Environmental Education

Upcoming Environmental Ed Workshops

Don’t miss these opportunities to get the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum—the new State approved K–12 replacement curriculum that uses environmental concepts to teach History-Social Science and Science standards to mastery. The curriculum also includes many beautiful materials that support English-Language development. These are the last EEI workshops in this region for this year!

EEI Curriculum Workshop (grades K–12)
Wednesday, March 14, 4:00 – 6:00 pm

Cal State Monterey Bay at PARTNERS Teaching Resource Depot in Seaside. Registration and information at: partnersforteaching.csumb.edu/k-12-professional-development

Get your EEI units to replace sections of your current state-adopted textbooks with engaging new lessons. The EEI Curriculum increases students’ environmental literacy while teaching CA State Standards. FREE!

Project W.E.T. and EEI Curriculum

Saturday, April 14, 9 am– 3:30 pm

Project W.E.T. (6 hours)

3:30 – 4:30 pm EEI Orientation (For those who missed March 14)

Cal State Monterey Bay at PARTNERS Teaching Resource Depot in Seaside

Registration and information at: partnersforteaching.csumb.edu/k-12-professional-development

This full Project WET Water Education for Teachers Teacher Training will be followed by an optional orientation to the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) curriculum (same as March 14th). Explore Project WET’s award-winning lessons and learn how they can support and connect with EEI, California’s SBE approved K-12 Curriculum that teaches History-Social Science and Science Standards to mastery. Participants will take home both the EEI Curriculum and the newly updated Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide 2.0. Fee includes cost of lunch and materials. CEUs available.

For questions, contact:

Amity Sandage
CREEC Network, South Bay Region Coordinator
Phone: 831.466.5711
asandage@santacruz.k12.ca.us
www.creec.org/region5/

California Regional Environmental Education Community
www.creec.org

To register, send an e-mail to asandage@santacruz.k12.ca.us with your name, school, district, grade level(s) taught and contact information.

CREEC Newsletters

The February 2012 issue of the statewide CREEC News and Views is now available online. Go to http://www.creec.org/stories/storyReader$149 to see all the recent issues, or the PDF document for the February issue is at http://wwwStatic.kern.org/gems/creec/February2012NewsandViews.pdf.

The Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum

EEI Home page

California is currently poised to lead the nation in environmental literacy with the Education and Environment Initiative (EEI). More can and should be done to understand our relationship with the environment, and we believe the best place to begin is in California’s classrooms. With education and a thriving economy at the forefront of the state’s priorities, California’s landmark EEI Curriculum is a national model designed to help prepare today’s students to become future scientists, economists, and green technology leaders.

The K-12th grade curriculum is comprised of 85 units teaching select Science and History-Social Science academic standards. Each EEI Curriculum unit teaches these standards to mastery using a unique set of California Environmental Principles and Concepts.

The curriculum was created to bring education about the environment into the primary and secondary classrooms of more than 1,000 school districts serving over 6 million students throughout California. Mandated by legislation AB 1548 (Pavley, Chapter 665, Statutes of 2003-PDF) and
AB 1721 (Pavley, Chapter 581, Statutes of 2005-PDF), the EEI Curriculum is the result of a multi-agency education and environmental partnership. Current key partners include the State Board of Education, the Office of the Secretary for Education, the State Department of Education, and the California Natural Resources Agency.

Famed naturalist John Muir captured the vital importance of education about the environment when he said, "Tug on anything at all and you'll find it connected to everything else in the universe." Imagine the possibilities if that understanding began, for students, as early as Kindergarten and continued through high school. With the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum, that vision is well on the way to becoming a reality.

Field-tested in Kindergarten to 12th grade classrooms from San Diego to California's North Coast, the 85 EEI Curriculum units cover selected academic content standards in both Science and History-Social Science. Each EEI Curriculum unit is designed to teach one or more standards to mastery.

The State Board of Education (SBE) unanimously approved all 85 EEI Curriculum units. With SBE’s stamp of approval, the 85 EEI  curriculum units are now available for use in California's classrooms.

The Teacher’s Editions of the EEI Curriculum are password protected. To obtain the password to open these documents please complete the web form at www.calepa.ca.gov/Education/EEI/Curriculum/Default.htm.

CDE wants teachers using the EEI curriculum to complete a pre- and post-survey.

 

Highlights of the EEI Curriculum

  • The first environment based curriculum approved by the California State Board of Education.
  • Teaches students about their relationship with the environment and how humans interact with natural systems.
  • Teaches select California academic standards to mastery.
  • Does not place an extra burden on teachers.
  • Makes use of, and works well with, adopted California Department of Education instructional materials.
  • Includes “Extension and Unit Resources” pages  with  ideas and links to community resources, including environmental education providers, businesses, and/or agencies.
  • Read the Learning Objectives (PDF) for the 85 EEI Curriculum Units

EEI Curriculum Units:

I'm Looking for...

Science Curriculum Resources

District Science Assessments

EE Resources

CREEC
CREEC Region 5

Environmental Education (CDE)
(CDE's EEI)

NSTA's position paper on environmental Education

EcoLiteracy.org

Past Events:

Bay Area Schools Environmental Conference — Saturday February 4

"At the sixth annual conference, learn how sustainability has changed the definition of success. Learn how your school can go green with recycling, composting, water and energy conservation, and earth-friendly gardening.This conference is an invaluable forum for sharing best practices and learning about local resources to support your school’s environmental education initiatives and activities."

The conference is 8 am - 4 pm at The Corinthian Center in San Jose, and costs just $20 (if you register by January 27; $40 thereafter), which includes breakfast, lunch and a Solar Schoolhouse Teaching Solar Package (valued at $75).

Read more about the conference and register at www.sanjoseca.gov/esd/schools/conference/2012_conference.asp.

(ROV teachers/coaches: Yes, alas, this is the same day as the day-long ROV workshop at MPC — which you really should attend, if you're going to be coaching students for this year's ROV competition.)

BAEER Fair

The 35th Annual Bay Area Environmental Education Resources Fair —The BAEER Fair— will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2012, at the Marin Civic Center in San Rafael, 10:00 am – 4:30 pm.

With over 70 resources and numerous workshops for educators and parents with a special interest in wildlife, ecology, adventure and much more, the BAEER Fair is a great opportunity for teachers to gather resources and learn about environmental education.