Environmental literacy, community action
Our lesson series are designed to provide teachers with the confidence and resources to advance environmental literacy in their classrooms. This summer, we invite 3rd–5th grade teachers to pilot one or more of our lesson series.
The CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub is a portal that connects K–12 teachers and administrators to environmental education community-based partners and their programs. Find experiential learning opportunities for your students today!
| The mission of the San Francisco Zoo & Gardens is to connect people with wildlife, inspire caring for nature and advance conservation action. The San Francisco Zoo is designed with the underlying belief that nature-focused interaction leads to conservation action. Learning about animals here inspires visitors to care for all wildlife. |  |
| Nestled against the Pacific Ocean, the San Francisco Zoo is an urban oasis. It is home to over 2,000 exotic, endangered and rescued animals representing more than 250 species and lovely peaceful gardens full of native and foreign plants and is open 365 days a year |
| The majestic Leanne Roberts African Region and the Valentine Family Savanna offer a multi-species landscape with giraffes, zebras, kudu, ostriches, storks, and more. At Hearst Grizzly Gulch, visitors can get nose-to-nose with rescued grizzly sisters Kachina and Kiona. Lemurs leap through the Lipman Family Lemur Forest, the largest outdoor lemur habitat in the country. Penguin Island is home to the largest colony of Magellanic penguins outside of the wild. The Zoo’s troop of gorillas lives in the lush Jones Family Gorilla Preserve. Farm animals for feeding and petting can be found in the popular Fisher Family Children’s Zoo. The historic 1921 Dentzel Carousel and the 1904 miniature Little Puffer steam train are treasured by generations of visitors. And the reimagined Elinor Friend Playground offers accessible playtime for all ages. The SF Zoo offers an engaging experience for its guests, including fun rides, educational programs and exciting events throughout the year. The SF Zoo is proud to be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). |  |
| The evolution of the San Francisco Zoo into what we know today has been one of steady progress towards a primary mission of conservation. The San Francisco Zoological Society’s highest priorities are providing quality animal care, advancing wildlife conservation, and educating visitors about nature by connecting them with animals. They hope to inspire their guests to connect with wildlife by creating naturalistic new habitats, renovating older exhibits, providing animals with a vast array of stimuli and behavioral enrichment opportunities, and presenting unique opportunities through which to experience nature. |
 | SF Zoo offers a variety of educational programs for different age groups and levels. School field trips are offered between the months of September through May, with classroom teachers and chaperones in attendance. SFUSD school field trips are free and with discounted rates available for non-SFUSD schools. The Zoo website has fun, science-based activities that can be used as pre-visit lessons to build student excitement prior to the field trip. |
| With programs like Little Learners and Zoo Camp, there’s so much for your little one to learn! Zoo Camp is a week-long program (M-F) that focuses on conservation, animal activism and hands-on art and science. Camp families can sign up for 1 or 2 weeks of animal/habitat exploration and wildlife fun with the team at SF Zoo and Gardens! |  |
| Teacher Resources: Whether you need to prepare your students for a Zoo field trip or need an activity for your homeschooler, they have you covered. Designed to enhance lessons in biology, zoology, and ecology, these resources will help connect your learners to wildlife. The Zoo has prepared Exhibit Exploration Guides to offer suggestions on how to interpret various life science topics while viewing the exhibit. Find out how you can talk about habitats, adaptations, and animal behavior while enjoying the sights and sounds of animals in the exhibits. They also offer Zoo Vocabulary, Zoo Field Trip FAQs, and supplemental resources such as books and websites to explore. |
| The San Francisco Zoo also offers many volunteer opportunities for youth and adults. The Animal Rescue & Conservation Center (ARC) is a training ground for future ecologists, conservationists, biologists, zoologists, and animal care staff through its teen volunteer programs. The animal ambassadors play a key role in connecting their guests with wildlife. Youth ages 12-14 can become a Nature Trail Volunteer helping educate visitors. Youth ages 15-17 can become ARC Junior Zoologists and assist with animal husbandry or become Leadership Fellows helping with Zoo Camp and teaching younger children. |
 | Adults can volunteer to become Docents. Docents support the Zoo’s mission by engaging guests in conservation education through informative talks, biofact presentations, and sharing the Zoo’s conservation initiatives while out at our exhibits. Speaking about the animals and their wild counterparts inspires their guests to celebrate their animal ambassadors, protect wildlife in their natural habitats, and engage in independent conservation action. Adult animal care volunteers offer support in the ARC, Children’s Zoo, or the Insect Zoo. The opportunities to get involved are numerous. |
| If you haven’t visited the San Francisco Zoo lately, or perhaps you’ve never visited, then you might consider an upcoming trip. Enjoy all the wonders the zoo offers! |
 | Dates: May 7, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: This lecture series, hosted by Green Schoolyards America, discusses emerging topics and provides guidance for creating and stewarding high-quality green schoolyards and schoolyard forests. Sessions feature presentations by subject-area experts including Green Schoolyards America’s staff, along with time for audience Q&A. This month, the presentation is Healthy Soils for Healthy School Trees. Register HERE. |
 | Date: May 8, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: CAELI invites district office staff from across California to join the District Environmental Literacy CoP—a statewide network for leaders, educators, and support staff working to advance environmental literacy and sustainability in schools.The CoP brings together professionals committed to integrating sustainability principles into district operations, instruction, and culture. Through collaboration, shared learning, and resource exchange, members work toward districtwide innovation and systems-level change. Register HERE. |
 | Dates: May 15, 2026 deadline to apply Location: San Francisco Bay and San Diego Description: Now enrolling for Fall 2026 — San Diego and San Francisco Bay Area Cohorts. The Schoolyard Forest Regional Leadership Institute is a two-year program that empowers school districts and County Offices of Education to move beyond piecemeal greening projects and address the systemic barriers that too often hamper these efforts. They help teams build the systems, policies, and plans necessary to scale green schoolyards with schoolyard forests across entire districts—equitably and sustainably.They encourage interested school district leadership teams to complete the interest form below by May 15, 2026 if they would like to be considered for a participation stipend. Click HERE to learn more. |
 | Date: April 14, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: Explore how school gardens can blossom into joyful, accessible learning spaces that nurture literacy, numeracy, science, well-being, and environmental stewardship from Kindergarten through the elementary years. You’ll walk away with adaptable strategies for a wide range of climates and school contexts, plus renewed confidence, fresh inspiration, and ready-to-use ideas to bring your school garden to life. Register HERE (scroll down to bottom of page). |
| Date: May 19, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: The Community-Based Partner (CBP) virtual Community of Practice brings together program leaders and staff from environmental education organizations to engage in collaborative learning and build capacity. Join colleagues from across the state to share resources, explore best practices, and strengthen connections that enhance our organizations and increase our collective impact. This session will focus on Climate Education. Register HERE. |
 | Date: May 31, 2026 deadline to apply Location: Virtual Description: The California Youth Climate Policy (CYCP) Leadership Program is open to students entering 9th through 12th grade in the 2026–27 school year who are ready to grow as leaders, build community, and take meaningful action on climate issues in their schools and beyond. CYCP is grounded in equity-driven values, and we strongly encourage applications from youth whose identities and perspectives have been historically underrepresented in environmental and climate spaces. CYCP is supported by program partners Ten Strands, Undaunted K12, and the Sierra Club San Francisco Bay Chapter. Students: Click HERE to apply for Cohort 4 starting this summer. |
 | Date: May 31, 2026 deadline to apply Location: Virtual Description: The Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration and GEEP invite young people (15–30 years old) from around the world to propose an innovative solution to tackle marine issues, provide healthy habitats for marine life, protect human health, and support people of all ages to be engaged stewards to support marine environments. They are looking for solutions that are informed by research, feasible and measurable, innovative, and address one of this year’s key topics using environmental education. Read more about the challenge and tips for submitting your proposal HERE. |
  | Date: June 14-July 25, 2026 Locations: El Dorado, Tuolumne, Humboldt, and Shasta Counties Description: FIT offers immersive in-woods professional learning experiences designed for both formal and non formal educators. At each week-long session FIT’s team of credentialed instructors and local experts weave environmental education with unique forestry field experiences to explore California’s forest resources and expand your teaching practice! Registration is all-inclusive, covering on-site accommodations, meals and resources; you just have to get there! Whether you’re looking to broaden your content knowledge, explore new environmental education strategies, or connect with like-minded educators, FIT provides the perfect setting — outdoors, in the forest, with other inquiring minds! FIT welcomes all active California educators.For more information and registration, click HERE. |
 | Description: The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) strives to help Californians of all ages learn about water, including where it comes from, how we use it, and how to conserve it. They provide a variety of resources to K-12 teachers, parents, scout leaders, and other non-formal educators, to encourage water education in and out of the classroom. Their free supplementary materials can be used to help develop lessons about California’s diverse water resources. |
 | Description: Why is the Central Valley sinking, and what can we do about it? Students investigate the sinking of California’s Central Valley, a phenomenon otherwise known as land subsidence. Using the phenomenon as an anchoring point, students explore California’s water crisis and its intersection with historical colonialism, groundwater mechanics, and environmental justice through an engaging, character-driven narrative. Students explore the Central Valley’s transformation from a water-rich ecosystem under Indigenous stewardship to its current state, shaped by colonization, industrial agriculture, and irrigation networks. Students investigate how aquifers work, how excessive pumping and climate change deplete groundwater, and how this impacts ecosystems and frontline communities. Students also examine solutions, such as managed aquifer recharge, water conservation, and climate action. To review this unit, click HERE. |
 | Description: California Project WET is a program of the Water Education Foundation that works with partners throughout the state to organize professional development workshops for formal and non-formal K-12 educators. Project WET’s educator guides feature field-tested activities for TK-12 students. Educators’ guides are perfect for TK-12 teachers, community educators, government agencies, NGOs, museum, aquarium, zoo, and National Park Service staff, and university professors teaching future preK-12 teachers. Project WET’s series of student activity booklets includes more than 60 titles. Written and illustrated for children ages 8-12, the colorful booklets engage students in hands-on learning about water science through creative investigations, demonstrations, experiments, educational games and stories. Browse their guides HERE. Project WET also offers virtual training and downloadable products. |
 | Description: PORTS stands for Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students. The PORTS program brings California State Parks into your classroom, digitally. From over 55 parks in all corners of the state, they have free resources for you! Nature, Science, History, Culture. PORTS offers numerous programs that have a water emphasis, from Eelgrass Habitat in the San Diego Bay, to Hydroelectricity at the Folsom House, and Salmon in the Trees. There are many programs to choose from serving multiple grades. Click HERE to explore their resources. |
 | Description: Educators: have you been wanting to brush up on your knowledge of California’s coast and ocean and the impacts of a changing climate? The California’s 2026 Coast and Ocean Assessment uses science to explore 14 key indicators of California’s coast and ocean. Developed through a public process and guided by more than 120 scientists, these indicators reveal both the threats facing our coast and ocean and the actions needed to protect people and ecosystems. This Report tells a story of both pressure and progress: while climate impacts are threatening wildlife, livelihoods, and coastal access, investments in sustainable solutions are improving the health and resilience of coastal and marine ecosystems and the people who rely on them. |
 | Description: The Water Science School likes to make life easier for teachers. They offer teacher guides with lesson plans and students worksheets complete with answers that can aid teachers in helping their students learn about water. The teacher guide for Our Water, Our Lives: California (5th grade) includes background information, lesson plans, and examples of student answers for four lessons about water resources in California. |
| Joshua Tree National Park was elevated to national park status in 1994 as a part of the Desert Protection Bill, having been designated the Joshua Tree National Monument since 1936. The bill added 234,000 acres which now stands at 792,623 acres, of which 591,624 is designated wilderness. Joshua Tree NP protects the unique assembly of natural resources brought together by the junction of three of California’s ecosystems: the Colorado Desert, the Mojave Desert, and the Little San Bernardino Mountains. The plant and animal diversity are unique along with some very interesting geologic features. Joshua Tree NP provides the perfect outdoor setting to enhance classroom-based learning. You can visit on your own or have a ranger join you for an outdoor education program. All ranger-led education programs are curriculum-based (California State Education Standards, NGSS) and free of charge. |
| Field Trips: The Preschool and Kindergarten program is Who Lives in a National Park and explores the plants and animals who make the desert home. Early Elementary programs include Junior GeoKids and Exploring a Desert Habitat while the Upper Elementary programs include Geokids and Keys to the Past. Programs are also available for Middle and High School students and include Tune In to Tracking, Joshua Tree Monitoring, and Issues in Park Management. This brief video gives students tips on How to Prepare for Your Field Trip. |  |
 | Virtual Field Trips: Educators anywhere can schedule a virtual field trip lasting 30-45 minutes. Teachers can choose from Plants and Animals, Draw JT, Geology of JT – Rocks and Minerals or Weathering and Erosion. These are offered free of charge and must be requested in advance. Virtual field trips support NGSS and are offered for all grades Preschool and Kindergarten through high school. |
| Guest Speakers: A ranger can visit your classroom to lead students activities relating their study of the sciences to Joshua Tree National Park! There are topics for all grade levels. Teachers should coordinate with each other to serve at least three classrooms during the ranger’s visit. |  |
 | Joshua Tree NP provides curriculum resources and a number of lesson plans and activities for educators to use. The Joshua Tree NP staff also offers professional development workshops for teachers through the Desert Institute, the educational branch of the Joshua Tree NP Association. They offer a variety of field courses in natural science, cultural history, recreation, and the arts. Programs are taught by experienced instructors. Please see the Desert Institute’s website for their current schedule of classes. |
| The Joshua Tree NP offers children the opportunity to become a Junior Ranger. “Explore, Learn, Protect!” The Junior Ranger motto is recited by children around the country—each taking an oath of their own to protect parks, continue to learn about parks, and share their own ranger story with friends and family. Take a few minutes to learn more about the Joshua Tree National Park and all the services and experiences it offers. Spring is an amazing time to visit the desert! |  |
 | Dates: April 22, 2026 with celebrations all month long. Location: Regional festivals throughout California Description: This Earth Day, people of all backgrounds and generations are called to stand shoulder to shoulder in defense of the only home we share. Join us on Saturday, April 18, Earth Day on April 22, and throughout 2026 to lift your voice, take action, and show your love for Planet Earth. When we stand together, our planet has a future. Visit the CalRecycle website for a listing of events and activities taking place in April across California to celebrate Earth Day. |
 | Dates: April 2, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: This lecture series, hosted by Green Schoolyards America, discusses emerging topics and provides guidance for creating and stewarding high-quality green schoolyards and schoolyard forests. Sessions feature presentations by subject-area experts including Green Schoolyards America’s staff, along with time for audience Q&A. This month, the presentation is on Schoolyard Cost Model: Comparing Traditional and Green Schoolyard Options. Register HERE. |
 | Dates: April 10, 2026 deadline for proposals Location: Portland, OR, October 6-9, 2026 Description: Call for Presentations Is Open! Get your creative juices flowing and submit your proposal for NAAEE 2026. We’re looking for compelling sessions that help us look beyond current constraints and explore what can be. Read the details in the Call for Presentations for the Annual Conference or Research Symposium. Proposals are due April 10, 2026. |
 | Date: April 14, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: Explore how school gardens can blossom into joyful, accessible learning spaces that nurture literacy, numeracy, science, well-being, and environmental stewardship from Kindergarten through the elementary years. You’ll walk away with adaptable strategies for a wide range of climates and school contexts, plus renewed confidence, fresh inspiration, and ready-to-use ideas to bring your school garden to life. Register HERE (scroll down to bottom of page). |
 | Dates: April 15-18, 2026 Location: Anaheim Description: NSTA brings together science and STEM educators for four days of meaningful learning, collaboration, and growth. Whether you’re sparking curiosity in the classroom, leading professional development, shaping curriculum, or driving innovation across your district, you’ll leave with practical strategies, fresh perspectives, and lasting connections to support your professional journey. Join a vibrant community of educators as we grow together — because lifelong learning begins with collective insight. Visit the NSTA website for more information and registration. |
| Dates: April 15 – June 15, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: This rigorous online course is designed for communicators, educators, and community leaders who want to deepen their understanding of the science behind climate change and evidence-based, equitable solutions needed to address it. Participants will explore how climate systems function, how human actions influence climate, and how climate influences people and other parts of the Earth system. The course combines scientific readings, engaging videos, interactive simulations, systems thinking activities, and data visualizations to support a rich learning experience. While it does not focus on teaching strategies, it provides a strong scientific foundation to support confident, informed engagement with climate education materials. In addition to global climate science, the course incorporates California-based resources and data to ground concepts in real-world examples; while these materials are locally focused, they serve as valuable case studies that offer insights and applications relevant to participants from any region. Click HERE for more information and registration. |
| Date: April 30, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: The CAELI County Office of Education Community of Practice provides a space for COE staff to connect with each other to share best practices and resources for advancing environmental literacy and sustainability in their county region. This month the topic is Success Stories and Preparing for 2026-2027. Register HERE. |
 | Date: May 1-3, 2026 Location: SCICON, Springville, CA Description: Join AEOE for a weekend of learning, networking, and fun at SCICON Outdoor School in Tulare County, the gateway to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks! The conference is held Friday afternoon through Sunday lunch and includes 40+ workshops, an awards ceremony, resource fair, live and silent auction, EE Certification Program presentations, evening entertainment, and more. The featured keynote speaker is Laura Rodriguez, Founder and CEO of Restoring C.A.R.E. Lodging and meals are offered onsite starting with dinner on Friday and going through lunch on Sunday. Both camping and cabin dorm accommodations are available for Friday and Saturday night. Register HERE. |
  | Description: What’s an eeCourse? eeCOURSES are top-quality, competency-based courses on specific topics across the breadth of environmental education. eeCOURSES are developed by NAAEE Affiliates and endorsed by NAAEE. Study on your own time with engaging asynchronous lessons (Some courses include synchronous elements) Complete courses in 10-15 hours Receive useful feedback from professional moderators Enroll with any participating Affiliate What’s an eeCredential? eeCOURSES can be combined to earn eeCREDENTIALS that demonstrate your mastery of key skills and content in specific areas within the field of environmental education. eeCREDENTIALS are awarded by NAAEE Affiliates. Complete a series of 3-5 related eeCourses plus a culminating project to earn an eeCredential Choose from standard credentials or work with your Affiliate to design your own Earn the equivalent of one hour of graduate credit Currently, offerings are limited, but the program is growing Visit the NAAEE website for more information. |
 | Description: A Latine Outdoors Experience: Remembering, Resisting, and Reimagining provides a much-needed narrative at a time when the absence of such a narrative is both glaring and in demand. Contributing to literature that has laid the groundwork for re-examining the relationships between communities of color and the environment, this book further illustrates how the outdoor and nature experiences of people of color in the US, specifically the Latine community, may be different than those predominantly represented in the environmental field. Olivia Aguilar collects and shares cuentos (stories) from members of the national organization, Latino Outdoors, while weaving her own narrative throughout, to provide a rich description of what being a Latine outdoors means in their own words. From spending time with familia to enjoying public spaces and creating outdoor oriented communities on social media, the memories and stories collected here show a thread of resistance and resilience throughout. Through remembering, Aguilar and the contributors in her book reclaim their narrative and reimagine the outdoor experience from the Latine perspective, ultimately charting a course towards a more inclusive environmental field. Available through Texas A&M University Press. |
 | Description: Semillitas Outdoors is a week-long celebration of children in the outdoors, sponsored by Latino Outdoors beginning April 25 through May 3, 2026. Check out their resources. Check out this coloring book. Coloring is a simple, fun, and beneficial activity. It can help kids improve fine motor skills while supporting the brain to focus. Somos Semillitas y Crecemos Outdoors celebrates the rich and diverse Latinx identity, various ways of connecting to nature, and regenerative engagement with the natural environment. We hope you love this unique coloring book as much as we do! |
 | Description: Students explore the interactions between humans and the environment. The unit begins with students observing and exploring their school surroundings, asking questions about what they see, hear, and feel. Students are introduced to key concepts through literature, exploration, and collaborative activities. Stories such as Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer, The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle and Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse guide students in making connections between the weather, plants, and human actions. Lessons also emphasize social-emotional learning, encouraging students to reflect on how exploring their environment makes them feel and how changes in their surroundings can impact their emotions. The unit culminates in an action project where students create and share a plan to improve their school environment for both people and nature. This project empowers students to see themselves as problem-solvers and stewards of their environment. Download the Unit HERE. |
 | Description: Explore the wide range of educational resources available to teachers and families. Resources include How to Take a Nature Walk, Classifying Insects, Humans & Bats, Nature Search, virtual and in-person field trip options, lesson plans, and more! NHMLA also offers educator workshops to build connections between your classroom curriculum and the museum’s collections and exhibitions. Visit the NHMLA website for these resources and more. |
 | Description: Spring migration is here and there are millions of birds on the move. Saving birds and their habitats are at the core of the work of Audubon California. They invite people from all of California to join them on this journey. There are numerous Audubon Community Building projects across the state where your students can learn about birds and ways to protect them. Visit the Audubon California website to learn about these community projects, obtain bird lists, and more. |
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife offers a variety of educational and outreach programs for all ages and audiences in classrooms, at their hatcheries and visitor centers, on their lands, and online. Their programs cover topics such as coastal and marine education, climate change, environmental sustainability, land ecosystems, and watershed education. |
The Classroom Aquarium Education Program (CAEP) is a hands-on, science-based education initiative for grades K-12. CAEP will improve teacher and student understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of fish populations and their ecosystems, while creating an awareness of the needs of the aquatic environment through the use of classroom aquaria. With the support of regionally based community organizations, students throughout California have the unique opportunity to hatch and raise Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, rainbow trout and and other salmonids in their classrooms, then release fry into nearby approved water bodies. CDFW, along with community partners, works to enhance classroom educational experiences through the hatching and raising of salmon, steelhead, and rainbow from the egg to the fry stage.  |
 | The CAEP website hosts a variety of teacher resources including webinars, videos, curriculum guides, field trip guides, posters, handouts and worksheets, and tank setup and care. The curriculum and program resources listed are recommended to assist CAEP teachers with concepts such as life cycles, aquatic habitats and watersheds, fish survival needs, climate change and human impacts. In addition to classroom resources, they encourage teachers to take their classes on visits to watersheds, rivers, streams, fish hatcheries, fish ladders, or habitat restoration projects to observe the concepts and practices learned through CAEP in action. |
| Join California Department of Fish and Wildlife interpreters and scientists for a deep dive into aquatic ecosystems and fish during this fun webinar series designed for early elementary school aged students. Teachers and students are encouraged to come prepared with questions to ask the scientists during the Q&A portion of this live program. |  |
| Dates: March 4, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: We invite you to our next virtual statewide gathering which is a great opportunity to connect, share updates, and collaborate with environmental education leaders across California. Visit the CAELI website for more information. Register HERE. |
 | Date: March 5, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: This lecture series, hosted by Green Schoolyards America, discusses emerging topics and provides guidance for creating and stewarding high-quality green schoolyards and schoolyard forests. Sessions feature presentations by subject-area experts including Green Schoolyards America’s staff, along with time for audience Q&A. This month, the presentation is on Schoolyard Play in Winter and Early Spring. Register HERE. |
  | Dates: March 7-14, 2026 Location: Statewide Description: Trees bring life to California – and that is worth celebrating! During California Arbor Week, commemorative events are held throughout the state. Cities, community groups, and individuals plant trees, host tree planting ceremonies, and educate California’s youth about the remarkable work trees do for our communities every day- from cleaning the air and water to improving the overall health of our neighborhoods. California ReLeaf hosts an annual Arbor Week poster contest for youth ages 5-12. Learn more about their art contest and how the student(s) in your life can participate! Check out the CA ReLeaf website for educator resources and grant opportunities. |
| Date: March 10, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: Description: The Community-Based Partner (CBP) virtual Community of Practice brings program leaders and staff from environmental education organizations together to engage in collaborative learning and build capacity. Join colleagues from around the state to share resources, explore best practices, and build connections to strengthen our respective organizations and increase our collective impact. The March topic is Program Evaluation Tools & Techniques. Register HERE. |
  | Date: March 18, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: Join CDFW panelists Molly Shea and Mike Mamola for this month’s webinar. Students will learn about the Amazing Life Cycle of Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Trout in a behind-the-scenes tour of the Nimbus Fish Hatchery. During this interactive lesson, students will explore the life cycle of these fish and the incredible adaptations that support them on their long migration from the Pacific Ocean up the American River every year! Register HERE. |
 | Date: March 20, 2026 Location: Virtual Description: CAELI invites district office staff from across California to join the District Environmental Literacy Community of Practice (CoP). The District CoP brings together professionals committed to integrating sustainability principles into district operations, instruction, and culture. Through collaboration, shared learning, and resource exchange, members work toward districtwide innovation and systems-level change. Register HERE. |
 | Date: March 26-28, 2026 Location: Berkeley, CA Description: For 37 years, the Bioneers Conference has been a gathering place for those working to defend the web of life and build a more just, life-honoring world. Connect with visionary thinkers and doers — activists, scientists, artists, educators, Indigenous leaders, community organizers, and more — who are shaping solutions to address the most critical issues of our time. Through inspiring talks, deep discussions, hands-on workshops, the world-renowned Indigenous Forum, youth programs, art and performance, and countless opportunities for collaboration, Bioneers 2026 will reignite our shared energy, creativity, and commitment to change. It’s never been more important to harness our collective wisdom, connections, and resilience to build the future we want to see. Register HERE. |
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Description: Ten Strands and partners are advocating for the creation of a Seal of Climate Literacy. This is a voluntary high school diploma distinction that recognizes students for demonstrating climate and environmental literacy through coursework and community engagement. The Seal would celebrate students’ leadership and knowledge while strengthening pathways into green careers. It would also support California’s broader climate goals by fostering student agency, community connection, and real-world climate problem solving.
Learn more HERE. |
 | A new national analysis finds that communities of color are three times more likely than white communities to live in areas that have lost their forests, wetlands, and green spaces — and nearly three-quarters of residents in those nature-deprived areas have low household incomes. The report, The Nature Gap: Communities of Color and Those With Low Incomes Are Bearing the Brunt of America’s Nature Loss, was co-authored by Justice Outside, the Center for American Progress, and Conservation Science Partners. It updates the landmark 2020 Nature Gap analysis with new data and a more advanced methodology covering every census tract in the contiguous United States — and for the first time, connects nature deprivation directly to pollution exposure and climate risk at a national scale. Read the press release HERE. |
 | Description: Join host Ronda Lee Chapman as she shares stories from across the country. This podcast is designed to be a rich forum for conversation on how we move forward—towards a more inclusive and representative outdoor community—together. How are we going to rethink conservation? How do we encourage investments and engagement in nature for our communities? Ronda’s hope is that this podcast can also be a vehicle to raise community voices—to offer a platform to talk about the valuable work that these individuals and communities are doing. She wants to talk about the triumphs, the challenges and celebrations, and about the ways that TPL shows up in communities, how we show up in solidarity, in support, and learn where and what we might do better. Check out the many episodes of this podcast series – People. Nature. Big Ideas. |
 | Description: STEM4Real is a professional learning nonprofit organization committed to equity, anti-racism and social justice in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. They help schools and districts create culturally responsive STEM and NGSS professional learning using Lesson Study, Observation, Collaboration, and Leadership. They gathered the best, most relevant information and tools for you to build your STEM programs and STEM Lesson Plans. Learn more HERE. |
 | Description: This spring season, California State Parks expects a moderate-to-strong wildflower bloom across desert state parks, thanks to widespread rainfall during the fall and winter seasons. Depending on the park and timing, visitors may see sand verbena, desert poppies, primroses, desert sunflowers and apricot mallow, among other flowers. CA State Parks offers an interactive map that lists the parks experiencing wildflower blooms. Wherever you reside in California, now is a great time to get outdoors to see wildflowers and introduce them to your students, colleagues, family, and friends. View some beautiful photos in the 2026 Photo Gallery. |
 | Description: “In Our Nature,” a new documentary feature film, explores how environmental education — and the people who teach with it — can bridge our deepest divides and foster resilience, belonging and community. Filmed across the United States, the film follows three powerful stories that reveal why nature belongs at the heart of what it means to be educated. Featuring author and Children & Nature Network co-founder Richard Louv, the 2024 Richard Louv Prize winner Jason Stout, and many other leaders from across the children and nature movement, “In Our Nature” is screening now across the U.S. Watch the trailer and find a screening near you at https://bit.ly/4aG080X. |
| One Cool Earth is a non-profit organization with programs in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties rooted in the belief that every child deserves a place to grow. They support lifelong wellness and environmental stewardship for families and youth from birth through young adulthood, cultivating a thriving, resilient community – one garden at a time. Their School Garden Program works with schools to champion garden education as a way of teaching students hands-on skills, science, nutrition, technology, and environmental literacy. |  |
| Using school garden spaces as living laboratories, they provide NGSS-aligned science, nutrition, and nature-focused education at SLO County public schools. The Garden Program offers two tiers for schools to choose from along with numerous add-ons, including garden lunch club, family cooking nights, seasonal farm stand, waste audits, summer garden care, and virtual or in-person field trips. |
 | Play Grove is a garden-based enrichment program designed for 3-5 year olds located in San Luis Obispo at their central garden on Laureate Lane. As an extension of One Cool Earth’s seasoned learning model, they know that children grow best when learning outside through play. They are a nature-based and place-based enrichment program. This means they use the environment as a guide as they play, grow, create art, garden, and learn together. Play Grove allows young children to access this experience alongside enthusiastic playguides in a nature-based environment. |
| Since 2020, One Cool Earth has proudly partnered with Atascadero Unified School District (AUSD) to steward and grow the district’s 1.5-acre farm—a dynamic and educational space that serves both students and the broader school community. The AUSD farm is home to 60 thriving dwarf fruit trees, native pollinator gardens that support local biodiversity, and abundant growing beds and rows that produce seasonal fruits and vegetables. This year, they partnered with the local Resource Conservation District to plant over 100 natives onsite! Most of the harvest is integrated directly into school lunches through AUSD Food Services, providing students with fresh, hyper-local produce. |  |
| Each week, high school students engage in hands-on agricultural education through Career Technical Education (CTE) programming, working alongside their experienced farm manager. From planting and harvesting to soil building and crop processing, students gain valuable skills in sustainable agriculture, food systems, and environmental stewardship. They also offer elementary school farm field trips! |
| Brief nature experiences, even as short as 10 minutes, have been shown to significantly improve mood and reduce stress among college students. As part of their commitment to supporting youth through every stage of their educational journey, One Cool Earth’s College Mentorship Program provides meaningful opportunities for early adults to grow as leaders, educators, and changemakers. We partner with Cal Poly, Cuesta College, and other institutions to engage students studying environmental science, agriculture, child psychology, and education. |  |
| Through internships, volunteer events, and mentorship opportunities – including support for the Cal Poly Food Pantry Garden—college students gain hands-on experience while contributing to our mission. This program is a key part of their vertical integration strategy, fostering a lifelong connection to environmental stewardship and youth wellness. One Cool Earth also offers links to garden education resources for educators and parents plus other types of environmental education. Check out the One Cool Earth website to learn more. |
