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!
This week, we are excited to introduce the first of our environmental literacy lesson series, Bananas About Bananas, complete with teacher guides, interactive quizzes, and board games for students to play!
This week, we are excited to introduce the first of our environmental literacy lesson series, Bananas About Bananas, complete with teacher guides, interactive quizzes, and board games for students to play!
Bananas About Bananas advances environmental literacy through a series of 3 lessons based on English language arts standards. Bananas About Bananas is a lesson 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.
Click the link below to sign up and receive access to all three lessons in this series!
In the All About Birds program, students will explore the wide variety of birds typically found in our local neighborhoods. Learn about the unique features of bird beaks, feet, and feathers that help these beautiful animals thrive.
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.
In the Farm Discovery fields, garden, and animal pens at Live Earth Farm, students from diverse backgrounds learn how to care for the health of those three interconnected systems. 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.
Fall Farm to Fork Field Trips: For 1st grade through middle school students, this program helps students to make the important connection between farms and the food on their dinner table. Winter Feeling Fine with Fresh Food Field Spring Science Exploration Field Trips: For 1st through 4th graders, grade-specific themes align with NGSS: (1) Structure and Function/Plant Parts; (2) Pollination; (3) Life Cycles; (4) Structure and Function/Internal Plant Parts Sowing the Seeds of Wonder Field Trips: For PreK/K, this program gives young learners hands-on experiences with the source of their food
The event is open to all and free of charge. Join this exciting series of workshops, webinars, and skill shares that will bring together edible educators from around the world.
This series engages medical and public health professionals in discussions that explore prominent issues affecting marginalized people and presents evidence-based methods for integrating best practices for broad implementation.
Hear from prominent Richmond environmental justice organizations about their work to connect with the land as a form of resistance—educating the public, empowering residents, shaping policy, and more.
Recent research from Friends of the Earth concluded that up to 25 percent of California’s public purchasing may be linked to deforestation in sensitive tropical and boreal forests.
From California to Maine, land is being given back to Native American tribes who are committing to managing it for conservation. Some tribes are using traditional knowledge, from how to support wildlife to the use of prescribed fires, to protect their ancestral grounds.
Record-breaking fires over the past decade suggest the western U.S. has entered a new era of megafires. They are fires that produce massive amounts of smoke that can kill thousands of people prematurely and contribute to climate change.
Returning land to its natural state is essential to boost the quality and quantity of the ecosystems that support plant, bird, wildlife, and insect species.
Schools across the UK are being encouraged to start a conversation on climate change with their students, ahead of the UK hosting global climate summit COP26 later this year.
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 wanted to take the time to highlight Marine Science Institute, a partner on the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) Community-Based Partner Hub.
“Marine Science Institute is a safe space for students to have hands-on access, get curious, and have their questions answered!”
Jodi Stewart, Land Program Manager, Marine Science Institute
Marine Science Institute is a nonprofit that was started in 1970 in Redwood City, CA with the mission to get people outside and to have hands-on access to the San Francisco Bay. Their flagship program, The Discovery Voyage, takes students out to the water on their vessel, allowing them to come in contact with live animals, use science equipment, and ask questions!
We are excited to share the interview we had with Jodi Stewart, Land Program Manager at Marine Science Institute (MSI). She has over 10 years of experience working in Environmental Education and eight years with the Marine Science Institute.
Her current role involves overseeing 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 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 is here to support 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. Exploration is done completely remote, using footage from the MSI aquarium and in the field, Google Slides, Nearpod, and Zoom. Teachers may also select the virtual meeting platform if desired.
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.
Come and join us at this important event where we will have a local and global dialogue between the general public, Scientists, and representatives of different UK Government Agencies, such as the Environment Agency, Natural England, Sussex Inshore Fisheries, and Conservation Authority.
Karen Cowe, Ten Strands’ CEO, and Linda Livers, Ten Strands’ consultant, interviewed three staff members of the Park Day School in Oakland, California: Angela Taylor, head of school; Jennifer Cooper, facilities manager; and Josie Shapiro, director of admissions.
Countries are on track to miss the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relating to environmental protection, two UN entities warn in a new report issued on Saturday to coincide with the International Day for Biological Diversity.
MIDDLE EAST – International bodies and pressure groups are calling for climate change studies to become a standard part of the school curriculum worldwide, saying the step is vital to reach targets on cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
When Sidney Beukes got his bus driver’s license, he never imagined himself behind the wheel of a 40-year-old school bus that has been turned into a mobile grocery store serving low-income residents of Johannesburg…
In a new report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says that to achieve net-zero emissions, all new investments in fossil fuel projects must be ended. It calls for the rapid adoption of renewable energy and a research and development program to develop future technologies.
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.
We are continuing our Green Living series this week with Part 2: 15 Actions for Green Living Checklist! In case you missed last week’s bulletin, we discussed how individual actions of environmental literacy can play a major role in the fight against climate change. Read last week’s bulletin here.
In case you missed last week’s bulletin, we discussed how individual actions of environmental literacy can play a major role in the fight against climate change. Read last week’s bulletin here.
This week, we wanted to provide a green living checklist that can serve as a guide for your green journey! From creating a greener home, implementing lifestyle changes, or actively engaging with your community, our checklist is a great place to get started as you begin acting on your environmental literacy!
Are you interested in becoming certified as an environmental educator? Considering applying to California’s Environmental Educator Certification Program (EECP) and want to learn more? Join our info session to hear an overview of the program. Be sure to bring your questions!
Our Ecosystem, Our Community: Greening Urban Watersheds is a hands-on, flexible middle school curriculum. Teachers will gain lesson plans for 5 in-class (distance or in-person) lessons and 7 homework/asynchronous assignments, details on where to obtain lesson materials, and how to teach outdoor science and support students’ mental health even from home.
The session is open to all who share an interest in and commitment to climate education, including high school and college students, teachers and administrators, and community educators.
Climate change and water scarcities are front and center in the western U.S. The region’s climate is warming, a severe multi-year drought is underway and groundwater supplies are being overpumped in many locations.
The Biden administration will this week unveil a plan to conserve 30% of US lands and waters by 2030. The plan offers a strategy to encourage indigenous tribes, farmers, and ranchers to voluntarily protect land, including by enrolling territory in existing federal conservation programs and the creation of new parks near urban areas.
Living among fracking wells is linked to higher rates of hospitalizations and deaths due to heart attacks, according to a new study. The study, published in the Journal of Environmental Research, compared heart attack rates in Pennsylvania counties with fracking to those without.
Two years ago, New York enshrined the most ambitious statewide climate targets in the country. The legislation, called the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, requires the state to completely decarbonize its electric grid by 2040.
