August 2023

NEW: Climate Curriculum Cohort, Accepting Applications
Congrats to the 2023 Certified Media Literacy Educators
Mapping in Kooskia and Kamiah, Summer Fun in Caldwell
Free Road Trip Games and Activities for Kids
Best Free Apps to Help Kids Enjoy Nature
Prepare for Back to School
Upcoming Events
August Online Games

Educators

NEW: Climate Curriculum Cohort

In collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, Idaho Public Television, and NASA Earth to Sky Network, Idaho Environmental Education Association is accepting up to 10 Fellows to join a Climate Curriculum Cohort.

Fellows will join a Community of Practice with other Idaho educators to connect on climate topics and create a curriculum based on the Idaho Climate-Economy Impacts Assessment. Apply at the link below!

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Apply

Congrats to Idaho's 2023 Certified Media Literacy Educators!

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Kelly Gissel, Matt Stutzman, Olivia Whitsel, and La Donna Tuinstra are the latest Idaho classroom teachers to complete the PBS Media Literacy Educator Certification, led by our very own Kari Wardle, IdahoPTV Education Manager.

The certification recognizes PreK-12 educators who demonstrate their ability to teach students to think critically about media consumption and creation. Educators can earn 3 professional development credits through Idaho State University.

"PBS’s Media Literacy program for educators rings true of its unrivaled reputation in educational programming. The...course really resonated with the responsibilities as educators to be true stewards of our craft, to ensure not only rigor, but understanding of differentiated learning. It pushes us into the 21st century with our learners." —Kelly Gissel, Middleton High School, Middleton

"I now feel more confident in guiding my students through the complex media landscape. I'm grateful for the opportunity to grow as an educator through this course." —Matthew Stutzman, Hillcrest Elementary, American Falls

"This class really challenged my way of approaching media in the classroom. I walked away with tools and ideas I would have never come across without it."

—Olivia Whitsel, Caldwell High School, Caldwell

"As a veteran teacher, I was not prepared to learn how outdated my perceptions of online media had become. It was shocking that tools and tricks I have used are outdated. This media literacy content is revolutionary and will have an immediate impact on my classroom instruction." —La Donna Tuinstra, Rocky Mountain High School, Meridian

Communities

Mapping in Kooskia and Kamiah, Summer Fun in Caldwell

Education Specialist Ashley Marotz leads a "hoop glider" STEM activity with kids at kids at Luby Park in Caldwell for the weekly Book and a Bite event. We sent each child home with a free book.

Education Specialist Brady Kissel assembles the latest batch of Storytime in a Box kits for libraries. Contact us to participate!

Education Specialist Lenea Pierzchanowski led mapping activities with kids at the Kooskia Community Library.

Using a theme of teamwork, Pierchanowski led several mapping activities at the Kooskia Community Library and the Kamiah Community Library.

After warming up with some exercises to understand patterning, we explored the parts of a map and the concepts in the book Mapping Sam, which shows how you can create a map of just about anything, from a cat or a flower to a neighborhood and the universe.

The kids examined a large, laminated map of Idaho and we discussed where we are, where we've been, and the different parts of the state.

Kids strategized and discussed ideas of what kind of map they wanted to create as a group. Kids in Kooskia mapped their homes. And the kids in Kamiah decided to map Idaho, even drawing morel mushrooms at their favorite place to pick them.

These popular mapping events help kids develop math and science skills, understand where they are in the world, and work together with other kids they don't know to create something original. Contact us if you'd like us to lead a mapping event at your library!

Families

Is your family ready to travel farther from home this summer? More travel can lead to more waiting, riding, or flying time. That can be tough for a young child — they’ll want something fun to do!

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Best FREE Apps to Help Kids Enjoy Nature

Seven free apps that can put you and your child on the path to an outdoor adventure right in your own neighborhood!

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Prepare for Back to School

Eager to get your kids ready to go back to school? Explore information on coping with back-to-school anxieties & emotions, creating daily routines, and tackling common situations that arise with the start of school. Ease the transition with some fun lunch box or after school snacks & downtime activities.