A Reader's Companion

Once upon a time, a cat helped a boy read in exchange for friendship. You'll find this story in the nonfiction section.

In this case, once upon a time is now, and the boy, 10-year-old Sean Rodriguez of Pennsylvania, improves his reading skills by reading to cats at the Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Berks County. The cats benefit because the interaction helps socialize them to humans before they are adopted.

If you think the story can't get any better, you're wrong. Kristi Rodriguez, Sean's mother, works for the ARL, and after seeing her son's success, she helped turn the experience into a program called Book Buddies. Now, area children in grades 1-8 can practice reading with cat friends. The animals find much needed companionship, and the children receive the benefit of having an attentive, judgment-free audience. For more information about Book Buddies, click here.

I believe in the powers of reading, pets, and caring, and I also believe we need happy endings that aren't fairytales. Discovering ARL's Book Buddies program pleasantly reminded me that the pure goodness we find in some stories comes from real-world inspiration.

The great thing about heartwarming nonfiction is that we can keep many of those stories going forever.

Everything and More

We've all had people give us too much information about themselves, but TMI no longer applies when birds are the subject.

My blog entries frequently mention the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds Web site because it provides great information about birds. In fact, after exploring the site, one might think it really has all the bird information ever collected. It turns out, however, that there's more, and the Cornell Lab's latest offering gives us additional insight into the world of birds.

All About Bird Biology, a recently released (they say, "hatched") companion site to All About Birds, focuses on the biological aspects of birds. For example, the first collection of information looks at feathers. The site is interactive and already contains nearly a hundred videos about birds.

Billing (get it?) itself as a resource for birders, teachers, students, and just about anyone curious to learn more about birds, All About Bird Biology moves public knowledge of ornithology up a notch. As someone who once had an entire science fair project dedicated solely to feathers, I love it. To check out the site, click here.

Between All About Birds and All About Bird Biology, we can know birds inside out.

The Planet Becomes the Teacher

We all have a big exam coming up.

Responding to global warming might just be the most high-stakes test we'll ever face, and the subject isn't always easy. Even teaching the science of the planet's climate can be difficult, but it's important we ace this one.

Fortunately, teachers have a growing bag of resources to draw from as they cover this issue. One of the best collections of information and suggestions for teaching about climate change comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The agency's Web site offers videos, activities, visual aids, and interactive resources for teachers who seek to address the science and impacts of global warming. To see the full selection of what is available, click here.

Studying up on global warming is the difference between truly learning how to live within our environment and a painful lesson.

Still Watching

It's time to find some winter projects; it's time to find some birds.

Project FeederWatch is gearing up for a new season with a new Web site. I've already blogged about the project here and here. This great bit of citizen science from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology allows people to provide important data on birds while enjoying the sight of feathered friends during winter.

The new Web site lets participants upload bird photographs directly instead of submitting e-mails. It also helps people discover what birds are most prevalent in their region and provides tools to aid in identifying species. To check out the site and learn more about the project, click here.

Many birds leave for the winter, but with a feeder in the backyard, there's always something to see. Add to ornithological data as you watch.

Teach to the Wolf

Bringing wolves into the classroom just got easier.

One of the difficulties we have in improving our relationship with animals like wolves is that many people don't know much about them. In addition, a lot of the information people do have is inaccurate. As a result, long-held prejudices about wolves endure and heavily influence how we react to these animals.

Fortunately, technology gives us opportunities to bring wolves closer and learn about them. Wolf Haven International has begun offering lessons about wolves though Skype's In the Classroom program. This gives teachers a resource to connect their students with wolves. For more information, click here.

We're already being tested on our ability to live with wolves, so it's time to start preparing for that test by getting the information we need.

Inspiring Insect Insights

It's possible that most of us only really learn one thing about insects: that we should avoid them.

Considering that many children have a natural fascination for insects and that we probably have more opportunities to interact with and learn about insects than any other type of animal, the lesson of avoidance is a problem. Still, insects can be a doorway to learning more about our environment if education encourages children to open that door.

Green Teacher, an organization that provides teachers with resources and ideas for teaching about the environment, has some tips for helping students explore the world of insects.

The early interest we have in insects should be encouraged, not scared away. As the largest animal group on the planet, insects have a lot to teach us.

Class Notes

The process of learning about the environment never stops.

A recent podcast from BirdNote shows some of the new strategies teachers are using to discuss environmental issues. Jessie Soder, a teacher in Alaska, has discovered the BirdNote podcasts and employed them as teaching aids in her class.

Through the development of technology, classroom instruction is becoming more dynamic and interactive. Teachers who embrace this possibility can enhance their ability to bring the environment to life for students.

Classroom Environment

Schools give us a lot, but we often forget that we can bring a lot to our schools in return.

Looking back, school gave me many great opportunities to learn about and experience the environment. This was particularly true from kindergarten through middle school. However, it never occurred to me then that I might help improve my school's environmental connection.

This year, students in K-12 will have that chance. Global Green USA is giving students the opportunity to enter its Green School Makeover Competition, in which students propose projects that will help their schools become healthier and more environmentally friendly. Projects include energy-efficiency upgrades, reduction of water use, and minimization of waste. The winning proposal will receive $75,000 in funding. For more information about the competition, click here.

By empowering students to make a difference at their schools, the project takes learning to a whole new level, and in the process, it benefits the environment.

Spread Those Wings

I've blogged before about BirdSleuth, which the Cornell Lab of Ornithology uses to provide teachers with curriculum for citizen science projects.

The program is continuing to expand. As this story describes, a classroom of students from Oregon and a classroom of students from Florida used BirdSleuth to conduct a peer-reviewed bird-watching project. Such collaborations are beginning to rise up across the country, and the goal is now to facilitate similar interactions on an international level.

Considering bird migrations don't pay much attention to state or international boundaries, this is a great way to track birds throughout their range and get children around the world engaged in science. It's also cool because the birds are helping bring people together.

If you are a teacher, this is an exciting time to consider getting involved with BirdSleuth.

Teaching Sleuths

For teachers interested in citizen science curriculum, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has a program called BirdSleuth. It is linked to the lab's Citizen Science projects, and currently, it offers curriculum for grades 1-10 (something for older students is being tested now).

This looks like a great way to combine learning and an experience of nature. Follow the link above for more information. Below, you can watch the lab's promotional video about children learning bird-watching skills and becoming citizen scientists.

Kids and Energy

The US Department of Energy and the National Science Teachers Association have team up on a program designed to engage students in energy issues. Along the way, the children get to serve as citizen scientists and possibly earn their school money.

America's Home Energy Education Challenge is for children in grades 3-8. Some of the ways to participate include the collection, analysis, and sharing of home energy use data, the creation of energy use savings plans, and entering a poster contest. The choice of participation option is up to each individual class.

For more information, start here.

To a T

Earlier this week, I saw a person wearing a T-shirt that read, "I Play Green." The words intrigued me, so I committed them to memory with the intention of looking them up online later.

First, I discovered that I Play Green is a program from the Green Education Foundation. I Play Green focuses on making participation in sports more environmentally sustainable by recruiting athletes, coaches, and teams for the purpose of reducing waste from plastic bottles, instituting eco-friendly field management policies, and lowering the carbon footprint of travel associated with sporting events.

In and of itself, this sounded pretty cool, combining sports and the environment, both of which I enjoy. Then, I found that I Play Green was only part of a larger effort by the Green Education Foundation, which advocates for sustainability in education and the teaching of skills that will help children think critically about environmental issues. The foundation provides programs, resources, and curriculum geared toward fulfilling these ideals.

Let Your Perspective Count

As members of the environmental community known as Earth, we all have a lot to add to the general understanding of it.

Some people work in nature all the time, and the rest of us often wonder how we can increase our interactions with it. If you fall into either of those two categories (and let's face, rhetorically, I didn't leave much chance that you wouldn't), the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has some great opportunities for you.

Citizen Science features a number of projects, including bird counting and bird identification, that let you contribute to science. Remember how much fun we had playing scientists and investigating our world when we were growing up? These projects let have that experience once again, and now, the findings are for keeps.

One of the projects created by the lab is called Project FeederWatch. This involves setting up a feeder during the winter months, counting the types and number of birds that visit, and sharing your information with the scientists at the lab. Those who are educators can turn this into learning opportunities for their students. Along with counting and identifying the birds, students can study writing through journal keeping, physics through bird's flight patterns, history, art inspired by birds, and music influenced by bird songs.

We all have a lot we can bring to science's exploration of our world. If you would like to get more involved with this learning process, check out the links above.

Pencils, Crayons, Glue, and the Environment

I know more than my fair share of teachers, so this post is for all you molders of young minds.

In recent years, the National Wildlife Federation has promoted legislation, including No Child Left Inside, that keeps nature and outdoor activity on the agenda of schools and allows children to explore and learn about the natural world. To go along with these efforts, the NWF has put together some information, including lesson plans and other resources, for teachers to use when taking their classes through environmental topics. Most of the information applies to K-8 students, but some addresses grades 9-12.

If you are interested, you can check out the NWF's school resources by clicking here.