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Interdisciplinary nature journaling improves mood and helps build connection in middle school students

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Amidst increasing concerns about children’s mental health, this paper explores the integration of interdisciplinary nature journaling within a middle school English Language Arts classroom as a met…

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Find K-12 climate change education resources aligned to NY standards, including lesson plans, student news articles, and professional development for teachers.

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Curricular Climate Education Entry Points

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Curricular Climate Education Entry Points

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Gaia Scholastic Nature Journaling Prompt

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Gaia Scholastic Nature Journaling Prompt

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Nature Journaling & Middle School Standards

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Nature Journaling & Middle School Standards

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Science: nature journaling could be adapted to explore how biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem interact, as described in standard MS-LS2-3.

ELA: addresses standards regarding writing narratives for real or imagined experiences/events, using descriptive details, and writing explanatory texts using relevant content.

Math: students could use this nature journaling activity as an extension to address standards 1-3 of the “Statistics and Probability” unit by investigating bivariate data on population trends of various organisms in the nature journaling ecosystem.

Social Studies: students could address standard 7.1a by exploring indigenous perspectives on the environment.

Art: can help students express their nature journaling more deeply and develop personal meaning from the experience by encouraging them to translate their reflection to a different medium.

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The trick is to dive in but that is not as easy as it sounds. Here are a few thoughts to help you get started and keep at it.

Moving the goal post

Do not focus on trying to make pretty pictures. That just leads to journal block. Open your journal with the intention of discovering something new. Use the process to help you slow down and look more carefully. If you notice something that you otherwise would not have seen, remember it more vividly, or start asking yourself more interesting questions about what you observe than the journaling is a success. Embrace this idea and go. This gives you permission to make lots of pictures. If you make lots of pictures you get better. Art is a side effect of the process of journaling.

The first page of a new sketchbook

A brand new sketchbook is a beautiful thing. It if full of possibilities and potential energy. It can also be intimidating. All those perfectly white pages, how can you make a mark in that? Many people also feel pressure to make something pretty on page one. If you have trouble cracking in a new book, try this. Get a pen and write your name and contact number on the inside cover in case you loose the book. This also helps break it in and make it yours. Then start on page two and go from there. At some point you will feel inspired to fill in that first page but untill then you have a lot of journaling to do.

The first page of the day

I know a lot of folks (including myself) who have brought their sketchbook with them on a hike with all good intentions but spend the whole day without getting it out. It is just dead weight in the backpack. At a certain point you feel "oh I should have been journaling and now I have missed so much good stuff that I might as well forget it for today." The book stays in the backpack. We are creatures of habit- even in a single day. Once you get your book out and start to explore, you will do it again and again and go home with pages full of discoveries. It is the first entry on the first page that starts the cascade. To break in the first page, open your journal at the trailhead and write the location, date and weather. Just this is often enough to get more material to follow. I will often make a warm up sketch or two right there as well (see Sacrificial Pancakes below). Start playing with your journal early and you will sketch all day.

Sacrificial Pancakes

When you start to make a batch of pancakes, the first one off the griddle invariably are a mess. Perhaps the pan is not the right temperature our has uneven heat. If you stopped then and said "I can't do this, making pancakes is too hard" you would never have a satisfactory breakfast. Cooks know that the first ones are the sacrificial pancakes but that they make the way for the perfect pancake. So too with drawing. Every day when you start to draw you need to warm up. Do not expect the first sketch to come out the way you expect. You need time to reconnect your eye, brain, and hand. So plunge in, knowing that you need to create a few drawings just as a warm up exercise and do not expect them to be a work of art. Choose something interesting and explore it as a diagram, adding written notes, side views, and enlargements. Focus on seeing something new, not making a pretty drawing but get yourself drawing none the less. By the time you are done, you are warmed up and ready for a day of sketching.

Journaling with friends and family

What if everyone on your family had a journaling kit and you made sketching and exploring in nature a part of the way your family connects with the world? We are social creatures and love to do things together. Just as you are more likely to keep to a diet or exercise program if you do it with a partner, having a journaling support group keeps you going. When you are feeling a little off, you only need to look to your peers to get respired. When you are on your journaling game, you inspire them. Together you keep the habit going and progress much more quickly. Make his a part of your families' practice or home-schooling curriculum.

Forming a nature journal club

Another way to get going and keep your momentum is to join (or start) a nature journal club. These groups meet throughout the country and if there isn't one nearby, you can start your own. Having a regular schedule will allow members to put the events on their calendar in advance. Change the locations or topics every month to keep thing varied and interesting. Social media platforms such as Meetup or Facebook are good ways to connect with journal club members. You can also hang notices in local art supply stores, nature centers, or museums. Provide some social time on the events to help people get to know each other. A portable potluck lunch is a great way to bring people together. Towards the middle and the end of each outing, encourage people to open their journals together on a table. Look at the ways that other people are document, and describing the same place. Instead of just appreciating pretty pictures (an unproductive way to stimulate your inner critic) use the opportunity to actively steal ideas about what to observe and how to record it. Copying ideas or the style of another person does not make you less creative, on the contrary, it helps you see through new eyes and expands your repertoire of what it means to journal.

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How to get started with Nature Journaling - John Muir Laws

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The trick is to dive in but that is not as easy as it sounds. Here are a few thoughts to help you get started and keep at it. Do not focus on trying to make pretty pictures. That just leads to journal block. Open your journal with the intention of discovering something new.

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Mapping

We strive to map Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages across the world in a way that goes beyond colonial ways of thinking in order to better represent how Indigenous people want to see themselves.

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Native Land is a resource to learn more about Indigenous territories, languages, lands, and ways of life. We welcome you to our site.

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NAAEE 2025 Environmental Educator Knowledge and Skills Guidelines for Excellence (Gaia work on pages 32-33!)

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NAAEE 2025 Environmental Educator Knowledge and Skills Guidelines for Excellence (Gaia work on pages 32-33!)

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NAAEE 2024 Guidelines for Excellence (Gaia work on pages 83-84!)

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NAAEE 2024 Guidelines for Excellence (Gaia work on pages 83-84!)

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2024 NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence.pdf

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Pencil Roll by Artist’s Loft™ Fundamentals™ | Michaels

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Supplying your passion for art is easy when you can take it with you. This handy pencil roll is designed with portability in mind, with pockets for pencils, pens and various other art supplies.

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269PCS Dried Pressed Flowers for Resin Craft - YouthBro Real Nature Flowers Set with Butterfly Stickers for DIY Jewelry Nail Scrapbook Art Floral Decors Iridescent

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EPA Celebrates the 2024 Environmental Education Student and Teacher Award Winners

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NOAA: Teacher Friendly Guide to Climate Change

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NOAA: Teacher Friendly Guide to Climate Change

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US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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NOAA Planet Stewards Education Project: NOAA’s National Ocean Service

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The NOAA Planet Stewards Education Project (PSEP) provides formal and informal educators working with elementary through university age students with sustained professional development, collaborative tools, and support to build a climate-literate public actively engaged in Planet Stewardship.

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School Smart Plastic 180 Degree Protractor with 4 inch Ruler, Clear, Pack of 12

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School Smart Plastic 180 Degree Protractor with 4 inch Ruler, Clear, Pack of 12

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School Smart plastic protractors are clear and measure 4 inches. Each see-through protractor sets up and trues varying angles such as 30, 45, 60, and 90 degrees. Plot angles from 0 to 180 degrees left to right and right to left for school projects and more.

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2024 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Award

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2024 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Award

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The Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools Awards 2024

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10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2024 - #4!! 

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10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2024 - #4!! 

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Rachel Arbor's research with middle school students ranked #4 on Edutopia!

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The 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2024

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It’s that time again—our yearly review of the research you should read, from the sneaky ways that inattention can spread in your classroom to the promises and perils of AI.

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SKKSTATIONERY 288Pcs Colored Pencils, Coloring pencils Pre-sharpened, 12 Colors, 12pcs/box, Total 288Pcs Color pencil set

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14 Packs 6 Inch Small Rulers for Kids,Plastic School Ruler with Inches and Centimeters,Assorted Colors Kids Ruler for School

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Buy 14 Packs 6 Inch Small Rulers for Kids,Plastic School Ruler with Inches and Centimeters,Assorted Colors Kids Ruler for School: Drafting Tools & Kits - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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Mini Compass for Kids Compass Keychain，Button Compass Bulk kit，Paracord Hiking Survival Small Compasses，Kids Scout Compass.

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U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters | Climate Central

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Explore U.S. billion-dollar weather and climate disasters since 1980, including total costs, trends, and impacts.

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Playing in nature is a critical element in developmental growth. Children of all ages need the opportunity to build a greater connection with nature. To support families in this endeavor, I provided a variety of age-appropriate activities to connect kids - and the whole family - to nature!

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Kindergarten "Keep the Ice Cold" Lesson Plan

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Kindergarten "Keep the Ice Cold" Lesson Plan

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Gaia Scholastic Lesson Plan: Keep the Ice Cold!.docx

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2nd Grade Lesson Plan & Activities: Count the Pollinators

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2nd Grade Lesson Plan & Activities: Count the Pollinators

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Gaia 2nd-3rd Grade Pollinator Pathway Choice Board (2)

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3rd Grade: Population Math Walk Lesson Plan

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3rd Grade: Population Math Walk Lesson Plan

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3rd Grade Gaia Scholastic Math Walk Lesson Plan.docx

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5th Grade: Earth's Freshwater Lesson Plan

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5th Grade: Earth's Freshwater Lesson Plan

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Gaia Scholastic Lesson_ Earth's Freshwater.docx (3)

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7th Grade: Engineering Water Wheels with Empathy & Collaboration

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7th Grade: Engineering Water Wheels with Empathy & Collaboration

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Walk up a trail of bridges to the treetops of the Adirondack forest. Visit a four-story twig tree house, swing on bridges, clamber over a spider's web or climb to the full-sized bald eagle's nest at the highest point.

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High School: Conservation through Collaboration among Stakeholders

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High School: Conservation through Collaboration among Stakeholders

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Gaia Scholasist CEO is Shape of Life's Featured Scientist

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Gaia Scholasist CEO is Shape of Life's Featured Scientist

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Rachel Arbor, CEO & Founder of Gaia Scholastic and NY State Lead for SubjectToClimate | Shape of Life

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“In researching educators, I found a consistent message: teachers want to teach environmental literacy and climate content but lack the resources and training to do it confidently.”

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EcoRise Gen:Thrive National Map of Environmental Education

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EcoRise Gen:Thrive National Map of Environmental Education

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Gen:Thrive is a collaborative initiative to accelerate sustainability and environmental education programs in K–12 schools.

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Amazon Basics Wood-Cased #2 Pencils, Pre-sharpened, HB Lead Bulk Box, 150 Count, Yellow

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Pencil Sharpeners in Bulk - Pack of 144 Pocket Sized Mini Handheld Pencil Sharpener for Kids, Plastic and Colorful for Party Favors, Goodie Bags, Classroom Prizes and School Supplies by Bedwina

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Amazon.com : Pencil Sharpeners in Bulk - Pack of 144 Pocket Sized Mini Handheld Pencil Sharpener for Kids, Plastic and Colorful for Party Favors, Goodie Bags, Classroom Prizes and School Supplies by Bedwina : Office Products

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Ask Nature (Biomimicry resources & case studies for students)

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Ask Nature (Biomimicry resources & case studies for students)

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How does nature ...
produce color?

Humanity faces many challenges. Nature holds
solutions. To discover them, all we have to do is
ask. Begin your search here, or explore featured
content below to learn from other species'
successful strategies and adaptations.

Youth Design Challenge Gallery

Working with groups made me feel like I made an impact on the world. Youth Design Challenge Participant

The 2023-2024 Youth Design Challenge is here! Once again, students around the world will learn to use biomimicry to address some of the biggest environmental challenges we face. Learn more and view winners' projects from 2018 to the present.

Whether it is tool use among chimpanzees or song practice among zebra finches, the process of perfecting the craft lies in diligent practice. Karuna Skariah Educator

Education isn't just about memorization, but practicing into mastery. Looking to other species, we see that long-term success is all about incorporating new knowledge into your very being.

When materials that comprise living systems are subjected to repeated loads, they can weaken over time. This is called fatigue and it can lead to cracks and eventually failure. However, fatigue doesn't occur just anywhere on a material; the cracks usually start in areas subjected to elevated local stresses. Therefore, living systems often employ shapes, materials, and/or smooth transitions to decrease the potential for fatigue. An example of using shape is found in brown algae, an intertidal seaweed. Rather than being bent by the constant flow forces of waves and currents, its shape causes it to be pulled. This reduces stress by roughly 800 times compared to another species that bends with the flow, ultimately reducing structural fatigue.

Featured Pages for October 2023

Enjoy a hand-picked selection of pages, including seasonally themed, recently updated, or newly added Biological Strategies, Innovations, and more.

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Innovation Inspired by Nature - AskNature

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Transform Climate Anxiety into Action – with Rachel Arbor

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Climate and Resilience Education Task Force

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Deadline to submit public comments on New York State's Climate Action Council Draft Scoping Plan is May 1st, 2022. This is an opportunity for those who care about climate education to elevate it as a critical component of the Climate Act's implementation. Please review our response and comment tips here.

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Climate and Resilience Education Task Force

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Deadline to submit public comments on New York State's Climate Action Council Draft Scoping Plan is May 1st, 2022. This is an opportunity for those who care about climate education to elevate it as a critical component of the Climate Act's implementation. Please review our response and comment tips here.

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The Climate Mental Health Network addresses the mental health consequences of climate change through community engagement and by harnessing the power of media and technology.

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Cm and Inches to 100ths Executive Diameter Pi Engineer’s Tape Measure

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As a teacher and advocate for environmental education, I've seen students around the country feeling "eco-anxiety." When I was in the classroom, I quickly learned that students are feeling this eco-anxiety whether we're talking about climate change or not. I asked myself: If a teacher's role is to prepare students for the real world, shouldn't we be helping them solve the climate crisis?

With that question in mind, I made the root of my work about connection. My goal became connecting students to nature through their passions and connecting teachers' standards-driven curriculum to nature through environmental literacy.

One of my earliest projects as the Director of Environmental Education for a public school district in New York was in a middle school English Language Arts classroom. I wanted to see the impact of nature journaling, as a representation of interdisciplinary environmental literacy, on students. This was in 2021, in the midst of the disruptions created by COVID and the climate crisis alike. Students' social-emotional needs were high, as was their eco-anxiety. The activity I built required students to quietly journal outside, using prompts driven by ELA, art, and social studies standards. The results were remarkable. Through this single activity, students across grade levels showed statistically significant improvement in moods; decreases in stress; increased connections to themselves, others, and nature; and an increased understanding of how humans affect the environment.

For many schools and districts, integrating environmental topics like this into the curriculum can feel like a heavy burden. There's a sense that it demands more time, more resources, and specialized knowledge. What I always tell districts is, "You don't need to do something extra. You just need to explore what you're already doing through a new lens." Rather than treating environmental education as a separate content area, schools can weave it into existing lessons, curricula, and standards. An interdisciplinary approach also means that students aren't just experiencing this type of learning (and its associated gains) once a week in a science elective: they're seeing daily connections and inherently feeling a larger personal connection with the environment, even in subjects like math and social studies.

One of my favorite examples of interdisciplinary environmental literacy happened when I was in a 1st-grade classroom. Our curricular goal was to examine the effect of sound on plant growth, blending two units-Waves and Interconnection in Ecosystems-in a project-based format. We used an indoor garden kit to grow sugar snap peas (two seeds on each side of the planter). For one side, I had students say neutral things to the plants, like, "It's a Tuesday." On the other side, students gave the plants compliments. This led to a lesson on what a compliment is, what it feels like to get one, and how compliments can lead to growth. Students created their own compliments to tell their plants; some even started naming their plants! They developed an intimate bond with them, saying things like "I like the way you grow," or "I'm proud of you." We collected data for six weeks, and students learned that plants that were given compliments grew faster and taller than plants who are spoken to in a more mundane way.

This project encompassed science, data collection, SEL, ELA, social studies, and math. We measured our plants weekly and graphed our results. We used social-emotional learning as a framework to connect with nature. We used ELA standards to communicate our findings, both to the class and to the public. We also explored our role in society through a Social Studies lens.

As a teacher working to incorporate environmental education lessons like these, I ran into a common challenge: where to find resources. To support teachers who are on a similar path, I'm the New York State Lead for SubjectToClimate. SubjectToClimate is a nonprofit that offers teachers thousands of free and standards-driven, climate-focused lessons, activities, and supplemental classroom resources. Content is interdisciplinary, made by teachers, and vetted by climate scientists. The New York Hub offers climate resources specific to New York State ecosystems and standards.

Beyond providing resources, I've found that nothing builds confidence like community. Last year, I organized the first-ever PK-12 Youth Climate Summit in history. We brought together over 1,000 people, including students from 19 other school districts, a New York State Senator, and a State Assembly woman. Students came together to learn from experts in the field who represented the wide variety of careers in which sustainability plays a role: from sustainable fashion, to engineering, film, and more. What made the summit truly remarkable were my 33 5th-8th grade students who each volunteered to spearhead their own unique civic action projects related to sustainability. Watching my students become leaders in this field showed me just how valuable interdisciplinary environmental literacy work is in helping them turn their climate anxiety into climate action.

This May, I look forward to delivering the closing event at the Sustainable Futures Climate Summit, hosted by Ulster BOCES. The power of these gatherings comes from bringing kids together from different schools to connect, share their sustainability projects, and become peer educators. They also have a chance to interact with experts in the field, which broadens their horizons in ways that can inspire them and lead them to their own solutions for these global issues.

Building community in the name of sustainability is a core component of the environmental movement, and of helping students overcome their eco-anxiety. Summits and other community-based conservation events (like a clothing swap or community clean-up) are high-reward opportunities for ideas to spread and for energy to build. From a practical perspective, they invite educators to ask, "What can this look like in and out of the classroom?"

I feel invigorated by this work both because of the impact I've seen it have on teachers and students, and because of the way I feel fulfilled by my own connection to nature. Even as someone who is deeply involved in this field, I still benefit from going outside, sitting under a tree, and nature journaling. My goal is to support others in finding and building these bonds by making environmental education accessible, fulfilling, and rooted in a connection to nature.

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How to integrate environmental concepts into every subject

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Weaving environmental literacy into learning starts by connecting students to nature and finding an entry point for each subject.

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NY Hub Panel at the American Museum of Natural History

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NY Hub Panel at the American Museum of Natural History

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Video Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Webinars, Screen Sharing

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Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, conference, huddle, and training rooms, as well as executive offices and classrooms. Founded in 2011, Zoom helps businesses and organizations bring their teams together in a frictionless environment to get more done. Zoom is a publicly traded company headquartered in San Jose, CA.

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Space Mission Ecology: Making Connections Among Science Disciplines Through the Lens of a Unique Plant

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With this case study, we aim to increase awareness of essential services plants provide to society, as well as the importance of fundamental aspects of ecology for other disciplines and the interconnectedness among different fields of science in general. The case study was designed to be implemented in two 75-minute class periods in an introductory university-level ecology course. This case study provides an interdisciplinary perspective by defining learning goals at the nexus of science and society, explicitly emphasizing (and embracing) the interconnectedness among different fields of science via student exploration and how an often under-appreciated sub-discipline of biology—plant science—is useful for other disciplines. We use plants from the family Lemnaceae (duckweeds or water lenses) as a hook to introduce what is needed to create a self-sustaining ecosystem in a habitat on the surface of a moon or planet, in orbit, or during long-duration crewed spaceflight. Following the 5E model of curriculum design, students explore their chosen scientific literature before presenting their findings. The structure of the case study and student presentations facilitate making connections between scientific practices, peers, and ecological concepts, enhancing understanding of science's interconnected nature and the importance of plants. After implementation of this case study in a Principles of Ecology course, students felt more comfortable interacting with, and making claims about, scientific material, better recognized the interdisciplinary nature of science, and were more aware of essential services plants provide for humans.

Primary Image: Creating a bioregenerative ecosystem in space. A diagram showing how duckweed plants and astronauts are connected and support each other. An artistic image of duckweed—a tiny plant that floats on water—is on the left side of the figure and is connected to an artistic representation of an astronaut on the right.

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Climate Education Webinar with SubjectToClimate, CFR Education, & edWeb

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Climate Education Webinar with SubjectToClimate, CFR Education, & edWeb

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Engaging Students in Interdisciplinary Climate Education - edWeb

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If educators are equipped to teach about climate change, they can inspire the next generation to take climate action.

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We have redirected you to the desktop app. You can also open this link in your browser.

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Back to School with Environmental Literacy & FOSS

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Back to School with Environmental Literacy & FOSS

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It’s Time for Science Podcast Episode 14: Back to School Readiness

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Dzivula Gube
Marine Conservationist & Underwater Photographer, Kenya

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iNaturalist is a social network for naturalists! Record your observations of plants and animals,
share them with friends and researchers, and learn about the natural world.

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To diagnose a plant problem, please tap "Diagnose" on the homepage, and upload the pictures of this plant. If you are not satisfied with the auto diagnosis result, it is suggested to tap the "Ask Expert for Help" button at the bottom of the "Diagnose" page. Once we receive your consultation ticket, our botanist team will customize a treatment plan for your plant within 24 hours.

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eBird - Discover a new world of birding...

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eBird transforms your bird sightings into science and conservation. Plan trips, find birds, track your lists, explore range maps and bird migration—all free.

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Merlin Bird ID - Free, instant bird identification help and guide for thousands of birds

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Bird ID Wizard-Step-by-step

Answer three simple questions about a bird you are trying to identify and Merlin will give you a list of possible matches. Merlin offers quick identification help for all levels of bird watchers and outdoor enthusiasts to help you learn about the birds in any country in the world.

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Available for birds in the US, Canada, Europe, with some common birds of Central and South America, and India. More species and regions coming soon.

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Merlin is powered by eBird, allowing you to build custom lists of the birds you're likely to spot wherever you are. Use the filter options to explore birds for different locations or time of year, or switch to show all the species in the Bird Packs you've downloaded. Get more from the app with these Merlin Tips and Tricks.

See How Merlin Can Help You ID Birds

The Best Birding App, Powered By You

Merlin features the best of community contributed photos, songs, and calls, tips from experts around the world to help you ID the birds you see, and range maps from Birds of the World-all powered by billions of bird observations submitted to eBird.

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Bird ID Wizard-Step-by-step Answer three simple questions about a bird you are trying to identify and Merlin will give you a list of possible matches. Merlin offers quick identification help for all levels of bird watchers and outdoor enthusiasts to help you learn about the birds in any country i

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Home | Earth Matters Climate Change Board Game

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Discover the Earth Matters Climate Change Board Game, where fun meets education. Spark meaningful discussions about our planet while playing this engaging game that raises awareness about climate change. Perfect for families and educators alike.

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School & Community Recycling Challenge | NexTrex

Take the Trex Plastic Bag Recycling Challenge and help the environment and your community! You could win a high-performance composite bench!

2025-04-24 composite bench, community recycling programs, trex plastic bag recycling challenge, recyclingchallenge
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Videos NEXTREX RECYCLING CHALLENGE
At Trex, sustainability is not just a buzzword its a founding principle of our company and part of our DNA. For more than three decades, we have continued to derive value from discarded materials, diverting waste from landfills and waterways. Our composite decking is made from 95% recycled materials, so recycling plays a considerable role in our day-to-day operations." Bryan Fairbanks, President and CEO of Trex&reg Company
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT August 29, 2023 TREX COMPANY LAUNCHES NEW COMMUNITY RECYCLING CHALLENGE WINCHESTER, Va. (August 29, 2023) Trex Company [NYSE: TREX] is making it even easier to be green. The worlds #1 brand of wood-alternative decking and railing, and leader in high-performance, low-maintenance, eco-friendly outdoor living products, has revamped its popular NexTrex Plastic Film Recycling Challenge with a more streamlined structure that simplifies the process and makes the program accessible to a broader range of participants.
Drop off your plastic waste at one of these participating locations. U.S. DROP OFF LOCATIONS
Enter your weights and upload photos here. CLICK HERE
With the NexTrex program, you not only know exactly where your recycled plastic film is going but also how it will be used. Together with our commercial and community partners across the country, we are able to divert plastic waste from ending up in landfills and give it new life as beautiful and sustainable Trex decking." Emily Whitacre, Recycling Programs Coordinator Trex&reg Company

NEXTREX RECYCLING CHALLENGE PROGRAM
Trex&reg is proud to sponsor local recycling programs in communities throughout the country. For example, for K-12 schools, civic organizations, houses of worship and university organizations etc. If your team can collect more than 1,000 pounds of soft film plastics and packaging in a 12-month span, we will award a Trex&reg furniture bench to your organization.

Recycling Challenge

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Register for the plastic recycling challenge Below

If you generate more plastic recycling than appropriate for grocery store drop off, please take a look at our Grassroots Movement.

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CONTACT Contact us for more information. NexTrex@trex.com; 540-542-6930

After you recycle your bags and film with NexTrex, close the recycling loop by purchasing decking made from recycled plastic bags and film. TREX DECKING

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School & Community Recycling Challenge | NexTrex

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Take the Trex Plastic Bag Recycling Challenge and help the environment and your community! You could win a high-performance composite bench!

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Bear 747- 2022 Fat Bear Week Champion
Photo courtesy of L. Law

Fat Bear Week - an annual celebration of success. All bears are winners but only one true champion will emerge. Held over the course of seven days and concluding on the Fat Bear Tuesday, people chose which bear to crown in this tournament style bracket where bears are pitted against each other for your vote.

Why fat matters

From its humble beginnings as Fat Bear Tuesday in 2014 to over 1 million votes cast last year in 2022, celebrating fat bears and Katmai's healthy ecosystem has since become a tradition. For bears, fat equals survival. Each winter, bears enter the den where they will not eat or drink until they emerge in spring. During this time, they may lose up to one-third of their body weight as they rely solely on their fat reserves. Survival depends on eating a year's worth of food in six months.

At Katmai, bears are drawn to the large number of salmon readily available from roughly late June through September. Salmon have long since been the lifeblood of the area, supporting Katmai's people, bears and other animals. Fat bears exemplify the richness of this area, a wild region that is home to more brown bears than people and the largest, healthiest runs of sockeye salmon left on the planet.

How it works

Rangers create a tournament style bracket pitting individual bears against each other. The public then votes to see who will advance each round. Voting takes place over several days on www.fatbearweek.org. People may vote using any criteria they see fit. In the end, one bear will reign supreme.

2023 Fat Bear Week

This year, Fat Bear Week starts on October 4 and concludes on Fat Bear Tuesday, October 10. In addition to voting during this week-long tournament, there will be a series of online chats on explore.org featuring Mike Fitz, explore.org's resident naturalist, and rangers from Katmai. These chats focus on both the individual bears and Katmai's healthy ecosystem. Throughout the season, you can also tune in to the explore.org bear cams, which offer unprecedented access to the lives of the bears of Brooks River. There are also special live events on a variety of topics hosted weekly throughout the season.

Who's who in the bracket? Meet the bears of Fat Bear Week 2023 here.

More photos can be found on Katmai's Flickr site.

Schedule of events:

September 26: Fat Bear Junior Bracket revealed during a live play by play at 3PM AKDT/7PM EDT*
September 28 - 29: Fat Bear Junior voting open**
October 2: Fat Bear Week bracket reveal live at 3PM AKDT/7PM EDT
October 3: Premiere of Fat Bear Week in the Classroom video series on explore.org
October 4: Live Chat at 3PM AKDT/7PM EDT- Welcome to Fat Bear Week*
October 4 - 10 Fat Bear Week voting open**
October 10: Live Chat at 3pm AK - Fat Bear Tuesday (end of Fat Bear Week)*

*All live chat events are hosted on explore.org live chat channel.
**All voting takes place at www.fatbearweek.org

Fat Bear Junior

2021 marked the first year of the Fat Bear Junior competition, a smaller bracket where chubby cubbies compete for the chance to advance to the main bracket go up against the more senior, burly bears. This year, Fat Bear Junior takes place on September 28-29.

Who's who in the bracket? Meet the bears of Fat Bear Junior 2023 here.

Fat Bear Week in the Classroom

Looking to bring Fat Bear Week into the classroom? Check out some of these extension activities from Katmai as well as the explore.org curriculum.

Past champions

2014 - 480 Otis
2015 - 409 Beadnose
2016 - 480 Otis
2017 - 480 Otis
2018 - 409 Beadnose
2019 - 435 Holly
2020 - 747
2021 - Fat Bear Junior: 132's spring cub. Fat Bear Week 2021: 480 Otis
2022 - Fat Bear Junior: 909's yearling. Fat Bear Week 2022: 747
2023 - Fat Bear Junior: 806's spring cub. Meet the bears of Fat Bear Week 2023.

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Fat Bear Week - Katmai National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)

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Fat Bear Week - an annual celebration of success. All bears are winners but only one true champion will emerge. Held over the course of seven days and concluding on the Fat Bear Tuesday, people chose which bear to crown in this tournament style bracket where bears are pitted against each other for your vote.

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Chris Anderson, Dominican University

Alyson Brokaw, Texas A&M University

Tara Chestnut, Mount Rainier National Park, NPS

Patrice Connors, Colorado Mesa University

Mauna Dasari, Notre Dame University

Josh Drew, State University of New York Syracuse

Lara Durgavich, Tufts University

Yara Haridy, Museum für Naturkunde

Anne Hilborn, University of California- Riverside

Katie Hinde, Arizona State University

Mark Kissel, Appalachian State University

Danielle Lee, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Kristi Lewton, University of Southern California

Jessica Light, Texas A&M University

Asia Murphy, Penn State University

Brian Tanis, Oregon State University

Jo Varner, Colorado Mesa University

Kwasi Wrensford, UC Berkeley

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LibGuides: March Mammal Madness: How to Play

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Chris Anderson, Dominican University Alyson Brokaw, Texas A&M University Tara Chestnut, Mount Rainier National Park, NPS Patrice Connors, Colorado Mesa University Mauna Dasari, Notre Dame University Josh Drew, State University of New York Syracuse Lara Durgavich, Tufts University Yara Haridy, Museum für Naturkunde Anne Hilborn, University of California- Riverside Katie Hinde, Arizona State University Mark Kissel, Appalachian State University Danielle Lee, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Kristi Lewton, University of Southern California Jessica Light, Texas A&M University Asia Murphy, Penn State University Brian Tanis, Oregon State University Jo Varner, Colorado Mesa University Kwasi Wrensford, UC Berkeley

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Some cells are visible to the unaided eye

The smallest objects that the unaided human eye can see are about 0.1 mm long. That means that under the right conditions, you might be able to see an amoeba proteus, a human egg, and a paramecium without using magnification. A magnifying glass can help you to see them more clearly, but they will still look tiny.

Smaller cells are easily visible under a light microscope. It's even possible to make out structures within the cell, such as the nucleus, mitochondria and chloroplasts. Light microscopes use a system of lenses to magnify an image. The power of a light microscope is limited by the wavelength of visible light, which is about 500 nm. The most powerful light microscopes can resolve bacteria but not viruses.

To see anything smaller than 500 nm, you will need an electron microscope. Electron microscopes shoot a high-voltage beam of electrons onto or through an object, which deflects and absorbs some of the electrons. Resolution is still limited by the wavelength of the electron beam, but this wavelength is much smaller than that of visible light. The most powerful electron microscopes can resolve molecules and even individual atoms.

Adenine

The label on the nucleotide is not quite accurate. Adenine refers to a portion of the molecule, the nitrogenous base. It would be more accurate to label the nucleotide deoxyadenosine monophosphate, as it includes the sugar deoxyribose and a phosphate group in addition to the nitrogenous base. However, the more familiar "adenine" label makes it easier for people to recognize it as one of the building blocks of DNA.

How can an X chromosome be nearly as big as the head of the sperm cell?

No, this isn't a mistake. First, there's less DNA in a sperm cell than there is in a non-reproductive cell such as a skin cell. Second, the DNA in a sperm cell is super-condensed and compacted into a highly dense form. Third, the head of a sperm cell is almost all nucleus. Most of the cytoplasm has been squeezed out in order to make the sperm an efficient torpedo-like swimming machine.

The X chromosome is shown here in a condensed state, as it would appear in a cell that's going through mitosis. It has also been duplicated, so there are actually two identical copies stuck together at their middles. A human sperm cell contains just one copy each of 23 chromosomes.

A chromosome is made up of genetic material (one long piece of DNA) wrapped around structural support proteins (histones). Histones organize the DNA and keep it from getting tangled, much like thread wrapped around a spool. But they also add a lot of bulk. In a sperm cell, a specialized set of tiny support proteins (protamines) pack the DNA down to about one-sixth the volume of a mitotic chromosome.

Carbon

The size of the carbon atom is based on its van der Waals radius.

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The smallest objects that the unaided human eye can see are about 0.1 mm long. That means that under the right conditions, you might be able to see an amoeba proteus, a human egg, and a paramecium without using magnification. A magnifying glass can help you to see them more clearly, but they will still look tiny.

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BirdCast develops and maintains tools that predict and monitor bird migration. These include forecast bird migration maps that predict where and when bird migration will occur, live bird migration maps that show where migration is occurring in real-time, and migration alerts to which one can subscribe to learn when bird migration will occur. Data from weather surveillance radar are essential for developing and maintaining these tools. For a primer on weather surveillance radar and its applications to studying and monitoring bird migration, please visit this link.

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BirdCast develops and maintains tools that predict and monitor bird migration. These include forecast bird migration maps that predict where and when bird migration will occur, live bird migration maps that show where migration is occurring in real-time, and migration alerts to which one can subscribe to learn when bird migration will occur.

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EcoQuest New Zealand | Study Abroad | Ecology Sustainable Agriculture |

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Hands-on, place-based learning from mountains to the sea. Explore Ecology in Action & research, Resilient food systems, agroecology, & agribusiness. Undergrad

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Project Dragonfly Graduate Program | Master’s Degrees in Biology

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Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist Frans de Waal

In his book, Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist, world-renowned primatologist Frans de Waal draws on decades of observation and studies of both human and animal behavior to argue that despite the linkage between gender and biological sex, biology does not automatically support the traditional gender roles in human societies.

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Bioneers: Revolution from the Heart of Nature

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For 35 years, Bioneers has acted as a fertile hub of game-changing social and scientific innovators with breakthrough solutions for the world's most pressing environmental and social challenges. A celebration of the genius of nature and human ingenuity, Bioneers connects people with solutions and each other through our acclaimed annual national conference, award-winning media, local Bioneers Network events, and visionary programs and initiatives.

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Environmental Learning Library Welcome to the Lawrence Hall of Science’s Environmental Learning Library! The following digital collections hold materials developed…

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Ten Strands: Environmental Literacy for All California Students

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We believe every student in California can achieve environmental literacy.

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A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the YearA proactive, inclusive plan for the cross-disciplinary teaching of climate change from preschool to high sch…