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!
BACKGROUND*
In!the!summer!of!2009,!representatives!from!SFUSDs!curriculum!department!and!
various!environmental!education!organizations!got!together!to!answer!the!following!
questions:!
1. What!is!the!definition!of!ecoliteracy?!
2. What!topics!should!every!SFUSD!student!learn?!
3. What!can!we!do!to!produce!ecoliterate!citizens!in!SF?!
!
DEFINITION*OF*ECOLITERACY*
A!healthy!dialogue!led!to!the!following!definition!of!ecoliteracy:!
1. Awareness:!Understanding!the!principles!that!govern!natural!systems!and!
comprehending!the!impact!humans!have!had!on!natural!systems.!
2. Appreciation:!Developing!a!personal!connection!to!the!local!environment.!
3. Advocacy:!Taking!personal!action!to!engage!in!local!and!global!issues.!
These!dimensions!of!ecoliteracy!should!be!grounded!both!in!the!global!impacts!of!
students!urban!lifestyles!as!well!as!in!the!urban!context!in!which!they!live.!
!
BASIC*CONCEPTS*&*EXPERIENCES*
We!decided!that!in!order!for!students!to!become!ecoliterate,!they!need!to!have!access!
to!the!following!experiences!before!graduating:!
1. Environmental!Curriculum!
2. PlacePBased!Education!
3. Playful!Experiences!in!Nature!!
4. Visits!to!Natural!History!Museums!
5. Participation!in!a!Stewardship!Project!
6. Youth!Leadership!Opportunities!
!
And!learn!the!following!concepts:!
1. Climate!Change!(Why!is!our!climate!changing?)!
2. Sources!of!Energy!(How!do!we!power!our!homes!and!cars?)!
3. Watershed!(Where!do!we!get!our!water?)!
4. Urban!Ecology!(How!can!we!coexist!with!the!nature!in!our!city?)!
5. Food!Systems!(Where!does!food!come!from)!
6. Impacts!of!Consumption!(What!is!the!Story&of&Stuff?)!
7. Waste!Hierarchy!(Why!is!there!no!away?)!
8. Environmental!Justice!(Why!are!power!plants!in!poor!areas?)!
!
ACTION*STEPS*
!
BY!MAY!2011!
!
I.!Expand!website!functionality!to!include!standards,!searches,!and!user!feedback.!
!
!Collect!information!about!standards!alignment!of!local!EE!programs!(Nik)!
!Develop!FAQs!around!transportation,!funding,!risk!mgmt,!chaperones,!
scheduling,!curriculum!alignment,!paperwork,!and!subs!(Megan!P!SFPUC)!
!Highlight!professional!development!opportunities!on!the!website!(Tracy!P!LEJ)!
!
!Add!search!engine!and!map!to!website!and!comment!fields!to!provider!pages!
!
II.!Raise!awareness!of!new!Ecoliteracy!resources!by!reaching!out!to!curricular!leaders.!
!Develop!a!core!of!teacher!ecoliteracy!liaisons!to!serve!each!site!by!publicizing!
opportunities!and!providing!guidance!to!staff!new!to!field!trips.!
!Present!to!department!chairs,!principals,!IRFs,!and!APs!of!instruction!
!Schedule!personal!meetings!with!principals!of!underrepresented!schools!to!
pledge!support,!make!special!offers,!and!schedule!BackPtoPSchool!presentation.!
!
BY!AUGUST!2011!
!
I.!Promote!environmental!education!resources!at!underrepresented!schools.!
!Create!Ecoliteracy&101:!Benefits!of!Ecoliteracy!and!Resources!Available!
!Determine!presentation!schedule!and!presenters!for!each!school!
!Attend!BackPtoPSchool!staff!meeting!at!selected!schools!
!
!
BY!SUMMER!2012!
!
I.!Develop!a!standard!sequence!of!environmental!education!programming.!
!Group!providers!based!on!the!type!of!program!(school!vs.!field!trip),!
geographic!distribution,!standards!addressed,!capacity!for!students,!FRLP,!
teacher!references,!interchangeability!of!program!content,!scaffolding!of!similar!
programs!across!PreKP12!career,!etc.!
!Look!for!gaps!in!coverage!and!encourage!providers!to!fill!unmet!need.!
!Conduct!focus!group!with!teachers!to!gauge!feedback!on!new!alignment.!
!Determine!how!to!roll!out!the!new!(voluntary)!alignment!(selected!bussing,!
teacher!buyPin,!provider!enforcement,!etc.)!
!Determine!the!role!of!FOSS/EEI!in!the!curriculum!
!
II.!Promote!ecoliteracy!among!SFUSD!teaching!staff.!
!Put!together!a!menu!of!onPsite!PD!opportunities!and!evening/weekend!!
workshops!for!teachers!w/families!
!Create!a!local!environmental!education!conference!for!teachers!
!Develop!an!SF&Ecoliteracy!newsletter!
WORKING*GROUPS*
*
Standards*Alignment:!
Jim!Smith!(BAAQMD)!
Nikole!Reaksecker!(PEAK)!
Helena!Carmena!(CA!Academy)!
Ken!Pelto!(SF!Zoo)!
Nancy!Kaplan!(NPS)!
Kim!(R&P)!
!
School*Outreach:!
Sue!Tensfeldt!(SFPUC)!
Ben!Caldwell!(YMCA)!
Rachel!Pomerantz!(DOE)!
Eric!Lewis!(SFUSD)!
Sraddha!Mehta!(ESC)!
Jasmine!Dow!(LEJ)!
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Professional*Development:!
Michele!Gee!(Crissy!Field)!
Will!Parish!(Teacher)!
Melissa!Meiris!(Headlands!Institute)!
Damien!Raffa!(Presidio!Trust)!
Tucker!Hirsch!(Aquarium!of!Bay)!
Peggy!LopiperoPLangmo!(City!College)!
Tracy!Diaz!(LEJ)!
Elise!Noland!(PEAK)!
!
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