Santa Clara Valley Water District’s
Water Awareness Program
We would like to wish you and your students a Happy New Year and hope that this finds you well rested and looking forward starting the second half of the year!

This is the electronic news update for January with links to events and opportunities coming up for you and/or your students.  Please share this information with colleagues.

EVENTS CALENDAR
Jan. 13 and Jan. 20, 2007 – The Dynamic Earth presented by The Bay Area Earth Science Institute/South Bay Geo-Diversity Project in cooperation with National Hispanic University.

Teachers of grades 5-12 from schools with high percentages of under-represented students are invited to participate in a free, two-day workshop on effective approaches to teaching Earth science using features of local geology.

Jan. 13 (Plate Tectonics) from 8:30a.m. – 4:30p.m.
Jan. 20 (Earthquakes and Volcanoes) from 8:30a.m. – 4:30p.m.
Both days will be hosted at Latino College Preparatory Academy on the campus of the National Hispanic University, 14271 Story Road, San Jose

You may attend either or both workshop days without charge.  You may choose to earn 1 semester unit of Geology 104 for $44 (if you attend both Saturdays).  For more information please call Ellen Metzger at (408)924-5048 or send email to metzger@geosun.sjsu.edu.

Jan. 31, 2007  NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program: A Free Teacher Research Experience
Are you or your colleagues interested in gaining first-hand, research experience on a government ocean research vessel?  If so, check out the opportunities offered by the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Teacher at Sea program, now accepting applications until Jan. 31, 2007.  The mission of NOAA’s Teacher at Sea program is to give teachers a clearer insight into our ocean planet and a greater understanding of maritime work and studies, and to foster an interdisciplinary educational experience that
provides a unique environment for learning and teaching.  For more information please visit http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov

Jan. 31 through Feb. 2, 2007 - The Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS, pronounced "chips") is providing FREE on-line or in person workshops on how schools can incorporate high performance guidelines regarding waste, energy and water management into school construction, renovation or maintenance projects.  The series of workshops occur from Jan. 31 through Feb. 2, 2007. For more information on the 2007 workshop schedule and to register visit http://www.chps.net/events/workshops.htm

Feb. 7, Feb. 24, and March 3, 2007- Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds Educator Workshops   
Receive a FREE copy of the California Coastal Commission's science activity guide, Waves, Wetlands, and Watersheds. Try some of the activities in the guide and get an overview of the other free educational resources and programs the Coastal Commission has available. Credit from University of the Pacific is available upon completing additional work.

• Wednesday Feb. 7:  4 – 6 p.m. at Tilden Nature Area, Berkeley.
  Register by Feb. 2.

• Saturday, Feb 24: 10 a.m. – Noon at Coyote Point Museum, San Mateo. Register by Feb. 20.

• Saturday, March 3: Noon - 2 p.m. at El Dorado Nature Center, Long Beach. Register by Feb. 28.

To register for a workshop please contact Annie Kohut Frankel at afrankel@coastal.ca.gov, or (415) 597-5888.

Saturday, Feb. 10, 2007:  The 2007 UC Museum of Paleontology Short Course on Evolution - IMPLICATIONS OF EVOLUTION: EVIDENCE AND APPLICATIONS

Learn about current research in evolutionary biology, including behavior and defense, primate evolution, and co-evolution and its impact on biodiversity, as well as current antievolution strategies, the intelligent design movement, and recent legal decisions concerning the teaching of evolution.

For further details and registration information, please visit
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/museum/events/shortcourse2007/index.html or contact Judy Scotchmoor ­ at jscotch@berkeley.edu

Feb. 23, 2007: Project WET Teacher Workshop
Project WET in-service includes hands-on activities and lessons from the Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide. Workshop is FREE!  Participants will also receive the curriculum and guide FREE upon completion of the workshop. The next workshops are:

When: Feb. 23, 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Where: Santa Clara Valley Water District Headquarters Building.  5750 Almaden Expwy., San Jose, CA 95118

To sign up for this Project WET workshop, please contact:
Kathy Machado at (408) 265-2607, ext. 2331, or
Terri Fagundes at (408) 265-2607, ext. 2945

top of page

GRANTS AND FUNDING
Feb. 5, 2007 by 5 p.m. - The FishAmerica Foundation and the NOAA Restoration Center announce the availability of up to $800,000 for projects to restore marine, estuarine and riparian habitats important to marine and anadromous fish species.  Visit FishAmerica's web site at http://www.fishamerica.org for the complete announcement, funding guidelines and application, and helpful contact information. 

Please Note: The application for this partnership is new this year.  Applications and required documentation must be received in FishAmerica's office no later than Feb. 5, 2007 by 5 p.m.  This is not a postmark deadline.  Electronic and faxed applications will NOT be accepted.

From Youth Service America – the following two grant opportunities may be of interest to you:
Jan. 24, 2007 – The Disney Minnie Grant  (Overseas and U.S. applicants)

Disney and Youth Service America (YSA) are pleased to announce grants of up to $500 to support youth-led service projects.  These grants support youth (ages 5-14) in planning and implementing service projects in their community. A significant component of the project must take place on National & Global Youth Service Day, April 20-22, 2007. Projects can address themes such as the environment, disaster relief, public health and awareness, community education, hunger, literacy, or any issue that youth identify as a community need. 

Application materials are available at www.YSA.org/awards:  Be sure to download either the US application or overseas application (depending on your country of residence).

Questions? E-mail: MinnieGrant@ysa.org. Receipt deadline: Jan. 24, 2007 (5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time).

Feb. 1, 2007 A LION IN THE HOUSE COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANTS (U.S. applicants only)

Complementing the highly-acclaimed film by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, these grants of $300 are designed for youth (ages 12-25) and youth-serving organizations (schools, youth groups, clubs, etc?) to design service projects addressing pediatric cancer. Projects should be youth-led and take place as part of National and Global Youth Service Day, April 20-22, 2007. To learn more, download application materials at www.YSA.org/awards or email MyLion@ysa.org.

Funding for this grant program has been made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Fund for American Studies.  Postmark deadline: Feb. 1, 2007

top of page

GOOD TO KNOW

Career Opportunity
The San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory is looking for an experienced field ornithologist to lead its Waterbird Program.  The Director oversees the daily operation of Waterbird Program projects, designs and proposes new projects, and initiates and leads publication of past research.

Qualifications: Ph.D. in biology, ecology or a related field, or an M.S. with extensive experience in field ornithology.

We would like to fill the position by February 1, 2007.  Open until filled.
To apply: Please send a cover letter, resume and/or CV and three references to:
Janet Hanson, Executive Director.  E-mail at jthanson@sfbbo.org or mail to:
P.O. Box 247, Alviso, CA 95002

For more information contact: Janet Tashjian Hanson, Executive Director
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory at (408) 946-6548.

FREE STUFF

"AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH" DVD FOR TEACHERS: 50,000 copies of the acclaimed documentary about global warming will be donated on a first come, first
serve basis to teachers across the country interested in using the film as a teaching tool in classrooms via Participate.net.  The DVD's will be given away starting Monday, December 18, 2006 thru Thursday, January 18, 2007.

Teachers are encouraged to log on to Participate.net, click on the link on the left hand side of the screen to request the DVD, which will be delivered within 6-8 weeks.  A free curriculum guide is also available for download.

MORE NEWS

FROM NSCEP!  Each month the EPA's National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) produces a list of new titles available from the Center.   We have established an electronic list serve for people who want to keep abreast of new EPA publications.

To receive this listing by e-mail, click on this link and write “I would like to subscribe to the NSCEP New EPA Publications List Serve."  Or send an e-mail with a subject line of “Subscribe to nscepnew@one.net.” Subscriptions can also be taken by phone at 800-490-9198.

NSCEP's New Titles listing is also available at: yosemite.epa.gov/nscep

EPA Publications may be ordered any time on the Web using NSCEP's Shopping
Cart site at the URL above or by one of the methods below:

By Mail: US EPA/NSCEP, PO Box 42419, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242-0419
By Fax: Send your order via FAX, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: (513) 489-8695
By E-Mail: ncepimal@one.net
By Phone: 1-800-490-9198 or (513) 489-8190 and speak to an operator Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. EST. Leave an order 24 hours a day.

top of page

Send your comments
Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Please send your comments and suggestions regarding this education newsletter to Kathy Machado or Terri Fagundes.

To unsubscribe:
To unsubscribe from this distribution list, reply to info@valleywater.org and include "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Santa Clara Valley
Water District
5750 Almaden Expwy
San Jose, CA 95118