Welcome to MTSU's Center for Environmental Education

 

Attention Teachers!  Check out these great resources for your classroom: 

• Chemistry lesson plans and videos for your classroom:  http://www.nbclearn.com/portal/site/learn/chemistry-now/chemistry-of-water

• PDFs of the chapters in "Exotic Invasive Plants of Southern Appalachia - An Activity Guide" and the "Teacher's Guide to the Threatened and Endangered Species and Ecosystems of Tennessee" are available online at: http://www.fws.gov/asheville/htmls/environmentaleducation/curricula.html

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Summer Teacher Workshops at the Tennessee State Museum!! 

The Tennessee State Museum is planning two intensive workshops for teachers about slavery and the Civil War in Tennessee in preparation for the National Archives exhibit Discovering the Civil War scheduled to open at the State Museum on February 12, 2013.

This acclaimed exhibit includes a six-day viewing of the Emancipation Proclamation, the document which altered the course of U.S. history and forever changed the lives of African Americans.

The workshops, entitled Slavery, Civil War and the Classroom, will be held at the museum June 21 and 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The first day looks at the development of slavery in the Tennessee and will profile the lives of little-known enslaved African Americans. Day two of the workshop examines slavery's unique role in bringing about the Civil War. Dr. Richard Blackett, professor of history at Vanderbilt University, will speak.

Both workshops will address teaching strategies, ways to incorporate and implement primary sources, and how to integrate the topics in the classroom.

"Slavery can be one of the more challenging topics to teach and one that children may have difficulty confronting," according to museum Education Curator Jeff Sellers. "We want to help teachers explore the best methods."

Teachers may choose to attend both or only one workshop. The cost is $25 for one day and $45 for both. Fees cover the costs of drinks, lunch, and handouts.

To register, go to www.tnmuseum.org/Teachers/Teacher_Workshops/ or call the museum's Public Programs department at (615) 741-0830, or toll-free at (800) 407-4324.

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WATER QUALITY TIP: Don't litter! Everything that is thrown on the ground (bottles, gum and gum wrappers, cups, bags) can be carried into the river by the storm sewers. And remember: cigarette butts are litter! If you ever want to see the cumulative effect of people tossing a cigarette butt here or a pop bottle there, take a walk along the river after a rain storm. You'll see how much litter makes its way to the river from our streets and sidewalks.

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Tips for summer planting:

TIP #1: Apply only the amount of fertilizer necessary for your turf type. Contact your nearest UT Extension Office for recommended fertilizer application rates. Avoid over-applying fertilizers.	Tip #2: Use less-toxic ways of controlling weeds. Hand pull or dig weeds rather than using herbicides.
Tip #3 : Start composting your yard and garden waste. The waste decomposes into organic matter that can be used again in your garden and improve soil. For more information about composting, visit howtocompost.org	Tip #4: Leave lawn clippings on your lawn. Studies have shown that clippings can add substantial amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium back into the soil, reducing the need for fertilizer.

For more tips, visit www.tennesseewaterworks.com