Spring Themed Nature Games

Keep your students active this spring with these fun spring themed games.

Robin’s Egg

Select 1 student to be the robin. Have the robin sit with his/her back to the other students, at least ten feet away. Place a plastic egg behind the robin. The robin needs to protect the egg. The remaining students take turns sneaking up behind the robin and try to steal the egg. If the robin hears the person sneaking up, he/she will “call” and then turn around. If the robin catches a student, that student becomes the new robin. If there is no student when the robin “calls,” the robin remains the robin and the game starts again.

Flower Power

Students pretend to be pollinators traveling from flower to flower. Scatter hula hoops across the play area (fewer hula hoops than students). Place a card with a shape inside each hula hoop (flower). Give each student a card with a shape. Students must travel around the play area, matching their card to one inside a flower. When they find a match, they stand inside the flower. Only one student can be inside each flower. If a student doesn’t “pollinate” a flower, they are out. Remove a flower (hula hoop) after each round.

Metamorphosis Relay

Students are butterflies racing through their various life stages. Divide students into two teams. Students begin the race in a curled up position to represent an egg.

Station 1 – the caterpillar: students wiggle through a maze, searching for food
Station 2 – the chrysalis: students climb into a burlap sack and race to the next station
Station 3 – the adult caterpillar: students grab a colorful scarf and “flies” to the finish line

Plant a Tree Relay

Students race to complete the task of planting a tree.

Station 1 – dig the hole: students put on a straw hat and perform 5 squats

 

Station 2 – plant the tree: students put on a pair of work gloves and perform 5 jumping jacks

Station 3 – move mulch: students put a small trash can on a scooter and push it to the next
station; if the trash can falls off, they must go back and try again

Station 4 – water the tree: students pick up a jumping rope (represents water hose) and must jump rope to the finish line

Watch it Grow!

Plant flowers, a tree, or a garden. There are plenty of jobs to keep everyone active: digging holes, planting the tree/flowers, moving mulch, carrying water pails. Encourage parents and local community members to join in on the fun. Students will have fun watching their plants/trees change through the seasons.

Gardening Obstacle Course

You need a large outside play area. For older kids, have two teams race against each other.

Obstacle 1 – carry 3 (numbers can be adjusted to age of students) bags of dirt to 3 marked planting sites

 

Obstacle 2 – load 3 (numbers can be adjusted to age of students) bags of mulch into a wheel barrow

 

Obstacle 3 – push loaded wheel barrow through curvy path (for added challenge, include a hill)

Obstacle 4 – unload the bags of mulch

Obstacle 5 – load wagon with produce

Obstacle 6 – push wagon to produce stand

Obstacle 7 – unload produce

Obstacle 8 – climb the fence (stack of hay bales) – finish line

Build a Nest

Students are robins building their nests. Divide the students into two relay teams. Each team stands single file behind the starting line. Place 2 buckets of wet mud (1 for each team) and the end of the course. Place 2 small containers (1 for each team) at the starting line. Give each student a plastic spoon.

The first student “flies” to the bucket of mud, scoops up a spoonful of mud, flies back to the starting line, and empties their spoon of mud into the container (nest). Continue until all students have helped build the nest.

Dig a Hole

Divide students into teams. Place a bucket of soil and 10 plastic cups in front of each line. Place an empty bucket at the end of the line. The first student in each line fills a cup with soil and passes it to the student behind them. Students continue passing the cup until it reaches the last student. The last student empties the cup into the bucket. Continue until all the dirt has been transferred.

Classroom Phenology Notebook

“Many of the events of the annual cycle recur year after year in a regular order. A year-to-year record of this order is a record of the rates at which solar energy flows to and through living things. They are the arteries of the land. By tracing their response to the sun, phenology may eventually shed some light on that ultimate enigma, the land’s inner workings.” –Aldo Leopold, A Phenological Record for Sauk and Dane Counties, Wisconsin, 1935-1945

Phenology is the study of the timing of life cycle events and their relationship to the environment (e.g., leaves changing color in the fall, birds migrating in the spring and fall, butterflies emerging from their

Chrysalis). It tells scientists when events such as bird migration are happening on their usual schedule—and when an event might be out of time or place, especially in relation to the climate and change of seasons.

Phenologists observe and take notes on these events to try to discover nature’s patterns and rhythms. One famous phenologist, Aldo Leopold, kept records of wild animal and plant life on his Wisconsin farm from 1935-1948. His daughter, Nina Leopold Bradley, continued to carry on her father’s work, compiling a robust database spanning from 1976 until her death in 2011. She found that a substantial number of phenological events occurred much earlier in her data than they did in her father's.

Create a classroom phenology notebook to track the natural patterns of plants and animals at your school. Fill a three-ring binder with notebook paper and add dividers for each month. Record seasonal changes your students observe while outside throughout the year – sunrise/sunset times, hours of sunlight, temperature, changes in tree leaves and plants, animals you see and what they are doing.

Helpful Websites

Nature’s Notebook
Classroom Phenology: Using the Environment as a Source of Data and Observations

The Phenology Handbook

Phenology: Observing the Seasonal Timing of Life Cycle Events
Phenology Garden Teacher’s Manual: An introduction to teaching, observing and recording phenology

Teaching Environmental Sustainability - Model My Watershed

The Concord Consortium, the Stroud Water Research Center, and Heartland AEA are pleased to announce the Teaching Environmental Sustainability-Model My Watershed (TES-MMW) workshop, a project funded by the National Science Foundation. Participants and their students will use free portal-based activities that employ maps and models to study their own school’s watershed; teachers will participate in two summer face-to-face workshops and two online courses. TES-MMW activities support NGSS and Math Common Core. Teachers will receive a stipend for participating. 

This program is for Iowa middle and high school science teachers whose curriculum includes watershed studies, and who are willing and available to participate in all TES-MMW workshop and online activities that include:

• 3 day workshop in Johnston, IA, July 28-30, 2015 (travel and housing reimbursed by grant).
•  2015-16 academic year: 2 online courses for teachers; 6 class periods of activities with your students.
•  2 day workshop in Lawrence, KS, last week of July 2016 (dates TBD; travel and housing reimbursed).
• Completion of all research activities required for NSF funding (see consent form, pp. 2-3)

Applications are due May 1, 2015. For more information contact Rob Kleinow at rkleinow@heartlandaea.org.

Project WILD Field Test

The Council for Environmental Education (CEE), the national office for Project WILD, invites K-12 educators (formal and nonformal) to help field test activities being considered for publication in future editions of the Project WILD K-12 Curriculum & Activity Guide.
Please complete the application survey (by April 3) if you would like to try out one or more activities with your students and then provide CEE with feedback - $40 stipends are available for participating. CEE will notify those selected to participate on April 10, 2015.

Activities typically require two 45 minute class sessions or the equivalent instructional time, and may also involve investigating outdoor areas, such as a school yard or park. Although you are welcome and encouraged to field test more than one activity, and to conduct a single activity with more than one class, only one $40 stipend will be provided to each participating educator. Results will be due to CEE via the Field Test Results Survey no later than Friday, June 5, 2015. Stipends will be mailed beginning on Friday, June 12, 2015.

Get wild with National Wildlife Week March 9-15

Celebrate this wild week with us by learning about Iowa’s wildlife! This week we will share cool Iowa wildlife facts,classroom activities, and MORE! Get out, get wild and have fun!

Cool Things to Know About Hawks

Identifying Iowa's Raptors fact sheet

Of Iowa’s regularly nesting daytime raptors, five of these are considered to be hawks: the red-tailed hawk, northern harrier (marsh hawk), red-shouldered hawk, Cooper’s hawk and broad-winged hawk. There’s also the rough-legged hawk, the most common non-nesting hawk species in Iowa, which you can find hunting for small rodents in Iowa grasslands over the winter. There’s also the sharp-shinned and Swaison’s hawk, which can be found in Iowa, but are not regular nesters here.

Not all hawks are created equal.
The red-tailed is the most common hawk in Iowa – in fact, a few years ago two Iowa biologists identified 23 active red-tailed nests in trees along Interstate 35 from Ames to the Missouri border. However, the northern harrier, which nests on the ground in large grasslands, is on Iowa’s endangered species list. The red-shouldered hawk is threatened in Iowa, nesting primarily in bottomland forests. All hawks, not just threatened and endangered species, are protected in Iowa.

Hawks on the rise.
Once on the threatened list in Iowa, the Cooper’s hawk is now a common nesting species and a frequent visitor to urban backyards. Cooper’s hawks are fond of birdfeeders in those yards – but not for the birdseed, making for an easy meal as songbirds line up for the seed buffet. The similarities between Cooper’s hawks and sharp-shinned hawks can sometimes make identification difficult.

They all have different tastes.
Habitat needs vary for all of Iowa’s hawk species, from the northern harrier in grasslands and Swainson’s hawk in the savannas of northern and western Iowa. Even the forest dwellers have their own turf; red-shouldered hawks prefer bottomland forests, sharp-shinned hawks take to pine forests and broad-winged hawks look for trees in large forests.

They’re not the downfall of the pheasant.
While hawks and other predators may take small game, as they always have, harsh winters, wet springs and lack of habitat continue to have the largest impacts on Iowa's pheasants. Predator populations as reported by Iowa bowhunters have remained stable since 2007, but the combination of bad weather and fewer habitats likely makes what predators are around more efficient. Hawks will also eat smaller birds, snakes, reptiles, mice, fish and sometimes insects.

The better to see you with.
While hawks have remarkable hearing, their eyesight is incredible. They can see great distances and have the ability to see things 8 times clearer than humans, and all in color. And since hawks can see ultraviolet colors, they can actually see more colors than humans.

Keeping it all in the family.
While larger hawks, like the red-tailed, lay one or two eggs each year , most smaller Iowa species lay three to five, which incubate for about six weeks. It’s usually the same mom and dad year after year, but while hawks generally mate for life, that doesn’t mean that they all stay together all the time. Some hawk couples part ways after the kids are out of the nest and meet back up in the same nesting territory the next year. If one mate dies, the other usually finds a new partner soon after.

 

 

 

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching are the highest honors bestowed by the United States Government specifically for K-12 mathematics and science teaching. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education.

Since 1983, more than 4,300 teachers have been recognized for their contributions to mathematics and science education. Up to 108 teachers are recognized each year.

Presidential Awardees receive a citation signed by the President of the United States, a trip for two to Washington, D.C. to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities, and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.

Who can nominate?

Anyone—principals, teachers, parents, students, or members of the general public—may nominate exceptional mathematics and science (including computer science) teachers. Nominations close April 1, 2015.

Who can apply?

Secondary school teachers (7th – 12th grades) can apply this year. Elementary school mathematics and science teachers (K – 6th) are eligible to apply during the 2015-2016 school year. Applications must be completed by May 1, 2015.

To nominate or apply, visit: http://www.paemst.org

Winter Camouflage and Coloration in Iowa's Wildlife

For many Iowa animals, the stark landscape – bare trees and a bright white groundcover – makes them stand out more in the winter, which is good news for those who enjoy watching wildlife. But for a few Iowa critters, winter is a time for them to blend in with the scenery.

Jackrabbits
They may have “rabbit” in their name, but Iowa’s jackrabbits are actually hares, related more to the snowshoe hare than the cottontail rabbit. Come winter, jackrabbits shed their summer fur – brownish-gray speckled with brownish black and a white tail – to make way for their white winter coat. The only coloring left is black on the tips of the jackrabbit’s ears and a light gray tinge to the ears and back. The changing coat allows the jackrabbit to hide better in the conditions that different seasons bring.

What it can’t hide from, however, is habitat loss and wet weather during nesting seasons. Once widely found in grasslands in northwestern Iowa and once a common game species, their numbers have declined in recent years.

Snowy owls
The snowy owl is Iowa’s most common winter owl visitor, flying in from the tundra when they can’t find enough food. We only see snowy owls in Iowa when lemming populations – the snowy owl’s favorite dinner item – crash on the tundra. That sends the snowy owls south in search of food, like mice and other small mammals. So if you spot one, it’s a rare sight indeed. This year, the Iowa Ornithologists Union has reported a pair of snowy owls in the Lime Springs area.


Least weasels
The smallest weasel in Iowa and the smallest carnivore in the world, the least weasel also has two color phases. It loses its reddish-brown coloring on its back, sides, tail and top of its head to get ready for winter, when it may become all white. Spring and fall coloring are often a mix as the color transition takes place. It’s not likely you’ll see a least weasel, as they primarily hunt at night and below the snow, but you’ll occasionally find them caught above a hard-crusted snow. Least weasels are small guys, rarely growing longer than 10 inches long.

American goldfinch
Iowa’s state bird doesn’t lose all of its coloring in winter, but if you see one in winter, you’ll notice its hue is more muted than its usual bright yellow. Most birds sport vibrant colors in the spring to attract a mate during breeding season. They then molt their feathers to bring in a more drab coloration for the winter, as their normal bright coloration would make them more visible to predators.

Trumpeter swans
Trumpeters’ year-round white coloring does allow them to blend in with the snow – mostly. Their large black bills and black legs provide enough contrast against the white snow to allow you to spot them pretty easily.

National Invasive Species Awareness Week

Learn more about Iowa invasive species as we celebrate National Invasive Species Awareness Week (February 22-28).

Iowa DNR Aquatic Invasive Plants fact sheets

Iowa DNR Aquatic Invasive Invertebrates fact sheets

Invasive Species Conservation Class Outline (9-12 Agriculature & Science classes)

Invasive Species in Iowa lesson plan (High School)

 

What are invasive species?
Invasive species are species of organism that are not native to an ecosystem and which cause harm. Invasive species generally grow and reproduce quickly, and spread aggressively with the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, and even human health.

How do they spread?
Invasive species are spread intentionally and unintentionally through human activity. Throughout history people have introduced foreign species to new environments for aesthetic and economic reasons. Species are also introduced inadvertently on ships, in wood products, through ornamental plants, pet trade, and other means of transportation.

Why are they bad?

Invasive species can cause harm various ways. They pose a threat to native animal species by outcompeting native species for resources, preying on native species, and carrying diseases that harm them. Invasive plant species displace native plant species. They can quickly take over an area causing clogged waterways, and improper growth and germination of native plants species. Many invasive plant species provide no food value to native animal species. All invasive species also threaten the delicate balance of entire ecosystems by disrupting the natural food web, decreasing biodiversity, and altering ecosystem conditions.

What can you do?

• Plant natives in your yard and remove any invasive.
• Learn to identify invasive species in your area.
• Report invasive plant and animal sightings to your local county extension office.
• If you are traveling to another country or region, check your baggage and vehicle for “hitchhikers”.
• When boating always clean your boat and check it for aquatic invasive species before putting it into another body of water.
• When camping do not bring your own firewood, instead buy locally grown firewood.

Ideas for invasive species class, family, or community projects

• Plant native grasses, flowers, and trees in your yard or schoolyard.
• Design and implement a local invasive species study.
• Raise awareness of invasive species. Put together an awareness poster or campaign and help spread the word.

 

 

 

Young Reporters for the Environment Competition

Students ages 13- 21 are invited to participate in the national Young Reporters for the Environment competition. They may enter as individuals or part of a class or group.

Participants investigate an environmental issue and report on it in writing, photography, or video. Entries must be relevant to participants’ local community, connect to a global perspective, include possible solutions, and be disseminated to an appropriate target audience.

Participants enter in one of three age categories: 13-15, 16-18, or 19-21. They may choose between three different media types:

Writing (article of up to 1000 words)
Photography (a single photo or photo essay of up to 12 photos)
Video (up to 3 minutes in length, in documentary or reporter/interview style)

Submissions are due to the U.S. national competition by Friday, March 13, 2015, 12 P.M. EST.

The national jury will select winners in each age bracket for each media type. Honors may be given for first, second, and third prize in each category. The jury has the option not to give an award if no submission is found to be deserving, and to give more than one award in the case of multiple exceptional entries.

First place winners in each category will continue to the international competition.

Complete submission requirements
Tips for choosing a topic to investigate


 

Next Generation Science Standards Public Forums

The Iowa Department of Education is hosting a series of public forums and a statewide survey  (open throught February 27) following a state panel’s recommendation to get public feedback on the Next Generation Science Standards. These are a set of learning expectations in science for students in kindergarten through high school, developed by 26 states, including Iowa. All states can consider adopting and adapting them to meet their needs.

Public feedback will be used to provide guidance to the Science Standards Review Team, which is expected to submit a final recommendation regarding science standards to the State Board of Education later this year.

The public forums are scheduled as follows:

Tuesday, Feb. 24, Ottumwa
4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Great Prairie Area Education Agency, Ottumwa Office – Auditorium
2814 North Court Street
Ottumwa, IA

Wednesday, Feb. 25, Dubuque
4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Keystone Area Education Agency, Dubuque Office – Room 1 ABC
2310 Chaney Road
Dubuque, IA

Thursday, Feb. 26, Sioux City
4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Northwest Area Education Agency, Administrative Office – Room A/Auditorium
1520 Morningside Ave.
Sioux City, IA

For more information, please visit the Iowa Department of Education’s website.
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Iowa High School Students Invited to Attend Iowa Youth Institute

The World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute invites students from every high school in Iowa to participate in its day-long program at Iowa State University on April 27. This unique experience aims to inspire the next generation of leaders and offers students an unparalleled opportunity to explore academic and career paths in fields related to STEM, food, agriculture and global development. To participate, students select a challenge facing a particular country, and write a three- to five-page paper explaining the issue and outlining potential solutions. At the event, they present their ideas in small groups with peers; participate in interactive activities in labs and classrooms on campus; interact with innovative professors and business leaders from across the state; and hear from high-level experts. All participants earn a $500 scholarship to Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The top students will also be selected to attend the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute, a three-day event held each October during the Borlaug International Symposium, and will be eligible to apply for international internships. The Iowa Youth Institute currently has participation from half of the high schools in the state and aims to reach every school in Iowa. It is offered at no cost to teachers or students. More details, instructions, and testimonials from past participants are available at www.worldfoodprize.org/iowayouth. For more information, contact Jacob Hunter, Director of the Iowa Youth Institute, at jhunter@worldfoodprize.org or 515-245-3727.

Spring Trees For Kids Grant Applications

Trees For Kids applications are available online for schools and communities to involve youth in planting trees on school grounds and other public property.  

In 2014, Trees For Kids Grants were awarded to 40 schools and communities which planted more than 1,600 landscape trees, and involved over 5,200 youth. 

Trees For Kids grants pay up to $5,000 for landscape trees and mulch for schools and other public areas.  Trees may be planted in either spring or fall.  The deadline for submitting a spring application is March 2, 2015.

Each planting project is required to have an educational component with the youth, and Project Learning Tree training is also provided to educators to create lesson plans and utilize curriculum with the planted trees.

Trees planted around schools and in neighborhoods have been shown to give youth increased levels of concentration, lower levels of aggression, lower levels of obesity, and fewer symptoms of ADHD. Communities are made more livable by having a healthy, diverse tree canopy. 

The Trees for Kids and Trees for Teens grant program is funded by Iowa Department of Natural Resources Forestry Bureau, MidAmerican Energy, Black Hills Energy, Alliant Energy, Iowa Bankers Association, Trees Forever, Iowa Tree Farm Committee, and the Iowa Woodland Owners Association.

For information about how to apply for a spring Trees For Kids grant, contact the grant coordinator at laura.wagner@dnr.iowa.gov, 515/281-6749. 

STEM Connections to Real Community Environmental Solutions

ICEC Winter Workshop 2015

February 6-7, 2015

Springbrook Conservation Education Center (2473 160th Road Guthrie Center, IA 50115)

Registration - Register By 2/3/2015 (Late Fee will be applied after 1/30/2015)

Workshop Guide

Learn how you can involve your students in real world conservation projects in your community and engage your students in STEM opportunities. You will partner with science experts (county naturalists, AEA Science Consultants, Natural Resource Conservation Service-NRCS, Department of Natural Resources-DNR and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship-IDALS) working in your AEA to discuss potential new project based learning opportunities. We will clarify our mutual goals and identify resources that can be used to support these projects.

For teachers taking this for re-certification or graduate credit, *15 contact hours and pre-registration required at AEApd online. Heartland Activity #:DR395999991501. Contact Peggy Christensen at pchristensen@heartlandaea.org or (515)270-0405 for more information .

The REAP Conservation Education Program has provided funding to reduce the registration and meal costs ($135.00) for everyone attending to $60. Participants will be responsible for their own lodging (dorms $20.00 or nearby hotels) and transportation expenses.  There are a limited number of $100 scholarships per AEA to be used for substitute, mileage and registration costs.

For more information contact: IowaEE@outlook.com or go to www.IowaEE.org.

Winter Wildlife

Hibernation is one of many adaptations to the cold and decreased food supplies of Iowa winters. Most mammals, including people, tend to slow down a little during the winter. True hibernators actually curl into a tight ball and reduce to extremely low levels their heart and breathing rates, body temperature, and metabolism. They need less food to survive. Bats which eat insects have virtually nothing available to eat so they are forced to hibernate all winter. Other hibernators include woodchucks, ground squirrels, jumping mice, and a few other rodents. There are a number of mammals such as badgers, raccoons, chipmunks, and skunks which do not truly hibernate. They do, however, reduce their need for food by sleeping deeply for periods extending from a few days to two weeks.

As winter arrives in Iowa, many wild animals depart or hibernate. Birds which feed on non-dormant insects and worms or need open water migrate as the food disappears and the water freezes. But many birds, especially those that feed on seeds or dormant insects, remain in Iowa. Covered with great feathery insulation and equipped with a high metabolism that burns like a small furnace, these species are able to endure Iowa’s sometimes brutal winters. They exist wherever there is accessible food, adequate shelter, and a ready source of water. Where these requirements are met, birds are often the most visible and animated spectacles of winter.

Have students create a news cast in which they pretend to interview a just emerged hibernator. In a written script or in an audio recording, they can ask questions about the animals’ winter experiences and its plans for the coming warm weather.

Animal Antifreeze

Materials:1 film canister with a lid for each participant; thermos (1 quart) of liquid knox gelatin (will be enough for 20 participants); suitable habitat

1. Explain that a hibernating animal (chipmunk) or winter sleeper (bear) must select a sleeping spot that will provide protection from the winter cold. If the temperature of the sleeping spot falls too low, the sleeping animal may freeze to death.
2. Each participant is given an “animal”(a film canister), ask them to pop the head off (the lid) and fill the animal with “blood” (liquid knox gelatin from the thermos).
3. The participants job is to find a suitable shelter – sleeping spot that will protect them from freezing over the winter months. Explain that burrowing and building with nonliving materials is permitted. Define the boundaries before sending the group out. Give the participants five minutes to select sleeping spots for their animals.
4. The number one rule of this activity is not to lose their animal – they must remember where they put their animal.
5. After all “animals” have found their resting spot…lead the group on a winter hike.
6. Winter hike topics too include: good over wintering habitat for the animals; hibernation/migration; animal food (acorns, insects, plants/twigs); animal tracks in the snow
7. After a 40 to 45 minute hike return to the spot where the “animals” were hidden.
8. Send the participants out to retrieve their animals.
9. Have them “pop” the head (the lid) off of their animals and see whose animal survived and who froze (solid gelatin).
10. Have the survivors explain where and what they did to help keep their animals from freezing. Lead a group discussion on how more animals could have survived. Or other items that would have been helpful, i.e. an animal fur to wrap around the container, put in area away from the wind, hide deeper in a log or hole in a tree, etc… some individuals may have decided just to carry their animal during the hike. These are all good “adaptation” strategies for a group discussion. 

America’s State Parks First Day Hikes

Des Moines – Iowa State Parks will sponsor free, guided hikes in five state parks on New Year’s Day as part of America's State Parks First Day Hikes initiative in all 50 states. 

America’s State Parks First Day Hikes offer individuals and families an opportunity to begin the New Year rejuvenating and connecting with the outdoors by taking a healthy hike on January 1 at a state park close to home. First Day Hikes offer a great way to get outside, exercise, enjoy nature and welcome the New Year with friends and family. 

“We are excited to host First Day Hikes as part of this national effort to get people outdoors and into our parks.  First Day Hikes are a great way to cure cabin fever and burn off those extra holiday calories by starting off the New Year with an invigorating walk or hike in one of our beautiful state parks,” said Todd Coffelt, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources State Parks Bureau.  

Priscilla Geigis, president of the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD), said last year, state parks across the country hosted nearly 28,000 people who hiked 68,811 miles as part of America’s State Parks First Day Hikes. “Think of it as the start of a new and healthy lifestyle, for the whole family. Whether you’re staying close to home or traveling, join us at one of America’s State Parks on New Year’s Day,” Geigis said.

Iowa’s state parks boast a variety of beautiful settings for year-round outdoor recreation, and each First Day Hike will offer an opportunity to explore the unique natural and cultural treasures close to home. 

“Studies have proven that getting outdoors is one good way to relax and recharge the body, mind and spirit,” stated Lewis Ledford, NASPD’s executive director.  “We hope that hiking along a trail in a state park will become part of an individual’s or family’s regular exercise routine.”

First Day Hikes originated more than 20 years ago at the Blue Hills Reservation, a state park in Milton, Mass.  The program was launched to promote both healthy lifestyles throughout the year and year round recreation at state parks.  Last year marked the first time all 50 state park systems have joined together to sponsor First Day Hikes.

Park staff and volunteers will lead the hikes, which average one to two miles or longer depending on the state park.  Details about hike locations, difficulty and length, terrain and tips regarding proper clothing are listed on the America’s State Parks website.  Visit www.naspd.org to find a First Day Hike nearest you.

In Iowa, hikes will be offered at the following locations and times:

• Bellevue State Park, Jackson County – 1 p.m. – meet at South Bluff Nature Center
• Brushy Creek State Recreation Area, Webster County – 1 p.m. – meet at Prairie Resource Center
• Mines of Spain State Recreation Area, Dubuque County – 1 p.m. – meet at EB Lyons Nature Center
• Walnut Woods State Park, Polk County – 9 a.m. – meet at Walnut Woods Lodge
• Waubonsie State Park, Fremont County – 1 p.m. – meet at park office

For more information about the hikes, go to the events calendar on the DNR website.

America's State Parks is committed to promoting outdoor recreation in state parks as a way to address obesity, especially among children.  Getting kids outside and unplugged from video games and other electronic media creates a unique connection with nature that promotes physical and mental well-being and encourages creativity and stewardship of our shared resources.

Media Contact: Todd Coffelt, Chief, State Parks Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 515-725-8485.        

115th Christmas Bird Count - Gathering Information for Bird Conservation

The 115th Christmas Bird Count will be conducted from Sunday, December 14, 2014 through Monday, January 5, 2015. This longest running Citizen Science survey in the world, provides critical data on population trends. The data collected by observers over the past century allow researchers, conservation biologists, and interested individuals to study the long-term health and status of bird populations across North America.

If you would like to participate, check out the searchable map to find a counting "circle" near you. Below is information about the Jamaica Circle event at the Springbrook Conservation Education Center.

Audubon Christmas Bird Count (Jamaica Circle)

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Early morning owling and birding on your own/join us if you wish

7:00 – 7:30 am - Meet at the Springbrook Conservation Education Center (north of Guthrie Center) to organize parties; optional for those with pre-arranged areas.

12:00 pm - Compare notes and have lunch at Just Ethel’s in Yale. Those who wish to continue will decide areas to cover.

5:00 pm - Return to Springbrook Conservation Education Center for compilation and Chili (You may phone or email results if you prefer.)

If you have questions, please contact: Anne Riordan; work: 641-747-8383 ext 10; cell: 641-431-1455; Anne.riordan@dnr.iowa.gov

Upcoming PLT/Trees for Kids Training

Implementing the Iowa Core Through Site-based Projects
January 23, 2015
8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Lunch provided
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden (909 Robert D Ray Drive, Des Moines)

Iowa Project Learning Tree is teaming with Trees for Kids and the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden to conduct workshops to help educators learn how to develop a school site outdoor project to implement a STEM based approach to your curriculum. We will introduce a variety of teaching methods and materials (including Project Learning Tree)that can be used to develop a project based learning unit to include: tree planting, care and maintenance on or near your school site. Teaching partners/groups are encouraged to facilitate planning/implementation of projects. This training is an opportunity to fulfill your Trees for Kids grant requirements.

Registration Deadline: January 9, 2015 
Registration Fee: $20.00; Registration form and fee must be received by the deadline to secure your spot at the workshop. Checks made payable to: IA Department of Natural Resources. Mail the form and fee to: Education and Outreach, Attn: School Site Projects, 2473 160th Road, Guthrie Center, IA 50115. Cancellation requests (for a full refund) must be received no later than January 12, 2015.

For questions regarding the workshop, contact: Laura Wagner, phone: (515) 725-8456, email: laura.wagner@dnr.iowa.gov or the Project Learning Tree office, phone: (641) 747-2200, email: EdInfo@dnr.iowa.gov. 

Real Scientific Research and Data Professional Development

Leading Authentic Place-based Student Investigations: Water On-line Course (6-12 Educators)
February 2 – April 16, 2015

"I have gained so much from this class. ...what the others in this class have shared shows me ... I can adapt all things to meet my students’ needs along with my own, the schools, and the district’s needs. I have learned that I need to allow students [to] question more in science and encourage them to explore to discover solutions for problems they face. Letting go a little and letting their questions lead the class in inquiry projects is not as scary as I originally thought. Accepting their thoughts and ideas but directing them when they need guidance is a wonderful way to learn together." 

Engage your students in real scientific research of a local water issue while you improve your own content knowledge and pedagogy. With your students, you will develop and conduct a place-based water student investigation unit (or enhance a current unit). Explore the DNR data resources and learn how you can use them in your classroom.

Each week a new course module focusing on a different topic related to the 5 Essential Features of Inquiry, place-based learning and Iowa water issues will become available (time requirement 4-5 hours per week). You should be comfortable navigating web pages, have access to internet and a computer on a daily basis, and possess basic computer skills.

Registration deadline is January 23, 2015 - you must register electronically. Registration fee: $150 (includes materials and 2 license renewal credits). This course is being offered by AEA PD Online, a joint initiative by all of Iowa's Area Education Agencies. This course therefore uses AEA PD Online's alternative fee schedule for license renewal credit. Transcripts and credit will be issued by AEA PD Online instead of Heartland AEA.

Chickadee Tax Check-off

Last year, more than 8,000 Iowa taxpayers helped boost wildlife conservation with donations to the Fish and Wildlife Fund on their tax form. This marks the fourth straight year donations to the fund have increased, a trend that Stephanie Shepherd, DNR Wildlife Diversity Biologist, hopes to continue in 2014.

“The amount Iowans are donating to the fund is growing after a 10-year downward trend,” said Shepherd. “Those donations go directly to research and habitat development for some of Iowa’s most vulnerable animal species, so the funds are very important for natural resources.”

According to Shepherd, Iowans donated $136,000 last spring when completing their 2013 tax forms.

The Fish and Wildlife Fund, known popularly as the “Chickadee Check-off,” is a mechanism the Iowa Legislature created in the 1980s for Iowa citizens to donate to wildlife conservation on the Iowa state tax form. At its height, Iowans donated more than $200,000 annually to the fund. According to Shepherd, one of the main reasons for the decline is the increase in electronic tax filing.

“It is easy to pass over or forget, and many tax preparers may not remember to ask whether a client wants to donate,” said Shepherd. “It may be up to the taxpayer to remind their preparer, or check out the completeness of the electronic program they are using.”

According to Shepherd, donating on the tax form is easy: simply write the amount to donate next to the Fish and Wildlife Check-Off (somewhere between lines 55-60 on Form 1040) and the sum is either automatically deducted from the refund or added to the amount owed. As with all charitable contributions, the amount is deductible from next year’s taxes. 

“Currently only about half a percent of Iowans donate,” said Shepherd. “Our goal in 2014 is for more people to find the check off on their tax form, and to increase donations by 10 percent.”

All proceeds from the check-off support the Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Diversity program, responsible for protecting more than 1,000 fish and wildlife species in the state. Money from the Check-off helps improve wildlife habit, fund research studies, support the reintroduction of threatened or endangered species, and much more.

DNR CONTACT: Stephanie Shepherd at 515-432-2823 ext. 102 or stephanie.shepherd@dnr.iowa.gov

PLT GreenSchools – Free Kits

Project Learning Tree’s GreenSchools! inspires students to take personal responsibility for improving the environment at their school, home, and in their community. Schools can choose to become certified by Project Learning Tree as a way to honor their students, teachers, and other members of the school community who save energy, reduce waste, recycle, conserve water, and improve their school grounds, among other projects.

PLT has revised its GreenSchools! certification program to reflect environmental education in the curriculum, student leadership, and environmental action. Free kits containing a variety of recognition items will be awarded to the first 10 schools that meet PLT’s new requirements to become a Certified PLT GreenSchool.

PLT GreenSchools! certification recognizes a school’s commitment to teaching students about the environment, and maintaining a healthy and sustainable learning environment. Regardless of where you are on the continuum, there is always room for growth and PLT, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, is proud to provide a variety of resources, grant opportunities, and other support to schools, teachers, and students who lead the way for a more sustainable future.