09/01/10 12:00 MDT - Celebrate Earth Science Week October 10-16, 2010. This year's theme is Exploring Energy. Earth Science week encourages people everywhere to explore the natural world and learn more about Earth sciences. Visit the very useful Earth Science Week website to obtain ideas for celebrating this international event. Order an Earth Science Week 2010 Toolkit while supplies last. See the Earth Science Week Events Page for a complete list of international events by country that were celebrated in 2009, to give you ideas about how you can become involved in 2010.
The American Geological Institute (AGI) is sponsoring three exciting U.S. contests for Earth Science Week 2010. Photography, visual arts, and essay contests - all focused on the theme of "Exploring Energy" - allow both students and the general public to participate in the celebration, learn about Earth science, and compete for prizes. The photography contest, open to all ages, focuses on "We Depend on Energy." The visual arts contest, titled "Energy on Earth," is open to students in grades K-5. Students in grades 6-9 are eligible to enter the essay contest: "How Energy Powers the Planet." Essays of up to 300 words should describe how Earth system processes develop energy resources, how human use of energy affects the Earth system, and how people can be responsible stewards of Earth's energy resources. To learn more about these contests, including how to enter, visit www.earthsciweek.org/contests.
Also in support of Earth Science Week, the conference: Ecology and Education Summit: Environmental Literacy for a Sustainable Worlds, will help participants to identify gaps in environmental literacy among students and provide teaching tools to overcome them. Taking place 14-15 October 2010 at the National Education Association Headquarters in Washington, D.C., visit www.esa.org/eesummit/content/registration.