Month: July 2021

Many students today don’t realize the great impact our actions have on our natural environment. With technology playing such a dominant role in students’ lives, many feel disconnected from nature as they experience much of the world through a screen. This issue is often referred to as “Nature Deficit Disorder” and one way we can combat it is through educating students about nature and the impact they have on our resources with their everyday actions (Source: Natural Habitat Adventures) 

“We rely on wilderness not only to inspire and enjoy but also to protect our watersheds, clean the air we breathe, and provide a home for the diverse species that enrich our world.” 

NRDC.org

We are highlighting the importance of teaching resource conservation because it is a crucial topic that students should be aware of as we face the climate crisis in our midst. Conservation can be defined as: “the care and protection of the earth so it can persist for future generations through using natural resources responsibly” (Source: Educators 4 Social Change). Today we are focusing on the subdomain of land resource conservation, which focuses on protecting wildlife and untouched land from the “threats of industrial development, commercial exploitation, pollution, and climate change” (Source: Natural Resource Defense Council). 

Why Should Students Learn About Land Resource Conservation?  

• Students who learn about resource conservation recognize how individual actions affect our larger society and environment 
• They develop a greater appreciation for the natural resources used in their daily lives 
• They feel more connected to nature and see themselves as having a role in its future 
• They learn how to protect the land they live on and its natural resources 

 
What are the Benefits of Teaching Land Resource Conservation?  

• Teachers can prepare students to take action as the next generation who will be at the peak of climate change’s effects on our environment 
• Teachers can connect the world of technology to the natural environment to engage student’s interest in how our use of a land’s natural resources directly relates to the use of technology 
• It can be fun and engaging for students to see local contributions to resource conservation 
• Teachers can encourage engagement in resource conservation from students beyond the classroom  

What are Environmental Education Programs Doing in Land Resource Conservation?  

Save the Bay | Bay Discovery 

The Bay Discovery program brings students to the shoreline to gain a deeper understanding of San Francisco Bay, local wetlands, and our rich relationship with them. Save The Bay’s field staff lead students in educational activities that teach about the history and ecology of wetlands, as well as restoration activities that exhibit the positive impact we can have on our environment. After learning about threats such as climate change, pollution, and invasive species, participants engage in activities to restore the shoreline and improve habitat for a healthier, more sustainable San Francisco Bay for now and generations to come. 

CA Department of Fish and Wildlife | Trout in the Classroom 

Through a classroom experience of hatching fish eggs and coordinated activities, students experience first-hand the value of aquatic environments, the balance that must be met to maintain and preserve California’s fisheries and aquatic habitats, and how their personal actions affect these valuable resources. Instructors and their students set up an aquarium in the classroom, receive fish eggs under a special CDFW permit, and observe the fish as they hatch and develop. 

Farm Discovery at Live Earth | Farm Field Trips 

Through sustainable farming and hands-on nutrition education, Farm Discovery field trip participants learn how caring for themselves can also support healthy ecosystems, economies, and communities.   Farm Discovery field trips (conducted throughout the school year) expand student understanding of environmental issues, farming, and nutrition through experiential activities on a working organic produce farm.   

Human Impact on the Elkhorn Slough and its Watershed 

The multiple piece lesson focuses on observing human impacts on the Elkhorn Slough and its watershed and then applying that information to management questions. 

Living with the Land: An Environmental Study through Ohlone Worldview 

Living with the Land allows students to explore human relationships with the natural world from the perspective of Ohlone indigenous knowledge and contrasting western science approaches. By observing the wetland’s past and present, students learn about what wetlands provide and how humans impact this habitat.   

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History | Nature Rangers 

Students practice being naturalists by making observations and comparing natural communities and different ecosystems as they go on a 2-mile hike through Pogonip Open Space Preserve. Thinking about nature as a system, physically connecting these ecosystems by walking through them and collecting data to compare them, help students better understand the environment and begin to realize they too are part of natural systems. 

CA State Parks | PORTS On-Demand 

Programs span across a variety of topics ranging from marine conservation to desert habitats, giant Sequoias to mysteries of the deep sea, and the snowy caps of the Northern Sierra to the sunny shores of Southern California. In addition to exploring natural resources and science, PORTS offers the opportunity to connect with our cultural and historic resources as well including restored indigenous heritage sites and preserved Gold Rush communities among countless others. 

NatureBridge | School & Group Environmental Science in Yosemite National Park 

Students spend their days immersed in nature, living and learning alongside their peers. Led in small groups by experienced educators, students engage in scientific principles firsthand, explore ecological concepts, collaborate with their classmates, and apply their learnings in real-time, all while discovering the joy of the outdoors.

Professional Development Programs 

Environmental Educator Certification Program 

California’s Environmental Educator Certification Program (EECP) draws together stewards and educators of the environment into a structured and effective initiative. Certification is a public declaration that a certain individual meets a stringent level of requirements and has a specific set of skills. The EECP enhances the legitimacy of the EE profession by building a uniform foundation in effectively teaching about the environment. Additionally, through participation in the certification program, educators increase their knowledge and skills, expand their professional network, enhance their resumes, and make important connections across the state. 

 
Environteers.org and Environteers Weekly Update 

The Environteers.org website and Weekly Update feature and promote all 102 environmental entities in Santa Cruz County. They both publicize environmental education activities and volunteer opportunities with the mission of making it easy to keep informed and in action protecting and restoring our environment. Environteers.org provides the most comprehensive resources for environmental information and action in Santa Cruz County. 

Applicable Lesson Plans  

• My Journey to Zero Waste  
• Bananas About Bananas 

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Climate change and its impacts are at the center of attention for governments, organizations, and individuals around the world.  Wildfires, drought, rising sea levels, hurricanes, and climate-induced migration are a few of the effects that have brought the climate crisis to our doorstep and raised environmental consciousness to an all-time high. The fight against climate change needs to prioritize environmental education if we are to enable our society to take reasonable action towards a more sustainable future.  

The benefits of teaching environmental education are numerous, but the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) highlights these as an example: 

• Improves academic achievement 
• Encourages environmental stewardship 
• Deepens personal development and wellbeing 
• Strengthens communities 

Learn more about the benefits of environmental education with NEEF. 

As we near the beginning of the 2021 school year, many teachers and school administrators may find themselves wondering how they can contribute to and prepare their students for the fight against climate change. From creating a green campus to integrating environmental education into the curriculum, we are excited to share a few ways that teachers and K-12 school administrators can work with Green Guardians to integrate environmental education into the K-12 school system and support students’ learning both in and beyond the classroom.  

“Environmental education provides important opportunities for students to become engaged in real-world issues that transcend classroom walls. They can see the relevance of their classroom studies to the complex environmental issues confronting our planet and they can acquire the skills they’ll need to be creative problem solvers and powerful advocates.” 

Ms. Campbell, California’s Superintendent of San Mateo County Schools (source: Project Learning Tree) 

Andra Yegohian, the Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Coordinator at San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE), is focused on creating impact and driving change from the classroom to the site, county, and state levels through environmental education. Her experience integrating environmental education and whole school sustainability at the site level has been through the creation of green campuses. A green campus is one that has a balanced ecological footprint, is climate-resilient, inclusive, carbon-neutral, and creates natural habitats to restore the footprint. Learn more about how school districts can use COVID Relief Funds to invest in green schools and campuses with UndauntedK12. 

At the classroom level, teachers can discuss their school’s ecological footprint with students and supplement their learning through environmental literacy lesson plans and environmental education community-based partners. Here are a few examples of how teachers can start the conversation: 

Include environmental literacy-based lesson plans into their curriculum 

• My Journey to Zero Waste discusses the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle – and encourages students to acknowledge the waste they contribute through 5 lessons that are relevant and relatable to their experience 

• Bananas About Bananas discusses the process of how a Banana makes the trip from Ecuador to the United States and the environmental impact that their healthy snack has in their community 

Work with environmental education community-based partners to introduce new topics to students that are relevant and engaging 

• Participate in a program that highlights the environmental impact of plastic – such as 5 Gyre’s Trash Academy 

• Invite a partner to speak in the classroom about water supply that educates students on how they receive clean drinking water – such as Stockton Area Water Suppliers (SAWS) 

There is a multitude of ways to get started on the transition to a green school. All it takes is one teacher, one administrator, or one green leader to act as a catalyst for change. No matter where you start, any introduction to environmental education can serve as a foundation for lasting change and a sustainable future.  

Are you interested to learn more about ways to incorporate environmental literacy in your classroom? Sign up today to receive our weekly newsletter! Sign up here. 

Relevant Links 

American Rescue Plan: Five Guiding Principles | UndauntedK12

“Five Guiding Principles: How Districts Can Use COVID Relief Funds to Advance Healthy, Green Schools” provides useful, actionable information for school districts as they consider how to use these relief funds to meet local needs. The brief identifies examples of school facility improvements as well as curriculum and training that both align with allowed uses and provide long-term benefits.

Calculate your Carbon Footprint with Global Footprint Network 

Humans use as many ecological resources as if we lived on 1.6 Earths. The Ecological Footprint is the only metric that compares the resource demand of individuals, governments, and businesses against Earth’s capacity for biological regeneration. Calculate your Carbon Footprint today! 

iNaturalist  

Every observation can contribute to biodiversity science, from the rarest butterfly to the most common backyard weed. iNaturalist shares your findings with scientific data repositories like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to help scientists find and use your data. All you have to do is observe. 

K12 Climate Action  

Their mission is to unlock the power of the education sector to be a force toward climate action, solutions, and environmental justice to help prepare children and youth to advance a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable society. 

National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) | Benefits of Environmental Education

Environmental education (EE) is often lauded by educators as an ideal way to integrate academic disciplines, stimulate the academic and social growth of young people, and promote conservation of the natural environment. 

One Planet Living Framework   

Based on learning from the BedZED eco-village, Bioregional created the One Planet Living sustainability framework – comprising ten simple principles and detailed goals and guidance – and developed it together with WWF. 

Project Learning Tree | Research into the Benefits of Environmental Education

A growing base of research is documenting the impacts of environmental education. 

SMCOE Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Initiative   

Explore Andra’s site for the San Mateo County Office of Education. You’ll find a seemingly endless number of useful resources and information on the work SMCOE is doing. These paid fellowships build teacher and administrative capacity for driving sustainable and climate-resilient transformative change in their classroom and school communities. 

Sustainable and Climate Resilient Schools Educator Fellowships  

These paid fellowships build teacher and administrative capacity for driving sustainable and climate-resilient transformative change in their classroom and school communities. 

According to the EPA, the US produced 292.4 million tons of waste in 2018. That’s 4.9 pounds of waste per person per day! Of this, only 32% was either recycled or composted. Where does all this waste go? What is the impact of all this waste building up? 

Environmental literacy is all about the relationship between humans and nature. It involves understanding environmental issues and how to “support ecologically sound, economically prosperous, and equitable communities for present and future generations” (A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy, 2015). Gaining a better understanding of how we manage all the waste we produce can help us develop more sustainable and equitable solutions. 

This week, we are excited to share information on waste management. We’re highlighting classroom materials, experiential learning programs, and other resources that will improve your understanding of waste management and help you and your students become more environmentally literate.  Waste management can be defined as the actions and process of managing waste from its creation to its disposal. It is important to teach students about waste management because it is a foundational aspect of our relationship with the environment. 

Why Should Students Learn About Waste Management? 

• It makes them more aware of their surroundings 
  • They notice trash and recycling bins in their neighborhood 
  • They take note of all the trash in public parks/beaches 
  • They have greater respect for nature 
  • They see the immediate human impact on natural spaces 

• They become more conscious consumers 
  • They can learn about ways to reduce their consumption by reusing items such as glass bottles or clothing items 
  • They start to think innovatively about ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle 

• They become aware of our environmental crises 
  • They become aware of the world’s finite resources 
  • They learn about their responsibility towards effective waste management 

• They become confident environmental stewards 
  • They are aware of recycling and waste processes that they can share with others 
  • They feel empowered to do their part in saving the environment 
  • They know practical applications for their consumption and waste management 

What are the Benefits of Teaching Waste Management? 

• It can be both educational and fun! Projects can be made focusing on lessons about recycling featuring arts and crafts with recycled items, which is something they can take home and share with others.
• It’s relatable and relevant for students since everyone produces waste of some sort.
• It’s actionable because everyone can reasonably take steps to reduce the amount of waste they produce.
• When students see the fruits of their learning in action, it inspires them to learn and act more! 

What are Environmental Education Programs Doing in Waste Management? 

UC Elkus Ranch has two kiosks that display ways to eliminate items that may have to go to the landfill, including a ‘Use this instead of this’ display. This shows items to replace plastics such as straws, plastic baggies, plastic water bottles, etc. [They] do a short talk with the students during their lunch break on recycling, composting, and trash. 

5 Gyres’ Trash Academy virtual lesson series introduces and engages students on the current plastic pollution crisis impacting our health and environment today. Through educational videos, students learn about the lifecycle of plastic, current-day waste management strategies, and the hazardous effects petrochemical products have on human health. The series also dives into the challenges and problems that recycling, landfilling, and incineration have on our environment. These lessons provide students with a basis for environmental toxicology, policy, and upstream solutions in order to bring awareness to the environmental issues plastic causes around the world. In response to being asked “Would you tell your friends to take this class to learn more about Plastic Pollution and why?” one student answered, “I would because people need to know about plastic pollution.”   

The City of Watsonville Green Schools program partners with Pajaro Valley School District schools, students, administration, custodial, and foodservice divisions to make a difference through waste reduction. Thirteen public schools in Watsonville repurpose whole foods for reuse, collect food scraps for industrial composting and recycle. Not only are we meeting state mandates to reduce climate emissions from landfills; students and staff are empowered to help their environment and community. Some model schools have cut waste in half at meal times in the cafeteria; even when 85% of meals are packaged through the free and reduced-cost meal program. Twenty staff from PVUSD from custodians to administrators received awards from the Watsonville Mayor in 2020 for their efforts. 

California Coastal Commission’s Schoolyard Cleanup program can be done as a simple service activity to clean up litter around campus, or it can be an opportunity for a full-fledged project that has students working through many of the Science and Engineering Practices as they use their own expert knowledge about their school community to plan and implement an investigation, analyze and communicate data, and evaluate and carry out solutions. Students of all ages can analyze the waste that’s produced and disposed of at their school, think through ways to reduce waste and litter, and implement their own solutions, which might range from moving a trash can, teaching other students about recycling and composting or even lobbying for less packaging in the lunches the school provides. 

Applicable Lesson Plans 

• My Journey to Zero Waste 
• Bananas About Bananas 

Applicable programs on the Hub 

• Bay Discovery – Save the Bay   
• Elkus Ranch Educational Tours – Elkus Ranch    
• Schoolyard Cleanup Program – California Coastal Commission   
• Trash Academy/ La Academia De Basura – Season 1  
• Virtual Learning – Recology Waste Zero    
• Watsonville Green Schools Waste Reduction Assistance   

Educational Resources 

PBS Grade K-2 Lesson: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 

In this media-rich lesson featuring LOOP SCOOPS videos, students consider how the concept of “needs” vs. “wants” can help them think about ways to protect Earth’s natural resources by reducing, reusing, and recycling materials. 

LEGO Grades 1-5 Lesson: Sort to Recycle 

Students design a device that sorts objects using their physical properties, including shape and size. 

CELF Grade 2 Project: Composting 

Students are going to start a composting program in the school in partnership with a local community garden. Students will also create a presentation to share with the school to raise awareness on the issues of waste.

Green Education Foundation Pre K-K Lesson: Reduce Your Trash 

Students will learn the need to reduce the amount of trash they generate and describe ways in which they can make changes in their actions to support waste reduction. They will measure and compare the weight of common objects using non-standard units of measure. They collect, record, and interpret data using a variety of graphic representations and analyze collected data to draw logical conclusions. Students will use graphic representations to communicate their ideas and inform their audience about their actions to reduce waste. 

Pre K-2nd  and Homeschool Lesson: Growing Food from Scraps 

Want to introduce young learners to grow their own food from what would normally be considered “waste”? Then this simple science experiment is for you! In this lesson, your students will learn how to regrow a vegetable from a scrap, monitor its vertical growth, and discuss the ecological importance of reducing food waste. In order to make learning more accessible to all learners, both teacher and student versions have been written in both English and Spanish!