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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 conservation, waste 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.   

Copyright © Green Guardians Inc.

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 

Are you ready to take action and help advance environmental literacy for students? Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest environmental education news and resources! SIGN UP HERE

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.