Environmental Education > Research and Reference Resources

Environmental Education Research and Reference Resources from Ecology

The following resources are helpful for student research assignments and reports:

General

• Washington's Environmental Health 2004
• Puget Sound Georgia Basin Ecosystem Indicators - from EPA

Climate Change

• Climate Change in Washington
• Resources for teachers

Sustainability

• A Pocket Guide to Sustainability
• Sustainable Seattle - Putting Sustainability into Action School programs for learning and doing in the Puget Sound region.
• Toward a Sustainable Washington - Principles, definitions, resources.

Waste

• 1-800-RECYCLE on-line - Recycling opportunities available in Washington State.
• Community Right to Know - Toxic Release Inventory reports and Hazardous & Toxic Waste Pollution Prevention. Phone: 1-800 633-7585
• Recycling tips and Gee Whiz facts - from Portland Metro. Over 300 informative Fun Facts organized by 20 categories, cited and dated. Excellent resource for community waste reduction and increased material recovery and reuse.
• Spill response - Information on spills including causes and effects.

Water

• Homewaters Project - Resources to integrate community-based watershed learning into classroom activities. Focus on Thornton Creek watershed but applicable wider.
• Nonpoint Water Pollution Education Posters - from The Water Quality Consortium. Four posters, each with humorous and high-impact photos, cover vehicle oil leaks, car wash soaps, lawn fertilizer overuse, and pet waste. Materials are designed to increase awareness of nonpoint pollution and to educate people on what they can do to prevent, reduce, and stop water pollution. Copies of video television advertisements, newspaper ads, posters and fliers on CD ROM are available at low cost for use by local watersheds and communities. Can customize.
• Environment Washington: Tools for Teachers - Searchable database for Project WET activities by OSPI grade level expectations (GLEs), subject area, grade level, Foss kits and WASL.
• Spill response - Information on spills including causes and effects.
• Watershed Inventory Maps - Selected on-line environmental information organized by watershed (both at Ecology and from outside sources).
• Instream Flow - Real-Time data for watersheds around Washington State.
• Watershed Stewardship Directory - from King County. Directory to find groups, agencies, and businesses helping to preserve and restore King County's watersheds.
• Coastal Atlas - Photo & Maps website. Includes satellite data, information on shoreline features, and a series of photos taken between the 1940s and 2000s. Gives users the ability to view land use changes throughout Puget Sound, the outer coast, and the Columbia River estuary. An interactive mapping feature also allows access to information for any specific area within Washington's coastal region. Users can analyze data from their desktop computers without needing expensive specialized software.
• PRISM (Puget Sound Regional Synthesis Model) - An integrated assessment model, bringing together information collected from many sources, and using up-to-date computer, data acquisition and visualization technologies. 3-D color maps and data on environmental & societal factors at work within Puget Sound basin.
  • Geography Action! Rivers 2001 - An online project produced by the National Geographic Society to educate children about river conservation. It includes an animated river system which shows how a watershed works, online and offline games, etc. plus a special section on lesson plans and hands-on activities.
  • SalmonWeb - Provides a set of tools that support education, communication and ecological science focusing on salmon habitat.
  • USGS Water Science for Schools - Interactive, fun website covering the science and human uses/impacts of water.
  • Hood Canal News – Hood Canal Dissolved Oxygen, Hood Canal water quality, local restoration and monitoring projects, homeowner information, and more.
  • State of the Sound 2007 - Comprehensive report on the state of the health of Puget Sound by Puget Sound Action Team

Wetlands and Estuaries

• Estuary Poster Guide - Gives natural history of the 56 animals and plants found on the artistic Estuary poster. Includes a foldout black & white coloring version of the Estuary poster. Explains the values and functions of estuaries.
• Wetlands Poster Guide - Gives natural history of the animals and plants found on the beautiful Wetlands poster. Includes a foldout black & white coloring version of the Wetlands poster. Explains the values and functions of wetlands.
• Wetlands, Streams or Estuary Posters - Three full color posters of Pacific Northwest marshes, streams and estuaries, available through non-profit groups.
• Padilla Bay - Visit the Estuary Interpretive Center near Mt. Vernon.
  • Activities and Events - Quarterly newsletter lists free public classes and presentations for preschool through adult audiences. Includes aquaria, exhibits and hands-on room.
  • Research and Monitoring - Learn about research and monitoring programs at Padilla Bay. Includes water quality monitoring conducted by citizens, students and scientists. Plus research by participants in the fellowship and internship programs.

Other Resources

• E3 Washington (Education Environment Economy) - E3 Washington is an initiative for an inclusive process to develop a comprehensive statewide environmental education plan that optimizes environmental education for everyone who lives, learns, works, and plays in Washington State. Also see the Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla County activities hosted by Ecology.
• Environmental Education Association of Washington (EEAW) - Professional association of state environmental educators and home of E3 Washington planning for statewide environmental education
• Northwest Aquatic & Marine Educators (NAME) - a "family" of educators who are passionate about oceans and watersheds
• Earth Science for K-12 - A project of San Diego Supercomputer Center, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, University of California - San Diego, and the Cal-(IT)2
• "Just For Kids"
• Lake Roosevelt Forum - Information regarding the history and cultural resources of the Lake Roosevelt area, operational and environmental activities of resource managers, and educational resources for teachers and students.
• Long Live the Kings - Mission is to restore wild salmon to the waters of the Pacific Northwest. Site contains good information on local restoration activities and recovery projects. Also covers endangered species act, current events and history of salmon, and many excellent salmon links.
• National Environmental Services Center - A clearinghouse for information about drinking water, wastewater, environmental training, and solid waste management in communities serving fewer than 10,000 individuals.
• Science.gov - Science.gov is a gateway to selected authoritative science information provided by U.S. Government agencies, including research and development results.
• Resources for Students and Teachers - from the Department of Natural Resources. Education about forests, fire and natural resources.
• WSU Teachers Lab & Field Equipment Loans
• Free loan program for equipment commonly used in high school biology labs or field monitoring work, test kits, cameras, GPS, plant kits, etc.
• Earth Day 2007 - Community events and actions around Washington State