This week we are so excited to share the latest news and events taking place in the environmental education sector.

From upcoming workshops to updates to the CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub, we have rounded up some helpful articles and resources that can help advance environmental literacy in your community.

Exploring Biodiversity with K-2 Students

Professional Learning Workshop

This virtual professional learning workshop focuses on building teacher capacity for integrating environmental literacy instruction and science instruction in K–2. This workshop and the corresponding pilots are designed to provide teachers with the confidence and instructional materials to advance environmental literacy in their classrooms.

Important Dates:

November 17th: Workshop 4:30-6:30 PM Pacific Time 

November 17th – February 18th: Pilots, surveys, and challenge submissions (optional) 

February 25th: Class engagement challenge winners announced 

Register by Nov 12th!

COP 26 News and Updates

Collective Elevation Resources for K-12 Educators

The Uk is hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow from 31 October – 12 November 2021. COP26 is a conference that unites the world under the common goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Here are a few of the goals COP26 leaders hope to achieve:

1. Secure global net-zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach

2. Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats

3. Mobilise finance

4. Work together to deliver

New Partners on the Hub!

In the month of October, we had 8 new community-based partners join the CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub!

Let’s give a warm welcome to:

• Friends of the Dunes
• Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
• Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation
• Escondido Creek Conservancy
• Metropolitan Transportation Commission | Spare the Air Youth
• Sea Hugger
• Utility Exploration Center
• San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy

News and Events

Best Practices of Outdoor Learning: What Does It Mean to Move from an Indoor Educator to an Outdoor Educator?
Nov. 10, 2021 National Wildlife Federation

In this second workshop of the Schoolyard Habitats® Webinar Series, we will hear from a panel of experienced teachers who regularly use their schoolyard habitats and communities as outdoor classrooms.

Explore Climate Solutions with free En-ROADS Climate Simulator
Nov. 10, 2021 Tenafly Library Friends

Susan Golden for an hour-long interactive workshop to see which of our actions have the biggest impacts on mitigating climate change. We will also look at the equity concerns and co-benefits of our actions.

Exploring Biodiversity with K-2 Students: PD Workshop
Nov. 17, 2021 Green Guardians

This virtual professional learning workshop and the corresponding pilots are designed to provide teachers with the confidence and instructional materials to advance environmental literacy in their classrooms.

Africa’s first continent-wide survey of climate change literacy finds education is key
Oct. 29, 2021 The Conversation

Researchers from the University of Cape Town, South Africa and the University of Connecticut published work in Nature Climate Change studying the magnitude of this challenge by looking at rate of climate change literacy in Africa.

Photos show a climate change crisis unfolding—and hope for the future
Oct. 29, 2021 National Geographic

Melting ice, wildfires, heat waves, floods: These images show life in a warming world, and solutions to address it.

Opinion: Make environmental literacy required learning
Nov. 01, 2021 Montreal Gazette

Canada – The study of climate science and sustainability should become as basic as math, biology and language.

How do the U.N. forest declarations compare?
Nov. 04, 2021 Mongabay

On November 2, 2021 at the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference (#COP26), 127 countries signed the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use which commits them to eliminate forest loss by 2030 as part of their collective efforts to combat climate change…

COP26: Everything to know about the climate change summit on 4 November
Nov. 04, 2021 World Economic Forum

This round-up brings you everything you need to know about the COP26 climate summit, climate change and greenhouse gas emissions targets.

To sensitize students about climate change, overhaul environment education in Indian schools
Nov. 04, 2021 Firstpost

Developing self-reliance through environmental education in students requires an active engagement with local communities that have adopted sustainable practices over generation.

Nadhim Zahawi: Climate change to be at the heart of education
Nov. 05, 2021 Public Sector Executive

Speaking at COP26, the Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has announced a range of new measures to centre climate change as a key part of education.

This week, we are excited to share some of the programs available this fall for K-12 students through the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) Community-Based Partner Hub (the Hub)! 

With a wide array of programs offered throughout the fall season, the Hub is a great place to start when looking for environmental education-focused field trips, camps, competitions, and more! Our environmental education community-based partners have programs for students of all ages with a variety of free and fee-based opportunities.

Don’t wait to sign up for your 2021 fall program! See the list of available programs below, and visit the Hub to learn more!

Fall Programs

Bird School Project Life Science Unit Field Trips – Grades 5-12, Half & Full Days, Fee

Bird School Virtual Class Visits Virtual – Grade 7, Fee

City of Santa Cruz Resource Recovery Tour Field Trip – Grades 3-12 & Adults, Free

Classroom Aquarium Education Program (aka Trout in the Classroom) Field Trip, Virtual, School-based, Workshop – All Grades, Fee

Coastal Art & Poetry Contest Competition – Grades K-12, Free

Coastal Institute Field Trip, Residential Camp – Grades K-12, Half & Full Days, Fee

Distance Learning: Cal Academy of Sciences Virtual – Grades K-8, Free

Emerald Bay Overnight Science Camp Residential Camp – Grades 5-12, Fee

Energize Schools Competition, Educational Event, School-Based, Virtual, Professional Development – All Grades, Free

Enhanced Whale Watching Cruise (1st-6th) Field Trip, After-School, Camp – Grades K-6, Full & Half Day Field Trip, Residential & Day Camp

Fall: Trees as Habitat After-School, Homeschool, Professional Development, Virtual – Grades K-3, Fee

Farm Discovery at Live Earth Field Trips Field Trip – All Grades, Half & Full Days, Fee

Forestry Challenge Competition, Educational Event – Grades 9-12, Fee

Heal the Bay Aquarium Field Trips Field Trip, Virtual – All Grades, Fee

Living Classroom After School/Enrichment After-School, Educational Event, School-Based, Virtual – Grades K-8, Fee

Marine Protected Area Science Cruises (7th-12th grade) Field Trip – Grades 6-12, Full Day, Fee

Marine Science Institute  

• Canoes in Sloughs – 6-12 Grades, Adults, Fee 
• Discovery Voyage – 4-12 Grades, Adults, Fee 
• Inland Voyage – All Grades, Fee 
• Shoreside – All Grades, Fee 
• Tidepool – 3-12 Grades & Adults, Fee 

Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District Let’s Go Outdoors – All Grades, Field Trip, Free

Rock! Pattern! Systems!  Field trip, School-Based – Grade 4, Full Day, Free

School & Group Environmental Science in Yosemite National Park Residential Camp – Grades 4-12, Fee

Spaces & Species Field Trip Field Trip, School-Based, Virtual – Grades 3-5, Full Day, Free

Ocean Conservation Leaders – Grades 9-12, After School or Virtual, Fee

Waterwise Community Center Instructor-Led Field Trips Field Trip, Homeschool, School-based – Grades K-12, Free

You(th) Be the Change – Grades 6-8, Afterschool, virtual, school-based, Free 

Contextual-based learning is a teaching strategy that helps teachers relate subject matter content to real-world situations and encourages students to recognize the connection between the knowledge gained in the classroom and its application to their daily lives. Teachers should integrate environmental education through contextual-based learning because it connects content to real-life and “centers on the belief that both the social context of the learning environment and the real, concrete context of knowing are pivotal to the acquisition and processing of knowledge.” (Source: Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012).  

A few of the strategies behind contextual-based learning include: 

• Problem-based learning
• Cooperative learning
• Project-based learning 

Learn more about the connection between environmental education and contextual-based learning on our blog!

Relevant Links 

CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub

The Hub promotes environmental literacy by building educator awareness of environmental education community-based partners and their products and services and fosters educator-partner relationships for increased student enrichment and engagement.

California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI)

The California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI), led by Ten Strands, works statewide with guidance from a leadership council to create systems change in support of environmental literacy with a focus on access, equity, and cultural relevance for all students.

Ten Strands

Ten Strands weaves stakeholders and strategies together into strong, focused education partnerships, with the goal of raising environmental literacy by providing high-quality environment-based learning and hands-on education to all California K–12 students. Ten Strands acts as an incubator and a catalyst to create collaborations, build capacity, and transform systems to increase their impact and sustainability.

PBS Grade K-2 Lesson: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 

In this media-rich lesson featuring LOOP SCOOPS videos, students consider how the concept of “needs” vs. “wants” can help them think about ways to protect Earth’s natural resources by reducing, reusing, and recycling materials. 

LEGO Grades 1-5 Lesson: Sort to Recycle 

Students design a device that sorts objects using their physical properties, including shape and size. 

CELF Grade 2 Project: Composting 

Students start a composting program in the school in partnership with a local community garden. Students will also create a presentation to share with the school to raise awareness on the issues of waste.

Human Impact on the Elkhorn Slough and its Watershed 

The multiple piece lesson focuses on observing human impacts on the Elkhorn Slough and its watershed and then applying that information to management questions. 

Living with the Land: An Environmental Study through Ohlone Worldview 

Living with the Land allows students to explore human relationships with the natural world from the perspective of Ohlone indigenous knowledge and contrasting western science approaches. By observing the wetland’s past and present, students learn about what wetlands provide and how humans impact this habitat.   

News and Events

Climate Change Impacts on California Biodiversity
Aug. 12, 2021 California Native Plant Society

This lecture will provide an overview of the science behind species distributions, and our projections and evidence of how plants are shifting in response to climate change, followed by a discussion about implications for conservation.

What We Learned: Climate and the Environment with Director Debbie Raphael
Aug. 12, 2021 Manny’s

Climate change is here and making an impact in our daily lives. Now, as we return to relatively normal life, have we learned anything about our relationship with the environment and the opportunities to save it?

7th Annual UMD Environmental Justice and Health Disparities Symposium
Aug. 19, 2021 Community Engagement, EJ, & Health (CEEJH)

This event will convene numerous community members, nonprofit organizers, and researchers for an in-depth examination of ongoing environmental justice and health disparity issues affecting the DC-Maryland-Virginia region.

How Can We Learn When Our Earth is Burning?
Aug. 03, 2021 The 74

This July, air quality worsened from Oregon to Maine as wildfire smoke traveled across northern states. New Yorkers woke up to an orange sun, and Utah’s worst drought turned deadly as a sandstorm blocked visibility on a major highway.

How to make our cities greener, healthier, wilder, and fairer
Aug. 05, 2021 World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum is collaborating with the Government of Colombia on BiodiverCities by 2030, a new global initiative to support city governments, businesses, and citizens to create an urban development model that works in harmony with nature.

As Enviro Education Tries To Keep Up With the Times, Govt Plans Stay Unclear
Aug. 05, 2021 The Wire

At present, Indian schools teach the environment as an infused subject. Several organizations are working to inculcate ideas about the environment and sustainable living among children. But the question remains: how far can these efforts go without the right policy?

How to cultivate environmental awareness at schools
Aug. 05, 2021 Nation of Change

How to tell children about ecology to show them respect for the environment and not turn such a lesson into a routine? Let’s take a deeper look at some options and how anyone can apply them in real life and class.

How joining a climate program could save Western Pennsylvania kids’ lives and lungs
Aug. 05, 2021 EHN

As Pennsylvania moves to join a regional greenhouse gas initiative, experts say it will also reduce toxics, foster healthier kids, and save the state billions. But GOP policymakers and industry groups remain opposed.

California’s Farmers Face Unprecedented Water Restrictions
Aug. 05, 2021 Gizmodo

The State Water Board moved to stop some Central Valley farmers from irrigating their crops with water diverted from rivers and streams.

This new technology could help cool people down—without electricity
Aug. 05, 2021 National Geographic

As climate change brings more extreme heat, air conditioning use is going to skyrocket, baking the planet even more. What if there were a way to cool without making warming worse?

This week, we are excited to highlight classroom lessons, experiential learning programs, and other resources surrounding the topic of land resource conservation. Our goal is to share tools that will improve student’s understanding of resource conservation and encourage environmental literacy. 

Conservation can be defined as “the care and protection of the earth so it can persist for future generations through using natural resources responsibly” (Source: Educators 4 Social Change). It’s important to teach students about resource conservation because:

• They develop a greater appreciation for the natural resources used in their daily lives 
• They feel more connected to nature and see themselves as having a role in its future 
• They learn how to protect the land they live on and its natural resources 

Learn more and see related lessons, projects, and additional resources on our blog!

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

Relevant Links

Programs

Save the Bay | Bay Discovery 

The Bay Discovery program brings students to the shoreline to gain a deeper understanding of San Francisco Bay, local wetlands, and our rich relationship to them. Save The Bay’s field staff lead students in educational activities that teach about the history and ecology of wetlands, as well as restoration activities that exhibit the positive impact we can have on our environment. After learning about threats such as climate change, pollution, and invasive species, participants engage in activities to restore the shoreline and improve habitat for a healthier, more sustainable San Francisco Bay for now and generations to come. 

CA Department of Fish and Wildlife | Trout in the Classroom 

Through a classroom experience of hatching fish eggs and coordinated activities, students experience first-hand the value of aquatic environments, the balance that must be met to maintain and preserve California’s fisheries and aquatic habitats, and how their personal actions affect these valuable resources. Instructors and their students set up an aquarium in the classroom, receive fish eggs under a special CDFW permit, and observe the fish as they hatch and develop. 

Farm Discovery at Live Earth | Farm Field Trips 

Through sustainable farming and hands-on nutrition education, Farm Discovery field trip participants learn how caring for themselves can also support healthy ecosystems, economies, and communities.   Farm Discovery field trips (conducted throughout the school year) expand student understanding of environmental issues, farming, and nutrition through experiential activities on a working organic produce farm.   

Human Impact on the Elkhorn Slough and its Watershed 

The multiple piece lesson focuses on observing human impacts on the Elkhorn Slough and its watershed and then applying that information to management questions. 

Living with the Land: An Environmental Study through Ohlone Worldview 

Living with the Land allows students to explore human relationships with the natural world from the perspective of Ohlone indigenous knowledge and contrasting western science approaches. By observing the wetland’s past and present, students learn about what wetlands provide and how humans impact this habitat.   

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History | Nature Rangers 

Students practice being naturalists by making observations and comparing natural communities and different ecosystems as they go on a 2-mile hike through Pogonip Open Space Preserve. Thinking about nature as a system, physically connecting these ecosystems by walking through them and collecting data to compare them, help students better understand the environment and begin to realize they too are part of natural systems. 

CA State Parks | PORTS On-Demand 

Programs span across a variety of topics ranging from marine conservation to desert habitats, giant Sequoias to mysteries of the deep sea, and the snowy caps of the Northern Sierra to the sunny shores of Southern California. In addition to exploring natural resources and science, PORTS offers the opportunity to connect with our cultural and historic resources as well including restored indigenous heritage sites and preserved Gold Rush communities among countless others. 

NatureBridge | School & Group Environmental Science in Yosemite National Park 

Students spend their days immersed in nature, living and learning alongside their peers. Led in small groups by experienced educators, students engage in scientific principles firsthand, explore ecological concepts, collaborate with their classmates, and apply their learnings in real-time, all while discovering the joy of the outdoors.   

 
Professional Development Programs 

Environmental Educator Certification Program 

California’s Environmental Educator Certification Program (EECP) draws together stewards and educators of the environment into a structured and effective initiative. Certification is a public declaration that a certain individual meets a stringent level of requirements and has a specific set of skills. The EECP enhances the legitimacy of the EE profession by building a uniform foundation in effectively teaching about the environment. Additionally, through participation in the certification program, educators increase their knowledge and skills, expand their professional network, enhance their resumes, and make important connections across the state. 

 
Environteers.org and Environteers Weekly Update 

The Environteers.org website and Weekly Update feature and promote all 102 environmental entities in Santa Cruz County. They both publicize environmental education activities and volunteer opportunities with the mission of making it easy to keep informed and in action protecting and restoring our environment. Environteers.org provides the most comprehensive resources for environmental information and action in Santa Cruz County. 

Applicable Lesson Plans  

• My Journey to Zero Waste  
• Bananas About Bananas 

News and Events

Urban Nature-Based Early Childhood Education
Aug. 02-23, 2021 Urban Ecology Center

This course will scaffold experiences that show you how to accomplish early childhood learning goals through nature-based experiences and outdoor exploration.

Intro to Electric Vehicle Lessons for Schools: Southern California
Aug. 11, 2021 Ecorise

This interactive workshop will provide an opportunity for teachers to experience lessons related to their scope and sequence and explore the curriculum and resource platform.

Communicating Climate Change
Aug 14-15, 2021 Genspace NYC

Gain skills to connect with people from all walks of life about your science and climate change in a compelling and meaningful way.

These 10 States Are Leading Solar Energy Installation in 2021
Jul. 21, 2021 EcoWatch

Solar energy has been among the fastest-growing sources of power generation in the U.S. in recent years, catapulting from 1.2 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of generation in 2010 to over 90.1 billion kWh in 2020…

Scientists understood physics of climate change in the 1800s – thanks to a woman named Eunice Foote
Jul. 22, 2021 The Conversation

Long before the current political divide over climate change, and even before the U.S. Civil War (1861-1865), an American scientist named Eunice Foote documented the underlying cause of today’s climate change crisis.

Catching fire: AI is helping scarce firefighters better predict blazes
Jul. 22, 2021 Thomson Reuters Foundation News

With climate change driving worsening U.S. wildfires, machine learning and statistical models let firefighters map out ahead of time how and where blazes might spread.

Global restoration now has an online meeting point
Jul. 23, 2021 Mongabay

Restor is a map-based, open-source platform created so that people can better plan, manage and monitor restoration projects. The locations of more than 50,000 restoration and conservation initiatives are now registered on the platform.

Is Climate Change Reshaping The Future of International Diplomacy?
Jul. 27, 2021 Earth.org

Could the environmental crisis be one of such massive proportions that it transcends political squabbles, and even become a tool for international peacebuilding?

Why climate change education needs more empathy
Jul. 28, 2021 OUPblog

As citizens of this planet, we remain at an impasse when it comes to drastically changing the course of our environmental futures. At the heart of this impasse are climate change and the future of human and more-than-human survival.

Honeybees are transforming the lives of mangrove farmers in Viet Nam – here’s how
Jul. 29, 2021 World Economic Forum

Climate change is forcing farmers to adapt and find sustainable farming techniques. To close employment gaps, local farmers have been training as beekeepers since 2017. The project aims to protect at least 129,000 people through mangrove regeneration by 2022.

With climate change at the forefront of everyone’s minds, it’s important to educate students on the impact our society has on the natural environment. This week, we are discussing the importance of environmental education and how green schools can act as a catalyst for a more sustainable future where we can address the effects of climate change and take those learnings outside of the classroom. 

The benefits of teaching environmental education are numerous, but the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) highlights these as an example: 

• Improves academic achievement 
• Encourages environmental stewardship 
• Deepens personal development and wellbeing 
• Strengthens communities 

From transitioning to a green campus to integrating environmental education into the curriculum, we are excited to share a few ways that teachers and K-12 school administrators can work with Green Guardians to integrate environmental education into the K-12 school system and support students’ learning both in and beyond the classroom. 

Read more about environmental education and how green schools can help students better understand their impact on the world around them: Read Article Here

Relevant Links 

American Rescue Plan: Five Guiding Principles | UndauntedK12

“Five Guiding Principles: How Districts Can Use COVID Relief Funds to Advance Healthy, Green Schools” provides useful, actionable information for school districts as they consider how to use these relief funds to meet local needs. The brief identifies examples of school facility improvements as well as curriculum and training that both align with allowed uses and provide long-term benefits.

Calculate your Carbon Footprint with Global Footprint Network 

Humans use as many ecological resources as if we lived on 1.6 Earths. The Ecological Footprint is the only metric that compares the resource demand of individuals, governments, and businesses against Earth’s capacity for biological regeneration. Calculate your Carbon Footprint today! 

iNaturalist  

Every observation can contribute to biodiversity science, from the rarest butterfly to the most common backyard weed. iNaturalist shares your findings with scientific data repositories like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to help scientists find and use your data. All you have to do is observe. 

K12 Climate Action  

Their mission is to unlock the power of the education sector to be a force toward climate action, solutions, and environmental justice to help prepare children and youth to advance a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable society. 

National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) | Benefits of Environmental Education

Environmental education (EE) is often lauded by educators as an ideal way to integrate academic disciplines, stimulate the academic and social growth of young people, and promote conservation of the natural environment. 

One Planet Living Framework   

Based on learning from the BedZED eco-village, Bioregional created the One Planet Living sustainability framework – comprising ten simple principles and detailed goals and guidance – and developed it together with WWF. 

Project Learning Tree | Research into the Benefits of Environmental Education

A growing base of research is documenting the impacts of environmental education. 

SMCOE Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Initiative   

Explore Andra’s site for the San Mateo County Office of Education. You’ll find a seemingly endless number of useful resources and information on the work SMCOE is doing. These paid fellowships build teacher and administrative capacity for driving sustainable and climate-resilient transformative change in their classroom and school communities. 

Sustainable and Climate Resilient Schools Educator Fellowships  

These paid fellowships build teacher and administrative capacity for driving sustainable and climate-resilient transformative change in their classroom and school communities. 

News and Events

Our Parks and Conservation Future: A Conversation with Doug McConnell
Jul 27, 2021 Sempervirens Fund

In this webinar series, we invite experts and thinkers to join us to explore our magnificent redwood forests, what makes redwoods so special, why they thrive here and nowhere else in the world, and what they mean to us in our lives.

League for Green Leaders
Jul. 29, 2021 Springbay Studio

This online climate-action competition for children aims to motivate and quantify behavior change towards a sustainable lifestyle by inviting children to play to learn, play together and play for our future.

2021 Virtual Summer Institute for Educators
Aug 02–06, 2021 Community Works Institute

Join Community Works Institute’s (CWI) acclaimed Virtual Summer Institute, powerful learning, and design lab for K-16 and community-based educators.

How to build a better, fairer, greener, safer world for children
Jul. 15, 2021 Financial Times

Voters and scientists must ensure politicians prioritize long-term measures to save our Earthly home…

What’s in wildfire smoke? A toxicologist explains the health risks and which masks can help
Jul. 15, 2021 The Conversation

Fire and health officials began issuing warnings about wildfire smoke several weeks earlier than normal this year. With almost the entire U.S. West in drought, signs already pointed to a long, dangerous fire season ahead.

CA Approves $6M to Climate Change and Environmental Justice Curriculum
Jul. 16, 2021 Ten Strands

Senator Ben Allen’s proposal passes, providing funds to create new open education resource (OER) curriculum units for K–12 students.

Climate change goals and oil production are clashing in the U.S.
Jul. 19, 2021 National Geographic

If we’re to avoid extreme warming, all drilling for oil needs to stop now, experts say, but U.S. fossil fuel production is continuing.

5 things you need to know about the new global framework to manage nature
Jul. 21, 2021 World Economic Forum

The Secretariat of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has released the first draft of its new Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. It outlines action plans to protect, restore and sustainably manage nature and transform society’s relationship with the natural world.

Ask the Expert: How Can Teachers Address Climate Change in the Classroom?
Jul. 22, 2021 NC State University News

Addressing the topic of climate change in the classroom involves more than just teaching about science and data, says K.C. Busch, Ph.D., an assistant professor of science education in the NC State College of Education.

Betting big on bioacoustics: Q&A with philanthropist Lisa Yang
Jul. 22, 2021 Mongabay

Last month, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology announced the receipt of a $24 million donation to catalyze the field of conservation bioacoustics, which uses sound data to understand and monitor species, habitats, ecological processes, and environmental health.

This week, we are excited to highlight classroom materials, experiential learning programs, and other resources surrounding the topic of waste management! Our goal is to advance environmental literacy by sharing tools that will improve student’s understanding of waste management. 

Waste management can be defined as the actions and process of managing waste from its creation to its disposal. It is important to teach students about waste management because:

• It makes them more aware of their surroundings 
• They become more conscious consumers 
• They become aware of our environmental crises 
• They become confident environmental stewards 

Learn more about waste management and see related lessons, projects, and additional resources on our blog: Green Guardians Blog

Relevant Links

CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub

Lesson Series | My Journey to Zero Waste 

Lesson Series | Bananas About Bananas

Hub Program | Bay Discovery – Save the Bay   

Hub Program | Elkus Ranch Educational Tours – Elkus Ranch    

Hub Program | Schoolyard Cleanup Program – California Coastal Commission   

Hub Program | Trash Academy/ La Academia De Basura – Season 1  

Hub Program | Virtual Learning – Recology Waste Zero    

Hub Program | Watsonville Green Schools Waste Reduction Assistance   

News and Events

Summer Institute for Climate Change Education: Atlanta, Houston, South Florida Cohort
Jul. 28–30, 2021 Climate Generation

Gain the skills, tools, and resources to teach climate change concepts and empower students in all subject areas, and receive ongoing support throughout the year.

California Water Institute for Teachers – Solano
Aug. 04–06, 2021 Water Education Foundation

The Solano Institute provides comprehensive multi-day teacher training for K-12 teachers, focused on Solano County water resources and open spaces. The training will highlight the region’s complex water resources, the importance of open spaces, and first-hand experiential learning opportunities.

Climate High-School Education Teacher Educator Retreat
Aug. 10–13, 2021 Kennebunkport Climate Initiative (KCI)

High school educators will learn how to incorporate climate change education into their curriculum and leave with a plan to put hands-on community-based lessons into action at your school.

A third of Wisconsin’s wolves killed after losing protections this year, study says
Jul. 09, 2021 National Geographic

A hunt killed more than 200 wolves, and poaching may have increased since Endangered Species Act protections ended in January.

Giant Pandas No Longer Endangered Thanks to Conservation Efforts, China Says
Jul. 09, 2021 EcoWatch

Officials announced Wednesday that successful conservation efforts had increased the iconic animals’ population to 1,800, CNN reported. They are now considered “vulnerable.”

OPINION: It’s time to reform India’s environmental education
Jul. 13, 2021 Thomson Reuters Foundation News

In a country heavily at risk from climate change impacts, teachers and students need to understand the threats – and opportunities – better.

Top 7 Smart Cities in the World
Jul. 13, 2021 Earth.org

Smart cities like Singapore, New York, and Seoul have made huge strides in their smart city initiatives and in adopting innovative smart technologies as a way to make their home cities more energy efficient and minimizing carbon emissions.  Here’s how seven cities are doing it.

We read the 495-page Energy Infrastructure Bill: it’s a kick in the gut to climate justice
Jul. 13, 2021 Friends of the Earth

The bill proposes spending 70 times as much on dirty and extractive energy than renewables.

This week, we are excited to share some of the programs related to our new environmental literacy lesson series: My Journey to Zero Waste! These programs are available for students and families through the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) Community-Based Partner Hub (the Hub). 

My Journey to Zero Waste teaches environmental literacy for Kindergarten and First graders through 5 lessons where students explore their environmental impact through two birthday parties: a typical party and a zero-waste party. Throughout the 5 lessons, students learn how waste is generated, what happens to the waste we create, the benefits of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle), how to calculate waste, and gain an understanding of their own individual impact on sustainability and the environment. 

The Hub is a great tool for teachers to identify local environmental education programs that relate to lessons taught in the classroom. Today, we wanted to highlight a few programs that cover environmental literacy domains present within the My Journey to Zero Waste lesson series: Environmental Justice, Green Guardianship, Pollution, Resource Conservation, and Waste Management. 

Visit the Hub today and use the filters to find the right programs that relate to your lesson plans. Filter by program type, topic, grade level, cost, location, and more!

Here we have highlighted a few programs below that can help students expand on their learning in the My Journey to Zero Waste lesson series: 

Bay Discovery – Save the Bay  

Learn about the role our local wetlands and waterways play in waste management and how we can become better guardians of our environment.  

Elkus Ranch Educational Tours – Elkus Ranch   

Learn about sustainability and waste management on the ranch through one of Elkus Ranch’s guided tours.  

Schoolyard Cleanup Program – California Coastal Commission  

Organize and or participate in a Coastal Cleanup Day on a field trip to a beach or local waterway, become environmental stewards of your schoolyard, gain experience in real-world data collection and problem-solving.  

Trash Academy/ La Academia De Basura – Season 1 

Through a series of lessons, videos, surveys, and projects, students will learn how to identify different plastic, the life stages of plastics, and even apply course materials onto our Home Audit project, where students will categorize different plastics by resin ID code, identify its producer, brand and collaborate to identify the top plastic polluting brands entering their communities.  

Virtual Learning – Recology Waste Zero  

Recology currently offers a suite of online resources for students and families that is free and accessible online. Resources include virtual tours, videos, and worksheets, as well as opportunities to arrange live virtual field trips with a Recology educator.  

Watsonville Green Schools Waste Reduction Assistance  

Watsonville Green Schools: Waste Reduction Assistance Training and support for the food scrap collection system for your cafeteria. Advice to improve your school waste reduction: food recovery, food scarp collection, blue cart recyclables, and more. Classroom and cafeteria educational presentations are offered. 

Are you interested in teaching the My Journey to Zero Waste lesson series in your classroom? Sign up today to receive the full lesson series kit! 

Relevant Links

CAELI Community-Based Partner Hub

The Hub promotes environmental literacy by building educator awareness of environmental education community-based partners and their products and services and fosters educator-partner relationships for increased student enrichment and engagement.

California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI)

The California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI), led by Ten Strands, works statewide with guidance from a leadership council to create systems change in support of environmental literacy with a focus on access, equity, and cultural relevance for all students.

Ten Strands

Ten Strands weaves stakeholders and strategies together into strong, focused education partnerships, with the goal of raising environmental literacy by providing high-quality environment-based learning and hands-on education to all California K–12 students. Ten Strands acts as an incubator and a catalyst to create collaborations, build capacity, and transform systems to increase their impact and sustainability.

News and Events

Climate Education and Action to drive the SDGs
Jul. 15, 2021 Center For Sustainable Development, The Earth Institute, Columbia University

This HLPF 2021 side event will help to operationalize SDG 4.7 by developing a series of consensus-building sessions on various themes, such as classroom-based pedagogies, teacher Professional development, curriculum development, and aligning of lesson plans.

Urban Ecology Center Institute Summer 2021 Online Intensive
Jul. 15 – Aug. 12, 2021 Urban Ecology Center

This interactive online course will cover the intersecting themes of transforming kids, parks, cities, and the world.

iNaturalist Online Training
Jul. 21, 2021 Frankston City Council

Come along and learn how to use the world’s most popular nature app- iNaturalist and contribute to citizen science and conservation efforts.

Are Canadian schools raising climate-literate citizens?
Jul. 06, 2021 Corporate Knights

Without consistent K–12 climate change content, Canada faces a climate leadership gap.

Outdoor Environmental Education Grants Awarded for Watershed Studies
Jul. 06, 2021 The Southern Maryland Chronicle

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced $160,000 in awards for student and youth outdoor science and watershed education in the state.

Could dehydrating meat and vegetables help solve the global food waste problem?
Jul. 06, 2021 World Economic Forum

A food-tech company in Mumbai is converting farm food waste into preserved produce using dehydration technology. Solar-powered food preservation could prove vital in tackling global food waste, with 931 million tonnes going to landfill each year.

5 ways you can keep the planet clean this summer
Jul. 06, 2021 National Geographic

Suppose we clean up our messes and recycle what can be salvaged. Isn’t that how Mother Nature would want us to behave?

Greater investment and innovation in educating children about environmental issues needed to help future generations respond to the climate emergency, experts urge
Jul. 07, 2021 FE News

Environmental education provision needs greater investment and innovation if future generations are to be able to respond fully to the climate emergency, experts have said.

Climate change: The need to incorporate climate education into school curriculum
Jul. 07, 2021 Financial Express

Educating children about Sustainable Development means advancing the information, abilities, perspectives, and qualities important to conserve our planet.

‘Sometimes the Good Guys Win’: Company Cancels Plans for Oil Pipeline Through Black Neighborhoods in Memphis
Jul. 07, 2021 Gizmodo

Organizers in Tennessee are claiming victory over the widely maligned Byhalia Connection pipeline project.