Engaging our sunny, Southern California communities in a critical conversation about the importance of water and water use efficiency is not always easy. For decades, industry professionals have worked tirelessly under the radar, 24 hours a day, holidays and weekends, to provide clean, healthy, safe, and reliable water to the public. The faucet handle is […]
Teachers across the state returned to their classrooms last fall prepared to integrate environmental literacy into their K–12 curriculum, helping students to develop global competence and agency after participating in the California Global Education Project’s (CGEP) professional learning program Teaching for Sustainable Communities: Empowering Eco-Literate Global Citizens. The program begins in the summer with five […]
This year’s annual Green Schools Conference and Expo in St. Paul, Minnesota brought together education leaders, community-based organizations, architects, curriculum-writers, and others under the theme of “Advancing Sustainable Schools for All.” The conference was a mix of inspiration and celebration, and breakout sessions were full of practical ideas for moving forward at the local and […]
This winter, I had the pleasure of participating in a panel discussion focused on environmental literacy at the annual California Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee (CISC) Leadership Symposium. Our session featured the work of county offices of education that are supporting districts using environmental learning as the context for inclusive, relevant engagement with core subject […]
This article is part of our Youth Voices series. At Ten Strands we believe that young people have valuable perspectives and a critical role in shaping our society and our world. We recognize their power to drive dialogue and create positive change, and are committed to providing a platform which amplifies their contributions. For the […]
As a science teacher it is a challenge to offer approachable yet enriching curriculum for all students, especially because I strive to create rich curriculum for every student in every one of my classes. The middle school students I teach reflect the diversity of California, and include students with a wide range of experiences, abilities, […]
“Look, there’s water in my bag! Why does my bag have more water than yours? What happened to the leaves?” These were my student’s observations as he took off the rubber band that was wrapped around a clear Ziploc bag covering a small batch of leaves on a tree. This was a result of an […]
Every year all of Carmel Middle School’s seventh grade students participate in the Monterey Bay Outdoor Education (MBOE) program. The main goals of this place-based program are to connect students to their local environment and increase their understanding of the interconnection between humans and nature.