Tag: caeli

CAELI Partner Portal Resources May 2025

1. ELA Superheroes Podcast


ela superheroes podcast icon     		Description: This podcast collection highlights stories of California TK-12 educators who teach reading, writing, listening, and speaking through the lens of environmental literacy and justice, giving a glimpse into what this type of work might look like in TK-12 classrooms. Each superhero podcast includes a short podcast teaser, a full podcast, and a snapshot of the episode.

Episodes in Series 2: 
Grade band TK-8 – Conversations about Food Waste: A teacher-librarian provides meaningful environmental literacy and language opportunities for multilingual learners with Lorena Sanchez.
Grade band 6-8: Falling in love with nature and fighting for it: Inspiring argument writing through everyday encounters with nature with Jodi Bonk.

Click Here to learn more.

2. Children & Nature Network Research Digest – Therapeutic use of Nature


Research Digest    		Description:  Nature-based therapy, an emerging field in psychology, is based on research findings suggesting that contact with nature enhances various aspects of human well-being and can alleviate and/or prevent some mental health disorders or concerns. The June issue of Research Digest focuses on therapeutic uses of nature and the outcomes documented with various populations. Learn about Nature-Based Therapeutic Approaches and Outcomes, how it is effective with Special Populations, and its role in Prevention and addressing health concerns.

Click Here to learn more.

3. May is Water Awareness Month – Department of Water Resources


Image of California Aqueduct     		Description: DWR offers K-12 teachers free activity books and worksheets to download that are focused on water issues such as water conservation, drought, floods, California’s waterways, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, how water works and why, the water cycle, agriculture and food, and more.

Visit DWR’s K-12 Education Materials page for free downloads.

4. Arbor Day Foundation – Tree Resources


Sunlight through oak tree branchesA close-up of a logo AI-generated content may be incorrect.                 



Description:  Are you wanting to teach your students more about trees or do you want to learn more about trees yourself?  Perhaps you are interested in planting a tree for Mother’s Day. 

The Arbor Day Foundation provides a wide range of Tree Resources. Check them out!

5.  Project Learning Tree – A Guide to Teaching and Learning About Forests

Project Learning Tree – A Guide to Teaching and Learning About Forests
       		Description: PLT’s Forest Literacy Framework translates the language of forests and sustainable forest management into concepts for everyone at any age. The framework offers 100 forest concepts for grades K-12, organized into the following four themes: 1) What is a forest? 2) Why do forests matter?  3) How do we sustain our forests? 4) What is our responsibility to forests?

Whether you are a teacher interested in connecting your students to the trees in your schoolyard, or a forest professional looking for guidance on community outreach to youth, including career days or field site visits, this Forest Literacy Framework helps to lay out age-appropriate concepts, knowledge, and skills surrounding forests and related topics. The framework presents a conceptual structure to increase people’s understanding of forests and it empowers them to take actions that benefit forests and all of us.

News & Events May 2025

NAAEE Conference and Research Symposium – Proposal deadlineProposal Deadline: May 16, 2025
Conference Dates:
Research Symposium October 30, 2025
Conference: November 3-6, 2025
Location: Virtual

A black background with white text AI-generated content may be incorrect.		Description:  NAAEE is looking for expertise from around the world and encourages all to consider submitting proposals that speak to the overall theme, “Forward Together.”

Tips for Submitting Successful Proposals:
Make sure you read the Call for Presentations for the Annual Conference or Research Symposium for information on priority topics, session formats, delivery options, etc.
Acquaint yourself with the Review Criteria.
Use a draft proposal form to prepare.

For additional information, visit the NAAEE website.
NAAEE Webinar – Teaching for Tomorrow: How States are Leading the Way on Climate EducationDate: May 20, 2025, 12:00-1:00 pm pac timeLocation: Virtual webinar

"How States Are Leading the Way on Climate Education" webinar with contrasting images of a legislative building and students learning about solar energy.
Description: Climate education for K–12 students is essential to provide learners with the critical thinking and problem-solving skills they need to address the impacts of climate change, now and in the future. Learn how state organizations and climate policies are playing a critical part in helping educators succeed in their efforts. 

Moderator: Alexia Leclercq, Start:EmpowermentPanelists: 
Teddy Lyman, Maine Dept of Ed.
Sarah Sterling, New Jersey Dept of Ed.
Dr. Roni Jones, Ten Strands

Click Here to Register.
Traditional Ecological Knowledge in EE – Summer eeCourseDates: June 20-July 30, 2025
Location:  Online Moodle, asynchronous


Description:  This course is designed to provide a strong foundation in Traditional Ecological Knowledge and ways of knowing. It is meant to be an introductory course and spark interest in further learning around how we can more intentionally and respectfully incorporate traditional ways of knowing into our environmental and outdoor learning programming. The 6-week course takes an approximate 12 hours to complete. The course will be moderated by Jasjeet Dhanota.

Cost: $85, member rate available. Upon completion, registrants are eligible to purchase one graduate-level credit from University of San Diego ($79 paid separately).

Click Here for more information.
AEOE Environmental Education Certification ProgramDates:  2025-26 Academic Year
Location: Virtual

Description: The Environmental Educator Certification Program (EECP) recognizes experienced environmental educators for their skills and contributions to the field and draws together stewards and educators of the environment into a structured and effective initiative. The EECP is an 11-month program in which environmental educators demonstrate their competency through group discussion, individual reflection, submission of assignments, and the completion and presentation of a community action project. Through participation in the certification program, educators expand their professional networks, make important connections across the state, and better understand the full spectrum of environmental education careers available. EECP is conducted online over Zoom and utilizes Canvas as its learning management platform. 

Information sessions will be held May 14 and June 2. Deadline to apply is June 30. More information is available Here.
Forestry Institute for Teachers (FIT)Dates: June and July sessions
Locations: 
Blodgett Forest Research Station, Georgetown
Sierra Outdoor School, Sonora
Elevate Camps, Shingletown
Cal Poly Humboldt, Arcata

Description: All California educators are welcome! Join fellow educators and natural resource professionals at one of FITs immersive, week-long professional learning sessions. Experts weave EE curricula with unique forestry field experiences to help you explore forest stewardship for current and future generations. Expect an enriching week of outdoor learning that will expand both your perspectives and teaching practice!

Participants receive certifications in Project Learning Tree (PLT) and Project Water Education Today (WET).  Eligibility for 3 CEUs and $300 stipend. Cost: $125 application fee. Room and board included.

Click Here for more information.

CPB Feature for May 2025

Coastal Roots Farm, located near Encinitas in San Diego County, cultivates healthy, connected communities by integrating sustainable agriculture, food justice, and ancient Jewish wisdom. They envision a world in which every community comes together to grow and share healthy food, care for the lands, help their neighbors, and strengthen the connections they have with each other. 

Coastal Roots Farm is a nonprofit community farm and education center where they practice organic farming, share their harvest with those who lack access, deliver unique farm-based education, and foster inclusive spaces for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together. Each year, they grow more than 80,000 pounds of food and donate more than 75% of their harvest to San Diegans facing food insecurity. Their comprehensive environmental education programs reach more than 10,000 students and children including more than 50% of students and campers who come on scholarship each year. They strive to make outdoor STEM learning opportunities available to all, especially those who have been historically underserved, with an emphasis on Title-I, Title-V, and low-income schools and groups to participate in the Farm’s programming on a sliding scale and to establish robust strategic partnerships.

Their Education Center offers numerous programs. Here are a selected few.

Nature Play is their outdoor, natural playground and is open to children and their families. The space is equipped with tools for imaginative play that promotes gross and fine motor skills development. The space houses their play “Shuk” (dramatic play market), Sensory Kitchens, the Nature Studio, the Discovery Tree investigation center, and a full-size tractor!

After School on the Farm offers an opportunity for “farmers-in-training? to get in touch with the great outdoors through hands-on, authentic farm experiences. The After School on the Farm program is offered to children ages 4-10 from September to May.

Their summer program is Farm Camp which they offer to Pre-K to 5th grade students. Children explore the natural world, food systems, and universally meaningful Jewish values through cooking, crafts, and science experiments, visiting chickens, harvesting farm-fresh snacks, singing, and more. 

Field Trips at Coastal Roots Farm offer hands-on environmental, food system, and climate education, especially for school classes and community groups. Aligned with California learning standards, Field Trip curriculum integrates STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math), nutrition, and universally meaningful Jewish values through tactile and participatory activities. Bring students into the “field” to explore the great outdoors, fuel phenomena-based learning, and apply classroom knowledge in an agricultural setting.

Farm Tours teach visitors about Coastal Roots Farm impact in Regenerative Agriculture, Organic Food Distribution, Equitable Environmental Education, and Jewish Life. Visitors can see first-hand their innovative practices and programs, and visit the organic production beds, hand-dug Farm and Gardens, Food Forest, compost operation, and chickens.

Coastal Roots Farm will host their Taste of the Farm on May 18th, 5-9pm, Celebrating a Decade in Bloom. Experience farm-to-fork tasting stations, artisan-crafted libations, live music, and meaningful connections. Coastal Roots Farm will be celebrating the milestones of the past while inspiring a vision for the future.

Visit Coastal Roots Farm website to learn more about the incredible programs they offers.  For information about their environmental education programs, contact Kimberly Tomlinson, Director of Education at kimberly@coastalrootsfarm.org. 

CAELI Partner Portal Resources April 2025

1. Earth Day 2025


Description: The theme for Earth Day 2025 is Our Power, Our Planet, invites everyone around the globe to unite behind renewable energy, and to triple the global generation of clean electricity by 2030.

The EarthDay.org website offers numerous resources on climate education with curricula, toolkits, advocacy packets, calendar of events, and teacher’s guides. There is a Primer: How Climate Change Impacts the K-12 Learning Experience and Solutions.

2. National Environmental Education Foundation EE Resources


Description: Why Environmental Education is Important. People care about what they know and fight for what they love. Environmental Education allows people to connect to the natural world through immersive learning experiences in the outdoors, creating environmental stewards for generations to come. The National Environmental Education Foundation provides numerous resources for teachers, students, and parents. Celebrate Earth Month with fun and engaging activities.

3. Take Me Outside Podcast. Educator WellBeing: Connecting Teacher Wellness with Outdoor Learning with Dr. Astrid Kendrick




Podcast Description: Dr. Astrid Kendrick is currently the Director of Field Experience at the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. She was a K-12 classroom teacher for 19 years specializing in Physical Education, English and Language Arts. One of Dr. Kendrick’s main research areas focus on compassion fatigue, burnout, and emotional labour in Alberta educational workers. Dr. Kendrick is the co-producer of the Ed Students in Conversation podcast series on voicEd Radio Canada and developer of the HEARTcare Educators website. She was the recipient of the 2020 Online Teaching Award from the Werklund School of Education as well as an Emerging Scholar Award from The Learner research network in 2019. Listen to the podcast Here.

4. Foundation for Environmental Education Eco-Schools Early Years Handbook



Description: The Foundation for Environmental Education announces its Eco-Schools Early Years Handbook. Eco-Schools for Early Childhood Education inspires exploration, fuels curiosity, and nurtures children’s natural desire to ask questions about the world around them.  Using the Eco-Schools seven steps framework and themes, children will connect what they learn with the real world. This approach is a crucial basis for building the emotions, attitudes, values, behaviours and skills which will help them build positive relationships with their environment and each other.

Read and download the Handbook Here.

5.California State Parks Resources: Exploring Nature in Your Neighborhood: Activities for Kids & Families


Description:  Want to get out and explore nature right in your own neighborhood? It is as easy as 1-2-3. Here are some activities that you can download for use with family and friends to get you started on some Neighborhood Nature adventuring. Activities include nature journaling, poetry, learning about the food web, using your senses, go buggy in your backyard or neighborhood, looking for feathers, or looking up at the stars. There is something for everyone.

Download your favorite activity Here.

News and Events for April 2025

1. Data Initiative for Environmental and Climate Action in California’s TK-12 Schools Webinars

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Dates: April 15 and April 16, 2025.

Location: Virtual webinars

Description: The purpose of the Ten Strands Data Initiative is to develop and maintain an interactive database that communicates data related to scale, equity, context, and progress on indicators of environmental and climate action in schools. Join a webinar to explore the report’s findings and learn how to apply them at both broad and local levels. This report equips educational leaders and changemakers with interactive tools and data-driven insights to advance environmental and climate action in school communities.

Educational Leaders (4/15, 1:00-2:00 pm) Register Here.

Grassroots Leaders (4/16, 4:00-5:00 pm) Register Here

2. CAELI COE Community of Practice

Date: April 24, 2025, 9:00-10:30 am

Description: Now in its fourth year and growing, this community of practice brings together staff from a variety of roles in County Offices of Education across the state. They meet every month for networking, professional learning, and focused discussions on self-selected topics. April Topic: Youth Programs
Register Here.

3. CAELI CBP Innovation Hub Virtual Community Gathering

Date: April 25, 2025, 12:30-1:30 pm

Description: Building Bridges: Sharing Resources, Strengthening Community

Meet with other program leaders to discuss the shifting landscape, address current challenges, and crowdsource ideas for how to best support your staff and communities. Learn valuable tips and strategies that will help CBP Program Leaders and your organization grow and thrive. April Topic: Advocacy and Messaging & Marketing
Register Here.

4. AEOE Spring 2025 eeCourse: Universal Design for Learning in EE

Dates:  April 30 to June 15, 2025

Location:  Online – Moodle

Description: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a teaching approach that works to accommodate the needs and abilities of all learners and eliminates unnecessary barriers in the learning process. UDL improves and optimizes teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. UDL is a framework to guide the design of learning environments that are accessible and challenging for all and that gives all students equal opportunity to succeed. This course is designed to encourage you to reflect deeply on your practice to focus on how you plan and teach to support all learners.

For more information or to register, visit the AEOE website.

5. AEOE Annual Conference

Dates: May 2-4, 2025

Location: Walker Creek Ranch, Petaluma, CA
Description: This year’s theme is Roots and Branches: Strengthening Community and Expanding Impact.

Join your friends and colleagues for a weekend of learning, networking, and fun in Marin County! The conference is held Friday afternoon through Sunday lunch and includes 40+ workshops, a keynote speaker, an awards ceremony, resource fair, live and silent auction, EE Certification Program presentations, evening entertainment, and more. Lodging and meals are offered onsite starting with dinner on Friday and going through lunch on Sunday.
To learn more and to register, visit the AEOE website for details.

CPB Feature for April 2025

South Yuba River Citizens League


The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) is a grassroots organization founded in 1983. They are the leading voice for the protection and restoration of the Yuba River watershed. Their goals focus on river and forest restoration and educating and mobilizing their communities to be good stewards of their environment. To achieve their goals, SYRCL has developed into a vibrant community organization with over 3,500 members and 1,000 volunteers. 
SYRCL’s River Restoration team is leading the effort to rehabilitate the lower Yuba River for salmon, steelhead, riparian habitat, and wildlife. The Meadow Restoration team is assessing and restoring meadows because of their hydrological and ecological importance as they sequester carbon, act as natural firebreaks, and as important habitat for wildlife. The Forest Health team works with the U.S. Forest Service, private land owners, and other nonprofits to plan and implement projects that address forest health and to prepare for catastrophic fires. 

SYRCL’s River Restoration team is leading the effort to rehabilitate the lower Yuba River for salmon, steelhead, riparian habitat, and wildlife. The Meadow Restoration team is assessing and restoring meadows because of their hydrological and ecological importance as they sequester carbon, act as natural firebreaks, and as important habitat for wildlife. The Forest Health team works with the U.S. Forest Service, private land owners, and other nonprofits to plan and implement projects that address forest health and to prepare for catastrophic fires.
The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) is a grassroots organization founded in 1983. They are the leading voice for the protection and restoration of the Yuba River watershed. Their goals focus on river and forest restoration and educating and mobilizing their communities to be good stewards of their environment. To achieve their goals, SYRCL has developed into a vibrant community organization with over 3,500 members and 1,000 volunteers. 
SYRCL’s River Restoration team is leading the effort to rehabilitate the lower Yuba River for salmon, steelhead, riparian habitat, and wildlife. The Meadow Restoration team is assessing and restoring meadows because of their hydrological and ecological importance as they sequester carbon, act as natural firebreaks, and as important habitat for wildlife. The Forest Health team works with the U.S. Forest Service, private land owners, and other nonprofits to plan and implement projects that address forest health and to prepare for catastrophic fires.
The River Education programs integrate science into the curriculum to provide educational opportunities that inspire life-long stewards of the Yuba River watershed. Using a variety of educational tools, they teach students of all ages from their community, as well as surrounding areas, lessons about watershed health, Yuba salmon, climate change, water conservation, meadow restoration, and scientific monitoring. They strive to empower, engage, and collaborate with local youth and learning communities, and create linkages between the River Education program and other areas of SYRCL’s work. The Salmon Expeditions are an amazing opportunity for students and families to adventure down the Yuba River to see spawning salmon. Experienced river rafting guides offer different options to get wet and learn about the salmon life cycle, local ecology, and human impacts on these fish.

The Youth Outdoor Leadership Opportunity (YOLO) is a free, five-day summer science expedition in mid-June for local 9th-12th graders to engage in local climate action and watershed restoration efforts. Surrounded by the gorgeous Sierra Mountains, students get a chance to learn about ecology and build skills in real time. They conduct hands-on field work and meadow restoration research, collect necessary data, connect with teammates to discuss important environmental justice issues, hone leadership skills, and explore the beautiful landscapes of the North Yuba Watershed.
The High School Water Quality Project offers opportunities for high school students to become trained in water quality monitoring practices, collecting water quality data, analyzing and interpreting the data, and learning river etiquette to become River Ambassadors.

SYRCL recently held their annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival. This school program presents film programming for over 3,000 students for their local community and neighboring counties. They curate age-appropriate, engaging, and inspiring content for TK-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12th grade film screenings.

Each student audience gets their very own film festival. In years past, students have had the opportunity to see their films on the big screen – TK-8th graders at the Del Oro Theatre and High Schoolers at school sites. An important part of the school program, the Wild & Scenic education team creates film-specific, standards-based curriculum for participating educators from local elementary, middle, and high schools for further classroom enrichment. The Wild & Scenic education team offers a wide array of low-cost programs for audiences throughout the community.   


The South Yuba River Citizens League supports its communities in so many ways. Visit their website to learn more about the education programs they offer schools and the wide-range of activities for community members. For specific questions about their education programs, contact Monique Streit, Education Director, at monique@yubariver.org. Congratulations to Monique who is the recipient of the AEOE 2024 Northern CA Environmental Educator of the Year award.

News & Events for March 2025

1. School Garden Coalition

School Garden Coalition Seeks Support for SB 341Letter of Support Sign on deadline: March 12, 2025

Description: About SB 341
The California School Garden Coalition seeks support for SB 341 which would update and expand California’s Instructional School Garden Program (ISGP) to include instruction and maintenance so all California students can have ongoing access to garden-based learning.

Why SB 341 Matters

Despite broad support for garden-based education and proven academic, health, and environmental benefits, the vast majority of school gardens remain unused due to a lack of dedicated funding for instructional programs and maintenance.

SB 341 does not provide direct funding but creates a phased plan to bring instructional school gardens to more schools statewide.

Visit the CA School Garden Coalition website to learn more about the details of the legislation and information about providing support.

2. CBP Program Leaders Webinar Series



Date: 12:30-1:30 pm, March 21, 2025
Webinar: Online Community Gathering
Description: Join the California Environmental Literacy Initiative Community- Based Partner Innovation Hub and the Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education in an online webinar for Program Leaders of organizations that work to advance environmental literacy. Learn valuable tips and strategies that will help your organization grow and thrive.

CAELI and AEOE Online Community Gathering

The CAELI Community-Based Partner Innovation Hub and AEOE invite you to participate in a free webinar series for environmental education program leaders.
Meet with other program leaders to discuss the shifting landscape, address current challenges, and crowdsource ideas for how to best support our staff and communities.

Register HERE.

3. Understanding Global Change for Grades 9-12



Date: 4:00-5:30 PM, March 19, 2025
Webinar: CASE Understanding Global Change
Description: Understanding the Earth as a system can help learners of all ages explain how and why our climate and ecosystems are changing and the many ways we can take action in response to these changes. Join us for an interactive virtual workshop about a local phenomenon where participants will be immersed in a data-driven sequence of learning that includes modeling practices using the Understanding Global Change (UGC) Earth System Modeling Tools. Participants will also learn how the UGC Framework can support the planning of interdisciplinary instruction to interweave global change topics across curricula. CASE invites K-12 educators to participate in this workshop series on Understanding Global Change.
Jessica Bean, PhD, is a scientist and educator at the Museum of Paleontology at UC Berkeley. She is the leader of the Understanding Global Change Project and the Director of Outreach and Science for the FieldScope community science platform. She designs tools for learning about the Earth as a dynamic, interconnected system that help learners understand and engage in the process of science. Jessica studies how marine invertebrates respond to and provide records of environmental change along the California coast, has taught college and graduate level biology and Earth science courses, and partners with K-12 educators across the country to develop and implement new resources for learning about the nature of science.
This workshop is offered for high school educators. Free for CASE Members, $15 for non-members
Register HERE.

4. AEOE 2025 Video Contest

Deadline: April 15, 2025

Contest Theme: What is the value of environmental education?  AEOE invites you to share your perspective on the vital role of environmental education in shaping a sustainable future. In this contest, they want to hear from YOU—their community members—about the impact that environmental education has on individuals, communities, and the planet. Whether you’re an educator, student, advocate, or a passionate nature enthusiast, your voice matters!

Video Contest Guidelines: In your video, explore the importance of environmental education. Share how it has influenced you personally or in your work, the communities you serve, or the broader global environment. Highlight specific examples, experiences, or lessons learned from environmental education.

Click HERE to read the contest guidelines for eligibility, video length and content requirements, judging criteria, how to submit your entry, and prizes.

5. CEE-Change Fellowship 2025


Deadline: April 23, 2025
Description: The Fellowship is NAAEE’s latest initiative to support leadership and innovation in civics and environmental education (CEE) across the country. NAAEE recognizes the value in bringing together environmental and civic engagement educators to learn from each other and collaborate to scale up our impact as we work to create a more equitable and sustainable future.
The CEE-Change Fellowship is a twelve-month fellowship that will provide opportunities to learn, network, and share through online professional development, technical assistance, and face-to-face training. The fellowship will also build a strong foundation for continued professional growth after the program ends. The twelve-month fellowship will take place July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, and Fellows will have the option to extend an additional six months (through December 2026). Fellows will receive continued professional development, networking support, and travel support to attend an in-person Leadership Institute in Shepherdstown, WV, from August 24-29, 2025.

For more information about the 2025 CEE-Change Fellowship and eligibility, please read through the full Request for Proposals. At this time, we can only accept U.S.-based applicants for the 2025–2026 cohort. 

To learn more about the Fellowship or to apply, click HERE.

6. Teach Climate Network Summer Institute



Dates: July 14-15-16, 2025
Location: Virtual
The Teach Climate Network Summer Institute is a virtual, three-day conference focused on climate change education for both formal and non-formal educators.
Join Ten Strands, Climate Generation, and 20 regional climate change education leaders from around North America as we practice what it means to teach climate change as an interdisciplinary, justice-centered issue. 
Are you looking for a community of educational professionals and mentors who can support your climate change knowledge and teaching strategies? Our Summer Institute network is full of educators and climate change practitioners doing just that! Discover best practices, activities, lesson plans, and tools that will help you strengthen your climate curriculum and better support your learners. 
Whether you’re a formal classroom teacher or a non-formal educator, this is the perfect opportunity to grow your climate change education skills and connect with like-minded professionals. Plus, scholarships are available.
On July 16, join us for the California Cohort Day, hosted by Ten Strands! Participants will engage in sessions focused on how to integrate trauma informed practices into climate literacy. It also features special presenters from Ten Strands’ Climate Change and Environmental Justice Program.
Register HERE by June 27.

Living Coast Discovery Center

The Living Coast Discovery Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit zoo and aquarium located on the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Living Coast Discovery Center

The Living Coast Discovery Center is a nonprofit zoo and aquarium located on the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Founded in 1987 as the Chula Vista Nature Interpretive Center, they have served the San Diego community for over 30 years. Their mission is to inspire the community to connect with and care for our coastal environment. Their vision is a thriving natural coast through engaged conservation.

For more than 30 years, the Living Coast Discovery Center has reached thousands of children through field trips, outreaches, scout programs, and other community education programs. On average, they see 70,000 visitors each year, including families, school groups, and special events.

Since opening in 1987, the Living Coast Discovery Center has offered various educational programs on the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Sweetwater Marsh. Each day, they welcome hundreds of students through their doors connecting them with nature to foster curiosity, environmental awareness, and a deeper appreciation for the natural world. By immersing students in outdoor environments, they inspire a lifelong respect for nature and cultivate a generation that understands the importance of environmental stewardship. 

The education program offers Living Labs, field trips, and classroom programs all designed to be fun, engaging, and age-appropriate. Preschool programs include an hour-long lesson and craft facilitated by a Living Coast Education Instructor. K-12 Programs are station-based, with some stations led by Living Coast staff members and docents. Classroom teachers and/or chaperones must lead stations using provided resources if docents are unavailable. The exact program schedule and stations vary by group size and program type. Field trip programming takes approximately 4 hours. The website provides a menu of program offerings and financial support is available for Title 1 schools. Outreach programs bring scientific exploration of the natural world to the classroom, library, or public event! These programs provide hands-on activities, up close animal interactions, dissections, scientific tools, and more! 

The Living Coast Discovery Center participates in conservation and sustainability programs too. This includes their contributions to Team Clapper Rail which is dedicated to the study, restoration, and introduction of the Light-footed Ridgway’s Rail, a state and federally listed endangered species. Their sustainability programs aim to educate their local community on how to sort waste and compost at home. They also offer master composter training courses. 

Animal ambassadors play a unique role in educating the community about their wild counterparts. Through interactive presentations and close-up encounters, they allow individuals to connect with native wildlife while inspiring them to contribute to conservation and protect natural ecosystems. Each ambassador helps to highlight the challenges their species face in the wild, from habitat loss to climate change, fostering a deeper understanding of conservation needs in the region.

To find out more about the Living Coast Discovery Center, visit their website. If you would like information about their education programs, email education@thelivingcoast.org. 

CAELI Partner Portal Resources March 2025

The CAELI County Office of Education Innovation Hub developed this introductory tool to support county offices of education, districts, and schools to understand the requirements of AB 285

1. AB 285 Toolkit



The CAELI County Office of Education Innovation Hub developed this introductory tool to support county offices of education, districts, and schools to understand the requirements of AB 285 and begin taking next steps for implementing grade-appropriate climate change curriculum. What Is California Assembly Bill 285? The bill amended Sections 51210 and 51220 of the California Education Code to require that courses of study for science in grades 1–12 include material “on the causes and effects of climate change, and on the methods to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Appropriate coursework including material on the causes and effects of climate change and methods to mitigate and adapt to climate change shall be offered to pupils as soon as possible, commencing no later than the 2024–25 school year.” Click HERE to read the Toolkit.

2. Children and Nature Network – The Benefits of Nature Toolkit 


In a new toolkit from the Children and Nature Network, access research that shows the health benefits and stewardship outcomes for kids who spend time in nature. Help make the case for the benefits of nature.Kids need to be outside. A joyful childhood, a healthy adulthood and a thriving planet depend on it. Spending time in nature makes kids healthier, happier and smarter. It also helps them become good stewards of the environment. These statements are based on a solid and growing body of research. This toolkit will help you access that research and other resources to “make the case” for equitable access to nature.To learn more, access the Toolkit HERE.

3. NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence


The National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education, initiated by NAAEE in 1994, developed a series of guidelines that set the standards for high-quality environmental education. Each of these publications was developed by a diverse team of professionals, and each has gone through a substantive review by thousands of professionals prior to its publication.

Through the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education, NAAEE is taking the lead in establishing guidelines for the development of balanced, scientifically accurate, and comprehensive environmental education programs and materials. Quality environmental education programs help develop an environmentally literate citizenry that can compete in our global economy; has the skills, knowledge, and inclinations to make well-informed choices; and exercises the rights and responsibilities of members of a community.

The Guidelines for Excellence series includes the following titles: Community Engagement, Early Childhood, EE Programs, EE Materials, K-12 EE, and Professional Development. All are downloadable for free. Learn more about the Guidelines for Excellence in this video featuring Bora Simmons, Director of the National Project for Excellence in EE.

4. NAAEE Webinar- Building Resilience: Strategies for Personal Well-Being




Webinar Recording (2/27/25): Drawing from a decade of experience supporting conservation professionals, Dr. Vik Mohan, a practicing physician and resilience expert, shares evidence-based approaches for thriving in a changing world. This interactive session offers practical tools for navigating workplace challenges, understanding stress responses, and cultivating sustainable support systems. Dr. Mohan combines his medical expertise with real-world insights to help participants develop strategies for maintaining energy and focus while pursuing meaningful and important work.

In this session, Vik shared: evidence-based techniques for managing change, uncertainty, stress, and overwhelm; tools and suggestions for coping with current challenges, and for taking positive action in support of our goals and our own well-being; concrete steps to maintain motivation and purpose in demanding roles; methods for building and strengthening support networks; and ideas to enable us to think differently about and feel more empowered to tackle the challenges we face.

Click HERE to watch the recording.

5. BEETLES Project Resources 




Better Environmental Education, Teaching, Learning & Expertise Sharing or BEETLES, infuses outdoor science programs with research-based approaches and tools to improve science teaching and learning. Their professional learning resources are designed for program leaders to use with field instructors. They provide experiences and rationale about outdoor science instruction designed to inspire instructors to improve their teaching. The student activities inspire students’ wonder and curiosity about the natural world, support their innate tendencies for exploration and guide them to make explanations based on evidence.
BEETLES student activities engage students directly with nature, encourage a scientific mindset, ignite wonder and curiosity, and help students “fall in love” with nature. The activities are student-centered (not instructor-centered), include student discussion of science ideas, help instructors to be “guides on the side,” and empower students to continue exploring and wondering about nature after they leave an outdoor science program. BEETLES activities create opportunities for students to make and share connections to their lives. This makes instruction relevant for students and helps instructors better understand students’ lived experiences and cultural identities. 

BEETLES student activities are learning cycle-based–structured to facilitate students flowing through phases of learning. The activities are written to be “educative” for instructors. That’s why, along with clear step-by-step instructions, there’s information about pedagogy, science background, adjusting for different students, and connections to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). BEETLES materials are aligned with the vision of NGSS to provide students with “3-dimensional” instruction (combining science practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas) in science learning experiences in the outdoors.

Click HERE to review many of the activities provided.