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I am putting together the contribution to the National Association of Geoscience Teachers newsletter, Southeastern Section, about recent education-related activities in the state of Alabama. I am collecting information about what has been going on, and what should have been happening, but hasn't been.

Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award

The Outstanding Earth Science Teacher award is given out every year by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers. This award honors innovative and dedicated earth science teachers working in K-12 classrooms.

Most nominations are made by the nominee's peers, but some are made by school administrators. You can even nominate yourself.

·        Why should you nominate  someone (or yourself) for one of these awards? 

o   To recognize the hard work they are doing; they can hang an award plaque to gloat over; receive a monetary award, free books, and more-

                              o   And they get their picture on the NCGS website and join a list of other
                                     distinguished Earth Science Teachers and Educators

In Alabama, you can use this form and send it to me.

You can also make nominations through the national website, and you can do that if you are in a different state.

 http://nagt.org/nagt/awards/oest.html

The absolute final deadline in Alabama is April 15.

Outstanding earth science teacher award

The outstanding earth science teacher award is made by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers. There is a state award, a section award, and the national award. The winner at each level is automatically in competition at the next level.

I am the representative for Alabama. You can submit nomination materials to me digitally, or on paper to me at:

Geological Survey of Alabama.
Box 869999
Tuscaloosa, AL 35486-6999

My email address: dkm@gsa.state.al.us

The nomination form appears below, but, you can apply through the website of the NAGT:
http://nagt.org/nagt/awards/oest-nom.html

Winners get free books, money, plaques, and other good stuff.



The deadline for nominating your teacher for this award is the end of April, but don't leave it to the last minute. You can nominate a teacher (a can be yourself) any time of the year. In fact, the school year has just ended, or will end soon, depending on where you live. When a teacher gets out, they have lots of free time. That is the perfect time to ask them for the information you need to fill out the nomination form. If you are a teacher, this is the perfect time to nominate yourself or a colleague. Don't wait for the school year to start again. This is when teachers are busy and possibly a little distracted by their work. Do it in the summer when they are relaxing by the pool or working in their gardens.

Outstanding earth science teacher – nominate yourself or someone else

Outstanding earth science teacher for Alabama – send the nomination to me. The deadline is April 1, although you can send me the nomination form at any time. The state winner is automatically nominated at the section level, and the section winner is automatically nominated at the national level.

The Alabama winner gets $100 and some free science books as well as a plaque. What have you got to lose?

You are eligible to be considered for this award if you teach a significant amount of earth science at the K-12 level. It is not necessary for you to teach earth science all year long.

Nominations foe Outstanding Earth Science Teacher

This is a national program. If you don't live in Alabama, go to nagt.org for more info.

2014 Alabama Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award



The Outstanding Earth Science Teacher award program is administered by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers ( http://nagt.org/). The award goes to a K-12 science teacher who teaches earth-science classes or who teaches substantial units of earth science in general-science classes. The state award consists of earth science textbooks, a modest cash award, and other earth-science publications. The state winner competes at the section level, and section winners compete at the national level. See the NAGT website for details. State winners for a given year are chosen May 1st. Nominations received after that date are considered for the following year.

The Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Awards program was adopted by NAGT in 1971. Devised to honor pre-college teachers of earth science, the program has the following specific objectives:
• Identify excellence in teaching
• Appropriately recognize and reward excellence in teaching
• Stimulate higher levels of teaching performance
• Establish NAGT as a strong support organization for pre-college education, and
• Via active statewide and sectional programs, build a solid state, regional, and national liaison with administrators of pre-college earth science education.


Please use the Alabama OEST form (available from me), rather than the generic national form, which is on the NAGT website. Please send me the filled-out form by April 1st. Please send the form to the address below.


Thank you,
David C. Kopaska-Merkel
NAGT Alabama State Representative
Geological Survey of Alabama
Box 869999
Tuscaloosa, AL 35486-6999
205-247-3695
dkm@gsa.state.al.us

Alabama Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award

2013 Alabama Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award

nomination form


The Outstanding Earth Science Teacher award program is administered by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers ( http://nagt.org/). The award goes to a K-12 science teacher who teaches earth-science classes or who teaches substantial units of earth science in general-science classes. The state award consists of earth science textbooks and other earth-science publications. The state winner competes at the section level, and section winners compete at the national level. See the NAGT website for details. State winners for a given year are chosen June 1st. Nominations received after that date are considered for the following year.

Please use the Alabama OEST form (available from me), rather than the generic national form, which is on the NAGT website. Please send me the filled-out form by May 1. Please send the form to the address below.


Thank you,
David C. Kopaska-Merkel
National Association of Geoscience Teachers Alabama State Representative
Geological Survey of Alabama
Box 869999
Tuscaloosa, AL 35486-6999
205-247-3695
dkm@gsa.state.al.us

Alabama Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award

2013 Alabama Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award

nomination form


The Outstanding Earth Science Teacher award program is administered by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers ( http://nagt.org/). The award goes to a K-12 science teacher who teaches earth-science classes or who teaches substantial units of earth science in general-science classes. The state award consists of earth science textbooks and other earth-science publications. The state winner competes at the section level, and section winners compete at the national level. See the NAGT website for details. State winners for a given year are chosen June 1st. Nominations received after that date are considered for the following year.

Please use the Alabama OEST form (below), rather than the generic national form, which is on the NAGT website. Please send me the filled-out form by May 1. Whichever form you use, please send it to the address below.


Thank you,
David C. Kopaska-Merkel
National Association of Geoscience Teachers Alabama State Representative
Geological Survey of Alabama
Box 869999
Tuscaloosa, AL 35486-6999
205-247-3695
dkm@gsa.state.al.us

Recognition for earth science teachers

2012 Alabama Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award

nomination form


The Outstanding Earth Science Teacher award program is administered by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers ( http://nagt.org/). The award goes to a K-12 science teacher who teaches earth-science classes or who teaches substantial units of earth science in general-science classes. The state award consists of earth science textbooks and other earth-science publications. The state winner competes at the section level, and section winners compete at the national level. See the NAGT website for details. State winners for a given year are chosen June 1st. Nominations received after that date are considered for the following year.

Please use the Alabama OEST form (available from me), rather than the generic national form, which is on the NAGT website. Please send me the filled-out form by June 1. Whichever form you use, please send it to the address below.


Thank you,
David C. Kopaska-Merkel
National Association of Geoscience Teachers Alabama State Representative
Geological Survey of Alabama
Box 869999
Tuscaloosa, AL 35486-6999
205-247-3695
dkm@gsa.state.al.us