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Education

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Adaptable Resources

The information on this page is geared toward educators seeking teaching materials.  Additional resource links and information may be found on our General Resources page.  For those teachers interested in student programs emphasizing hands-on experience, please visit our Get Involved section. 

Sub-headings on this page include:

Classroom materials

Lesson Plans to meet PA Standards

  1. How is Mine Drainage Formed? (middle school, high school)
  2. Old Miner (elementary school)
  3. Exploring the Process of Sedimentation (high school)

Project Food, Land and People (PA Dept. Of Education)- Project FLP examines the interrelationship between agriculture, the environment and people of the world.  In addition to the original 40 lesson Resources for Learning, a 15 lesson has been added and is now available in Spanish as well.

Project WET (PA Dept. Of Education)- The goal of Project WET is to facilitate and promote awareness, appreciation, knowledge, and stewardship of water resources through the development and dissemination of classroom-ready teaching aids

Project KARE (PA Fish and Boat Commission) - The Keystone Aquatic Resource Education program (KARE) offers teaching materials for grades K-12 that can help educators to meet the Environmental Education mandate.  Surf the Education page on their web site for more information.

Project WILD (Council for Environmental Education) - CEE is a national organization that provides environmental education programs and services that promote stewardship of the environment and furthers the capacity of learners to make informed decisions.  Visit their web site to find a state coordinator in your area.

Project Learning Tree - sponsored by the American Forest Foundation, this is an environmental education program for preschool to grade 12.

Science Junction, provided by North Carolina State University, contains explanations of many water quality topics as wells as lesson plans and materials for in-class use. Lessons can be downloaded in pdf format from this link.

DEP Curriculum & Classroom Activities - Collection of links by Department of Environmental Protection to educational resources.

Looking at Watersheds (6-9) - Lesson plan from Kansas City's Eisenhower Middle School including student activities.

What is a Watershed (K) - Adopt a watershed curriculum for kindergarten students.

Acid Mine Drainage Experiments - Information on how to perform experiments on AMD from the Dept.'s of Chemistry and Geochemistry of the Colorado School of Mines.

Lehigh University - Offers and excellent array of AMD course materials for grades K-5, 6-8, 9-12, along with numerous links to understanding the geology of PA, water quality issues, etc.

You Can't Judge a Stream by its Color (PDF 2.2MB) is a guide by West Virginia University that covers chemical sampling and macrointertebrate sampling, among others.

Resource pages and catalogues

PA Fish and Boat Commission offers an Educational Resource Catalog.  The catalog lists all free materials supplied by the commission including video's, brochures, and fact sheets. Click on the Education link on their web site's navigation bar. 

The Teacher's Resource Page of the PA Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) provides formal and non-formal supplemental materials and activities for students of all ages in the area of conservation and environmental stewardship.

SCORE Science Kids Corner - Schools of California On-line Resources for Education offers grade-specific activities and links to featured sites covering a wide range of science topics.

DEP and DCNR Resource Listing - Available through the Environmental Education and Information Center, contains contact information for curriculum, educational materials, general information and children's books. The center may also be reached at: (717) 772-1828.

Activity books and videos

Goodbye Orange Water - A fun activity book about Abandoned Coal Mines and improving water quality designed and developed by the St. Vincent College Environmental Education Center located in Latrobe, PA (Westmoreland Co.).  Contact Angela Belli at 724-805-2330 for more information or visit their web site to download a copy of the booklet.   

Greenworks.TV - Numerous on-line videos dealing with environmentally pertinent topics.

Magazines and newsletters

Green Teacher - A magazine dedicated to enhancing environmental education at all grade levels.  This publication written by and for educators incorporates environmental education success stories, ready-to-use activities and resource listings and reviews

Wetland Whispers - A quarterly newsletter published by the St. Vincent College Environmental Education Center located in Latrobe, PA (Westmoreland Co.).  Contact Angela Belli at 724-805-2330 for more information or visit their web site.  

Monthly Feature - An on-line newsletter managed by WREN (Water Resources Education Network) providing useful information for water resource educators and activists.

Watershed Weekly News - An on-line newsletter produced by POWR, PA Organization of Watersheds and Rivers.

Weekly DEP Newsletter - An on-line newsletter highlighting environmentally related news stories.