No Child Left Inside - The 2008 Earth Science Week Theme

Alexandria, VA — The American Geological Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce that the theme of Earth Science Week 2008 will be “No Child Left Inside.”

“No Child Left Inside” will focus the nation on learning about the earth sciences in their natural setting, outside. Schoolchildren across the nation will turn off the TV and step away from their computers to discover the rocks, soil, watersheds, and weather patterns in their community.

“The best earth science classroom, any geoscientist will tell you, is the outdoors,” says Ann E. Benbow, AGI Director of Education and Outreach. “We’re encouraging students, teachers, and everyone interested in earth science to learn by experiencing it firsthand during Earth Science Week 2008. That means hiking over and digging into the Earth, taking water samples, making cloud observations, and more.”

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Earth Science Week. Since the beginning, the event has grown dramatically, enabling more students to focus on the many aspects of the earth sciences and the various careers within the field.

AGI leads Earth Science Week annually in cooperation with its sponsors and the geosciences community as a service to the public. Each year, community groups, educators, and interested citizens organize celebratory events. Earth Science Week offers the public opportunities to discover the earth sciences and engage in responsible stewardship of the Earth. Earth Science Week is supported by the U.S. Geological Survey, the AAPG Foundation, and many other geoscience organizations.

To learn more about this week, ways to become involved; including newsletters, local events, and classroom activities, please visit the Earth Science Week website at http://www.earthsciweek.org.