Crow Talk

Reflecting back on 2006...

Educational Products and Projects
Laughing Crow Curriculum has been busy over the past year with a variety of projects. Check out The Crow's Cache for a variety of portfolio items that can help you can get a sense of the type of projects and products Laughing Crow Curriculum produces. Currently, The Crow's Cache section features a new portfolio item, The Urban Naturalists Summer Camp Program. Also be sure to check out the Dead Sea Scrolls Family Science Workshops.

Pacific Science Center is wrapping up its exhibition of The Dead Sea Scrolls. The exhibit is only open for one more week. This is a wonderful exhibit, which transports you to the Dead Sea area of Israel to learn about the ancient Qumran community and the science behind the discovery of the Scrolls.

As part of this exhibit, Laughing Crow Curriculum developed two family science workshops that travel with the exhibit. The workshops have already traveled to North Carolina's Discovery Place and Seattle's Pacific Science Center, and will soon be on their way to Kansas City's Union Station, the San Diego Natural History Museum, and future venues. One of the exciting parts of developing the Dead Sea Scroll Family Science Workshops was working with Pacific Science Center's exhibit department and graphics department to create teaching props. The exhibit department created a scroll jar puzzle, a soil strata model, and a giant scroll to be used as props during the workshops. Check out this portfolio item in The Crow's Cache.

Laughing Crow Curriculum worked with Pacific Science Center and NASA Integrating Origins Forum during 2006 to develop a curriculum on light for informal educators. This project will carry into 2007, as we work on writing a document to guide curriculum developers in adapting science curricula designed for the classroom environment to be useful in informal learning environments.

World Headquarters
One of the most exciting products for 2006 was the construction of an office for Laughing Crow Curriculum. The Company's world headquarters is located in a studio nestled in a backyard garden of the Company owners, in the Ballard/Fremont area of Seattle. Construction of the building started in June and wrapped up in September 2006. The building uses sustainable design principles, including some reclaimed lumber, cork flooring, and a rain harvesting system.

In the Seattle area, November and December brought us incredible, record-breaking weather. It has been a season of heavy rains, floods, early snow, icy roads, high winds, power outages, downed trees, and more. And yet, through it all, the three pots of pansies that sit on my front steps still bloom in deep shades of yellow, violet, and blue.

With the winter solstice just behind us, we can begin looking forward to spring, and to the millions of unseen seeds that lie deep within the soil, waiting, waiting, waiting.

Unseen Buds
By Walt Whitman

Unseen buds, infinite, hidden well,
Under the snow and ice, under the darkness, in every
square or cubic inch,
Germinal, exquisite, in delicate lace, microscopic,
unborn,
Like babes in wombs, latent, folded, compact, sleeping;
Billions of billions, and trillions of trillions of them
waiting,
(On earth and in the sea--the universe--the stars
there in the heavens,)
Urging slowly, surely forward, forming endless,
And waiting ever more, forever more behind.

(From this Soil: Selected Poems by Walt Whitman. Nature Company Classics, 1993).

Visible Proofs: Forensic Views of the Body

Explore the galleries, text, and other fascinating components of this online exhibition about the history of forensic science.

From the National Library of Medicine at NIH...
"Visible Proofs is about the history of forensic medicine. Over the centuries, physicians, surgeons, and other professionals have struggled to develop scientific methods that translate views of bodies and body parts into "visible proofs" that can persuade judges, juries, and the public."
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/visibleproofs/index.html

Song of the Salish Sea: A Natural History of Northwest Waters
From People for Puget Sound...

The Salish Sea consists of Puget Sound, the Strait of Georgia and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The "Song of the Salish Sea" video examines the fragile habitats that make up this large inland sea and its watershed. Spectacular video of the habitats and the creatures that live there are combined with graphics, photographs and simple animations to examine these environments and the processes that shape them. Some of the ways humans have impacted each habitat are shown along with suggested ways in which we can reduce human impacts.

The Teachers' Guide provides a copy of the narrative script, a list of ninety vocabulary words used in the presentation (including sixty-two Washington EALR vocabulary words), suggested Quiz questions and Suggestions for Independent Study. Recommended for Grades 6 - 12.

The video may be shown as one 45 minute movie or as 7 stand-alone segments. When shown in segments each movie is followed by a brief review.

• Introduction (6:00): An overview of the geologic and settlement history of the Salish Sea and its watershed.
• Module Two: Watersheds (7:21) A discussion of the water cycle and the fresh water habits found in the Salish Sea's watershed: creeks, rivers, wetlands and lakes. The role of estuaries is also covered.
• Module Three: Sand and Mud Habitats (6:36) An examination of the role that sand, mud and gravel habitats play in the Salish Sea's food web and of the processes forming and shaping these habitats.
• Module Four: Eelgrass Meadows (5:30) A discussion of the importance
  of eelgrass meadows in the oceanic food web and how they provide food and shelter for a variety of creatures.
• Module Five: Rocky Habitats (6:32) An introduction to hard, rocky bottom habitats and the creatures that live there.
• Module Six: Open Water Habitat (6:43) An examination of the complex open water food web and how pollution and over fishing are impacting the creatures that live in the Salish Sea.
• Module Seven: Salmon Life Cycle (7:47) A review of the salmon life cycle shows how all of the habitats of the Salish Sea and its watershed are linked.

Extras

• Printable documents located on the DVD:
• Teacher's Guide;
• Puget Sound Beach Guide;
• Kids For Puget Sound Passport; and
• "Terror In The Tidepool!" curriculum
• Short videos included on the DVD:
• Song of the Salish Sea Music Video;
• How You Can Help; and
• Introduction to The People For Puget Sound
  
  Elementary to Grade 12
  $29.95
  Ordering Information at http://earthwisevideos.com/Earthwise-Media-Orders.htm

An Inconvenient Controversy
12/8/06 Living on Earth

Today's National Public Radio's Living on Earth program featured an interview today with Laurie David, executive producer of the film "An Inconvenient Truth," and Dr. Gerry Wheeler, Director of the National Science Teacher Association.

The program synopsis follows:
"The National Science Teachers Association, made up of 53,000 educators, declined an offer of 50,000 free DVD copies of Al Gore's film on global warming, "An Inconvenient Truth." NSTA Director Dr. Gerry Wheeler says the organization doesn't distribute third party materials, but environmentalist Laurie David, who produced the film, sees something more sinister at play. Host Bruce Gellerman hears from both sides of the science education debate."

Listen to an MP3 of the interview or read the interview transcript here:
http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=06-P13-00049&segmentID=1

King County seeks nominations of Earth Heroes in local schools

It is not too soon to think about getting recognition for your environmental projects at school. Each year King County recognizes exceptional programs, teachers and other staff, volunteers, and students who implement projects at their schools or beyond.

Winners are honored each year at a reception featuring entertainment, refreshments, and presentation of awards by King County Executive Ron Sims. Last year, King County presented awards to 17 Earth Heroes at School. Projects ranged from developing environmental education curriculum to improving or expanding recycling programs to creating native plant gardens.

Nomination forms are available online at http://www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/education/earth-heroes.asp or by calling Donna Miscolta at 206-296-4477. Nominations will be accepted until February 16, 2007. Winners will be notified in March.

The awards reception is scheduled for April 19, 2007.

Raising Children With Connections to Nature: The Battle Against Nature Deficit Disorder, A roundtable discussion

1/8/2007 7:00 PM, Seattle REI FREE!

Presented by the Wilderness Awareness School.

Are you a parent, teacher or just an adult concerned about how little time children spend in nature, or how to balance the abundance of electronic and human stimulus that modern young people face with experiences in the natural world? Join us for an evening round table discussion with representatives from leading local organizations which strive to provide meaningful experiences in the natural world for young people in our region. Learn about different philosophies and methodologies for nature education.

Contact: 425-788-1301
Registration Required? No.

King of Fish and the Environmental History of Puget Sound Rivers

12/7/2006 7:00 PM, Seattle REI FREE!

This event is presented by People for Puget Sound.

Professor David Montgomery discusses his recent environmental history of salmon, King of Fish: The Thousand-Year Run of Salmon, and his research group's work into the co-evolution of the Pacific salmon and the topography of the Pacific Northwest and his research on the environmental history of Puget Sound rivers. David R. Montgomery is internationally recognized as a leader in the study of geomorphology, the evolution of landscapes. He is the Director of the Quaternary Research Center, a professor in the Department of Earth & Space Sciences at the University of Washington. In addition to his research into salmon and Pacific Northwest topography, his interests include sediment transfer from the Andes to the Amazon, giant glacial floods in eastern Tibet, and the formation of Martian outflow channels. He has published over 150 publications in the scientific literature.

Contact: Lynne Jordan at (206) 382-7007 or email ljordan@pugetsound.org
Cost: $6/Members of People for Puget Sound; $8/Non-Members of People for Puget Sound
Registration Required? No.

In our own Backyard: Climate Change in the North Cascades
12/6/2006 7:00 PM, Seattle REI FREE!

Presented by the North Cascades Institute.

If the whole idea of climate change is a bit overwhelming--join the North Cascades Institute for a look at climate change in our own backyard. This presentation will feature stunning photos of the North Cascades along with engaging, concise and authoritative remarks by two experts on glaciers and climate change. Jon Riedel manages the hydrologic and geologic resources of North Cascades National Park and has lots of behind-the-scenes experiences with climate change and shrinking glaciers. Erin Pettit is a young, charismatic glaciologist and leader for Girls On Ice--the only program in the US that combines leadership, science and wilderness confidence-building. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at what global warming means to the North Cascades.

Contact:
206-223-1944

Survival in a Harsh Environment: Winter Ecology and Travel in the Cascades
with David Moskowitz, Wilderness Awareness School

12/4/2006 7:00 PM, Seattle REI FREE!

Cold temperatures and deep snows makes winter in the mountains of Western North America a time of intense challenge for the survival of wildlife and humans alike. Winter acts as limiting factor and agent of evolutionary adaptation for plants and wildlife alike. Humans in the winter mountain environment also must adapt to the harsh conditions. Come explore the world of winter with Wilderness Awareness School staff member David Moskowitz, an experienced winter expedition guide and winter wildlife tracker. Learn how predators and prey have coevolved in the winter environment and how people, ancient and modern, have learned to survive in the cold. This talk will give you a whole new appreciation and awareness of the tracks and wildlife you encounter on your own mountain adventures this winter! Also expect to leave with a few tips and tricks of the trade on winter expeditioning and survival.

Contact Wilderness Awareness for more information: 425-788-1301

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH LECTURE SERIES – SEATTLE
Our Health, Our Environment: Making the Link

Sponsored by the Seattle Biotech Legacy Foundation (SBLF) and organized by the Institute for Children's Environmental Health, the Environmental Health Lecture Series strives to educate Puget Sound residents about the latest science on environmental health issues and what we can do personally and professionally to protect and sustain human and ecological health in this region. These lectures will be presented at Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Avenue (at Seneca Street), Seattle.

Lectures are $15 each at the door. Discounts for advance sales are available: $30 for the four-lecture series if purchased by January 15th or $10 for each lecture if purchased at least a week before the lecture date. A further discount is available for students and those with limited incomes. Please contact ICEH at 360-331-7904 or iceh@iceh.org for more information.http://washington.chenw.org/lectures.html

--Wednesday, January 24, 2007 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Green Chemistry
--Wednesday, February 7, 2007 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Nanotech & Precaution
--Wednesday, March 21, 2007 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Biofuels
--Wednesday, April 18, 2007 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Sustainable Systems