Green Apple Day of Service Project Planning Guide

Inspire K–12 students to take action to help keep our planet healthy with a Green Apple Day of Service project at school. An initiative of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools, Green Apple Days of Service give teachers, students, parents, companies, and community organizations the opportunity to transform all schools into healthy, safe, and productive learning environments through local service projects. The project website offers project ideas, resources (including a how-to Project Planning Guide), and frequently asked questions to help educators successfully plan and conduct a Green Apple project or event at their school. Once teachers have decided on a project, they can register the project online to join the Green Apple Day of Service community and connect with other Green Apple educators and projects.

Marine Debris Resources

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) marine sanctuaries programs have assembled a collection of K–12 educational materials to spread awareness about the impacts of marine debris on ocean habitats and to help students and teachers develop ocean literacy and take action to reduce pollution in ocean waterways. Organized by theme—Background Information, Lesson Plans and Activities, Marine Debris Resources for Elementary Level, Webinars, Videos, Web Stories, NOAA Marine Debris Program Resources, and more—the collection contains something for everyone interested in learning more about ocean pollution and what is being done about it. The videos address marine debris threats to marine biodiversity, including microplastics and debris in the Great Lakes. Several videos also spotlight sanctuary programs that address marine debris issues. 

The lessons include a mix of classroom activities, teacher toolkits, and digital interactives exploring various marine debris issues. For example, Mapping Friendly Floatees (grades 4–12) provides opportunities for students to work with authentic data to analyze locations of found objects from the ocean and draw conclusions about oceanic and atmospheric forces that drive the flow of energy on Earth. The activity also gives students practice in using evidence to support an argument about how changes in oceanic and atmospheric forces could impact life on Earth.

Using Primary Sources in K–12 Classrooms
 
Would you like to incorporate primary sources from the Library of Congress (LOC) in your instruction? Check out this video featuring high school educator Jackie Katz engaging students with a map of the universe from the Library’s online collections. Katz served as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Fellow at the LOC in 2022–2023. In the approximately four-minute video, she shares how she uses the LOC’s resources to build students’ critical-thinking skills and deepen their science understandings through close observation of primary sources and more. Students also share their reflections on using the primary sources.

National Society of High School Scholars Conference Grants 

NSHSS will provide one $500 grant to be used during 2025 to help defray costs of educational conference registration, travel, and accommodations. These grants are open to any high school teacher or counselor currently employed at a public or private high school in the United States or internationally. Register for free as an NSHSS Educator and apply by August 19.

NSHSS Advanced Placement (AP) Educator Grant

NSHSS will award one $1,000 grant for Advanced Placement teachers to use for supplies, materials, field trips, or other supplemental aids to enhance the delivery of AP courses. Any NSHSS Educator teaching an AP course in any field, in the United States or internationally, may apply by August 19. Register for free as an NSHSS Educator.

NSHSS STEAM Educator Grant

NSHSS will award two $1,000 grants to enhance STEAM-related activities, innovation, and classroom excellence for teachers in a STEAM field. Funds may be used for supplies, materials, field trips, or other resources to enhance the delivery of their courses. Any registered NSHSS Educator who provides STEAM education to high school students in the United States or internationally may apply by August 19. Register for free as an NSHSS Educator.