VAST Community Announcements

Nominations Sought for Programs That Work Awards

The Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition is seeking nominations for effective student and teacher educational programs for the Virginia Math and Science Coalition's Programs That Work Awards. Applications due on March 19, and will be evaluated on a competitive basis for programs that have been conducted during the past five years and have demonstrated positive results. Virginia's public and private elementary and secondary schools, public school divisions, institutions of higher education, state agencies and 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations are invited to apply. For more information, go to: www.vamsc.org.

Chesapeake Bay Education Website BayBackpack.com Launched

The Chesapeake Bay Program is happy to announce the launch of BayBackpack.com, an online resource for teachers and environmental educators to engage students in hands-on learning about the Chesapeake Bay and its local waterways. Bay Backpack provides educators with the necessary resources to give their students a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE), which are extensive projects that allow students to gain a deep understanding of environmental issues in the Chesapeake Bay and its local streams and rivers. To learn more about Bay Backpack, visit www.baybackpack.com. Interested educators can also follow Bay Backpack on Twitter @baybackpack to receive additional education-related news and resources.

At www.inquiryinaction.org, you can view and download free inquiry-based physical science activities that support national science content standards. Each activity, as well as the entire 470 page book, is available for free download in PDF format. The website also has a chemistry background section, complete with molecular model animations and videos, and information on upcoming workshops based on the book.

Nominations Sought for Thomas Jefferson Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Natural Science Education

Nominate a Virginia educator who has consistently made outstanding contributions to natural history, environmental and science education in either the formal or informal sectors. Preference is given to those whose accomplishments have an obvious connection with natural history. Nominees exemplify the best educational practices and stand as models worthy of emulation by other educators. Go to www.vmnh.net/documents/TJ_Natural_Science_Education.pdf