Curious Minds: Incorporating STEM into Early Childhood Classrooms

This webinar from the University of Colorado explores effective strategies for engaging young children though science, technology, engineering and math in preschool and early elementary classrooms. Did you know that by ten months of age, babies can distinguish a set of 2 items from a set of 3, or that providing young children with high‐quality STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) experiences early on can provide a foundation for later success in reading? This webinar is intended for early childhood educators, P‐12 STEM educators and the general public interested in learning more about how STEM is incorporated into Early Childhood Education settings.

Curious Minds: Incorporating STEM into Early Childhood Classrooms from Kevin McElhinney on Vimeo.

Join the Team!

Did you know that USEE is looking for two new interns to start in January?

Potential Projects may include, but are not limited to:

• Environmental Justice Project

• Environmental Literacy Plan

• Indoor Air Quality Curriculum

• Networking and Membership

• Outreach and Communication

• Other projects that the intern discovers and proposes

Responsibilities:

• A minimum of 3 hours/week in office are required, otherwise negotiable work schedule

• Regular attendance and preparation for weekly staff meetings to give and receive updates on projects

• Coordination of communication about projects with USEE’s director and board and staff

Benefits and opportunities for growth:

• Collaborative work environment with a flexible work schedule

• Opportunity for you to share hard science and environmental studies information with the public

• Opportunities to be creative, to develop your own projects and be “the expert”

• Hands-on professional experience working with a reputable nonprofit in SLC

• Hands-on experience using written and oral communication skills

• Increased knowledge of the nonprofit and environmental education scene in Utah

• Lots of potential projects that are excellent resume builders

• Discounts on USEE programs and events

• Lots of great contacts that you will make while you network with and get your name out to a variety of local organizations with foci that include environmental education

Applicants must be proficient with Microsoft Office, be careful and competent writers, and comfortable working with the public.

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter explaining your interests and background to Marta Nielsen at marta@usee.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by Friday, December 10, 2010.

America Recycles Day Celebration

This video is published by the EPA and was created for America Recycles Day (November 15, 2010). Be sure to check out America Recycles Day next year!

St. George Here We Come!!

USEE's 21st Annual Conference is only 3 days away! We here at the office can't wait to get down to beautiful St. George, UT and work towards "Bridging the Gap: Creating Connections". During your stay in St. George you will have the opportunity to explore all that St. George has to offer.

From as low as 2,000 feet above sea level at the bottom of the Virgin Gorge, to well over 10,000 feet at the peak of Pine Valley Mountain, you will discover within a short rad

ius of the cities of St. Georg

e, Hurricane, Springdale, Ivins and Santa Clara, some of the most beautiful scenes found anywhere. The crown jewel of it all is Zion National Park. Add to that, the state parks, ghost towns, canyons, coves, deser

ts, streams, golf courses, mineral pools, tennis courts, swimming holes, pioneer building, horse back ridin

g, bicycling, hiking and you have discovered the unique vacation that awaits you in Utah's Washington County.

There is plenty of shopping with the Zion Factory Stores, Promenade Mall, and the Red Cliffs Mall in the St. George area and the gift and specialty stores in the Zion Park/Hurricane area.

Here are just a few great things to see, and do in St. George

Restaurants

Durango’s Mexican Grill
245 Red Cliffs Dr # 8
St. George, UT 84790

Vior’s Italian Bakery & Deli
Main Street Plaza
St. George, UT 84770

Pizza Factory Express
1930 West Sunset Boulevard
St. George, UT 84770

Painted Pony Restaurant
2 West Saint George Boulevard Suite 2
St. George, UT 84770

The Dogfather
1091 N. Bluff St.
St. George, UT 84770

Place to go

Dinosaur Discovery Site
M-Sat 10-6pm
2180 E. Riverside Drive
Phone: 435-574-DINO (3466)

Green Gate Village
76 West Tabernacle
St, George, UT 84770

Zion Factory Stores/Promenade Mall/Red Cliffs Mall
250 North Red Cliffs Drive
St. George, UT 84790

Been to St. George before? What's your favorite restaurant or place to visit?

Amanda - Intern

Congrats to the Ogden Nature Center!!

Ogden Nature Center receives Utah’s Green Business Award

Ogden, UT – The Ogden Nature Center recently received a Utah Green Business Award from Utah Business Magazine. The Nature Center was specifically recognized for community initiatives that engage citizens and businesses to become more green.

“The green business awards celebrate Utah’s greenest companies, products and people. We are thrilled to be counted among the top organizations in Utah making strides in environmental sustainability,” said Brandi Bosworth, public relations coordinator for the center.

The Ogden Nature Center educates Utah residents about environmental sustainability through classes, workshops and events, and by modeling eco-friendly buildings and making use of renewable energy. For example, the Visitor Center was built in 1994 using recycled timbers from a local, abandoned railroad trestle. The center also has a “living roof” with vegetation that keeps the building cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The L.S. Peery Center Building incorporates unique building materials including straw bales in the exterior walls, insulation made from recycled denim and newspaper, cabinet panels created from sunflower hulls and bathroom stalls made from recycled milk cartons. The L.S. Peery Education Center also relies on on-demand water heaters, natural lighting and solar energy.

Along with demonstrating cutting-edge building practices, the Ogden Nature Center provides environmental education to more than 27,000 people each year. In a field trip program called “Utah’s Ecosystems” students learn about watersheds, wetlands, forests and deserts while exploring plant and animal life.

The Ogden Nature Center is a 152-acre nature preserve with 1.5 miles of easy walking trails, picnic areas, tree houses and a spotting tower. A main attraction at the Nature Center is its live exhibit of birds of prey and other native animal species that help to teach the citizens of Utah about wildlife and habitat protection.

The Ogden Nature Center was established as Utah’s first Nature Center in 1975 and continues to live its mission to unite people with nature and nurture appreciation and stewardship of the environment.

The Ogden Nature Center is located at 966 W. 12th Street in Ogden, Utah. For more information about the Ogden Nature Center, please visit www.ogdennaturecenter.org or call 801-621-7595.