The Iowa Conservation Education Coalition (ICEC) received a STEM Innovation Grant from the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council to hold a water game jam! There is no cost to participate. This is the second Game Jam we’re able to hold with these grant funds. Registration is open NOW! What’s a Game Jam? A game jam is … Read more Water Game Jam 2019-2020
Lead students on a walk through a wooded area, schoolyard, local park, or neighborhood sidewalk to look for signs of fall and investigate why leaves of deciduous trees change color. Point out the differences between deciduous and evergreen trees. Ask students to look for signs that indicate winter is approaching and have them record their … Read more Signs of Fall
The call for nominations for ICEC ExCom is now open! ICEC is looking for individuals interested in joining the leadership of ICEC. ExCom is a volunteer board of directors working together with members and partners to provide opportunities for Iowa’s conservation and environmental educators to learn, build relationships, and creatively collaborate. Current ExCom elected and … Read more 2020 Call for Nominations
“There will always be pigeons in books and museums, but these are effigies and images, dead to all hardships and all delights. They know no urge of the seasons, they feel no kiss of sun, no lash of wind and weather.” Aldo Leopold The very last passenger pigeon, Martha, died at the Cincinnati Zoo in … Read more The Very Last Passenger Pigeon
Find a special place outdoors where you and your students can observe nature throughout the school year. Your county conservation board naturalist is a great resource to help you find the perfect spot and that spot doesn’t need to be far from school. Visit this same place each season and observe the changes. Let each … Read more Seasonal Visits to a Special Outdoor Place
Share these ideas with your own children, the neighborhood group, your childcare provider, and think about adapting some of these ideas for the schoolyard playground and classroom! Build a Fort Build your own outdoor hideout! Supplies Large sticks Old sheets or blankets String or rope Imagination How-to The sky is the limit! Create a fort … Read more Things to do in your backyard!
There are many simple ways to get kids outdoors in Iowa this summer. Use this as a checklist to guide your outdoor explorations. Summer 2019 is time to celebrate the finest county park system in the country! 99 county parks of the 2,024 county parks – one in each of Iowa’s 99 Counties are featured. … Read more Fun summer outdoor experiences
Wildlife scientists study wildlife to learn how they live and interact with the environment. These scientists may focus on one wildlife species or a group of species during their studies. They record observations made with their senses and other tools. Help your students learn how to record observations with a science notebook. Help your kids … Read more Become a wildlife scientist
Much of our understanding of science comes from interpreting visual images. The images that accompany scientific writing can enhance our knowledge of a subject and can add more precision to our perception. Drawings that accompany field notes offer researchers several paths which to interpret their experiences. Incorporating drawing into research improves one’s observation skills. Take … Read more Drawing on Nature
More than 97% of the animal species on Earth are invertebrates. Invertebrates are small animals that do not have backbones. There are many types of invertebrates, from fluid-filled jellyfish, and squishy earthworms to hard shelled insects like beetles, and eight-legged arachnids. This fascinating and diverse group of animals spans the globe – invertebrates live on … Read more Iowa Invertebrates
At Winter Workshop 2019, Emily Klein received her ‘Geode Award’ for her service as ICEC co-chair and chair. The Geode Award is made and donated by ICEC member Mike Krebill. Thanks for your dedication to ICEC and conservation education in Iowa.
*NPS Photo by Ivie Metzen Citizen science projects combine useful observation or data collection with an opportunity for students to learn more about scientific principles, problems, and processes as well as helping them better understand our environment and how to protect it. Citizen science projects involve students in data collection, presentation, and involvement on a … Read more Citizen Science