New York Sea Grant is providing teachers with new educational resources for the coming school year. The resources include a compendium of environmentally themed reading lists for pre-K to 12th graders, a curriculum connecting Underground Railroad history with the Great Lakes environment, and the recently-released Lake Sturgeon Intermediate Curriculum with supplemental hands-on teaching tools.
These resources, and others are freely available through the Great Lakes Ecosystem Education Exchange clearinghouse on the New York Sea Grant website.
The 59-page Enviro-Time Storytime: Recommended Environmental Reading Lists for Children Pre K-12, 2nd Edition from New York Sea Grant is designed to connect readers and read-aloud listeners in the Great Lakes, and beyond, to the local and global environment. More than 48 books were selected to highlight diversity in the coastal sciences, books by and about indigenous North Americans, environmental activism for kids, sustainability, sturgeon conservation, and Great Lakes stewardship. Each book description is accompanied by a recommended activity and links to additional resources, such as an author’s video posting.
The Freedom Seekers: The Underground Railroad, Great Lakes and Science Literacy Activities curriculum for teaching New York State’s Underground Railroad-related environmental connections is the result of a collaboration by Great Lakes’ Sea Grant offices, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, Niagara Falls City Schools, the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, The Park School of Buffalo, and the University of Buffalo Department of Environment and Sustainability. In addition to Great Lakes Literacy Principles, this resource incorporates environmental justice education approaches to teaching about local history.
New York Sea Grant created the Lake Sturgeon Intermediate Curriculum as part of a suite of resources focused on the conservation of one of the Great Lakes’ largest and longest-living native fishes. The curriculum is accompanied by videos produced in partnership with Cornell University. Teachers can request a loan of associated supplemental materials by contacting New York Sea Grant Great Lakes Literacy Specialist Nate Drag at (716) 645-3610, or nwd4@cornell.edu.
New York Sea Grant collaborated with other Sea Grant Programs in the Great Lakes and with regional educators to develop the new teaching materials. Teachers participating in New York Sea Grant professional development workshops provided input so that these new educational resources encourage cross-curricular education with activities related to reading, science, history, art, mathematics, graphing, and more. Where applicable, these resources integrate Great Lakes Literacy Principles, New York State Next Generation Learning Standards, or Environmental Justice Education approaches.
For more information, visit the New York Sea Grant website.
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