. We can actually experiment ourselves to learn about nature, which makes school fun.” Noah doesn’t know it, but he’s reaping the rewards of the No Child Left Inside movement, a push to increase children’s access to outside play that gained momentum when Richard Louv’s book, Last Child in the Woods, was published in 2005. Proponents claim unstructured play delivers cognitive benefits, increased creativity, improved physical health, and better executive function — “that part of your brain that says ‘maybe it’s not a good idea to follow your buddies over that cliff,’” says Louv. Yet even as Louv’s latest book, The Nature Principle, came out in paperback in April, the tug of war between academics and unstructured play continues to pull at schools: Budget cuts, teacher layoffs, and pressure to score higher on standardized tests have left little room for recess. “Each year, the shift moves a little further towards academics because of the rigor that’s required,” says Renee Queen Jackson, Philadelphia schools’ deputy chief for the Office of Early Childhood. Adapting its curriculum to account for the 2013-14 common core standards — what 45 states have adopted to provide a consistent educational framework — will demand even greater emphasis on academics. The shift is happening in New Jersey schools, too. “Believe it or not, it starts all the way in kindergarten with a focus on specific skills and students being able to build upon those skills as they progress in the various grades,” said Kwame Morton, principal of Joyce Kilmer Elementary School in Cherry Hill. “We can’t afford to lose time with students, which is why we see more of a push toward an academic focus in kindergarten.” Both Queen Jackson and Morton say their curricula still include play, but academic preparedness is paramount. “We try to incorporate as much play as we can, but there are always situations where they may not get enough play in that’s necessary for each individual child,” says Queen Jackson. The trickle-down-effect means preschools — even daycare — feel the pressure to push an academically focused curriculum. A study published in the April edition of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that almost half of preschool children do not venture outside to play each day. Researchers looked at the social behavior of 8,950 U.S. children during their final year of preschool. When Sharon Hershman opened Kids on 12th in Center City five years ago, she was trying to address a need for preschool enrichment, specifically playtime and extra-curricular activities. Then budget cuts in the Philadelphia school district led to larger class sizes with less teacher support. That reality forced Hershman to shift her focus away from a play-based curriculum. “Play has become a four-letter word,” insists Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, professor of psychology at Temple University and co-author of the book A Mandate for Playful Learning in Preschool. She says lack of play has robbed children of social and cognitive skills — creating disadvantages that more rigorous academics were meant to combat. “We are very worried that the Chinese or Indian cultures are somehow going to overtake us if we don’t start at day-minus-three in training our children so that they become better prepared for the workplace of tomorrow.” Still, there are schools and programs, including Green Woods, that continue to include play as a prominent piece of the academic puzzle. “Research has been overwhelming about how using the environment can help to close the achievement gap in our schools,” said Jean Wallace, CEO of Green Woods Charter School in Roxborough, which uses the Environment as an Integrating Context (EIC) model for its curriculum. Fourth-graders scoring proficient or advanced in science on statewide PSSA tests is 83 percent; Green Woods is 96 percent. The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education has witnessed firsthand the power nature has in childhood development. “Allowing children plenty of unstructured but supervised and safe time in the outdoors gives kids an opportunity to be more comfortable outside,” says Virginia Ranly, Schuylkill Center director of education. “It also improves all of those skills and attributes associated with play, including self-confidence, leadership, problem solving and many health benefits.” Learning how to get along, communicate with peers, work in teams, use time, and collaborate, are instilled as kids navigate the playground, advocates say. Playing with blocks can teach lessons in physics and building sandcastles relies on critical thinking skills. “We are told all the time from industry that these are the skills they want in our children,” points out Hirsh-Pasek. “Fifty years of psychological research suggests that children learn best when they’re active, when they are engaged, and when the material is meaningful.” A new study published in the March issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggested that promoting physical activity among young schoolchildren may improve their academic performance. The 138 children ages 8 through 11 performed best on mental acuity tests after either physical activity or academic activity, but less well when both were combined before testing — “helpful justification for increasing physical activity in the academic setting,” according to the lead author. Time will tell how Noah fares on his SATs, but for now, he knows he likes being outside. “Every day I think maybe we’ll go on a hike today or we’ll learn something new, and I’m excited,” he says. Weblink: http://articles.philly.com/2012-04-26/news/31410978_1_budget-cuts-academic-focus-common-core-standards
E3 Washington's "3 e's" Summer Evening A Summer Celebration of Environmental & Sustainability Education for All June 20, 2012 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Register Here Web Link: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?llr=gnbqo7cab&oeidk=a07e7j1b0fr3f41f4d8
E3 Washington is excited to Showcase this AMAZING resource for our Members. We think you will agree! "Outdoor school is by far the best program that I’ve witnessed for its ability to take students from all walks of life and immerse them completely in the content they are learning about. In terms of authentic student engagement and enduring understanding of what they learn, nothing compares to outdoor school." – David Wierth, Science Teacher A Guide to Launching, Managing, & Sustaining an Outdoor School Program Oregon Community Foundation
Toyota and the National Audubon Society today announced that a TogetherGreen Fellowship award will be given to a Puget Sound-based tall ship captain and environmental educator. After a competitive nationwide selection process, Joshua Berger, E3 Washington Network Coordinator from 2007-2010 will receive a fellowship award to initiate a project that aims to do nothing less than facilitate systemic change throughout the marine industries of Puget Sound. TogetherGreen, a conservation initiative of the National Audubon Society and Toyota, selects 40 high-potential local leaders annually to receive a $10,000 grant. With the funds, Fellows conduct community projects to engage diverse audiences in habitat, water, or energy conservation. In addition to receiving support launching their conservation initiatives, the Fellows also benefit from specialized training and the opportunity to become part of an exciting alumni network of conservation professionals. “Joshua is an environmental hero. He and the other TogetherGreen Fellows help people engage with nature. They look like America: diverse, passionate, and patriotic,” said Audubon President David Yarnold. “Joshua is a leader, and we’re pleased to give him a chance to invent the future.” Joshua’s concept of “ship as sustainable community” is the basis of the project, entitled “Where BLUE Meets GREEN,” in which three, five-hour sail programs will be conducted aboard Adventuress—a 133-foot wooden tall ship and National Historic Landmark. Involving up to 75 industry leaders representing a range of communities along Puget Sound's shorelines, the project is designed to facilitate dialogue between multiple stakeholders (the small passenger vessel community, along with fisheries, marinas, recreational boaters, tribes, shipyards, and others with a stake in the Puget Sound, Strait of Juan De Fuca, and San Juan Islands regions). Topic areas covered during sail discussions include sustainable building/material use practices and their impacts to the marine and human ecology, along with methods of developing a typology of marine transportation guidelines for sustainable practices. “As in the land-built environment and the great strides in the green building industry, strides are necessary to begin a process of greening marine vessels, and examples of sustainable models are needed to understand and discuss alternatives,” he said. Aboard Adventuress and as a staff member of the conservation organization Sound Experience, Berger provides a floating education platform for more than 5,000 young people and adults annually in an ongoing mission to preserve and protect the marine waters and estuaries of the Puget Sound region. He also develops education programs and sustainability initiatives, manages a crew of 15 (along with a network of hundreds of active volunteers), and directs a multi-year ship restoration project. The TogetherGreen Fellowship Program invests in high-potential individuals from all backgrounds, providing them with resources, visibility, and a growing peer network to help them lead communities nationwide to a healthier environmental future. To date, 200 environmental leaders from across the country have been awarded TogetherGreen fellowships. These leaders have worked with nearly 500 organizations and engaged over 100,000 people in community-based conservation action, achieving results in habitat, water, and energy. A complete list of the 2012 TogetherGreen Fellows and details about their conservation projects can be found at www.TogetherGreen.org/fellows.
Artists are invited to celebrate the historic re-opening of the White Salmon River and help support restoration of the watershed by participating in a community art show sponsored by Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group. The opening will be September 6, 2012 at the Sprint Gallery at the White Salmon Library. The show will run through the month of September. Visual art of any media is welcome. Art should celebrate salmon and returning salmon. Participating artists are asked to donate a portion (10 – 100%) of the sale of the art to restoration of the river. A special account for the proceeds will be established specifically for fish habitat restoration on the White Salmon River. “We are excited about the upcoming community art show celebrating the return of anadromous fish to the White Salmon River after one hundred years. The removal of Condit Dam on the White Salmon River has captured the imagination of many artists who plan to submit visual art for the September show. The show will be held in September to correspond with the completion of the work to remove Condit Dam, making the river once again accessible to salmon and steelhead.” - Margaret Neuman, Executive Director, Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group The photo, taken on July 16, 2012 by Jeanette Burkhardt, is of one of the first steelhead returning to the White Salmon River. This steelhead was able to navigate past the dam site and above Husum Falls to BZ Falls at River Mile 12.4 Please see the link below to view more information about the Art Show. Web Link: http://midcolumbiarfeg.com/what-we-do/call-for-art-welcome-home-salmon/
Submitted by Ken Zarker, Manager, Pollution Prevention and Regulatory Assistance In 2011, leaders from Washington State businesses, universities, nonprofit organizations and government joined together to develop a joint strategy to promote safer chemicals and products through green chemistry. The result is a new draft report, A Roadmap for Advancing Green Chemistry in Washington State. "We are interested in engaging educators to help advance green chemistry education," stated Ken Zarker, Pollution Prevention Manager. "Education is a key strategy for success in Washington State." What is Green Chemistry? Green chemistry is often referred to as the process to design, manufacture and use chemical products that eliminate or reduce chemical hazards. The goal of green chemistry is to create better, safer chemicals while choosing the safest, most efficient ways to make them and to reduce wastes. Green chemistry is a priority of Ecology’s Reducing Toxic Threats initiative and a near term action item in the Puget Sound Partnership Action Agenda. What is the Green Chemistry Roadmap? In 2011, the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) initiated the development of a green chemistry roadmap project in partnership with business, educators, government, other states, and nongovernmental organizations. To assist in this effort, Ecology worked in partnership with Washington State University (WSU) to conduct research into the current status of green chemistry efforts in Washington that culminated in a Green Chemistry Roundtable meeting, which attracted over 150 attendees in May 2011. The results from the WSU research and Green Chemistry Roundtable are the basis for the Washington State Green Chemistry Roadmap. The roadmap recommends actions Washington State should undertake over the next three biennia to support the opportunity advancing and sustaining green chemistry in Washington.
What are the Green Chemistry Roadmap recommendations? The roadmap outlines seven key recommendations with specific actions designed to accelerate the adoption of green chemistry in Washington State. The following are the recommendations:
Ecology is seeking comments on the draft Green Chemistry roadmap from interested stakeholders by September 30, 2012. The report outlines a “roadmap” to help position the state for increased awareness and capacity for green chemistry over the next five to seven years. How do I submit comments? Send Email comments to ken.zarker@ecy.wa.gov by September 30, 2012. How can I get involved with green chemistry? Please send your contact information to ken.zarker@ecy.wa.gov to be added to the mailing list for future events.
Submitted by Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior As part of President Obama's initiative to fuel the economy and create jobs by promoting travel and tourism, I am pleased to announce a new design, improved navigation tools and expanded content for Recreation.Gov, the interagency website that guides visitors to 90,000 sites on public lands such as national parks, national wildlife refuges, forests, waterways and national recreation areas. Click here to see a short video highlighting all the places you can visit through recreation.gov. The redesign of www.recreation.gov is an initial step in a multi-year strategy to engage visitors with enhanced interactive content and more multimedia, mobile, trip-planning tools. The seven million visitors who use the web site every year will be able to make reservations, see ready-made itineraries for destination cities, and search for activities on interactive maps. We hope you enjoy planning your next outdoor adventure through www.recreation.gov.
Submitted by the Office of Indian Education, OSPI We will be launching our new and improved “Since Time Immemorial” Tribal Sovereignty in Washington State online curriculum website today. Please review this awesome site. This effort started in 2003 at the first Tribal Education Summit with tribal leaders, educators and Washington State representatives held at the Quinault Reservation. Tribes met for two days to discuss issues around Indian education. The first day was meeting with then Governor Gary Locke, and the second day was meeting with Terry Bergeson, our former State Superintendent of Public Instruction. At the close of the summit, it was clearly evident that tribes wanted curriculum about their history, culture, language and government. John McCoy, Representative, Washington State Legislature, pledged to get a bill passed to address these issues. The bill, first introduced in 2004, did not pass; then in 2005 House Bill 1495 was passed by the legislature, encouraging school districts to partner with local tribes to start the development of their curriculum. It is now RCW: 28A.320.170: 28A345.070. In 2007 OSPI’s Office of Native Education launched an effort to develop tribal sovereignty curriculum for the state of Washington. This endeavor has been a true collaboration between many players in education, OSPI, Tribes, Washington State School Directors Association, Washington State Board of Education, Indian organizations, environmental organizations, institutions of higher education, and the Gates Foundation just to name a few. In the Welcome to Since Time Immemorial Video, Office of Native Education Director Denny Sparr Hurtado, member of the Skokomish Tribe, states “The overall goal is to build better relationships and trust between the tribes, state and local communities. Most importantly, that our native children are proud of who they are and where they came from and that all children have a better understanding of our sovereign nations.” The STI curriculum is web-based, free and easy to use. It is aligned with our state standards, grade level expectations in social studies, curriculum based assessments, and state common core standards in English/language arts. It is also in levels so that any teacher could use our curriculum and was developed to be integrated into existing content. For example, in elementary school it can be integrated in social studies, in middle school it can be integrated with Washington State history, and in high school it can be integrated into U.S. History as well as contemporary world problems. There is also an amazing amount of resources to support the curriculum. In addition, we have trainers to help train your staff to use this unique curriculum. On September 28th, 2012, Superintendent Randy Dorn will be sending a letter out encouraging schools to use our STI curriculum. Web Link: http://www.indian-ed.org/
Ben McMurry, biology teacher in the West Valley School District, has been selected as an exemplary nominee for the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)’s 2013 Outstanding Young Educator Award. Ben McMurry continues to inspire and challenge his students to creatively engage in projects that give students greater experience in real world opportunities in the field of biology. The goal is to keep the focus of the project on how these projects can transfer into real careers after high school. Students have been given opportunities to work side by side with the Yakima County Surface Water Management Department doing research into how porous specific road surfaces were. They spent the morning collecting water samples in order to figure out how much runoff was occurring on different types of surfaces. Students were given the opportunity to be part of a real science investigation and the leaders of the project were great about discussing with the students what their goal was and what they would do with the data that they had collected all day. “It was a great real life application to what we do every day in the classroom.” Says Ben McMurry. Students have participated in a partnership with the Yakima Basin Environmental Education Program and the Yakama Nation Prosser Hatchery to learn about salmon life cycle and what kind of work they do in order to sustain our salmon populations. They have participated in a community service project with Dr. Peter Finch, Assistant Superintendent West Valley School District, in which they marked storm drains with stencils to promote awareness of what goes down the drains and where the water eventually goes. Most recently, students worked for hours restoring an area owned by the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy in order to work the land to better sustain native habitats. These are all just examples of the “hard work and creativity as an educator” that has qualified Mr. McMurry to move to the next level of the selection process. Founded in 1943, ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) is an educational leadership organization dedicated to advancing best practices and policies for the success of each learner. Begun in 2002, ASCD's Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA) Program recognizes creative and committed teachers and administrators under the age of 40 who are making a difference in the lives of children. These educators are developing and using best practices to ensure all children are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. Web Link: www.wvsd208.org
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