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The Lettered Olive: S.C. Sea Grant Consortium Education News
[ June 30, 2023]
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Summer is officially here! If you need proof, just step outside for a few minutes to hear the chorus of cicadas buzzing, swat at a few (hundred) mosquitos, and watch beads of moisture appear on your skin from the humidity. While heat and insects are the calling card of summer, so too is the white flower produced by this month's featured organism, the southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora). Living up to the "grand" in its scientific name, this native evergreen can grow up to 90 feet tall, and it produces large, waxy leaves that are semi-tolerant to salt air, drought, and air pollution. Perhaps the most iconic part of the tree is the white, lemony-citronella-scented flower that blooms throughout the summer. The flower is monoecious -- containing both male and female parts -- and can grow up to a foot in diameter. The southern magnolia, with its large conical shape and numerous branches, provides ample opportunities for tree-climbing capers as well as a shady refuge from the intense summer sun. The wood of the southern magnolia is considered to be hard to semi-hard and has been lumbered for building furniture and producing veneers. It takes the southern magnolia at least 10 years to start producing seeds, which are dispersed by wildlife such as birds and mammals.
So, if you're feeling a little "bloomy" since the end of the school year, you can nip that feeling in the bud by taking advantage of these educational opportunities offered by the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium and our partners. We promise you won't be barking up the wrong tree.
Photo Credit: E.V. Bell
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Educator Resources and Professional Development | |
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From Seeds to Shoreline® Workshops
August 8, 2023 (Veteran Teachers)
August 9, 2023 (New Teachers)
Deadline to Register: July 17, 2023
The From Seeds to Shoreline® (S2S) program wants you to join our team for the 2023 - 2024 school year! The S2S program, coordinated by the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium in partnership with S.C. Department of Natural Resources and Clemson University, 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. Two training sessions will be offered:
August 8, 2023 (Veteran Teacher Training): This one-day training is optional for those S2S teachers who have been with the program for at least one year. Join us for a fun-filled day of exploration and networking, new resources, giveaways, and much more!
August 9, 2023 (New Teacher Training): This one-day training is a pre-requisite for new teachers interested in participating in S2S for the upcoming school year. The training offers sessions on salt marsh ecology, restoration techniques, classroom applications, and more! There is no cost to attend, however, pre-registration will be required.
Please visit the S2S program website to get more information and to register. Questions can be sent to Morgan Treon.
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New Issue of Coastal Heritage Magazine
The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium's (Consortium) most recent issue of its award-winning magazine, Coastal Heritage, is now available. This issue, The Way Water Behaves, highlights the risks associated with stormwater and ways individuals and communities can mitigate the impacts. For educators, be sure to check out the online educational supplement for this issue, Curriculum Connection, which is aligned to the S.C. College- and Career-Ready Science Standards and provides focus questions, field trip suggestions, and additional activities to do with your students.
Coastal Heritage and Curriculum Connection are available online for free download. Hard copies of Coastal Heritage issues are also provided free-of-charge upon request.
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All Booked Up Coastal Reading Club
Are you a formal, nonformal, or homeschool educator interested in discussing books focused on the environment? Join the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium’s All Booked Up (ABU) Coastal Reading Club!
Please visit the ABU webpage to join our listserv and learn about benefits of becoming a member. Our next book will be Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Questions can be sent to E.V. Bell.
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Ocean Odyssey Grant
Deadline to Apply: August 15, 2023
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, in cooperation with NOAA Ocean Exploration, is offering grants to educators and education programs leading workforce development initiatives that advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within ocean science and/or exploration career pathways. The overarching goal is to support a future ocean workforce that is more representative of U.S. demographics by funding projects that minimize barriers to entry and retention of diverse learners from communities historically marginalized from ocean science and exploration industries. Please visit the request for proposals for more information.
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Environmental Education Association of South Carolina
Mini-Grants
Deadline to Apply: October 1, 2023
The Environmental Education Association of South Carolina (EEASC) provides grants of up to $1,000 to support professional development, student learning opportunities, and service projects. These grant opportunities are available to EEASC members and must be completed within six months of the award. More details on how to apply can be found on the EEASC mini-grant webpage.
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South Carolina Marine Educators Association
Renkas Marine Education Grant
Deadline to Apply: October 1, 2023
Do you have a classroom project, program, or virtual teaching platform that needs financial assistance? The South Carolina Marine Educators Association (SCMEA) Renkas Marine Education Grant awardes up to three $200 grants each year. Recipients must be a SCMEA member and will be required to write an article describing the project for an issue of the SCMEA newsletter, SeaScripts. For more information on how to apply, please visit the SCMEA grant webpage.
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Additional Opportunities and Resources | |
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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.
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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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Join hundreds of South Carolina educators like you! The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium sends out marine science and coastal education updates every month with opportunities and resources. |
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