Filling a Gap in Students’ Education
Students are noticing extreme heat, flooding, wildfires, and other effects of climate change in their communities. But teachers do not have access to instructional materials on these or related topics that are California-specific.
To meet this need, the California Legislature called for the creation of instructional materials for grades K–12 about climate change and environmental justice.
Ten Strands is proud to be the San Mateo County Office of Education’s partner in developing these groundbreaking instructional materials. They are scheduled for completion in spring 2025.
These lessons will empower students to be environmentally literate, engaged community members prepared to act for the well-being of their family, broader community, and environment.
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About the Instructional Materials
Engages and empowers by sparking student curiosity
- Students get the opportunity to investigate age-appropriate, California-specific environmental issues and solutions
- Inquiry-based Storyline approach to learning helps students learn how to think, not what to think
- Mindful of students’ personal experiences with environmental issues, like wildfire and flooding
Supports teachers in meeting state standards
- Free supplemental resources that align to state standards, Environmental Principles & Concepts, and frameworks
- One 15-hour unit of instruction at each grade level; integration with science, history-social science, mathematics, and English language arts
- Culturally relevant and includes the experiences of youth and communities statewide
Program Partners and Advisors
A Unique, Community-Driven Development Process
Most curriculum is developed by publishing companies. We wanted to do something different. From the outset, we wanted these instructional materials to reflect the experiences of California communities closest to the problem of climate change and environmental injustice.
The development process intentionally taps the expertise of community-based organizations, experts in climate science and traditional ecological knowledge, curriculum-development specialists, and teacher and youth leaders.
Steering Committee
A diverse group of California education and youth leaders who guide the direction of the program,
Community-Based Organizational Partners
Groups working with communities most impacted by climate change who have contributed to the topics and direction for each grade level unit
Curriculum-Development Experts
Organizations with deep experience developing open education resources focused on climate change and environmental justice and supporting professional learning
- BSCS Science Learning
- California Subject Matter Project
- Concord Consortium
- The Climate Collective
Ten Strands Program Leadership
Karen Cowe
Chief Executive Officer
Karen is an education-industry executive with over 30 years of experience in sales and fund development, marketing, program design, professional learning, business development, and operations. Prior to joining Ten Strands, she was president and chief executive officer of Key Curriculum Press, an innovative and award-winning K–12 STEM publisher.
Dr. Roni Jones
Director of Curriculum
Roni brings an extensive understanding of educational systems and a wide range of experiences at many levels including K-12 districts, institutions of higher education, and state and county educational agencies. Previously, Jones spent three years as the assistant director for the System of Support for the California Collaborative For Educational Excellence (CCEE).
Jeffrey Dowling
Instructional Designer
Jeffrey is a credentialed public school science educator who has worked in California as a classroom teacher, curriculum writer, professional learning facilitator, and instructional coach. He also has over 15 years of experience in the development, refinement, and implementation of various educational STEM programs.