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

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

• Conservation Education Case Studies and
• Soil Education Information

PRESENTED BYSusan M. Schultz National
Association of Conservation Districts
(NACD) stewardship_at_nacdnet.org 317-326-2952
www.nacdnet.org February 3, 2009 New Orleans
NACD Annual Conference
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• Its 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. Its love. 
• Petey Giroux

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North American Association for Environmental
Education

• Conservation Education Commission
• www.naaee.org

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Conservation Education Outreach Case Studies
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TYPE OF EVENT
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Topics at the Event
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Range of Project
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Target Specific Age
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Specific Amount of Time at each station
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Planning Committee
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Train Presenters
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Are presenters volunteers (non resource
personnel)
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Are presenters resource personnel ?
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Are the trainers parents at school ?
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Do you develop kits for presenters?
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Conduct Pre-Post testing of participants
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Did you find an increase in knowledge after event?
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Do you have someone evaluate presenters?
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Do your participants evaluate your outreach
event?
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Is the event linked to helping achieve
conservation goals?
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Do grant funds play a part in whether event
happens?
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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.

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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.
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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

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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

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• 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.

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

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"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.

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"Innovative Approaches toMaintaining Stream
Banks Without Breaking Your Own Bank"

• PARTNERS
• University of Illinois Extension
• Champaign County SWCD
• NRCS
• Costs minimal

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

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Pluff mud
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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.

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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.

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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.

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25,000 grant to build two rain gardens
Partnership Noblesville Economic Development
Department, Wastewater Utility and Hamilton
County SWCD, Indiana
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Response to disaster
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NACD Education Resources
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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

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DIG IT! The Secrets of Soil
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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/

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www.nacdnet.org
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PAINTING WITH SOIL
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Painting with Soil
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COMPUTER DESIGNED POSTER
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Photo Contest

• Conservation Practices
• Close Up Conservation
• Conservation in Action
• Ag/Conservation Across America

http//nacdnet.org/education/contests/photo/
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No Child Left Inside

• No Child Left Inside Act

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Susan Schultz - NACD Stewardship
Education 317-326-2952 susan-schultz_at_nacdnet.org w
ww.nacdnet.org