Alycia Prekaski is an elementary school teacher in CA. Being a teacher for over a decade, Alycia is always on the lookout for ways to help her students turn their concern for the Earth into concrete action. She found that the Green Guardians environmental literacy program did just that.
An Interview with Alycia Prekaski
Alycia Prekaski is an elementary school teacher in CA. Being a teacher for over a decade, Alycia is always on the lookout for ways to help her students turn their concern for the Earth into concrete action. She found that the Green Guardians environmental literacy program did just that.
The lesson series “My Green School” is not only aligned to core curriculum standards including CCSS and NGSS, but also structured in such a way that Alycia could easily incorporate it into her existing science curriculum. It also offers a project option detailing specific ways young children can make a difference in their own schools.
This post spotlights Alycia, who will tell you about her experience teaching first graders to help raise awareness and work toward achieving zero waste.
Tell us about your experience teaching Green Guardians’ lesson series, My Green School
“My Green School” was an eye-opener. It was a very, very positive experience,” Alycia said. Her students loved taking a walk through their school to survey how they were managing resources like paper and energy. “They loved seeing what they we were doing really well and what they could do better.” The story related by cartoon animal characters on a mission to turn their school green gave children a model for articulating the things they noticed in their own building.
“Going to the kitchen was a huge thing for them,” Alycia recalls. “Because of Covid, we were not allowed to use the water fountains. Children received small, individual plastic water bottles if they got school lunch. They are like three sips. The kids used them, and then they flipped them, making the bottles into a game. But seeing the kitchen and the recycling with how many bottles are in there and how many unused ones are in there—that really got to them. When they did their final presentations they focused on that, and that was just one of the lessons they learned from our walk.”
Because the Green Guardians lessons are easy to break into chunks, Alycia spread the games and activities over a day or two. For example, doing the inventory of the contents of the classroom waste basket was an engaging activity students did for 10 minutes one day, and they followed up with a discussion the next. “I was able to continue teaching my content while incorporating the GG program.”
What are some of the challenges your students faced?
“Having them get from the lesson to the practical—that was the challenge,” Alycia said, “mainly because the students are so young.” However, she was impressed that “they policed each other really well, reminding each other nicely” not to flip water bottles. “We did a presentation for the school about the water bottles, so I think that did impact them.”
The stories also made students very much aware of paper waste and electricity. “The lights monitor made sure we used natural light a lot more!” Alycia laughed.
It was clear that working on students to make practical life choices and changing their behavior was not just a challenge for young children, but for everyone!
How did you engage your students in the final Show and Tell project?
“They love sharing, and they love presenting. So I divided them up into groups, and they had to create a poster about what we should change.” Alycia said the children came up with great ideas, but the unanimous choice was what to do about those little plastic water bottles. “They said serve juice boxes instead; they said use refillable water bottles. And so they put those solutions in the poster.” Along with helping them articulate content, Alycia taught her students simple design principles to communicate their ideas clearly and effectively.
“They got up there and practiced and wrote little scripts, and they made these presentations. And then I recorded it on the iPad and sent them to all the teachers. I said my kids would love to share their work with their students.” Most teachers did show the presentations to their classes during homeroom time.
But the awareness campaign didn’t stop there. “The seventh grade teacher really went with it,” Alycia said. “She had the seventh graders write letters to the first graders explaining what they liked about their presentation and how the presentations could be better, and my first graders were so excited about that. So in the end it made my first graders think about what they could do to make a difference in a tangible way, something they could do for the school. They felt really empowered that they could actually tell people about it and get peer response like that. It really matters to them. They became sort of the leaders, I guess.”
What’s your best advice to teachers who are concerned about integrating environmental literacy in their teaching?
“The Green Guardians program is set up so that there’s not really any prep work needed. You can read it quickly, see what you’d be teaching, know the objective—everything is there for you so it doesn’t take any more of your personal time,” Alycia said. “It was very, very easy for me to use. I also appreciated that I could take a lot of time to do it or less time. The kids were super-engaged with the story. They loved it. So we could either talk about the story for 20 minutes, but if we didn’t have time, it was okay.” Alycia noted that the lessons are flexible and can be used in many ways. “The children loved the characters.” Thus, the story can work well during circle time in the morning, not just as part of a science lesson.
What benefits do you see in advancing environmental literacy in your classroom?
“It’s amazing the impact talking about environmental literacy can have on kids,” Alycia said. “Sometimes you think you need to do big grandiose things. But Green Guardians lessons were very engaging to the kids and impactful too, so it was not extra work. If anything, teaching subjects like environmental literacy is why we are teachers, to make the world a better place.”
Click on the video below to check out the full interview with Alycia.
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.
Exploring New Horizons (ENH) empowers students, builds environmental literacy, and strengthens school communities through residential environmental education programs. Founded as a non-profit in 1979, ENH partners with over 100 schools from Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Monterey, and other Northern California counties, empowering students to better succeed in college and career and to work together to create a healthier and more sustainable world. ENH has two program models operating from September to June at its Loma Mar and Pigeon Point sites, and over its 40-year history, it has served over 200,000 students.
Listen to Jacob Sackin, Executive Director of Exploring New Horizons, highlight some of the great features of their programs, and discuss what environmental literacy means to him.
Exploring New Horizons is an organizational member of the California Association of Environmental & Outdoor Education (AEOE).
If you are a teacher, parent, or guardian looking to get involved with an outdoor education program like Exploring New Horizons, visit the CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub and find partners and programs near you: CAELI Community Based Partner Hub.
This week we spoke with Amity Sandage of Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Santa Cruz COE), where she leads a countywide effort to promote environmental literacy for K–12 students as the Environmental Literacy Coordinator.
In our interview, Amity spoke at length about the need to advance equity for students in environmental education, build capacity among educators, and how cooperation between the formal K-12 public school system and non-formal environmental education providers is essential to both.
A beautiful example of this occurring in Santa Cruz County was through “Outdoor Education Week” which Amity outlines here:
Hear more from our interview with Amity below:
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This week we spoke with Dean Reese, the Science Coordinator of Outdoor Education and Environmental Literacy for the San Joaquin County Office of Education.
In this position, he leads environmental literacy efforts working towards expanding environmental literacy throughout San Joaquin County and the greater region. He is the Project Director for the Region 6 California Environmental Literacy Project and enjoys supporting teachers in their efforts to connect students with the natural world to move towards a more sustainable future. Dean has helped to establish and sustain environmental literacy networks for youth, teachers, and community-based partners. He is involved with statewide environmental literacy efforts as a member of CAELI’s Leadership Council.
Over the past year, Dean has been working tirelessly to ensure that teachers in San Joaquin County and beyond have the resources and capacity to continue delivering lessons despite the challenges COVID-19 and distance learning have presented.
Watch the interview with Dean below and learn more here:
Do you know someone or an organization that should be featured?
This week we spoke with Jason Morris, Senior Program Officer for the Environmental Education Program at Pisces Foundation where he leads the Foundation’s grantmaking in environmental education and implements strategies to shape environmental education initiatives nationally.
Jason believes that the U.S. school system must place a greater value on environmental education if they are to optimize learning outcomes for all students and that the federal government can do more to support schools by elevating environmental education as a critical component to every child’s education. However, without a public and private partnership between philanthropy and the federal and state funding streams, environmental education will struggle to scale.
Watch Jason’s interview below and learn more here:
This week we had the opportunity to speak with Andra Yeghoian, the Environmental Literacy Coordinator at the San Mateo County Office of Education. Her passion centers around personal and organizational learning, and facilitating the journey for others in becoming change makers for a sustainable future. She currently provides visionary leadership in implementing a broad Environmental Literacy Initiative that calls for whole-school sustainability integration across all facets of an institution: campus and operations, curriculum and instruction, community engagement, and organizational culture.
In our interview, Andra discusses how she became a Green Leader and how she has created impact and implemented change from the classroom to the site, county, and state levels through environmental literacy.
Andra breaks down the importance of environmental literacy, displaying how leaders in the space can identify their own pathways for success.
Watch the interview below:
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In our interview, Craig discussed compelling environmental justice issues around the US, accessibility, “designing at the margins’, engagement, and funding.
Watch the interview below!
Do you know someone or an organization that should be featured?
