What Grows On in Rhode Island News

Annual RI Envirothon Competition ~ May 18, 2012

2012 Annual Rhode Island Envirothon Competition at Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick, RI; U.S. Senator Sheldon WhitehouseWill Present at Awards Ceremony

Rhode Island Envirothon, Inc. will hold its annual competition on Friday, May 18, 2012 beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 1:30 p.m. at Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick, RI. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse will speak and present the awards at the awards ceremony.

The one-day event marks the culmination of a year of dedicated, hard work for high school students from around the State who will compete in teams of five to address environmental issues in four subject areas which include aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and soils and land use, plus one special environmental issue which changes annually.

For 2012, the environmental issue is the “Low impact development and non-point source pollution”. Schools participating in this year’s event include The Blackstone Academy, Coventry High School, The Greene School, Narragansett High School, Scituate High School, and The Wheeler School. The winning team has the opportunity to represent Rhode Island in the Canon North American Envirothon which will take place in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania July 22-27, 2012.

Envirothon is an environmental education program available to high school students where they take classes and participate in workshops on subjects including aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and soils and land use. The mission of RI Envirothon, Inc. is to cultivate a desire in students to learn more about our natural environment, develop a greater appreciation of our dependence on the environment, and promote a sense of personal stewardship of natural resources to enhance the quality of life for all in Rhode Island.

RI ENVIROTHON ANNUAL COMPETITION
Friday, May 18, 2012 8:30-1:00
Goddard Memorial State Park, Warwick, RI

Schedule of Events

8:30-8:45 Registration - Pavilion
8:45-9:00 Welcome/Orientation - Pavilion
9:00-9:25

• Written Test – Low Impact Development - Pavilion
• Judges Meeting - Carousel
• Advisor Workshop on Rangeland – Boat House

9:30 Advisor Share Out - Pavilion
9:30-9:55 1st Test Station
10:00-10:25 2nd Test Station
10:30-10:55 3rd Test Station
11:00-11:25 4th Test Station
11:30-11:55 5th Test Station
12:00-12:30 Lunch - Pavilion
12:30-1:00 Awards Ceremony – Pavilion, Presented by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

ROTATION: Soils → Aquatics → Wildlife → Forestry → Orals

Walk in the Forest ~ October 15, 2009

From RI DEM:

WALK IN THE WOODS WITH FORESTERS
Annual Forestry Program Will Be Held on October 15 by the Scituate Reservoir

            PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island Chapter of the Society of American Foresters (RISAF) and the Department of Environmental Management have announced their 17th annual "Walk in the Forest" program and invite school classes and the general public to participate. The program is designed to educate the public about the benefits of healthy forests and how foresters care for them.

            “The 'Walk in the Forest' program is scheduled in the fall because it is such a beautiful time to be in the woods,” said Paul Dolan, deputy chief of DEM’s Division of Forest Environment and education coordinator of RISAF. Foresters will lead small groups through the woods on hour-long tours, and explain what participants see around them. “Rhode Islanders are interested in learning about their environmental surroundings,” Dolan said. "With 55 percent of Rhode Island covered by forests,” he added, “this educational program has always drawn a good response.”

River in the Classroom ~ May & June 2008

From Blackstone Valley Tourism Council:

Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is pleased to offer high quality, inquiry-based education programs.
These programs will complement your students’ classroom learning experience. Contact us or read below to find out how our programs meet your curriculum needs.

Programs are offered in the classroom and on board the Riverboat Explorer.

              River-in-the-Classroom

We can customize our programs to meet your teaching objectives. Book any one of the in classroom programs with a River Science Investigation or Heritage Exploration and save. Package Fee: $300

               Discover the Blackstone! (K-12)

An informative classroom experience and introduction to the historical and natural features of the Blackstone River. Slideshow and discussion.

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Watershed Investigation (grades 3-12)

Explore the Blackstone River ecosystem through a classroom-based tour of the Blackstone River Watershed. The investigation builds on the introductory program above and includes hands-on activities about river ecology, water quality, and effect human development has had on the watershed.

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                Eco-Industrial Legacy (grades 5-12)

 

This multidisciplinary program examines the development of “America’s hardest working river”, the first polluted river, the Blackstone and efforts to revitalize it. Through activities students learn how cultural and natural history are connected and what actions we can take to keep the river clean.

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Views of the Valley (grades 6-12)

Adapted from Dunn Foundation’s ViewFinders Too, this interactive program enhances student relationships with their heritage and local environment. One-day teacher workshops available to present the eight-week classroom curriculum.