The Lettered Olive: S.C. Sea Grant Consortium Education News January 2024

The Lettered Olive: S.C. Sea Grant Consortium Education News

[ January 12, 2024]

Happy New Year! January is symbolically seen as the month where new beginnings are forged, goals set, and resolutions made (and broken...no judgement here). This time of year is also when Mother Nature takes a collective, restful breath: some mammals such as brown bears hibernate, select species of reptiles (e.g., American alligator) brumate, and deciduous trees drop their leaves -- all in an effort to conserve energy. So, too, might we engage in our own version of hibernation: opting for a good book by a warm fire or hanging with family and friends in front of a binge-worthy show in lieu of frolicking outside. For those braving the chilly temperatures and/or the darker periods outdoors, gear such as knitted hats, gloves, thermal underwear, down jackets, and other heavy clothing will keep the elements at bay. Although this month's featured species has a reference to "night" in its name, you won't see this nocturnal mammal out and about this time of year. The evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis) is one of South Carolina's 14 bat species that hibernates during this time of year. It is a medium-sized bat (two inches long) that is brown in color with a small, broad head and short, round ears. As with all bat species, the evening bat is capable of true flight due to elongated bones connected by a thin membrane of tissue. Its diet consists of primarily insects, which is beneficial with reducing agricultural nuisance insects.

So whether or not you continue your version of hibernation or you bundle up to enjoy the chilly, outdoors be sure to not bat away these upcoming educational opportunities and resources from the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium and our partners!

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Educator Resources and Professional Development

The Watershed Game Training

February 16, 2024

Local Leader Training: 9:00 am - 12:30 pm

Educator Training: 1:00 - 4:30 pm

S.C. Sea Grant Consortium

The Watershed Game (TWG), designed by Minnesota Sea Grant, is a nationally used, interactive tool that underscores the connection between land use and water quality. On February 16, 2024, join S.C. Sea Grant Consortium and the TWG team for a training on the NEW Coast Model for both classrooms and local leaders, which will reflect critical coastal issues, including eutrophication and increasing flooding.

The workshop will include two sessions:

1) Local Leader Version (9:00 - 12:30 pm) is designed for use with groups of between 15 and 25 elected and appointed officials, and other community leaders from local groups or watershed organizations.

2) Classroom Version (1:00 - 4:30 pm) is designed for use with middle and high school students.

Workshop participants will learn how the Watershed Game can be used to engage their audiences and help meet education, planning, or program objectives. The goal is for workshop participants to be equipped with the skills to facilitate TWG with their communities and/or classrooms.

Special offer: If two teachers or more from the same school attend the workshop, their school will be mailed a FREE copy of TWG!

This training is free of charge but pre-registration is required by January 26, 2024. To learn more about TWG training and to register, please access the promotional flyer. Questions can be sent to E.V. Bell.

Ocean Odyssey Coastliner Program

Are you a coastal, formal educator who is interested in engaging your students in learning about ocean-related careers? Join our Ocean Odyssey Coastliner Program (OOCP)! The OOCP, funded by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Exploration and the National Marine Sanctuaries Foundation, provides educators with direct access to career-related outreach events and resources related to the marine industry. While the program is open to any coastal middle and high school educator, the program aims to reach Title 1 status schools and those communities that are historically marginalized.

Becoming a "Coastliner" through the OOCP is free-of-charge and provides you with the following:

1) Access to free Coastliner Toolkits that are STEM (science-technology-engineering-math)-based, ocean-related, career-focused, and incorporate NOAA resources. Topics include (but are not limited to): building a working weather buoy or ROV (remotely operated vehicle), designing a product that aligns with the ocean industry, or exploring the engineering mechanics of pulleys.

2) First-hand knowledge of career-related opportunities, outreach events, and resources.

3) Invitation to participate in a 2024 Youth Summit.

Please visit the OOCP webpage for more information and to sign-up to receive notifications about kits, outreach events, and more! Questions can be sent to E.V. Bell

Save-the-Date: BioDiscovery Project Educator Training

March 15 - 16, 2024

Charleston, S.C.

Mark your calendars for the next BioDiscovery Project Educator Training that will be held March 15 - 16, 2024! The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium, in partnership with the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission, will guide participants through how to construct and deploy a biorack to collect fouling organisms for further study with your students. The training is free-of-charge and registration will open in February. Please visit the BioDiscovery Project page to learn more.

New! Coastal Heritage Magazine and

Curriculum Connection

The latest issue of the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium's award-winning magazine, Coastal Heritage, is now available! The issue, "Where the Wild Places Are: Captivating Carolina Bays," features the unique makeup and species found in these ephemeral wetlands.

Educators can download the magazine's educational supplement, Curriculum Connection, which provides standards-aligned activities and resources as well as field trip suggestions.

Additional Opportunities and Resources

S.C. Sea Grant Consortium Speaker Request Form

Do you have a science night or career day coming up in the future? Would you like a speaker for your students or organization? The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium (Consortium) has plenty to share regarding marine science careers, current research projects, and engaging coastal science activities for all ages! Be sure to check out our career page to learn more about the Consortium, and if you are interested in booking the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium for an upcoming career day or science night, please fill out this request form.

Enviroscape Loaner Program

The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium offers use of the Wetlands Enviroscape Model free-of-charge to any S.C. K-12, nonformal, and homeschool educator. The model provides a hands-on demonstration about how watersheds can be affected by development, pollution, and other human-made and natural impacts. Included as part of the demonstration are ways in which potential pollution impacts can be mitigated (e.g., riparian buffers and salt marshes). To find out more information on requesting to borrow the Enviroscape, please visit the Enviroscape Loaner Program webpage to fill out the request form. Questions can be sent to Morgan Treon.

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