Category: Uncategorized

CPB Feature for September 2025

The Escondido Creek Conservancy‘s mission is to preserve and restore the Escondido Creek watershed in northern San Diego County. Founded in 1991, their primary priority initially was to acquire land for preservation. Since then, they have helped preserve more than 7,000 acres in or adjacent to the Escondido Creek watershed. Their education department was created in 2009 out of the recognition that without environmental education, the problems confronting their watershed, community, and planet would persist. Providing environmental education and access to outdoor experiences that foster environmental stewardship is the primary goal of their education department. They believe that, through the Conservancy’s leadership, the Escondido Creek watershed will become a model of vibrant urban communities and viable natural ecosystems thriving together for a better Escondido and a better world.

Escondido Creek Conservancy Education Program options include a range of topics. 

Habitats (for ages 8-13) – where students discover the interrelationships between native wildlife, native plants, the biological communities they inhabit, and the impact human activities have on these ecosystems. 

Adaptations (for ages 8-13) – where students get outdoors and discover how different native plants and animals adapt and survive in their native habitat. What can the shape of a bird’s beak tell you about its diet?  Why are most of the trees in the Elfin Forest so small? Why is it so important to recycle and dispose of our trash properly? The program consists of multiple stations with hands-on activities where students will learn the answers to these questions and more.

Watersheds (for ages 8-16) – Without water, there is no life–and faced with ongoing drought, water is quickly becoming one of San Diego County’s scarcest natural resources.  In this program, students learn about the Escondido Creek watershed, how human behavior can affect water quality, and ways to conserve water at home and in school.

Sardina Preserve Guided Hike (for ages 8-17) – Learn more about the Conservancy’s efforts to preserve and restore land around the Escondido Creek watershed. In this program, students are led on a guided hike through land managed by our team. Students are introduced to the robust history of our Sardina Preserve, Leave No Trace principles, and utilizing their observational tracking skills to find evidence of animals on the trail. They are then taken on a guided hike through the preserve showcasing the history of the land and the Conservancy’s efforts to restore this former paintball and airsoft range back to wild and healthy habitat.

Trout in the Classroom (for all grade levels) – In this program, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) supplies classrooms with salmonid eggs. Students and teachers take on the responsibility of incubating and nurturing these young fish until they are ready to be released into a waterway designated by the CDFW.The Escondido Creek Conservancy published GoldiLox and the Three Habitats, written by Simon Breen and illustrated by Camie Martinez. GoldiLox is a southern steelhead trout looking for the perfect place to lay her eggs. But a good habitat can be hard to find for a sensitive fish living in a polluted world. Join her on her quest as she meets interesting animal friends, explores different ecosystems, and searches for a home that’s just right. GoldiLox y las Tres Hábitats is also available in Spanish.

A New Chapter in Environmental Education: The Mountain Meadow Preserve Outdoor Classroom. 

As demand for outdoor education programs grew, the staff saw the need for a dedicated space to expand hands-on learning. In mid-2024, a grant from the Escondido Community Foundation allowed them to begin building an outdoor classroom at the Mountain Meadow Preserve. With funding in place, they moved quickly—drafting plans, consulting experts, and relying on dedicated volunteers. By winter, they had cleared the site, installed shade tarp poles, and started building benches from recycled eucalyptus. The classroom is taking shape with multiple teaching stations, a native habitat mural, and an informational kiosk, set for completion by fall 2025. Once finished, this space will host expanded after-school and field trip programs with the Escondido Union High School District, as well as community and volunteer events. It will deepen connections to the Escondido Creek watershed, strengthening both their education and conservation efforts. 

The Escondido Creek Conservancy boasts numerous other educational achievements from last year (see their 2024 Annual Report). They built a 3D model of the Escondido Creek watershed and this teaching tool engages all visitors to the Elfin Forest Interpretive Center.  Annually, they reach every 3rd grade student across 18 elementary schools in the Escondido Union School District and launched Schoolyard Safari in 2024, a program reaching over 200 students across 11 schools. They engage Escondido High School students in hands-on, habitat restoration work, planting over 125 native plants across 0.6 acres.

Community involvement in local non-profit organizations is critical. At the Conservancy, they offer a wide range of volunteer opportunities that allow individuals to actively participate in the mission to protect and restore the Escondido Creek watershed. Volunteers can engage in both hands-on short-term events or become part of a dedicated team working toward long-term habitat improvement. Both forms of volunteerism help shape the future of their landscape. The Conservancy offers volunteer opportunities designed to meet various interests and skills. These include Land Stewards, Conservation Crew, Wednesday Work Group, and Shrub Club. Volunteers involved in these efforts are the backbone of their work, helping them maintain the preserves and push forward restoration and stewardship projects.

CAELI Partner Portal Resources September 2025

1. A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy



Description: This month marks the 10 year anniversary of the publication of A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy. Educating Every California Student In, About, and For the Environment.

The Blueprint for Environmental Literacy sparked a statewide movement to integrate environmental literacy into the heart of California’s education system. CAELI carries the vision and the work forward today. We are celebrating a number of major milestones and the impacts we’ve made over the last ten years. Read all about them in the Ten Strands newsletter.

2.Seeds to Solutions: Wildfires, 5th grade unit



Description: In the fifth grade unit on Wildfires, students begin by observing that there are more fires now than in previous decades, prompting them to wonder about the best ways to prevent wildfires. They investigate the natural and human causes of wildfires and the solutions humans have to contain wildfires, from hand crews to helicopters. Students investigate how factors like temperature, dry fuels like shrubs and grass, and wind can cause fires to spread quickly, while factors like rain can lower the spread of fire. Students explore how forests in California have been managed over time, including the cultural practices of Indigenous Californians and prescribed burns. This sparks wondering about California’s ability to use prescribed and cultural burns. Students explore solutions to mitigate wildfires, culminating in an action plan. Resources and guidance are provided for teachers to help students manage emotions around wildfires, as well as how to engage indigenous experts about fire in California. Learn more by exploring this Seeds to Solution fifth grade unit on Wildfires.

3. NAAEE eePro



Description:  eePro is the global online community for everyone who cares about education and creating a more fair and sustainable future. Connect with other EE professionals, participate in discussions in eePro groups, and find and share resources, events, and opportunities. You can even post or look for a job!
Join eePro today.

4. AEOE – California eeGuidance for Equitable Pay and Hiring in Environmental Education



Description: Environmental education, like many other sectors, endeavors to answer the calls to examine its history of institutional racism and discrimination, adopt more inclusive hiring practices and address inequities in compensation and benefits packages to make our field more equitable, welcoming and sustainable. Using the findings from a landscape analysis they conducted, this report provides recommendations and highlights some best practices for environmental and outdoor education organizations. Once applied, these standards and resources will help improve employee retention, attract more diverse talent, create a sustainable career path, and establish our field as a viable profession.

5.  California Coastal Commission – Resources for Educators


Description:  The California Coastal Commission will hold its annual Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, September 20th. Their website offers teachers and other educators numerous resources and streaming videos for students of different grade levels. Video topics include community engagement and coastal management, climate change, environmental justice and redlining, marine and coastal biodiversity, and general ocean information, marine debris, and ocean acidification. Now is a great time to learn more about our coastlines and oceans.

News & Events for September 2025

1. Children & Nature Network Webinar –Appstinence: Less screen time, more green time









Dates: September 10,  2025 
Location: Virtual
Description: On average, U.S. teens spend 4.8 hours a day on social media. That’s 4.8 hours that could be spent on other experiences, like in-person interactions, time in nature and much-needed sleep! This event features Gabriela Nguyen, founder of the “appstinence” movement, a Gen Z-led social movement calling for us to walk away from our personal social media accounts. Rather than relying on digital detoxes, algorithm hacking and superficial tips and tricks that actually keep us tied to social media platforms, the appstinence movement calls for a lasting and comprehensive solution to the seemingly inescapable attention economy – opting out.
Gabriela will discuss how to get off social media for good using the 5D method. She will also answer your questions about dumbphones, phone plans and departing from the digital world. The event is free but donations are suggested. Register HERE.

2. Xerces Society Webinars



Dates: September and October, 2025 
Location: Virtual
Description: The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. As a science-based organization, they conduct their own research and rely upon the most up-to-date information to guide their conservation work. Their key program areas are pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts. Check out these upcoming webinars: 
– 9/8: Imperiled Butterflies of the Central California Rangeland
– 9/11: Bitter Nectar, Toxic Pollen: Pollinators and Plant Chemicals
– 9/17: Volunteer Training for the Western Monarch Count
– 10/2: The Secret Lives of Bumble Bees: Nesting and Overwintering. 

Register for any of these webinars HERE

3. Take Me Outside Outdoor Learning Store Virtual Workshops


Dates: September and October, 2025
Location: Virtual
Description: Free 1 Hour Virtual Workshop Line Up

9/23: Learning from the Land: Indigenous Teachings & Resources
9/30: Indigenous Learning across the Seasons
10/7: Learning through Lifecycles: A Spotlight on Salmon
10/14: Outdoor Learning in Parks & Protected Places
10/21: Taking Science Outdoors! Resources, Tools & Activities
10/28: Outdoor Learning in the Early Years
Register HERE for one or all of them.

4. CAELI Webinar: Rising Temperatures, Rising Risks: Addressing Extreme Heat Impacts on Children



Date: September 25, 2025
Location:  Virtual
Description: Join us for a timely conversation on how extreme heat is affecting children across California. Learn what schools, districts, and community partners are doing to keep students safe and supported, and walk away with practical tools and strategies you can use to support your own school community.

Register HERE.

5. AEOE Fall Meetups



Dates: October 5, 2025
Location:  Varies across the state
Description: Join environmental and outdoor education professionals from across your region to explore a local site and meet colleagues working in a variety of settings. The event includes networking activities, snacks, and a tour of the site. Make new connections and learn more about a local program in your region! Meetups will be held in multiple locations throughout the state. 

To learn more, visit the AEOE website.

6.  California Association of Science Educators (CASE) Conference



Dates: October 17-19, 2025
Location: Palm Springs, CA
Description: The California Science Education Conference is hosted and organized by the California Association of Science Educators (CASE). More than 1,000 science educators from around the state are expected to attend this year’s conference. The CASE Conference is well-known by science educators as the place to make connections, generate new ideas, energize their teaching, and learn, and grow as professionals. Join fellow educators for an inspiring weekend of learning, collaboration, and connection. This year’s theme, Science for All, celebrates inclusive, high-quality science education that empowers every learner. Registration is now OPEN.

7.  AEOE eeCourse: Accessible by Nature: Designing EE to Support All Learners



Dates:  October 20 – December 5, 2025
Location: Online – Moodle
Description: This course uses the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to guide the design of learning environments that are accessible and challenging for all, rather than making modifications for individual students. UDL improves and optimizes teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn, giving 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. The course content and associated assignments are geared towards practicing environmental and outdoor educators. We hope this course will inspire you to strengthen your pedagogical practices so they are more welcoming, inclusive, and accessible.This 6-week course, moderated by Dr. Amy Williams, takes approximately 12 hours to complete.

For more information and to register, visit AEOE.

CPB Feature for August 2025

Hippo Works is an animation studio founded by cartoonist Denis Thomopoulos to inspire kids about the environment. Hippo Works’ content reaches kids through collaborations with caring brands and organizations. Most recently Hippo Works has teamed with UNICEF and Project Everyone to inspire children everywhere about the UN Global Goals through a comic book series along with the animated adventure “Cool The Climate!’” as well as a School Lunch Composting Program with EcoSafe Zero Waste.

Cool the Climate! features Simon the Hippo and friends who go on a song-filled adventure while learning about the world’s changing climate, the role that carbon dioxide and methane play, and the good green habits we can all develop to help cool the climate. Along their way the animals find out about topics such as the greenhouse effect, the food chain, the three Rs (reducing, reusing, and recycling), composting, and carbon offsetting. Educators can download a kit that includes a half-hour movie, an eBook (with climate action activities and coloring pages), lesson plans with K-8 NGSS and Common Core standards connections, a memory game to reinforce concepts, and the movie soundtrack. 

Hippo Works produces comic books on various topics that teaches students about the UN’s Global Goals for Sustainable Development. These two comic book stories focus on Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being and Goal 13: Climate Action. Simon Says Save the Climate or Kids Fight Smog comic books are available for download.
Hippo Works offers students 21 Steps to Cool the Climate. Steps include learning about 350ppm (the safe level of carbon in the air according to climate scientists), how to calculate your carbon footprint, the three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), composting, ways to be energy smart and travel smart, suggestions for changing your diet to reduce your carbon footprint, using less water, growing your own garden, the importance of individual actions, and more! The webpage features fun graphics your students (and adults) will enjoy.

News & Events for August 2025

1. Justice Outside Community Workshops: Stronger Teams, Brighter Futures: Become the Place Everyone Wants To Work At


Dates: August 13, 20, and 27, 2025
Location: Virtual
Description: Recruitment and hiring is expensive.
This 3-part training series is for organizations that
want to rethink the way they build and sustain
Their teams—from identifying the most important
skills, to crafting inclusive job descriptions, to
onboarding staff in ways that make them feel
welcome from day one and excited to celebrate
many anniversaries with your organization. When you aim to bring in not just “the best and brightest,” but people who expand your perspective and add real value, you don’t just fill roles—you build a workplace people are proud to be part of. 

Join Justice Outside staff as they explore how to think differently about job qualifications, broaden your candidate pool, interview for practical strengths, and retain staff by fostering a workplace culture that feels good to be part of. Strong teams don’t happen by accident. Let’s create a workplace people want to grow with. 

To register, click Here. If you have any questions, email learning@justiceoutside.org.

2. Justice Outside Bi-annual Conference: Unite and Ignite 2025


Dates:  September 23-24, 2025
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Description: Unite & Ignite 2025 creates a vital space for connection, solidarity, and strategic action. Through inspiring sessions, keynotes, and collaborative conversations, the conference will focus on organizing, mobilizing, and amplifying diverse voices to build collective power for lasting change in outdoor spaces. Attendees at this conference will amplify community voices to transform policies and change who makes decisions about the natural world, connect with leaders redirecting resources to where communities need them most, build networks that center excluded communities in the environmental movement, and transform solidarity into coordinated action for lasting structural change. For more information and to register, click Here.

3. California Coastal Cleanup Day



Date: September 20, 2025
Location: California beaches, creeks, and rivers
Description: Coastal Cleanup Day is California’s largest annual volunteer event. It is an opportunity for people across the state to clean our creeks, rivers, lakes, coast, and shorelines of all kinds, to help restore our environment. Virtually every body of water in California ultimately flows to the ocean, and that water can carry a lot of trash. That’s why Coastal Cleanup Day takes place throughout the state – no matter where you’re cleaning, you are helping to protect our coast and ocean. California Coastal Cleanup Day is organized by the California Coastal Commission in partnership with many NGOs and local government partners around the state. It is part of the International Coastal Cleanup, organized by the Ocean Conservancy, which is the largest volunteer event on the planet!

Join the Trashure Hunt! This year, California Coastal Cleanup Day will become the world’s largest scavenger hunt. Special “trash” items will be hidden at cleanup sites all across the state. If you find one of them, you can redeem it for valuable prizes! Learn more about the 40 year history of California Coastal Cleanup Day. Details to participate can be found Here.

4. AEOE Online Course: Climate Literacy


Dates: August 20 – October 5, 2025
Location: Online – Moodle
Description: This rigorous online course is designed for communicators, educators, and community leaders who want to deepen their understanding of the science behind climate change and evidence-based, equitable solutions needed to address it. Participants will explore how climate systems function, how human actions influence climate, and how climate influences people and other parts of the Earth system. The course combines scientific readings, engaging videos, interactive simulations, systems thinking activities, and data visualizations to support a rich learning experience. While it does not focus on teaching strategies, it provides a strong scientific foundation to support confident, informed engagement with climate education materials. In addition to global climate science, the course incorporates California-based resources and data to ground concepts in real-world examples; while these materials are locally focused, they serve as valuable case studies that offer insights and applications relevant to participants from any region. Click HERE to register.

5. NAAEE 2025 Conference: Forward Together



Dates:  October 30, November 3-6, 2025
Location: Virtual
Description: In the face of unprecedented global challenges, our 2025 virtual conference will highlight how we can move forward by harnessing our collective wisdom and diverse perspectives to create a more just and sustainable future. Environmental education is our foundation—it equips people with the tools to act, encourages new ways of thinking, and leads to positive change. As we confront environmental threats, misinformation, and division, our mission has never been more urgent. Progress depends on collaboration, innovation, and the collective power of educators, learners, changemakers, and communities. Our conference will bring together voices from across the field and around the world. Together we can support more educators, inspire more learners, and create lasting impact. Registration is now open.

CAELI Partner Portal Resources August 2025

1. NAAEE Podcast Series: The World We Want, Episode 11: Through the Lens: EE Efforts from the South Side to San Antonio




Description: Filmmakers James Parker and Juliet Grable have discovered that assumptions about perceived divides often dissolve when people connect over what we share: the planet. In Our Nature investigates how EE proves to be one of the most effective tools for building community and finding common ground. 

In this conversation, James and Juliet reveal how environmental education addresses several interconnected crises of our time: children’s increasing screen time, the loneliness epidemic, declining mental health, and widening social-political divisions. They dive into how meaningful connections—to each other, to place, and to the natural world—can be powerful antidotes to social disconnection. Through immersive, on-the-ground storytelling, they show how EE is uniquely positioned to rebuild trust across gaps in varying lived experiences and identities. Both filmmakers argue that in an age of digital isolation, the need for place-based, community-centered environmental education has never been more urgent.

2. Seeds to Solutions




Description: Why Seeds to Solutions? Students are witnessing environmental changes in their communities, like extreme heat, flooding, and wildfires. Yet, until now, teachers have lacked California-specific instructional resources to address these critical topics. Seeds to Solutions™ changes that, delivering the tools educators need to engage and empower.
Seeds to Solutions™ is a set of free, solutions-oriented instructional resources for grades K–12 on California environmental issues. Developed in response to teacher and community demand, the lessons empower students to address real-world environmental issues, from food waste to water use to wildfire management. Age-appropriate, solutions-focused, and trauma-informed, Seeds to Solutions prepares students to be environmentally literate, engaged community members. Browse the units by grade level.

3. CA Foundation for Ag in the Classroom Teaching Resources




Description:  CA Ag in the Classroom provides a variety of resources to teachers, after-school coordinators, and anyone educating students in grades K-12. The resources can be downloaded or one can order a set at no cost. Resources are listed by type such as Grab Bag, Lesson Plans, Learning About Ag, Fact Sheets, Farm to You, Ag-Bites, Great Reads, Farm to School, School Gardens, Early Childhood Ag, and more! You can also search by subject, keyword or grade level.
These resources are valuable for all educators who want to teach their students about California agriculture, where we grow so much of the world’s food!

4. Project WET Teaching Resources


Description: Project WET activities are science-based. Content experts review the information, and educators and students field test the materials. They are Interactive. Engaging students through questioning and other inquiry-based strategies, educators involve students in hands-on lessons and encourage them to take responsibility for their own learning by seeking answers to real-world problems, playing games to explore scientific concepts, and reflecting, debating and sharing by creating songs, stories and dramas. The activities are 
multisensory. Full-body activities engage the senses, which research shows enhance learning. The activities are also solution-oriented. Project WET believes in linking awareness and education to action and solutions. Explore their resources Here.

5. Children & Nature Network: Learn to Nature Journal with John Muir Laws


Description: Nature journaling offers numerous benefits, including enhanced observational skills, improved mental and emotional well-being, and a deeper connection to the natural world. It can also boost cognitive functions like critical thinking and creativity. Additionally, nature journaling can reduce stress and anxiety, and foster a sense of awe and wonder.

Join award-winning artist, author, educator and scientist, John Muir Laws, for a two-hour hands-on virtual class where he will share his best tips and tricks for nature journaling learned through his 40 years of teaching and illustrating (recorded on June 7, 2025).

CPB Feature for July 2025


Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center

Overlooking Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the Sanctuary Exploration Center offers engaging interactive exhibits and programs focused on remarkable marine ecosystems, as well as information on how you can protect this special underwater place by responsibly enjoying its unique habitats and wildlife.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a spectacular outdoor living classroom that can be explored in person or through interactive virtual experiences. It offers a wide array of exciting and engaging educational experiences for all ages including exhibits, field trips, distance learning, lesson plans, posters, and more. Visit the free admission Sanctuary Exploration Center located just steps away from Cowell Beach and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in Santa Cruz. Developed in partnership with the city of Santa Cruz, the center features state-of-the art displays, short films, interactive exhibits, and more. You can explore the sanctuary’s remarkable marine environment and learn your role in protecting our nation’s special underwater places.

Through exploring biological and physical ocean processes, the Sanctuary Exploration Center school field trip program offers exploratory, inquiry-based K-12 education programs on several marine topics. Programs are grade specific, support Next Generation Science Standards to investigate the natural world, and include indoor and outdoor components.

The Center requires a chaperone ratio of 1:6 for grades K-2 and a 1:10 ratio for grades 3-12. Chaperones do not count towards participant maximums. All field trip programs typically run for two hours. Groups larger than 55 students may require a three hour program to ensure meaningful program delivery, however there is a maximum capacity of 65 students per program. Contact them to inquire about fees for your group size, offered in partnership with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. The programs offered include: 

Grades K-1: Beach Exploration

From large birds and mammals, to small insects and algae, the beach is home to many different creatures. What makes this habitat special, and how can people help keep it safe for the animals—large and small— that call it home? Students will participate in a beach scavenger hunt to explore this ecosystem, then investigate what they found using their senses and science tools.Grades 2-3: Kelp Forest Investigation
Just off the coast, rich kelp forests span from the seafloor to the surface, creating a habitat for many animals just offshore. From land, you can see clues that there is a kelp forest in the water by looking at the kelp wrack left on the beach by waves. Students will participate in a scavenger hunt for as many different types of seaweed as possible and discuss how it serves as a habitat and helps keep our bay healthy.

Grades 3-8: Marine Debris Monitoring
Practice becoming a scientist while helping to protect the sanctuary. Using scientific protocols, students will collect debris, make observations, and keep detailed records. Sanctuary naturalists will lead your students in a discussion on the causes and effects of marine debris and compare your cleanup results with data previously collected.

Grades 5-12: Plankton Discovery
Students will use real oceanographic tools, including microscopes, to assess the current conditions of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary on the Santa Cruz Wharf. Students will engage in field and classroom investigations to understand what physical, biological, and chemical parameters affect marine life and how scientists monitor them. By monitoring these conditions over time, scientists can determine the health of the bay and how changes over time could influence the animals we see.

The Center also offers Distance Learning opportunities. Do you want to connect your students to science, exploration, and engineering? Experience our distance learning programs for grades 2-6 with sanctuary staff delivering live programming and a question and answer session for your students. Their team offers real-time, 45-minute interactive distance learning programs via a two-way video communication platform. These dynamic presentations include in-depth discussion, group activities, and live demonstrations. Each distance learning program will also connect your students to a corresponding virtual activity that can be done independently to “dive deeper” into the themes. Teachers can assign the virtual activities to students to be completed on their own time. Fees apply for distance learning programs, offered in partnership with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. Contact explorationcenter@noaa.gov for details.

Teachers can access a range of educational resources that support ocean and climate literacy. There are lesson plans, activities, webinars, grant opportunities, and more. Visit the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Center website to learn more.

News and Events for April 2025

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

Cover image

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.

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.

April Events in Singapore

In April, we celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd, a special time to think about our planet. Check out some events this month to join the movement for a greener world.

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In April, we celebrate Earth Day! April 22nd is a special time to think about our planet. But it’s important to remember that caring for the Earth isn’t just for one day—it’s for every day! Check out some events this month to join the movement for a greener world.

1. The Young Explorers Program

Time: July through August 2024

Organiser: OceanX

Description:

The Ocean X Young Explorer’s Programme offers an immersive and educational experience for students aged 18-22 aboard the OceanXplorer. Participants engage in 1 to 10-day adventures, exploring marine life, ocean conservation, and the latest oceanographic research. The programme aims to inspire a deeper understanding of ocean exploration and foster a sense of responsibility towards protecting marine ecosystems. Young Explorers 2024 will feature various missions taking place in Indonesia throughout July and August. 

OceanXplorer, the most advanced exploration, research and media vessel is currently based in Singapore for half of year in 2024. 

Applications for the OceanX Young Explorers Program 2024 are currently open and will close on the 5th of April. 

Click here to learn more.

2. Farmers’ Market: Easter Egg-stravaganza Edition

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Sat, 6th of April

Location: City Sprouts Henderson, 102 Henderson Road

Organiser: City Sprouts

Description:

The Farmer’s Market Easter Egg-stravaganza Edition is an engaging Easter event that promotes buying local and adopting eco-friendly practices. The Farm Animal Experience includes workshops on the frog life cycle, insights into the life of chickens, and an exploration of composting creepy crawlies. Additionally, the event offers a farmer’s market showcasing a diverse range of fresh produce and artisanal products.

Click here to learn more.

3. Stride with Marcel (Clean Up)

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., Sat, 6th of April

Location: City Plaza

Organiser: Stridy

Description:

Litter poses risks to our environment by polluting the air, water, and soil, threatening wildlife, and providing habitats for pests. Join ‘Stride with Marcel’ to actively contribute to our environment! Striding entails collecting litter while walking, running, or hiking. You can make a meaningful impact by taking part in routine clean-up activities, helping to keep our urban community clean and thriving. 

Click here to learn more.

4. Zero Market: Fash up by the Pond

Time: 9:00a.m. – 2:00p.m., 6th – 7th of April

Place: Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre, 30A Yishun Central 1, Singapore 768796

Organiser: Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre 慈济人文青年中心

Description:

The Zero • Market is a sustainable lifestyle market that offers fresh produce and sustainable goods, aiming to reduce waste with Zero Meat and Zero Plastic. It occurs every first and third weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of the month unless otherwise specified. Visit the Zero Market and remember to bring your own bag! This month’s event, Fash up by the Pond, features an open wardrobe, green products, and information sharing.

Click here to learn more.

5. Eco Fair @ Katong 

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m., 11th to 14th April

Location:  i12 Katong

Organiser: City Sprouts & i12Katong

Description:

As April marks Earth month, City Sprouts is delighted to bring you their Eco-Fair at i12 Katong! From learning about upcycling fabric and other materials to discovering how to make natural scrubs and grow microgreens, the Eco Fair offers hands-on experiences for everyone interested in living more sustainably.

Click here to learn more.

6. Earth x Fashion 3.0 @ Weave Suites – Midtown

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., 15th – 24th of April

Location: Weave Suites – Midtown, 33 Jalan Sultan

Organiser: Cloop

Description:

In conjunction with Fashion Revolution Week 2024, “Earth x Fashion 3.0: Weave Suites Midtown” is a ten-day event from April 15 to 24 focusing on sustainable fashion. It showcases eco-friendly designs, materials, and production methods. Attendees can explore trends like upcycling and zero-waste design, join workshops on circular economy principles and reducing fashion waste, and engage with experts on ethical sourcing and technology in fashion. Join us in shaping a sustainable future for fashion!

Click here to learn more.

7. Wasted: What we Throw Away Doesn’t go Away

Time: 7:00 a.m, Mon, 22nd of April

Location: Cineleisure

Organiser: The Projector

Description:

“Wasted” is a thought-provoking documentary film that explores the global issue of food waste and its environmental impact. Through compelling storytelling and interviews with experts, “Wasted” sheds light on innovative solutions and initiatives to reduce food waste and create a more sustainable food system. It challenges viewers to rethink their consumption habits and consider the environmental and social implications of food waste.

Click here to learn more.

8. For the Love of Land 

Time: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., 27th of April

Location: Common Ground Civic Centre & Consultancy

Organiser: Moving Earth Film

Description:

“For the Love of Land” initiates a dialogue on land stewardship, spotlighting Singapore’s changing landscape. This event includes the official screening of the film “Moving Earth,” which explores themes of environmental sustainability and land conservation. The conversation will be joined by experts and activists in the field, offering insights into sustainable land management practices, biodiversity conservation, and the importance of environmental stewardship.

This event serves as a fundraising platform for #GUIsBigMove. It is jointly organised by The Roving Studio and Ground-Up Initiative (GUI) with venue support by Common Ground Civic Centre & Consultancy.

Click here to learn more.

9. Nature and Sustainability Tour: Energy and Water

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., Sat, 27th of April

Location: Bayfront Plaza Shuttle Station, Bayfront MRT (Exit B)

Organiser: Gardens by the Bay

Description:

The “Nature and Sustainability Tour: Energy and Water” takes participants on an immersive journey through Gardens by the Bay, focusing on environmental awareness and sustainable practices. Attendees will discover energy-efficient solutions and water conservation strategies through the guided tour and interactive activities. 

Click here to sign up.

There are currently 6 routes under the Nature and Sustainability tour. They are available every Saturday and Sunday. 

10. Repair Kopitiam

Time: Sunday, 28th of April 

Place: Various locations 

Organiser: Repair Kopitiam 

Description:

Repair Kopitiam is an initiative designed to combat the disposable culture by offering a platform where individuals can mend their personal belongings with guidance and assistance from volunteer “Repair Coaches”. This do-it-yourself (DIY) repair event takes place on the final Sunday of each month at different locations throughout the country. To participate, attendees need to schedule a specific timeslot and are allowed to bring up to two items for repair during each session.

Read event house rules here.