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National Geographic

"If your habits resemble those of average Americans, you generate about 4.6 pounds of solid trash per day. This adds up to big trouble for the environment. Americans are generating waste products faster than nature can break them down and using up resources faster than they can be replaced. How can we find ways to meet our current economic and social needs without compromising the ability of our children, and our children's children, to do the same? Our success will depend on understanding the difference between * Sustainable practices: practices that provide ongoing economic and social benefits without degrading the environment. * Unsustainable practices: "quick fixes" that fill an immediate need for resources. Over time, however, these practices deplete or damage natural resources so they cannot be used or enjoyed by future generations. In this exhibit, you can find out how to improve next year's environmental record. You'll learn how waste is handled now and how some communities are doing it better. In the activities, you can test your knowledge about hazardous waste we generate in our homes and try to shrink a landfill. "

"About Earth Day Network Earth Day Network was founded on the premise that all people, regardless of race, gender, income, or geography, have a moral right to a healthy, sustainable environment. Our mission is to broaden and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable environment. We pursue our mission through a combination of education, public policy, and activism campaigns. Earth Day Network has a global reach with more than 20,000 partners and organizations in 190 countries. More than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities, making it the largest secular civic event in the wo"

"Earth Day was established in 1970 at a time when social activism was at a high. U.S. senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Wis.), recognized a growing environmental concern that had barely been addressed by the legislature. In setting aside April 22 to recognize human impact on the environment, Nelson hoped first and foremost to raise the awareness of politicians. Nelson certainly achieved his goal. More than 20 million Americans participated in this first Earth Day celebration, causing voter-hungry politicians to take notice. The overwhelming response helped generate a new political focus on the environment. As that focus has become increasingly global, more people than ever are celebrating Earth Day around the world. "

"Welcome to Bedford, Virginia, one of the fastest growing areas in the state. A good mix of industry, commerce and agriculture ensures a strong, diversified economy and a positive business climate. Bedford's political atmosphere is stable, the tax rates favorable, the school system excellent, and the quality of life outstanding. Strategically located between the metropolitan areas of Lynchburg and Roanoke, Bedford is part of the Lynchburg Metropolitan Statistical Area. A good labor environment exists, providing availability at reasonable costs, and a strong work ethic results in high productivity and low turnover. The Bedford area abounds with natural beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities offering residents and visitors a pleasant environment to live, work, and play."

The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education has a great motto "Inspire...then Educate." The NCESSE is a great resource for STEM teachers as it creates and oversees different initiatives, projects, and educational resources in these areas, with a focus on Earth and Space. There are a lot of different resources, from professional development, to community projects, to science news and research. There are also free Education Modules for grade K-12 that are very comprehensive and include full lesson plans, background information, activities, assessments, inquiry based hands-on activities, rubrics, handouts and more. There are 5 modules available right now and each module is broken up into three (K-4, 5-8, 9-12) or four (K-2, 3-4, 5-8, 9-12) grade levels. The modules are on topics such as the solar system, earth science, extreme environment of space, human space exploration, and the search for life in the universe. You can download any of the lessons. There is also a Lesson Layout with descriptions of each section that you can download: Lesson Layout (PDF, 490 kb

"Top 10 Apps for Digital Storytelling Feb 15 Written by: 2/15/2012 8:47 PM A while back I did a post on top sites for Digital Storytelling. This has been a skill that is being taught in school districts all around the world, and is a key for developing technology literacy. With the recent wave of mobile devices and technologies, a giant step has been taken in how students develop these skills (via touch screen) in a brand new way . Toontastic - A wonderful free iPad that allows children to create animated cartoon stories. They can choose from stock characters or draw their own while animating them and recording their voice for narration. Also, Toontastic's built-in story arc takes students step-by-step on how to create a story. i Tell a Story - A excellent free iPad that works very similarly to how Garageband creates a podcast. A user uploads a photo and then can record their voice for narration while adding stock sound effects. Voice Thread App - A great free iPad/iPhone app that compliments the Voice Thread very nicely for storytelling. A user can manage their Voice Thread account as well as make digital stories by uploading photos and drawing/recording their voice. Story Patch - An iPad app ($2.99) that is ideal for digital storytelling. A person can create a story from scratch or use one of their well-designed templates to complete all the parts of a story. Sock Puppets - A free iPad/iPhone app that is a lot of fun for kids to create animated stories. This is done by selecting your sock, background, and props and then recording your voice as the socks talk. Art Maker - A wonderful free iPad app that allows children to create a digital story from scratch. A user selects their background, characters, and props and then moves them around the screen while recording. Puppet Pals - A excellent free iPad app that lets users create a

good site to help study biology and ecology

International and country-by-country statistics. Includes economic, demographic, social, environment, energy, and other statist

"Based on a survey of more than 500 African American higher education professionals, including college and university presidents, chancellors, and directors, Black Enterprise magazine has ranked the top 50 colleges and universities where African-American students are most likely to succeed. The ranking considers factors such as black population (at least 3%), academic strengths, social environment, and graduation rates. "

"The Mission of the Bedford Museum and Genealogical Library is to develop and maintain files for genealogical and historical research and to collect, preserve and interpret objects of historical significance to the City of Bedford and Bedford County, Virginia. Objects of historical significance are defined as objects that were made and / or used by inhabitants of Bedford or are deemed to have been an integral part of the lives and environs of the inhabitants of the City of Bedford and Bedford County, Virginia. Objects of historical significance interpret and substantiate the existence and survival of inhabitants of Bedford, Virginia from prehistoric times to present. This marvelous structure now houses many artifacts from the rich and colorful past of the Bedford area. Most of this collection is now computerized. "

"Forget about that image of librarians as a mousy bookworms. More and more of today's librarians must be clever interrogators, helping the patron to reframe their question more usefully. Librarians then become high-tech information sleuths, helping patrons plumb the oceans of information available in books and digital records, often starting with a clever Google search but frequently going well beyond. Click here to find out more! Librarianship is an underrated career. Most librarians love helping patrons solve their problems and, in the process, learning new things. Librarians may also go on shopping sprees, deciding which books and online resources to buy. They may even get to put on performances, like children's puppet shows, and run other programs, like book discussion groups for elders. On top of it all, librarians' work environment is usually pleasant and the work hours reasonable, although you may have to work nights and/or weekends The job market for special librarians (see below) is good but is sluggish for public and school librarians. Nevertheless, persistent sleuthing-that key attribute of librarians-should enable good candidates to prevail. That effort to land a job will be well worth it if you're well suited to the profession: love the idea of helping people dig up information, are committed to being objective-helping people gain multiple perspectives on issues-and will remain inspired by the awareness that librarians are among our society's most empowering people."

"Browse Collections by Topic * Advertising * African American History * Architecture, Landscape * Cities, Towns * Culture, Folklife * Environment, Conservation * Government, Law * Immigration, American Expansion * Literature * Maps * Native American History * Performing Arts, Music * Presidents * Religion * Sports, Recreation * Technology, Industry * War, Military * Women's History More browse options List all collections"

"You never know what will come in handy for a craft project or fill a need around the house. Besides, recycling stuff is better than adding to the landfills and it's good for our environment! Here are some ideas for things you can use all that old stuff for. Everyday household stuff... Frisbie Bird Feeded Walkway Party Lantern Things you can do with Breyer's ice cream containers. Things you can do with old film cannisters. Things you can do with berry baskets Things you can do with old CD's Things you can do with old CD jewel cases Things you can do with old plastic pop bottles Things you can do with old cardboard tubes Things you can make with tin foil How to make lamps & vases from glass bottles Things you can do with old cardboard milk cartons Things you can do with wire hangers Things you can do with old egg cartons Things you can do with old garden hoses Things you can do with old newspaper How to make your own recycled paper How to preserve newspaper clippings Things you can do with old baby food jars Things you can make with wallpaper Things you can do with tuna cans Using Stuff In Nature Things you can make with walnut shells Things you can make with pine cones Things you can make with sea shells Recycle kitchen/cooking waste MORE Recycling Ideas... (Miscellaneous stuff - Light bulbs, brown paper bags, bleach bottles ...)"

"When your parents ask you to take out the garbage, do you wonder where it goes after it's picked up on trash day? In some communities, it's taken to a waste-to-energy facility, which burns the materials and produces electricity. This carefully supervised method of dealing with solid waste uses air pollution controls to safeguard human health and the environment."

"CELEBRATE THE ENVIRONMENT Because parties are fun, they are an easy way to learn things. People feel better after sharing a good time together. They talk and get new ideas to help the Earth. Then they have a good reason to act on what they have learned. Just as the Fourth of July reminds us to love our country, Earth Day reminds us to love and care for the Earth and our fellow creatures. huglobe If every neighborhood lived in harmony with nature, most of our environmental problems would be gone. "

"These materials can be used to enrich any science curriculum and are graded for students at all levels. Energy Sourcebooks The Energy Sourcebooks are teaching guides and energy education activities to help students better understand electricity, energy, and the environment. The lesson plans were developed by TVA energy specialists working in partnership with classroom teachers and university staff. All learning activities were field-tested in schools and coordinated with state departments of education. Renewable Energy Curriculum The Renewable Energy Resources curriculum is a classroom tool developed by TVA's Public Power Institute. Its purpose is to educate children in the science and ecology of renewable energy. Learning about renewable energy resources is appropriate for any grade level. The material has been divided into three levels: elementary (grades 3-5), middle (grades 6-8), and high school (grades 9-12). You can use this material for lesson plans, demonstrations, hands-on and enrichment activities, and science fair projects. (These are PDF files that require Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing.) Elementary School (898 kb) Middle School (1.06 mb) High School (1.10 mb) The materials correlate with TVA's renewable energy program, Green Power Switch. Water safety classes Members of Bicentennial Volunteers Inc. (BVI), a TVA retirees' group, speak to students in kindergarten through seventh grade about the importance of wearing life jackets and other water safety habits. Help spread the word about water safety by inviting BVI to speak at your school. Call BVI toll-free at 800-426-8801. "

"The National Marine Sanctuaries Media Library is an online vault where a comprehensive collection of select video clips and high-resolution still images from America's underwater treasures are securely stored and available for searchable access and download. "

great pictures