FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 21, 2025
CONTACT:
Camille Soliva, Ten Strands, csoliva@tenstrands.org
Ian Bain, San Mateo County Office of Education, ibain@smcoe.org
Groundbreaking K–12 Curriculum on California Environmental Challenges and Solutions Now Available
Seeds to Solutions™ offers free, solutions-oriented, age-appropriate lessons on timely issues such as wildfires, extreme heat, air quality, and water supply
REDWOOD CITY AND SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The San Mateo County Office of Education and environmental literacy nonprofit Ten Strands are announcing the release of Seeds to Solutions™: a set of free, open education resources for California educators, with age-appropriate environmental lessons for grades K–12. Developed in response to teacher and community demand, each unit explores a California-specific environmental challenge and solutions, and is aligned with state standards and Environmental Principles & Concepts. Seeds to Solutions is available online at www.seedstosolutions.org.
California faces a broad set of environmental challenges including wildfires, extreme heat, air quality, and water supply. Teachers report that students are asking questions about environmental issues due to climate change, but many have expressed that they feel unequipped to teach the topic and lack a formal curriculum. Students have noticed the gap, and have increasingly turned to social media and other sources for information.
“California faces tremendous environmental challenges, which is why it’s essential to educate our students on environmental literacy,” said San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Magee. “When students are empowered to understand topics like what happens to uneaten food, where our water comes from, and how wildfires occur, they can work to help develop solutions.”
Seeds to Solutions units are designed with developmentally appropriate topics for each grade level, focusing on student-led investigations and designing and exploring solutions. Given many students’ personal experiences with environmental disasters, like wildfires and flooding, teachers are provided with resources to effectively manage difficult emotions and conversations in the classroom.
“California has been a forward-thinking leader in environmental education, and we are pleased to build on this tradition,” said Ten Strands CEO Karen Cowe. “When students are environmentally literate, they become engaged community members with the hope and confidence that they can protect the people and places they love.”
Early reception from teachers who field-tested Seeds to Solutions across California has been enthusiastic. The resources include teacher guides, visual aids, student materials, and professional learning handbooks. Teachers can use these supplemental resources to meet standards and integrate them into their curriculum.
California State Senator Ben Allen championed funding for Seeds to Solutions, which received support from more than 165 nonprofits, county offices of education, school districts, teachers, regional parks, and organizations. Many individuals, including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Margot and Steve Kerr, and Paul Hawken, also wrote letters of support. First Republic Bank, the Cisco Foundation, and the S.H. Cowell Foundation provided additional support.
Seeds to Solutions was developed through a unique and diverse partnership of community organizations, experts in science and traditional ecological knowledge, educators, youth leaders, and curriculum-development specialists, in coordination with the California Department of Education.
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About the San Mateo County Office of Education
The San Mateo County Office of Education is committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of background, receives excellence and equity in education. The County Office of Education supports 84,000 students across 23 local school districts by providing services that can be done more efficiently and economically at the county level. These include instructional and technical support, programs for students with significant disabilities and those in the juvenile court system, and development of the education workforce. A leader in environmental literacy, the County Office of Education delivers innovative, high-impact lessons that empower students to address real-world sustainability challenges. Through the Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities, which reflects a broad collaboration of community partners, the County Office of Education provides safe and supportive school services that benefit students, families, and the broader community.
