"We must become the change we want to see in the world." --Mohandas Gandhi

1. "We must become the change we want to see in the world." --Mohandas Gandhi Conservation Education Case Studies and Soil Education Information PRESENTED BY:Susan M. Schultz National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) stewardship@nacdnet.org 317-326-2952 www.nacdnet.org February 3, 2009 New Orleans NACD Annual Conference

2. “It’s finding the path that allows you to give the best of yourself to others and the earth, and sharing your time and talents with others in a way that makes positive change. It’s love.”  Petey Giroux

3. North American Association for Environmental Education • Conservation Education Commission • www.naaee.org

4. Conservation Education Outreach Case Studies 118

6. TYPE OF EVENT

7. Topics at the Event

8. Range of Project

9. Target Specific Age

10. Specific Amount of Time at each station

11. Planning Committee

12. Train Presenters

13. Are presenters volunteers(non resource personnel)

14. Are presenters resource personnel?

15. Are the trainers parents at school ?

16. Do you develop kits for presenters?

17. Conduct Pre-Post testing of participants

18. Did you find an increase in knowledge after event?

19. Do you have someone evaluate presenters?

20. Do your participants evaluate your outreach event?

21. Is the event linked to helping achieve conservation goals?

22. Do grant funds play a part in whether event happens?

23. WHEAT WEEKFranklin Conservation District, WA • 4000 participants • Grade 4-7 • 1 hour per day for 5 days • Increased awareness of natural resource protection and conservation.

24. Alignment with state Essential Academic Requirements in Science as well as alignment with STC and FOSS science kits being used in eastern Washington. Teachers use Wheat Week to supplement and compliment their existing science curriculums. Wheat Week brings an added hands-on science piece into their classrooms to give students more experiences with science.

25. WHEAT WEEK • Community support has been tremendous. There is a waiting list of schools requesting Wheat Week in their classrooms. • Hopefully, we are helping students become wise stewards of our natural resources

26. Wheat Week • $73,000 • In kind $10,000 Do grant funds play a part? YES • Washington Wheat Commission • Washington State Conservation Commission • Various Conservation Districts across the state No pre or post testing

27. Wheat Week is a series of 5 lessons delivered over the course of one week to classrooms in grades 4-7. Each day, 4-5 classrooms receive the one-hour lesson. Each lesson builds upon each other and all have a natural resource, science and conservation component. Monday's lesson is a water cycle lesson and emphasizes water conservation. Tuesday's lesson is a soil lesson and teaches students the differences between sand, silt and clay and also talks about soil conservation. Wednesday's lesson is a watershed lesson and teachers students what watersheds are and the things they do in their daily lives can impact their watershed. Thursday's lesson is an energy lesson and teaches students the difference between renewable and non-renewable energies. Students also learn about energy conservation. Friday's lesson is a systems lesson and students identify parts of a system as well as functions of the system. Students also identify the inputs and outputs of the system and discuss conservation of those inputs. Wheat is used throughout the week as the tool to teach students these concepts. Wheat is a major commodity in eastern Washington and something the students are somewhat familiar with. • Wheat Week 2 is beginning this year and is in addition to Wheat Week. Those classrooms that had Wheat Week last year will be able to receive 5 new lessons. The new curriculum focuses on the same content but uses new hands-on materials.

28. "Innovative Approaches toMaintaining Stream Banks Without Breaking Your Own Bank" Champaign County SWCD, IL

29. At least every other year, the district helps host a meeting open to anyone, but directed towards drainage district commissioners. This year's theme was "Innovative Approaches to Maintaining Stream Banks Without Breaking Your Own Bank". Our featured presenter discussed Channel Dynamics (How streams evolve over time) and Proven Bank Stabilization Practices. District personnel presented information on the Salt Fork River Maintenance Project and Cost Share Programs.

30. "Innovative Approaches toMaintaining Stream Banks Without Breaking Your Own Bank" • 15 year old event • Average 30 to 40 participants • What were some of the good outcomes of this event? • 1. Drainage Commissioners use best management practices for ditch maintenance. • 2. Awareness of environmental impacts of their actions. • 3. Public relations benefit with environmental groups.

31. "Innovative Approaches toMaintaining Stream Banks Without Breaking Your Own Bank" PARTNERS • University of Illinois Extension • Champaign County SWCD • NRCS Costs: minimal

32. Eco Camp - Environmental Science Based Day Camp Beaufort Soil & Water Conservation District, SC Event: 19 years old Average participants: 60 Budget $3115

33. Eco camp is 1 week, 5 days from 9am to 12 noon. with three rotating presentations each day. • We choose presenters and crafts pertinent to the yearly environmental theme. (Past year have been Winged Wonders, Down on the Farm, Water Conservation, Safety, Etc.) • We try to have as much hands on activities as we can. We choose presenters from Country, State, and local private organizations. We try and find kid friendly presenters as well as experts in their field. We have some equipment, but borrow materials such as microscopes and natural history specimens when we can. Live (safe) animals are always a big hit! • We charge $85 for the week. Farm Bureau and the Technical College each sponsor 2 scholarships. Farm Bureau also provides lunch on the last day. • Children also get theme t-shirts to paint and wear on the last day of camp. • Presenters from agencies and local businesses provide free handouts and other items relative to the theme. (For Example, BiLo Grocery stores donated re-usable shopping bags.

34. Pluff mud

35. This year our theme was Dirty Jobs The Dirte-eee Jobs Theme created a fun, exciting atmosphere for learning about the environment. Children learned about: recycling, trash disposal, how a landfill works, worm composting, respecting animals in the wild, local oyster reef communities & restoration projects, farm animal husbandry, trapping coyote, chemistry of pluff mud, planting in eco friendly cow poo pots, scrapbooking, and other crafts.

36. Chainsaw Safety Field Day • Pope County Conservation District, AR • 45 participants • Seeing how natural resources affect a cross-section of the population...some for recreation and hobby and some as a means of income • Try to include all areas of your community. We had people in all occupations--from pharmacists to bankers to loggers...all with a common interest.

37. Rain Barrel Workshop • Tazewell Soil and Water Conservation District, VA • Participants made their own rainbarrels. • Community excited about rain water harvesting. Set up systems at over 196 homes since 2007. • People contacting board of supervisors to tell them how great the program is.

38. $25,000 grant to build two rain gardens Partnership: Noblesville Economic Development Department, Wastewater Utility and Hamilton County SWCD, Indiana

39. Response to disaster

40. NACD Education Resources

41. Future Education Topics • NACD Education material topics (assists in promotion of Stewardship week): • - Topic: Soil Theme- DIG IT! The Secrets of Soil • Materials available January 2009 (partners: Smithsonian and Soil Science Society of America) • 2010 – Topic: Forestry Theme – TBD • Materials available summer/fall 2009 • 2011 – Topic: Habitat & Wildlife Theme – TBD • Materials available summer/fall 2010 • 2012 – Topic: Current Event Theme – TBD • Materials available summer/fall 2011 • 2013 – Topic: Water Theme – TBD • Materials available summer/fall 2012

44. DIG IT! The Secrets of Soil

45. Poster contest changes • Changes in the 2009 contest • Recording participants in the contest • POSTER CONTEST: • The Stewardship & Education committee added two categories to the 2009 poster contest. Poster designed with soil paint for grades 4-6 and posters designed on computer for grades 10-12. Stewardship and education committee members donated $350 to cover the additional prize money. The regular category prize money is sponsored by the NACD Auxiliary. Additional information at: http://nacdnet.org/education/contests/

46. www.nacdnet.org

48. PAINTING WITH SOIL

49. Painting with Soil