Education Opportunities
[ S.C. Sea Grant Consortium - June 12, 2020 ]
Dear South Carolina Educators,
We hope you're fin-ally starting to get some well-deserved rest after a challenging spring semester. This week's animal highlight goes to a fan favorite, the common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus . These marine mammals are highly social and can often be observed traveling in groups called pods. However, their pod structure is much more fluid than once thought, with individuals grouping and separating frequently in response to age, food availability, and reproductive status. To track these social changes and the distinct populations of migratory and resident dolphins, researchers use the dorsal fin to identify individual dolphins. Each unique dorsal fin helps scientists learn about the range, lifespan, and health of the dolphin, providing important information about this sentinel species. Dolphins are long-lived apex predators and consume many of the same fishery species important to humans. Because of this, they are an excellent proxy for the long-term health of aquatic ecosystems in regards to toxins such as heavy metals and chemical pollutants. And much like watching dolphins play in the surf, we think that these opportunities from the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium and its partners will dolphin-itely make your day!
Deadline Approaching
S.C. Project Learning Tree Early Childhood Virtual Workshop
10:00 - 11:30 AM, Friday, June 19, 2020
Registration deadline: TODAY, June 12, 2020

South Carolina Project Learning Tree (PLT) will be offering a free virtual Early Childhood workshop from 10:00 - 11:30 AM on June 19, 2020 for educators who work with students ages 3 - 6. This PLT workshop is open to anyone across the state and will be hosted by the Museum of York County. For more details and registration information, please see the PLT flyer .
Call for Nominations: Jerry L. Shrum PLT Outstanding Educator of the Year
Submissions due: June 15, 2020

Do you know someone who uses Project Learning Tree in a creative and innovative way? S.C. Project Learning Tree is now accepting nominations for the 2020 Jerry L. Shrum PLT Outstanding Educator of the Year Award. The recipient of the award will receive benefits including a cash prize, statewide recognition, attendance to the Forestry Association of South Carolina's annual conference, an all-expenses paid opportunity to attend the S.C. Teachers' Tour in June 2021 or 2022, and a chance to participate in the National PLT Educator of the Year Award. The nomination form can be found online , and submissions are due by June 15, 2020.
SECOORA Requesting Online Curriculum Proposal Submissions
Proposals Due: June 18, 2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is increased demand for high-quality online science education resources. The Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) is soliciting proposals for an $8,500 grant to develop online or online accessible K-12 marine science materials that can be implemented by parents, teachers, and other educators. For more information, please see the linked PDF or the SECOORA website .
Learning Resources of the Week
This Week in S.C. Sea Grant Consortium's Ocean Literacy Resources: Exploring the Ocean

Although the ocean has inspired investigation and exploration throughout human history, less than 5% of our world's ocean has been explored. Exciting science is being done to examine these uncharted regions with contributions from a wide range of career fields. Join S.C. Sea Grant Consortium educators on our Facebook page at 4 PM on Thursday, June 18th as we demonstrate engaging at-home activities aligned to Ocean Literacy Principle 7, "The ocean is largely unexplored."

If you're looking for ways to incorporate writing in your science curriculum, be sure to check out the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium's education resources page for this week's human impact-themed Ocean Literacy Journal prompts aligned to Ocean Literacy Principle 7 for elementary , middle , and high school grade levels.
Image Credit: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research
Environmental Quarantrivia - Round 2!
7:00 - 8:30 PM, Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Registration Deadline: June 22, 2020

Did you miss out on last month's Environmental Quarantrivia? Not to worry. We had so much fun that we're doing it again! Join the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium, South Carolina Marine Educators Association (SCMEA), and the Environmental Education Association of South Carolina (EEASC) on June 23rd to test your environmental knowledge for a chance to win bragging rights and $100, $75, and $50 educational supply vouchers - all while social distancing! The event is free and open to individuals or teams. Pre-registration is required to participate.
SCDNR Virtual Summer Camp Programs

This summer, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) marine education team will be hosting an interactive virtual program each Tuesday at 10 AM. After a short discussion about that week's topic, campers will be led through a hands-on activity using craft supplies you probably have at home. Programs will be about 30 minutes, and participants can ask questions live! For more information and to register, please visit the SCDNR website .
NAAEE Equity Resources

In response to current events, the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) has compiled a library of resources including articles, books, videos, and podcasts to help environmental educators understand more about systemic racism and to help organizations address equity both internally and in the work they do in the field.
Professional Development Updates
2020-2022 Palmetto Environmental Education Certification (PEEC) Program
Registration Opens: July 1, 2020

Interested in becoming part of the state's first and only environmental education certification program for formal and nonformal educators? The PEEC program blends the NAAEE Core Competencies with South Carolina-specific topics, examples, and regions to provide a robust and relevant training for environmental educators. Registration will open July 1, 2020 and will close July 31, 2020. For questions about this program, please contact EV Bell .
Wade in Virtually with "Watersheds to Wetlands" Online Professional Teacher Development
Workshop Dates: July 22-24, 2020

Environmental educators from coastal South Carolina are partnering this summer to offer a three-day online watershed education experience for K-12 teachers and nonformal educators of all grade levels and subjects, with Continuing Education Units (CEUs) available. This National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-funded program offers annual Teachers On The Estuary (TOTE) programming for educators across the country, but with COVID-19 social distancing precautions this year our Reserves have been unable to offer in-person professional teacher development training workshops.

The North Inlet-Winyah Bay (NI-WB) National Estuarine Research Reserve, ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium are partnering to showcase watershed, estuary, and ocean education resources and program opportunities available to South Carolina educators. This online training is free of charge and provides seven (7) CEUs, with a future field program opportunity for participants completing the entire training. Dates are July 22-24, 2020 from 10 AM - 12 PM each day. Online virtual sessions will include activities and demonstrations from NOAA’s Estuary Education Resources and Data in the Classroom, S.C. Sea Grant Consortium’s From Seeds to Shoreline® Program, as well as a variety of other marine education resource providers and programs. We are certain you will find something to bring water into your classrooms, even virtually!

To register, visit the NI-WB website , and for questions, please contact Beth Thomas .
2020 From Seeds to Shor eline® Teacher Workshop
July 29th, 2020 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
July 30th, 2020 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
(Attendance at Both Sessions Is Required)
Cost: Free
Deadline to Register: June 26, 2020

The From Seeds to Shorelin e® (S2S) program celebrates 10 years of helping to restore areas of South Carolina salt marsh and we want you to join our team for this upcoming school year! The S2S program is the only salt marsh restoration program in the state designed specifically for K-12 students and teachers. By growing Spartina alterniflora , the dominant plant of southeastern salt marshes, throughout the school year and transplanting young seedlings to areas of the coastline, students not only learn about the importance of this critical ecosystem, but they also serve as environmental stewards. The cost to participate in the workshop is free; however, attendance at the training (July 29th and 30th) is required to participate in the 2020-2021 school year. This year, in response to COVID-19 concerns, the format of the S2S training has been retooled to include: pre-workshop learning engagement activities, a virtual training via Zoom (4 hours total over 2 days), and an optional in-person, salt marsh, field-based experience to occur later in Fall 2020. A free workshop kit of supplies and resources will be mailed to you so that you can participate along with us in the comfort of your own home. Renewal credits provided.

To learn more about the S2S program, please visit our website . To register for the 2020 training, please fill out this survey by June 26th . Questions can be sent to EV Bell .
SCMEA Post-Pandemic Debrief: Lessons Learned and Future Steps
6:00 - 7:30 PM, Wednesday, July 8, 2020
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, July 7, 2020

The South Carolina Marine Educators Association (SCMEA) would like to invite classroom science educators and informal educators from agencies and places of outreach such as museums, parks, and aquariums to join in a comprehensive facilitated discussion on July 8th regarding the challenges we in the education community faced this past spring and how we are moving forward. Pre-registra tion is required to participate. For questions, please contact Hannah Giddens .
Weekly Ray of Sunshine
Additional Adorable Animals
Did you know tiger salamanders could be so cute? Well now you know!
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