The Education and the

Environment Initiative
Professional Communities and Environmental Education in the Classroom
Tracy Salzer
March 2017
What is the initiative?

The goal of the Education

and the Environment
Initiative (EEI) is to
increase environmental
literacy for California's
kindergarten through grade
12 (K-12) students by
teaching science and
history-social science
academic content
standards to mastery
within an environmental
context. (From the CA
Dept. of Education)
Suggested curriculum frameworks

California Department of
Education
Resources, lesson plans,
activities.
 Association of Experiential and
Outdoor Education (AEOE)
AEOE vision statement: Through regular participation in environmental
and outdoor education, learners will gain the knowledge, skills and
inspiration to help them understand, respect and care for themselves,
their communities and their environment. These values will be reflected
in a world where:
All people in our diverse society have equal access to environmental and
outdoor education.
A variety of environmental and outdoor education opportunities are
consistently provided through schools, community groups, government
and non-profit agencies, and all students attend a residential outdoor
science school at least once.
Environmental education is integrated throughout the traditional school
curriculum.
At every level of education, teachers and students go outdoors to
explore, appreciate and care for the natural world on school grounds,
throughout local communities and into natural areas.
Learners have a strong connection to their natural environments,
whether wilderness, rural or urban, resulting in a deep and nurturing
sense of place.
First-hand experience and environmental service learning projects
develop critical thinkers who make sound environmental decisions and
actively move our society toward sustainable practices.
Recognition and support of educators and programs providing
environmental and outdoor education is an integral part of Californias
educational system and society.
 Lessons from AEOE publications and
contributors
Food for Thought
Concept: This simulation demonstrates the inequitable
distribution of population and resources among the
different regions of the world, and goes on to study the
social effects of these inequities.
Objectives: Students will be able to: State at least two
factors that might be used to determine the relative
well-being of a country or region. Identify at least two
potential impacts of inequitable resource distribution.
Draw connections between population growth rate and
wealth, and between wealth and energy use.
Subjects: Civics/Government, Economics, Family and
Consumer Sciences, Geography, History, Mathematics,
Science, Social Studies
Skills: Interpreting and analyzing demographic data,
role playing, applying academic knowledge to real
world events, drawing conclusions.
Facing the Future Organization

Global
Sustainability
Curriculum and
Teacher
Professional
Development
Sample Curriculum & Lessons From
Facing the Future
Buy Use Toss
I used this curriculum, and
modified it for my sixth
grade students.
Lessons and Activities from Buy, Use,
Toss
Mapping the Impact:
Students learn about
the cost of production
of different household
items.
Mapping the Impact

Objectives,
vocabulary,
and skills.
Mapping the Impact: Student work
Students created a web-diagram to illustrate the production of
different types of household goods.