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Since Earth Day in 1972, a paradigm shift has
occurred in the public understanding and appreciation of the natural
environment. Scientific study of this planet, focusing a new emphasis
on Earth as an integrated and interdependent system, along with
new federal and state laws relating to the environment, have become
a part of our daily lives. Rutherford and Ahlgren note in their
book Science for All Americans that despite the importance of
science to sustainable use of the world's resources and the health
of its inhabitants, many teachers have only an elementary education
in math and science, they have onerous teaching loads, the text
books and teaching methods are lacking, and science curricula
are often "over stuffed and undernourished."
Using a multifaceted approach, Wisconsin Sea
Grant provides educational opportunities, classroom activities,
and a host of resources for teachers and their students. This
educational continuum includes: backpacks of educational materials
that contain a variety of information, lesson plans, teaching
aids, and activities that teachers or high school students can
use in their classrooms to teach about the Great Lakes; web-based
instruction that can be taken at home over the course of several
weeks; one-day workshops attached to professional conferences
and meetings; and multi-day site-based workshops and courses.
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