Fall Programs on the Hub

This week, we are excited to share some of the programs available this fall for K-12 students through the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) Community-Based Partner Hub (the Hub)!

This week, we are excited to share some of the programs available this fall for K-12 students through the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) Community-Based Partner Hub (the Hub)! 

With a wide array of programs offered throughout the fall season, the Hub is a great place to start when looking for environmental education-focused field trips, camps, competitions, and more! Our environmental education community-based partners have programs for students of all ages with a variety of free and fee-based opportunities.

Don’t wait to sign up for your 2021 fall program! See the list of available programs below, and visit the Hub to learn more!

Fall Programs

Bird School Project Life Science Unit Field Trips – Grades 5-12, Half & Full Days, Fee

Bird School Virtual Class Visits Virtual – Grade 7, Fee

City of Santa Cruz Resource Recovery Tour Field Trip – Grades 3-12 & Adults, Free

Classroom Aquarium Education Program (aka Trout in the Classroom) Field Trip, Virtual, School-based, Workshop – All Grades, Fee

Coastal Art & Poetry Contest Competition – Grades K-12, Free

Coastal Institute Field Trip, Residential Camp – Grades K-12, Half & Full Days, Fee

Distance Learning: Cal Academy of Sciences Virtual – Grades K-8, Free

Emerald Bay Overnight Science Camp Residential Camp – Grades 5-12, Fee

Energize Schools Competition, Educational Event, School-Based, Virtual, Professional Development – All Grades, Free

Enhanced Whale Watching Cruise (1st-6th) Field Trip, After-School, Camp – Grades K-6, Full & Half Day Field Trip, Residential & Day Camp

Fall: Trees as Habitat After-School, Homeschool, Professional Development, Virtual – Grades K-3, Fee

Farm Discovery at Live Earth Field Trips Field Trip – All Grades, Half & Full Days, Fee

Forestry Challenge Competition, Educational Event – Grades 9-12, Fee

Heal the Bay Aquarium Field Trips Field Trip, Virtual – All Grades, Fee

Living Classroom After School/Enrichment After-School, Educational Event, School-Based, Virtual – Grades K-8, Fee

Marine Protected Area Science Cruises (7th-12th grade) Field Trip – Grades 6-12, Full Day, Fee

Marine Science Institute  

Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District Let’s Go Outdoors – All Grades, Field Trip, Free

Rock! Pattern! Systems!  Field trip, School-Based – Grade 4, Full Day, Free

School & Group Environmental Science in Yosemite National Park Residential Camp – Grades 4-12, Fee

Spaces & Species Field Trip Field Trip, School-Based, Virtual – Grades 3-5, Full Day, Free

Ocean Conservation Leaders – Grades 9-12, After School or Virtual, Fee

Waterwise Community Center Instructor-Led Field Trips Field Trip, Homeschool, School-based – Grades K-12, Free

You(th) Be the Change – Grades 6-8, Afterschool, virtual, school-based, Free 

Copyright © Green Guardians Inc.

A Review on IPCC’s AR6 Report

Earlier this month, the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), released its Sixth Assessment Report on the latest scientific understanding of climate change, human’s role in it, and present and future implications. The facts were astounding.

Earlier this month, the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), released its Sixth Assessment Report on the latest scientific understanding of climate change, human’s role in it, and present and future implications. The facts were astounding.  

Some major points that were covered: 

  • Climate change is a universal problem and is affecting every country across the world 
  • Human activity has been the main cause of climate change 
  • We are far from meeting the Paris agreement targets of less than 1.5-2°C of warming 
  • An increase in global temperatures will cause detrimental effects on our climate 
  • There is an immediate need to reduce emissions and reaching net zero carbon emissions 

The climate crisis is no longer about avoiding the effects of climate change, it’s about mitigating the environmental damage and human suffering that will follow. We need individuals in all industries and sectors to approach their work and everyday lives through an environmental lens and this will require a much deeper understanding of how natural and human systems interact. We need to rethink our siloed approach to education and integrate environmental education across all core subjects and disciplines in K-12 and higher ed.  

We must advance environmental literacy for all. Our future depends on our ability to protect our environment. We’ve left our youth with a crisis, let’s at least provide them with the 21st-century skills needed to solve it. Join us as we advance environmental literacy, raise awareness of the climate crisis, and equip students in K-12 with the knowledge and tools to act as Green Guardians!

For an easy to navigate summary of the report and its findings check out Andra Yegohian’s brief overview here.

Relevant Links 

IPCC Sixth Assessment Report for Educational Leaders 

Despite the serious implications of [the report] findings, the K-12 education sector has a great opportunity to be a part of the most important teachable moment humanity has ever experienced: surviving and thriving in the climate era. 

CAELI Community-based Partner Hub 

The Hub promotes environmental literacy by building educator awareness of environmental education community-based partners and their products and services and fosters educator-partner relationships for increased student enrichment and engagement. 

Bananas about Bananas Lesson Series Kit  

Grades K-1: Through readings, activities, and discussions, students trace the journey of a banana from farm to home and beyond, consider its environmental impact, and envision a greener journey. 

My Journey to Zero Waste Lesson Series Kit 

Grades K-1: Through readings, activities, and discussions, students compare and contrast two birthday parties (one that generated a lot of waste and one planned around “zero waste”), consider the environmental impact of one’s personal waste, gain an understanding of the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and learn to practice zero waste in their own lives. 

Youth Climate Action Organizations 

Check out the top youth organizations fighting for climate action and promoting environmental literacy!

Green Living Checklist 

Download and share the 15 Actions for Green Living checklist!

News and Events

CalNat Coastal Institute at Camp Ocean Pines immersion course
Aug. 22, 2021 California Naturalist

This residential immersion program includes seven days of field trips and lectures from enthusiastic leaders with decades of experience in the field.

Marine Naturalist Teachers’ Program
Aug. 23-27, 2021 The Whale Museum

This is a dynamic and high-quality virtual program for K-12 teachers with the objective of providing a learning experience that enhances your knowledge and classroom lessons.

Webinar: Building on Student and Community Assets to Achieve Equity in STEM Education
Aug. 25, 2021 STEMscopes

This interactive webinar will engage participants in a discussion about the inequities observed in our STEM classrooms and how we can address contemporary issues of inequity through collaboration with school leaders, parents, and the community to “build back better.”

11 Biggest Environmental Problems Of 2021
Aug. 05, 2021 Earth.org

The climate crisis is accelerating at an unprecedented rate, and we are not ready for it. While the crisis has many factors that play a role in its exacerbation, there are some that warrant more attention than others. Here are some of the biggest environmental problems of our lifetime. 

Green-Books.org Promotes Environmental Education in Schools Across Indonesia
Aug. 06, 2021 Fair Planet

Green-Books.org is an educational project that introduces environmental topics in schools across the Indonesian archipelago. It does so through the work of environmental and educational experts who create interactive activities for children and teach them how to protect nature.

Monday’s IPCC report is a really big deal for climate change. So what is it? And why should we trust it?
Aug. 06, 2021 The Conversation

On Monday, an extremely important report on the physical science of climate change will be released to the world. Produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the report will give world leaders the most up-to-date information about climate change.

OPINION: Indigenous knowledge is essential to solving the climate crisis
Aug. 09, 2021 Thomson Reuters Foundation News

This year we have seen the deadly impacts of climate change hit places that were not prepared: historic raging wildfires and megadroughts in the Western United States, heatwaves in Canada, floods in Germany and China, hurricanes in the Caribbean.

Copyright © Green Guardians Inc.

My Animal Friends

Students follow the story of Timor, a “bug enthusiast”, who rescues a monarch caterpillar from his backyard and takes it to school to try to save it.

Unit Overview

Through readings, activities and discussions, students follow the story of Timor, a “bug enthusiast”, who rescues a monarch caterpillar from his backyard and takes it to school to try to save it. Students will consider the environmental impact of pesticides and habitat loss on pollinators and learn what they can do to help protect and increase the population of monarch butterflies.

Grades

  • Kindergarten
  • Grade 1
  • Grade 2

Lesson Type

In-class or online lesson, PBL activity

Environmental Topics

Biodiversity, Ecosystems, Environmental Justice, Green Guardianship, Sustainable Human Development

Environmental Literacy Core Principles

For a summary of the environmental literacy principles and concepts embedded in this lesson series, please visit Green Guardians Environmental Literacy Core Principles.

Standards

ELA: RL.K.1, RL.K.2, SL.K.1, SL.K.2, SL.K.3, SL.K.5, SL.K.6, W.K.2, W.K.7, RL.1.1, RL.1.2, SL.1.1, SL.1.2, SL.1.3, SL.1.5, SL.1.6, L.1.4, L.1.5, W.1.2, W.1.8, RL.2.1, RL.2.3, RL.2.7, W.2.2, W.2.8, SL.2.1, SL.2.2, SL.2.3, SL.2.5, SL.2.6
Math: K.CC.A.1, K.CC.A.3, K.CC.B.4, K.CC.B.5, K.OA.A.2, 1.OA.C.5, 1.OA.C.6, 2.OA.A.1, 2.OA.B.2
Science: K-LS1-1, 1-LS1-2, 2-LS2-2, K-ESS3-1, K-ESS3-3

Guides

Teacher Guide

This project may easily be extended into optional family discussions and activities around monarch butterflies and other pollinating insects (like bees) and the challenges facing them. To facilitate this engagement, a family guide (in English and Spanish) has been created which teachers may choose to forward to interested parents and guardians.

Family Guide (English)

Family Guide (Spanish)

Lessons

Three lessons of 30-40 minutes each and an optional project.

Lesson 1: Timor and the Caterpillar

Through a story and related activities, students discuss the characteristics of monarch butterflies and define life cycle. They observe the metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly and learn what monarch butterflies need to live.

Lesson 2: Butterfly Research

Through a story and related activities, students learn about pollination and the interdependency of living things. They learn of the dangers facing monarchs today, especially weedkiller and bug spray. They begin to think of ways they can help save monarch butterflies.

Lesson Materials

Lesson 3: Help My Animal Friend

Through a story and related activities, students pose questions along with the characters about monarch butterfly waystations and discuss how they can put one on their school grounds.

Lesson Materials

Project: Our Butterfly Waystation

In this project, students will design and plant a monarch butterfly waystation and make a plan to manage it.

Lesson Materials

Making Environmental Education Relevant for Students

Contextual-based learning is a teaching strategy that helps teachers relate subject matter content to real-world situations and encourages students to recognize the connection between the knowledge gained in the classroom and its application to their daily lives.

Contextual-based learning is a teaching strategy that helps teachers relate subject matter content to real-world situations and encourages students to recognize the connection between the knowledge gained in the classroom and its application to their daily lives. Teachers should integrate environmental education through contextual-based learning because it connects content to real-life and “centers on the belief that both the social context of the learning environment and the real, concrete context of knowing are pivotal to the acquisition and processing of knowledge.” (Source: Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012).  

A few of the strategies behind contextual-based learning include: 

  • Problem-based learning
  • Cooperative learning
  • Project-based learning 

Learn more about the connection between environmental education and contextual-based learning on our blog!

Relevant Links 

CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub

The Hub promotes environmental literacy by building educator awareness of environmental education community-based partners and their products and services and fosters educator-partner relationships for increased student enrichment and engagement.

California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI)

The California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI), led by Ten Strands, works statewide with guidance from a leadership council to create systems change in support of environmental literacy with a focus on access, equity, and cultural relevance for all students.

Ten Strands

Ten Strands weaves stakeholders and strategies together into strong, focused education partnerships, with the goal of raising environmental literacy by providing high-quality environment-based learning and hands-on education to all California K–12 students. Ten Strands acts as an incubator and a catalyst to create collaborations, build capacity, and transform systems to increase their impact and sustainability.

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 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.

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.   

News and Events

Climate Change Impacts on California Biodiversity
Aug. 12, 2021 California Native Plant Society

This lecture will provide an overview of the science behind species distributions, and our projections and evidence of how plants are shifting in response to climate change, followed by a discussion about implications for conservation.

What We Learned: Climate and the Environment with Director Debbie Raphael
Aug. 12, 2021 Manny’s

Climate change is here and making an impact in our daily lives. Now, as we return to relatively normal life, have we learned anything about our relationship with the environment and the opportunities to save it?

7th Annual UMD Environmental Justice and Health Disparities Symposium
Aug. 19, 2021 Community Engagement, EJ, & Health (CEEJH)

This event will convene numerous community members, nonprofit organizers, and researchers for an in-depth examination of ongoing environmental justice and health disparity issues affecting the DC-Maryland-Virginia region.

How Can We Learn When Our Earth is Burning?
Aug. 03, 2021 The 74

This July, air quality worsened from Oregon to Maine as wildfire smoke traveled across northern states. New Yorkers woke up to an orange sun, and Utah’s worst drought turned deadly as a sandstorm blocked visibility on a major highway.

How to make our cities greener, healthier, wilder, and fairer
Aug. 05, 2021 World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum is collaborating with the Government of Colombia on BiodiverCities by 2030, a new global initiative to support city governments, businesses, and citizens to create an urban development model that works in harmony with nature.

As Enviro Education Tries To Keep Up With the Times, Govt Plans Stay Unclear
Aug. 05, 2021 The Wire

At present, Indian schools teach the environment as an infused subject. Several organizations are working to inculcate ideas about the environment and sustainable living among children. But the question remains: how far can these efforts go without the right policy?

How to cultivate environmental awareness at schools
Aug. 05, 2021 Nation of Change

How to tell children about ecology to show them respect for the environment and not turn such a lesson into a routine? Let’s take a deeper look at some options and how anyone can apply them in real life and class.

How joining a climate program could save Western Pennsylvania kids’ lives and lungs
Aug. 05, 2021 EHN

As Pennsylvania moves to join a regional greenhouse gas initiative, experts say it will also reduce toxics, foster healthier kids, and save the state billions. But GOP policymakers and industry groups remain opposed.

California’s Farmers Face Unprecedented Water Restrictions
Aug. 05, 2021 Gizmodo

The State Water Board moved to stop some Central Valley farmers from irrigating their crops with water diverted from rivers and streams.

This new technology could help cool people down—without electricity
Aug. 05, 2021 National Geographic

As climate change brings more extreme heat, air conditioning use is going to skyrocket, baking the planet even more. What if there were a way to cool without making warming worse?

Copyright © Green Guardians Inc.

Benefits of Contextual-Based Learning

Environmental education is rooted in teaching students about understanding the connection between natural and human systems, identifying environmental issues, problem-solving solutions, and taking actions that promote both individual and systemic change.

Environmental education is rooted in teaching students about understanding the connection between natural and human systems, identifying environmental issues, problem-solving solutions, and taking actions that promote both individual and systemic change. Teaching environmental education is often centered around creating awareness of environmental challenges in the community we live in and participating in activities that further student’s understanding of the world around us. Teachers should integrate environmental education through contextual-based learning because it connects content to real-life and “centers on the belief that both the social context of the learning environment and the real, concrete context of knowing are pivotal to the acquisition and processing of knowledge.” (Source: Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012).  

One of the main ways that environmental education serves as a useful medium for contextual-based learning is that it is often introduced to students through a multi-disciplinary approach that is more reflective of the world we live in. Through this approach, teachers create lesson plans that cover a multitude of subjects, such as science, English, and math with an environmental topic as the foundation. This allows them to dive deep into the issue and uncover how it relates to their lives.  

For example, if a kindergarten lesson investigates how human’s need for water impacts the environment, students can observe and analyze how humans use water through a series of images. They can also watch a video explaining irrigation and discuss with their classmates and teacher how humans affect the environment with their use of water. Students can then discuss the ways that human over-consumption of water affects local flora and fauna that also rely on water to thrive. Finally, students can identify ways that they can decrease their water consumption and begin working towards a solution. In this example, students cover a range of instructional standards and learn about a situation relevant to many students who live in drought-prone areas such as California. Teachers may even explore the outdoors with their students and observe the effects of drought first-hand. Contextual-based learning allows students to see environmental education in a way that is applicable to their daily lives. 

 A few of the strategies behind contextual-based learning include: 

  • Problem-based learning: an approach that engages learners in problem-solving investigations that integrate skills and concepts from many content areas. This approach includes gathering information around a question, synthesizing it, and presenting findings to others (Moffitt 2001).  
  • Cooperative learning: an approach that organizes instruction using small learning groups in which students work together to achieve learning goals (Holubec 2001).   
  • Project-based learning: an approach that focuses on the central concepts and principles of a discipline, involves students in problem-solving investigations and other meaningful tasks, allows students to work autonomously to construct their own learning, and culminates in realistic products (Buck Institute for Education 2001).   

Green Guardians’ mission is to advance environmental literacy by providing teachers with the tools and resources to implement environmental education into their classroom curriculum. This year, in association with California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI), Green Guardians has created the CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub (the Hub). The Hub is a directory of environmental education community-based partners for teachers, and administrators to identify and facilitate local and culturally relevant environmental-based programs for students. Additionally, through strategies such as contextual-based learning, Green Guardians has developed lessons that cover a wide range of environmental topics such as resource conservationwaste management, and pollution while addressing state instructional standards in English language arts, science, and math. The first two lessons are Bananas About Bananas and My Journey to Zero Waste. 

Bananas About Bananas advances environmental literacy through a series of 3 lessons based on English language arts standards and science and is best suited for Kindergarten and First-grade learners. Through readings, games, and discussions, students trace the journey of a banana from the farm to the home and beyond! Students consider the environmental impact of the banana’s journey and envision a greener approach. 

My Journey to Zero Waste is focused on waste management and the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle). The lesson series teaches environmental literacy for Kindergarten and Grade 1 through 5 lessons based on English language arts, math, and science standards.  In the lesson, students explore their environmental impact through two birthday parties and the subsequent waste that is created or not created in each. 

Teaching environmental education is attainable for all teachers, especially those who are equipped with the resources needed to integrate the subject into their curriculum. Teachers can sign up to be a part of our teacher network where we share new lesson plans (as well as pilot programs for teachers to participate in), updates on the Hub, environmental education news, and resources that help advance environmental literacy. 

Sign up today to become a part of our Green Guardians Teacher Network!

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. 

 

Relevant Links 

CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub

The Hub promotes environmental literacy by building educator awareness of environmental education community-based partners and their products and services and fosters educator-partner relationships for increased student enrichment and engagement.

California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI)

The California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI), led by Ten Strands, works statewide with guidance from a leadership council to create systems change in support of environmental literacy with a focus on access, equity, and cultural relevance for all students.

Ten Strands

Ten Strands weaves stakeholders and strategies together into strong, focused education partnerships, with the goal of raising environmental literacy by providing high-quality environment-based learning and hands-on education to all California K–12 students. Ten Strands acts as an incubator and a catalyst to create collaborations, build capacity, and transform systems to increase their impact and sustainability.

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.

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.   

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Copyright © Green Guardians Inc.