Plans for Chemistry Celebrate Earth Day 2009

[jorgie48]

Check out acs.org/earthday for the numerous resources produced by 2009 theme team chair Grace Baysinger and ACS staff member Fredico Colon.

The theme is:  Air - The Sky's the Limit!     The Unifying Event is encouraging students and adults to reduce their carbon footprint.

New this year is a powerpoint that you can download from the site (click on Students and Educators in the left column from the earthday homepage).  This presentation is aimed at middle school and above.  It gives information on reducing one's carbon footprint.  Pledge forms to distribute, collect and tablulate are also available for download.

You have until March 31st to order copies of the Celebrating Chemistry - CCED 2009 newspaper.  Deliver of the first 250 copies are free, but you can order additional copies with a modest charge.

After your event, you are invited to post a report on the ACS Network in this group and/or the CCED Facebook group.

Let us know if you have any questions.

Andy Jorgensen

CCED Program Chair

[ResMachado]

What sort of resources do you have for a 4-5th graders?  The rocket in the newsletter looked a little beyond that age group (9-10 yrs old).  Thanks.

[jorgie48]

I will check into this and get back to you soon.

Andy

[jorgie48]

Here is info from our CCED Theme Team Chair Grace Baysinger, chemistry librarian at Stanford:

Science for Kids
http://www.acs.org/kids
Includes over 100 hands-on activities

Inquiry in Action: A Teacher's Guide to Inquiry-Based Investigations in Physical Science
http://www.inquiryinaction.org/
Companion web site for book w/ the same name.  See:
http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/education/resources/k-8/index.htm

Volunteer With Kids and Chemistry
http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/education/outreach/kidschemistry/index.htm
In section on "Plan a Classroom Visit" view "Choose a hands-on activity"

Best of WonderScience
http://portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/content?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=PP_ARTICLEMAIN&node_id=552&use_s...
Has some sample activities from this book online

Web sites:  We've got the CCED 2009 resource lists up as web pages.
http://library.stanford.edu/depts/swain/hosted/earthday/2009/index.html
In the Online section, please see:

EduGreen
The Greens (listed in the G's)
UN Cyberschoolbus
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Climate Change
    Climate Change for Kids
The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
    Kids Crossing
Zero Footprint - Kids Calculator

[ResMachado]

Thanks much!  I was now aware of the existence of those sites.

[VincentMautino]

Greetings from the Pittsburgh Section ACS!

As part of the 2009 Chemists Celebrate Earth Day (CCED) celebration, the Pittsburgh Section sponsored an illustrated haiku contest for students in grades K-12.  First place winners were selected from four grade categories: K-2^nd, 3^rd-5^th, 6^th-8^th, and 9^th-12^th.  Each winner received a check for $50.  Honorable Mention was also selected for each grade category, with each receiving a CCED gift. First place winners were also entered into the national poetry contest sponsored by the ACS’s Office of Community Activities and Committee on Community Activities. Winners of the national competition were announced on Earth Day, April 22^nd. The Pittsburgh Section had one 1^st place national contest winner, in the K-2^nd grade category – Julianne Jarek, from Herbert Clark Hoover Elementary School!

The Pittsburgh Section’s contest was advertised in the Section’s newsletter, through the Bayer Association for Science in Communities (BASIC) community outreach group, and through the Outreach Program Office at Robert Morris University (RMU). A total of 41 schools sent in 770 entries (170 entries from 8 schools in the K-2^nd grade category, 102 entries from 12 schools in the 3^rd – 5^th grade category, 341 entries from 14 schools in the 6^th – 8^th grade category, and 157 entries from 10 schools in the 9^th – 12^th grade category).  This is compared to 10 schools submitted 146 entries for the 2008 competition, and 7 schools submitting 115 entries for the 2007 competition. The increase in entries for the 2009 contest was due in large part to RMU’s advertising the contest through their network of 1,700 middle and high school educators and administrators.

CCED materials were provided to Bayer Corporation and BASIC for their ‘Bring your Child to Work Day / Earth Day” event on April 22^nd. This included 250 copies of the 2009 ACS’s Earth Day Edition of the “Celebrating Chemistry” activity newspaper, and 200 Enviro-Moles.  225 copies of the CCED publication were provided to Gastonville Elementary Center for their Earth Day celebration, and 25 copies were provided to St. Joseph Elementary School.

V. Michael Mautino

CCED Coordinator

Pittsburgh Section ACS