Ocean Literacy Guide

Visit the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA)’s website to download a digital copy of Ocean Literacy—The Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts of Ocean Sciences for Learners of All Ages. Developed collaboratively by NMEA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the 13-page guide defines ocean literacy and explains the tenets of seven essential ocean literacy principles. The principles include the following ideas: 1) Earth has one big ocean with many features; 2) The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of the Earth; 3) The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate; 4) The ocean makes Earth habitable; 5) The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems; 5) The ocean and humans are inextricably connected; and 7) The ocean is largely unexplored. 

K–college educators interested in receiving hard copies of the document can request copies via e-mail to education@noaa.gov. Access the Spanish language online version here. 

Science and Literacy Posters

Available for three grade bands (K–1, 2–5, and 6–8) in both Spanish and English versions, these poster sets from Amplify Science provide simple suggestions to help elementary and middle level students learn to talk, write, and read like a scientist. “Talking” tips for elementary learners include ideas such as “Take turns talking and listening like a scientist” alongside suggested words and phrases to get the conversations started. At the middle level, talking tips introduce the idea of scientific argument and provide sentence starters for conducting conversations that lead to deeper understanding. The writing tips for all learners address various reasons scientists write, while the reading tips offer age-appropriate strategies for getting the most out of science texts. Visit the Amplify Science website to download the poster set. (Note: E-mail registration is required.)

Take Control of Your Chemical Inventory

Calling all high school science teachers! Take Control of Your Inventory, a downloadable PDF document from Flinn Scientific, helps move teachers from the typical end-of-year chemical inventory event to the best practice of keeping track of chemical use throughout the school year. Keeping track of chemical use throughout the year simplifies the end-of-year task and helps improve chemical safety at schools by reducing the hazards and costs associated with storage of dangerous or unwanted chemicals. The document covers federal regulations for chemical inventories, the features of a chemical inventory, tracking chemical use, and reviewing and planning lab activities.

LEGO® Build the Change Educator Institutes

In these free month-long workshops—offered by Take Action Global, a climate education nonprofit that is a formal association of the United Nations Department of Global Communications—educators of grades 5–8 will learn how they can use LEGO to teach students about climate change, access resources and design challenges, and create their own playful learning lessons. Educators will participate in a one-hour live webinar, teach a one-hour lesson to their students, create and share a mini-lesson plan based on guidelines, and complete a final survey to earn a certificate. The institutes also offer digital badges. Participating educators are eligible for future community experiences, including the Build the Change Showcase Schools, which are recognized for their intense work on climate education in a whole-school approach.

Registration is open for 2024–2025 cohorts; each cohort is open to 100 educators. Register for September/October or November/December 2024 cohorts here. 

National Society of High School Scholars Grants

These grants are open to teachers, administrators, school social workers, counselors, homeschool educators, and test prep professionals. Register as an NSHSS Educator at no charge and apply by August 15 for the following grants.

• NSHSS Conference Grants
  Five $500 awards
  Eligibility: Any registered NSHSS Educator who works with high school students in an academic capacity both in the United States and internationally
• NSHSS STEAM Educator Grant
  Five $1,000 awards
  Eligibility: Any registered NSHSS Educator who provides STEAM education to high school students in the United States and internationally
• NSHSS Advanced Placement Educator Grant
  Five $1,000 awards
  Eligibility: Any registered NSHSS Educator teaching an Advanced Placement course in the United States and internationally
• NSHSS Dual Enrollment Educator Grant
  Two $1,000 awards
  Eligibility: Any registered NSHSS Educator who works as a Dual Enrollment educator with high school students in an academic capacity both in the United States and internationally
• NSHSS Experiential Learning Grants
  Three $1,000 awards
  Eligibility: Any registered NSHSS Educator who works with high school students in an academic capacity both in the United States and internationally

DOE Internships for Undergraduate Students and Recent Graduates
 
Applications have opened for the Spring 2025 term of two programs offered by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science: the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI) program and the Community College Internships (CCI) program. Interested students should apply by October 2.

Through the SULI and CCI programs, undergraduate students and recent graduates discover science and technology careers at the DOE national laboratories and gain the experience needed to transition from internship to employment. Interns work directly with national laboratory scientists and engineers, assisting them on research or technology projects that support the DOE mission. 

SULI is open to full-time students attending four-year institutions and community colleges or recent graduates within two years of receiving their bachelor’s degree or associate degree, while CCI is exclusively for community college students. Both programs are stipend-based and are offered three times annually in fall, spring, and summer terms.

Two workshops are planned to provide strategies for submitting a compliant application followed by office hours to answer administrative questions. These workshops will introduce the program and application process for each program. The office hours are open to CCI and SULI applicants and letter-of-recommendation writers to answer questions pertaining to uploading transcripts, submitting letters of recommendation, and general questions. Attendance is optional.

•            CCI application workshop on August 6. Register on Zoom. 
•            SULI application workshop on August 8. Register on Zoom.  
•            SULI and CCI Office Hours on three dates in September. Register on Zoom.  

SULI and CCI are managed by the Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) in the Office of Science. More information can be found at the WDTS website.