Haslam Proclaims Oct.13-19 Earth Science Week in Tennessee

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has proclaimed Oct. 13 through October 19 Earth Science Week in Tennessee, which will promote the important role that geology and other earth sciences play in Tennessee’s safety, health, welfare and economy.

“Earth Science Week is always a special week for students to learn about earth sciences and the natural world around us,” Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau said. “We are pleased to provide these educational tools to Tennessee’s classrooms.”

The 2013 Earth Science Week theme is “Mapping our World,” designed to engage young people and the public in learning how geoscientists, geographers and other mapping professionals use maps to represent land formations, natural resource deposits, bodies of water, fault lines, volcanic activity, weather patterns, travel routes, parks, businesses, population distribution and our shared geologic heritage.

Special items in the toolkit will include map resources and materials from the National Park Service, NASA, Soil Science Society of America, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management. This year’s toolkits also will include posters, activity calendars, resources and reading materials, field notebooks, brochures, bookmarks and fact sheets.

“The department’s Tennessee Geological Survey has a critical role in helping us understand and appreciate the value earth sciences have in our daily lives and in the continued protection of our overall health and safety,” Martineau said.

Once again, governors across the United States will join Gov. Haslam in issuing proclamations that support Earth Sciences Week, reaching more than 50 million people across the country. As in years past, individuals and groups will celebrate Earth Science Week by participating in events in all 50 states and several countries around the world.

As part of Earth Science Week, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Tennessee Geological Survey, in partnership with the American Geosciences Institute, has a limited number of Earth Science Week toolkits to distribute to science teachers across the state. Educators interested in receiving an Earth Science Week toolkit may contact Ron Zurawski at Ronald.Zurawski@tn.gov or (615) 532-1502. The toolkits are free of charge while supplies last. For more information about Earth Science Week, please visit www.earthsciweek.org.  

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