Winning teachers may receive support to implement their projects within their local community. APPLY NOW!!

https://cru.niehs.nih.gov/redcap/surveys/?s=NJCWEHCT7T

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is seeking middle school science teachers and students to participate in the?Climate Change in Your Community Environmental Health Challenge. This challenge focuses on schools in disadvantaged and/or underserved regions of North Carolina most likely to be impacted by climate-related disasters (e.g., hurricanes, wildfires, floods, etc.). Winning teachers may receive support to implement their projects within their local community.

What is the challenge??The?Climate Change in Your Community Environmental Health Challenge?is a citizen science project competition created for middle school students to learn and practice public participation and collaboration through scientific research. This is a science-based classroom project where educators can also incorporate collaboration with other core subject areas. The challenge highlights topics related to climate, climate change, and environmental health in North Carolina and aims to explore health effects, vulnerable populations, and specific areas in the state that experience negative health impacts due to disaster events and environmental hazards.

Who is eligible to participate:?North Carolina 6th and 7th grade middle school science teachers and students.

*Preference will be given to schools located in disadvantaged and/or underserved communities

Submission of the application: due by 11:59 pm E.T. on Monday, February 28, 2022.

Resources for participants: NIEHS has developed two PowerPoint presentations and a student and teacher’s workbook to be used as resources to learn about climate change and to develop the project proposal. The first presentation includes slides that will enhance students’ knowledge on climate change, environmental health, and other relevant topics. The second presentation displays the project details to allow students the opportunity to create their own proposals as a group on a climate change related environmental health issue.

A teacher’s module is available for teachers to use as a guide on how to explain, teach, and break down each of the lessons and activities for students. The end of the module includes evaluation questions, as NIEHS wants your insight on how this project can excel in the future.

Instructions for teachers:?After students have developed their group proposals, you, the teacher, will select one proposal that is feasible for the class to further develop. The class will expand on this project by working as a team to further research the problem in their environment, collecting background information on the problem and plan and create an attainable solution, outlining materials, budget, and steps needed to implement and complete the project. Please note this challenge seeks to implement projects that increase community solutions for environmental health impacts due to climate change, and projects that incorporate work with a community partner will be awarded extra points for consideration.

All submitted classroom proposals will be judged using standardized criteria. You can find the judging criteria at the end of the teacher’s module. The top five teachers/classes may be awarded support to implement their projects within their local community.

1st?place = $800

2nd place = $800

3rd place = $800

4th place = $400

5th place = $400

Project Timeframe:?This project has 5 phases

Phase One:??Submission of the application below,?due by 11:59 pm E.T. on Monday February 28, 2022.?Attend virtual information session on Thursday, February 24, 2022, from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. Selection criteria will be explained in this session.

Phase Two:??Implementing the lesson plan and development of the project proposal. Proposal submissions and teachers’ evaluation of the lesson plan are due by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, March 24, 2022.?NIEHS will review the submitted proposals. The top 5 proposals will be announced on March 31st.?

Phase Three:??The top 5 proposals will be presented by the teacher and student representatives at the Virtual Women’s Health Awareness Conference on Saturday, April 9, 2022. At that time, presentations will be judged, and the 5 projects will be ranked. Prior to the conference teacher and student representatives must participate in an IT virtual practice session.?Final presentations must be submitted electronically at this time. Additionally, on Thursday, April 28, 2022, the top 3 winners will present their proposed projects at the NIEHS Women’s Environmental Health Disparities Virtual Workshop, a workshop that brings national recognition for the teacher, the class, and school.

Phase Four:??Implementation of the project. The project implementation timeline runs from May 2022 through December 31, 2022.

Phase Five:??Report back. All winners will be required to submit a final budget report with receipts and final teachers’ program evaluations by December 31, 2022. Additionally, the top three winners will submit a 5–7-minute video showcasing project implementation, successes, and solutions within their local community by March 31, 2023. Videos will be presented at the 2023 Women’s Health Awareness conference and archived on the website as a resource for other teachers.?

All project proposals should be emailed to [email protected] by 11:59 p.m. on March 24, 2022.

For additional information, please contact Jaslyn Grullon at [email protected] or (984) 287-4999