Winter is almost here, so we wanted to share some of the programs available this winter for K-12 students and adults through the (CAELI) Community-Based Partner Hub (the Hub)!
With a wide array of programs offered throughout the winter season, the Hub is a great place to start when looking for environmental education-focused field trips, virtual activities, 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 2021/2022 winter program! See the list of available programs below, and join the Hub to learn more!
Visit the Hub today and use the filters to find the right programs for you. Filter by program type, grade level, cost, location, and more!
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.”
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 landresource 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?
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.”
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 greencampuses.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.
“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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Summer vacation is here and we are excited to provide you with a list of fun, educational programs students and families can get involved in through the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) Community-Based Partner Hub (the Hub)!
The Hub is a great tool for teachers, parents or guardians, and students to identify local environmental education programs to participate in year-round. From summer camps to internships, the Hub has the information you need to engage with and learn about our diverse and abundant Californian environment this summer.
Visit the Hub today and use the filters to find the right programs for you. Filter by program type, grade level, cost, location, and more! We have highlighted a few programs below that are available this summer for both students and families looking to get outside and learn more about the environment!
Acterra You(th) Be the Change – Grades 6-8, After school, virtual, school-based, Free
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.
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 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.
The pilot was completed by 8 teachers from kindergarten and 1st-grade classrooms in 7 different schools across 5 districts stretching from the schools in the San Francisco Bay Area to schools in So Cal. Teachers in the pilot program had access to:
Teacher guides
Family guides in both English and Spanish
3 Lessons including:
Lesson Storybooks
Teacher PowerPoint Slides
Interactive Quizzes
Lesson boardgames for students
Below are some of the key takeaways from the feedback we collected from the pilot teachers.
Teachers are Excited about Environmental Literacy Lessons
We received a positive response from teachers upon completion of the pilot lessons series, with 100% of teachers surveyed saying they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the Bananas About Bananas lesson series.
Teachers Prefer Lessons of Less than 1 Hour
When asked to best describe the amount of time it took to deliver each lesson in the Bananas About Bananas lesson series, 87.5% of teachers responded that the timing for each lesson was “just right,” at an hour or less. With our easy-to-follow teacher guides, we aim to provide lessons for teachers that can introduce environmental literacy to students while being implemented across multiple subjects. Teachers rated the lesson material quality favorably, rating the storybooks, interactive quizzes, and teacher PowerPoints all above a 4-star rating. Teacher PowerPoints had the highest rating, which is indicative of teachers valuing the ready-to-use teaching materials for each lesson.
Teachers Prefer to Teach Environmental Literacy In-Person
Probably not a big surprise. Environment-based education is often most effective when it’s hands-on and exploratory which suits in-person instruction. While teachers piloted the lesson series in person, in a distance-learning setting, as well as in a hybrid setting, most teachers preferred in-person instruction and rated it the best form of delivery for Bananas About Bananas.
Environmental Literacy Needs to Be Accessible
The main goal of the Bananas About Bananas lesson series is to teach valuable content skills in Science and English language arts by integrating important and engaging environmental issues into materials. However, sometimes these environmental issues can be complex and it’s imperative to provide sufficient vocabulary and concept support so that students don’t get bogged down. Teachers also expressed a need for lessons to be covered across multiple days to allow students more time to learn new concepts.
It’s important to note that 75% of teachers who participated in the pilot had over 11 years of teaching experience, with 5 teachers teaching primarily Kindergarten students and 3 teachers teaching 1st grade. Although 2 of the respondents had 5 or fewer years of teaching, we acknowledge the need to ensure that our lessons are suitable for teachers of all experience levels.
Teachers Want Content Relevant to Students
When asked about an additional lesson series teachers would be most interested to teach, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (a project-based lesson series on waste management), and Protecting Animal Habitats (a lesson series on biodiversity and ecology), tied for the most requested!
We are passionate about providing high-quality and accessible lesson materials for teachers across the US, and the data gathered in this pilot will allow us to improve future lesson series in ways that can best benefit the teacher and their students.
In our effort to provide teachers with the content they are asking for, we have already begun production on My Zero Waste Journey, a lesson series on the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) that will be released in the upcoming weeks!
Are you a teacher and interested in being a part of the next Green Guardians pilot? Contact us today and become a part of an exciting environmental literacy movement!
Green Guardians, Ten Strands, and the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) are excited to announce the launch of the CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub (The Hub) with generous initial funding support from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Morgan Family Foundation.
Oakland, CA — June 4th, 2021 — Green Guardians, Ten Strands, and the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) are excited to announce the launch of the CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub (The Hub) with generous initial funding support from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Morgan Family Foundation.
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. Through the Hub, county offices of education and districts showcase and promote existing environmental education community-based partners in their communities to schools and teachers as well as discover new partners looking to align their offerings to the needs of the K–12 school system. Five California county offices of education will have a dedicated presence at the Hub — Monterey, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Joaquin, San Mateo — with more coming online later in the year. San Francisco Unified School District, a district and a county, will also have access to the Hub.
The Key Themes of the Hub:
Increase Equitable Access to Environmental Education Programs
Support Capacity Building for Administrators and Teachers
Create Connections Between the Formal and Nonformal Education Sectors
The goals of The Hub are to increase the visibility and access to environmental education partners and providers and be a reliable central repository for districts, schools, and teachers to identify programs that align with their local needs and meet educational standards.
“The Hub will help with equity efforts by making it apparent which districts/schools/grade levels are receiving services from the CBPs within the county and where access needs to be expanded.”
Dean Reese, Science Coordinator, Outdoor Education, and Environmental Literacy, San Joaquin County Office of Education
County offices of education can enroll in The Hub and create their own county-specific portal. Through their portal, they can provide links to resources, promote services, and most importantly direct users to vetted environmental education providers.
Community-based partners (CBPs) can sign-up directly through the central CAELI site and promote their organization and programs. CBPs will have the opportunity to highlight how their offerings meet K–12 school system needs by connecting them to environmental topics and identifying key links to California’s standards and Environmental Principles & Concepts (EP&Cs).
Districts, schools, and educators can clearly identify providers that offer standards and EP&Cs aligned locally relevant and culturally responsive programs for their students. Utilizing filters such as grades, subjects, topics, standards, and availability, teachers connect with providers and programs that best suit the needs of their students.
About CAELI, Ten Strands, and Green Guardians:
CAELI, a project of Ten Strands, is a public-private partnership that 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 is a field catalyst for the K–12 school system in California focused on advancing the environmental literacy of students. It partners with state government, local education agencies, providers of environmental education, community members, and funders to make environmental literacy a reality for all California’s K–12 students.
Green Guardians is a new California-based education technology company dedicated to advancing environmental literacy as an activity-based and standards-linked paradigm in K–12 education across the United States and the world.
This week, we are excited to share an interview we had with Jodi Stewart, Land Program Manager at Marine Science Institute (MSI). Jodi has her B.S. in Biology from the University of Wisconsin and Undergrad Honors Thesis from Deakin University, Australia. Prior to joining the MSI team, she worked as a wetland delineation field assistant, quality assurance lab technician, and educator for the YMCA. She has over 10 years of experience working in Environmental Education and eight years with Marine Science Institute!
She has held many roles with MSI, from educator, development assistant, and school programs coordinator. Her current role oversees all land-based and online programs. Land-based programs include field trips to MSI, field trips to the coast, and in-school visits. She is the collaborative representative for local community partnerships and is the lead for NGSS documentation.
Check out our interview below as we discuss the background of Marine Science Institute, its program offerings, and how you can get involved!
Tell us about Marine Science Institute.
Marine Science Institute is a nonprofit based in Redwood City. It started in 1970 with the main mission to get people out and to have hands-on access to the San Francisco Bay. Before that, there were not many experiences like ours for students. That’s really who we cater to – students during the school year. We also have a pretty strong summer camp where students in kindergarten through high school participate in our programs.
Why is it important for students to have hands-on learning experiences?
It’s important because it gets them excited and curious! Hands-on, in-person experiences help reach students across language barriers. Their participation with school-based hands-on learning also helps bridge gaps with students who might not have the opportunity on their own. This is a safe space for students to have hands-on access, get curious, and have their questions answered! It’s a great way to get them excited, and when they are excited, they care, and they want to help protect this special place.
Photo Courtesy of Marine Science Institute
What goes into the design and creation of MSI’s curriculum and learning experiences?
The main things we use in our curriculum are the habitats and animals that are right here. We are keeping it a local experience to tie in these overarching themes. This is something the teachers can pick when they’re coming to our classes – they might choose a program that focuses on food webs, and so during the program, we’re able to tie that into every single activity. Some other common themes are biodiversity, adaptations, and we can even go through the scientific theory of making a hypothesis, collecting data, and having students practice providing and presenting that data.
What have traditionally been some of your most popular programs? Why?
Our flagship program is the Discovery Voyage, that’s how we got started, with our boat. Our current boat, Robert G. Brownlee, was not our first ship. Previous to Robert G. Brownlee we had an old WWII ship, the Inland Seas, that we would take kids out on! The program today is very similar, the students operate the equipment and go through stations, learning about the benthos, plankton, hydrology, and Ichthyology. We have had kids and parents come by and recollect their experiences with us. All of our experiences are memorable, but the boat really hits home because you’re on the water and that’s just a different experience.
Photo Courtesy of Erick Lee Pictures
The boat program is grade-dependent, though. If you’re under 4th grade you can’t go on the boat, so we have a land-based program that mirrors that, so that is especially popular for 3rd grade. But if there is a transportation barrier and kids can’t come out, we also have programs that take our animals to the classroom so that they are still getting a hands-on experience with these habitats. They may not be able to go out to the rocky shore if they live in Antioch, so we are happy to bring those animals to them.
How has MSI and its offerings changed over the past year? What will this look like moving forward?
When the pandemic first started, we didn’t have much for online programming. Our focus has been on in-person, hands-on experiences. The last year has given us the chance to flex our wings and try some new things. Our online programs were introduced because of COVID-19 restrictions and the virtual learning schools offered for the fall. We mirror our programs during an online lesson with videos of our animals from our aquarium, out in the field, and footage from local habitats. We provide the experience in a different way. The programs are still inquiry-based so it’s asking them those questions about their observations and previous knowledge so we can build upon it. We’ve also expanded our reach. Thanks to online education, we’ve even been able to reach students all over California, the US, and Asia!
We’ve offered some extensions of our programming this last year. We were able to offer more to homeschool students since they are not tied to the same online schedules that public school students are. We have increased our homeschool reach, as well as after school, offering programs on a weekly drop-in basis. We have also been able to expand our public programs for families, so we extended a younger program during the week, and offer more family trips on the weekends.
Moving forward, it’s so unknown. I think teachers are planning to bring kids out on field trips, but I know there are some hoops we will need to figure out. We are planning on keeping mask requirements right now to keep everyone comfortable. I think there is room for online education in the future, but I don’t know what that looks like – it could be an add-on or a standalone option. Another thing to consider is wildfire season, homeschool/pod groups shifting to online learning, and continue to monitor changes to public health with COVID-19.
How does MSI partner with districts and schools?
We are in quite a few different partnerships or collaborations. We are working with San Francisco Unified School District, San Mateo COE, Santa Clara COE, so we are partnering with their organizations to provide a uniform approach to getting kids to experience something since some teachers may need additional support. We partner with a few schools that way, and through other collaborations, we’re working more closely with Mountain View Whisman School where every 4th and 5th-grade student gets an experience either through the classroom or on a field trip. Same with the East Palo Alto Charter School. In this collaboration, we make sure we reach every grade. Our partnership depth varies for each collaboration, but we are in overarching partnerships to hopefully get those programs out there.
Do you often have repeat students for your programs?
One partnership I forgot to mention is with John F. Kennedy Middle School in Redwood City, and we see every student from the 6th grade for the entire school year. They go and collect data and then compare data between different seasons. We are able to do that work through a specific grant. A lot of our programs are one-time programs. We could provide some type of experience multiple times, they would see for a program – such as an in the classroom, a field trip, and a final in-classroom program – like a bookended type of program. We mostly see the same teachers every year, and we are incorporated into their curriculum.
Photo Courtesy of Marine Science Institute
What has been the response of the community?
Overall, the community has been super supportive. I was touched by the donations that we received from canceled camp registrations where a lot of people opted to donate their registration fees rather than receive a refund. That was incredibly moving.
Schools have embraced the online programs because that is what we needed to do, and feedback from teachers has been super appreciative of what we are offering and the level of education that the kids are receiving from the programs.
What’s been the most memorable experience at MSI over the past year?
The outpouring of support when our ship needed emergency maintenance was very memorable for me. The boat couldn’t run, we had to pull it out. We have the scheduled maintenance built into our budget for every other year and an emergency haul-out is quite expensive. That was the most memorable moment, being able to come together and have that support.
Also, a fun animal that we caught, which I think was the first documented bat ray in San Francisco Bay that was an albino! That was quite a memorable catch.
Photo Courtesy of Marine Science Institute
How can the community best support the work MSI is doing?
All of it! Becoming aware of who we are, word of mouth is definitely the biggest way people hear about us – through family recommendations for camp, through teacher recommendations – so there’s that part of it. What families can do is to join us on a weekend out on the boat or in our canoes, or even go out tide pooling. That is a way we can inspire their students, getting them outside. A lot of the time the students coming out are already engaged, and they are excited about it so we’re able to help them to deepen their knowledge and get more excited about it.
We also have volunteer opportunities for people, as well as corporate groups that are welcome to volunteer on our site. Even if it’s just pulling weeds, it helps so much to have these volunteers or corporate groups come.
As we are a non-profit we do rely on funding and donations heavily for our programs to survive so if you’re unable to come out, donations are always appreciated.
Check out the Marine Science Institute on the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) Community-Based Partner Hub hosted by Ten Strands and CAELI, and powered by Green Guardians. The Hub links the K–12 school system with environmental education community-based partners and promotes environmental literacy work across California.
The Marine Science Institute provides engaging and interactive hands-on adventures with San Francisco Bay Area marine life. Led by a team of expert marine science educators, these experiences impact students of all ages, inspiring respect, and stewardship for the marine environment.
Each session students will spend their time learning about Marine Science. This program is designed for learning pod groups and is brought to the home/site of that group. Students will observe live animals found in San Francisco Bay and Northern California Coastal habitats each day. Students will learn marine science concepts through hands-on activities that further their understanding of the Scientific Method.
The Marine Science Institute provides a scientific experience built on California standards-based activities and a memorable voyage into nature for students of all economic backgrounds. The Marine Science Institute puts students in physical contact with the SF Bay and coast environments to help cultivate their natural sense of curiosity, enrich their understanding of science, and foster a responsibility to protect the environment.
Marine Science Institute supports teachers and parents by offering engaging, online group lessons that bring science to life! MSI Online Inland Voyages are interactive, inquiry-based programs taught by expert marine science educators, bringing the wonder of local marine habitats of the San Francisco Bay and Northern California Coasts directly to your students.
Afternoon Ecology: This “afterschool” educational program is designed to foster the natural curiosity of young minds. Students learn about local habitats around San Francisco Bay while working in a team with their peers. This program has a variety of themes that can be taken either as a series or independently. Themes include Bay Area Habitats, Marine Science Exploration, and Bay vs. Ocean Animals.
Your investment in Marine Science Institute helps educate more than 60,000 people of all ages each year in marine science and environment stewardship through our School Programs, Family Events, Marine Science Camps, and Coastal Clean-Up Days.
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.
