The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET Chesapeake) grant program supports hands-on watershed education to students and teachers to foster stewardship of the Bay. Environmentally literate citizens with the skills and knowledge to make well-informed environmental choices are key to sustaining the nation’s ocean and coastal environments.

Kids in Kayaks is a program sponsored by Baltimore City Recreation and Parks that engages 8th graders in hands-on activities to learn about Baltimore’s rich history and environmental issues through kayaking and land based education stations at Middle Branch Park.

From November 6-December 20, 2018, educators and students enrolled in this online course will engage in worldwide networking and social learning to understand environmental education foundations and approaches.

The mission of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Teacher at Sea Program is to provide teachers hands-on, real-world research experience working at sea with world-renowned NOAA scientists, thereby giving them unique insight into oceanic and atmospheric research crucial to the nation. The program provides a unique opportunity for kindergarten through college-level teachers to sail aboard NOAA research ships to work under the tutelage of scientists and crew.

The Bay Backpack eNewsletter provides resources for teachers and environmental educators searching for grant funding opportunities, professional development, and stewardship events across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed as well as schools in the news recognized for advancing environmental education. eNewsletters are mailed four times per year. To subscribe, visit baybackpack.com and enter an email address at the bottom of the home page.

On October 7, 2018, University of Delaware’s Hugh R. Sharp’s campus in Lewes will host Delaware Coast Day where university scientists, staff, and students will help citizens to better understand ocean environments and learn how to serve coastal communities.

The Roving Ranger is a mobile trailhead designed to serve as a visitor contact and information center within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Chesapeake Conservancy and National Park Service employees staff the vehicle to provide information about park sites, topics of interest, and park events. Staff also offer unique educational programs developed specifically for the Roving Ranger. Visitors to the Roving Ranger can collect a National Park passport stamp, pick up special junior ranger program books related to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and participate in an interpretive program.

The Chesapeake Bay Environmental (CBEC) in Grasonville, MD is a 501©3 non-profit organization whose mission focuses on education, research, conservation, and habitat restoration. CBEC is offering a variety of outdoor educational programs this August from guided hikes and kayak tours to flat water safety courses, and much more!

Beginning this September, Pickering Creek Audubon Center in Easton, MD will offer a monthly in depth exploration of nature through its newly launched Exploring the Seasons-A Year in Nature.

The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), with major funding support from Toyota, is offering $100,000 in mini-grants to support restoration and/or resilience-focused volunteer events on public lands. Awarded grantees will be expected to lead service events that either restore public lands and/or make those lands more resilient to future natural disasters. Grant-funded activities will mobilize community volunteers and educate participants about their role in protecting the long-term sustainability of their local public lands.