Earth Day Photo Contest for Middle School
Introduction
Prizes & Judging
How to Submit
Suggestions for Classroom Use
Download Entry Form (PDF)
Introduction
Our planet is constantly changing. Look closely and you'll see changes on the land, in the water and in the air. Of all the seasons, changes are especially noticeable during spring. As the day grows longer and temperature increases, flowers bloom and birds migrate across the sky. Creek waters rise as melted snow trickles down from distant mountains. Forests come alive with plants and wildlife. And thunderstorms and tornadoes are spawned as warm and cold air converge.
During the week of Earth Day (April 22), be part of a unique national effort to capture our changing world. Anytime from Sunday April 22 through Sunday April 29, take a photograph of something that is changing in your local environment. It could be a change occurring in your backyard, outside your school, in a local park, or off in the distance toward the horizon. Then, research and write a scientific explanation (400 words or less) that answers the following questions:
- • What is the change taking place in your photograph?
- • What may be causing the change?
- • Was the change expected?
- • How might the change impact surrounding areas, including people?
- • How might this picture look different in the future?
This contest is open to all U.S. students in grades 5-8.
Entries must be received by email or postmarked by May 9, 2007.
Prizes and Judging
Entries will be judged by IGES staff based on relevance to topic (depiction of change in the environment), uniqueness and overall appearance of the photo, and thoroughness of the written explanation. The top three winners will receive cash prizes in the amount of $100, $75 and $50, respectively. The top 10 winners will receive their photograph in a special frame commemorating Earth Day 2007. The top 50 photographs and accompanying descriptions will be published on the IGES Web site, www.strategies.org.
Winners will be announced on the IGES Web site on May 30, 2007.
How to Submit
Photographs may be submitted via e-mail to info@strategies.org as a high-resolution TIFF or JPEG. For the best results, use the highest resolution setting on your camera. See your camera's owner's manual for more information. If sending by email, please include in the body of the email the following personal information -- name, home address, phone number, e-mail address, school and grade -- followed by the written analysis.
NOTE: Signed entry form must be sent in by fax or regular mail, even if submitting photo electronically.
Alternatively, photograph, written analysis and entry form may be sent by regular mail to:
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
ATTN: Photo Contest
1600 Wilson Blvd
Suite 901
Arlington, VA 22209
Suggestions for Classroom Use
- • This activity could be used as part of a science lesson on physical science, life science or Earth science, in correlation National Science Education Standards B, C and D, respectively.
- • It could be assigned as a homework or extra credit assignment, especially as part of a unit on weather, the environment or life cycles.
- • Art teachers might use this activity as part of a unit on nature or digital photography.
- • English teachers might use the activity as a technical writing assignment.
- • Classroom affiliation is not required.