ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION MATERIALS:
i
GUIDELINES FoN EXCELLENCE WORKBOOK
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The North American Association
For Environmental Education
The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) is a network of profes-
sionals, students, and volunteers working in the field of environmental education throughout North
America and in over 55 countries around the world.
NAAEE combines the perspectives of the environmental and educational communities, taking a
cooperative, non-confrontational, scientifically balanced approach to promoting life-long learning
about environmental issues.
NAAEE members think about how people become literate concerning environmental issues.
NAAEE members believe education must go beyond consciousness-raising about these issues. It
must prepare people to think together about the difficult decisions they have to make concerning
environmental stewardship, and to work together to improve, and try to solve, environmental problems.
NAAEE recognizes the need for a coherent body of information about environmental issues. Its
members also recognize that information and analysis are only part of an effective education program.
To be truly effective, this body of knowledge must be integrated into all aspects of the curriculum
and into all types of educating institutions for the widest array of audiences.
In order to provide support for environmental education and its practitioners, NAAEE provides a
variety of professional products, events, and services. These include the NAAEE Annual Conference,
printed and electronic publications, Internet-based resources, the Environmental Education and
Training Partnership (EETAP), and representation among leading organizations within the educa-
tional and environmental communities.
NAAEE
1825 Connecticut Ave NW, 8th Floor
Washington DC 20009-5708 USA
Phone (202) 884-8912, fax (202) 884-8455
E-mail: email@naaee.org
www.naaee.org
www.eelink.net
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ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION MATERIALS:
GUIDELINES FOR
EXCELLENCE WORKBOOK
Bridging Theory and Practice
North American Association
for Environmental Education
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Activities and Examples
Following the Key characteristics page, activities and examples are
used to achieve the section objectives. As shown in the box to the
right, the introduction to each activity and/or example indicates the
corresponding Key Characteristic, Materials Guideline(s), and Work-
book Objective. They are distinguished by these icons:
Activity —Denotes an
activity for you to do.
Example—Indicates an
example is provided.
The activities and/or examples included in the Workbook were
created specifically to illustrate the concepts and skills highlighted
in the Materials Guidelines, and are not drawn from existing cur-
ricula or programs. No endorsement of particular approaches or
activities is implied.
Activity and example
structure.
ACTIVITY/EXAMPLE
TITLE
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #
GUIDELINE:
OBJECTIVES
GLOSSARY TERMS:
Other helpful Items
Several elements also help to further your learning and understanding of the concepts and to
make the workbook more useful. These include:
Answer Key—Appears only on
the answer page for activities.
Bringing it Home—Revisits the major
thoughts and concepts of the example
or activity.
Glossary Terms—Words or phrases defined in the glossary are in boldface type
the first time they appear in the text. They are also highlighted in the side-bar
introducing each activity and/or example. The glossary begins on page 55.
Selected References—This is a list of documents which supplement the information
presented in the workbook.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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Things to Think About...
As educators on environmental topics, we sometimes walk a fine line
between education and advocacy. A line that can be crossed without
even being aware of it. Education involves giving students access to
information, opinions, and interpretations so they can develop their
own conclusions. This may require the presentation of information,
data, or views with which the instructor does not agree or that the
instructor would rather not acknowledge. Advocacy involves giving
students access to information with the intent that students reach a
specific conclusion or develop a particular opinion.
An educational curriculum must present different viewpoints, such as
the pros and cons of forest fires. Different perspectives also need to
be presented in a balanced way—one that does not bias the student
toward any one perspective. It is important to understand that, depend-
ing on their personal interpretations of information, reasonable people
can hold different but equally valid views. In addition, environmental
issues affect people differently; some of the consequences of a
decision or action might be invisible to someone who is not aware
of or open to the opinions or experiences of others.
Although it is important to maintain balance in presentation, it is also
important that educators be aware of the relevance, timeliness, and
accuracy of the information they provide. An instructor looking at
possible instructional material may sift through large amounts of
information to determine the material's relevance and accuracy.
Questions asked might include: Is this information current? How
much of this is based on the writer's subjective opinion, rather than
research or fact? Is the writer trying to influence me with the choice
of words used? Are these primary sources of information, or did the
writer dilute or edit someone else's work? These questions can help
indicate if and how the material should be used, what supplemental
materials might be needed to help balance the presentation, and
what extra tools or skills the students might need to understand or
make sense of the information.
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ACTIVITY
Going to the Source's Mouth
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #1
Fairness and Accuracy
GUIDELINES A
OBJECTIVE 1:
Assess materials for
current, factual infor-
mation and appropri-
ate language.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• biased
• objective
• primary source
• propagandistic
• referenced
• secondary source
• tertiary source
BACKGROUND:
The topic being addressed dictates how current information
must be. For example, data regarding the boiling point of water
does not change over time, and a very old source is accept-
able. However, information about private use of government
lands or global climate change may no longer be accurate or
relevant in just a few years' time.
Just as the age of the information is important, so is the
source. How well a given set of materials is referenced, e.g.,
how thoroughly the sources of information are cited, tells you
how readily the data can be verified or further explored.
Generally, primary sources are preferred over secondary
or tertiary sources because they reflect an original, firsthand
rendering of the event or situation. It should be noted, however,
that any source of information (primary, secondary, or tertiary)
can be biased or unbiased.
Even curriculum materials with accurate information may not
be objective in their presentation. They can be both biased
and accurate. For example, the language used to express facts
may be propagandistic, that is, the author may choose to
present only the facts that favor one perspective over another.
Language that is very emotional, that relies heavily on superla-
tives and extremes, or that belittles or minimizes certain ideas
or points of view may be present in a work that is otherwise
factually accurate and well researched. Comments or state-
ments such as "always a problem," "everyone believes," and
"absolutely no evidence," are examples of such types of
writing.
Even a flawed set of materials may have educational value. An
instructor may choose two conflicting pieces to give students
exposure to different viewpoints. Opinionated but accurate
information may be used as a reference, with attention given
to the author's perspective and slant. Information that is dated
may be used for historical purposes and supplemented with
more current data.
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INSTRUCTIONS:
Review the selections and indicate if you would use the information
in teaching about air pollution. In the space provided, explain your
reasoning. Be attentive to whether the information is accurate, well
referenced, current, and objective or propagandistic. Answers can
be found on page 12.
Information
Would you use this
information as is? (Yes/No)
Observations
and/or Concerns
EXAMPLE:
"A study funded by the National Indoor
Plant Association showed that house
plants improve indoor air quality."
1) "Steps to curb air pollution were
incorporated in a law called the Clean
Air Act in the 1970s."
2) "Science has confirmed that Mr. Ford's
new internal combustion horseless
carriage produces gases which may be
unpleasant to some gentlemen, and
distasteful to cultured ladies."
—Car and Chauffeur, 1914
3) "A double-blind study ('Residual
Toxicity of Nicotine Exposure in
Dieffenbachia amoena', Botanica
Domestica, volume 4) has shown that
second-hand smoke is actually good
for house plants. From this we can
conclude, it must be OK for humans."
4) "Electric cars are preferable to all other
modes of transportation. They are
inexpensive and don't pollute the ak-
in any way, shape, or form."
5) "Electric cars are expensive playthings
for wealthy celebrities that want to be
known for their pro-environmental
stance. They will never be of any value
to average working-class Americans."
6) "Technological innovations in the last
thirty years have reduced but not elimi-
nated sulfur emissions from coal burning
power plants."
—Journal of Amps & Volts, 1996
Yes
Referenced but source may not be
objective and no date is given.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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BRINGING IT HOME:
The activity "Going to the Source's Mouth" demonstrates some
of the different challenges that educators may face in trying to
select curricula. Any of the quotes presented could be used
successfully in a unit about air pollution. Some of the examples
include language that is very objective and evenhanded; others
put a "spin" on the information they present. Some present facts;
others present opinions. How one would use these quotes de-
pends on the age and developmental level of the students,
the availability of complementary materials, the time allotted for
study, and the instructor's skill and comfort level.
ACTIVITY
To Skew or Not to Skew
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #1
Fairness and Accuracy
GUIDELINES: 1.1, 1.2
OBJECTIVE 2:
Identify potential bias
in environmental
education materials.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• bias
BACKGROUND:
No material is completely free of bias. Bias appears in the
way statements are worded, in the kind of data chosen for
analysis, and from the source of the information. Some bias
can be unintentional, for example, information that is simpli-
fied for younger or less sophisticated audiences can appear
biased by virtue of ignoring complexities.
Information also needs to be evaluated in terms of the
language and tone used in its presentation. Emotional or
judgment-based language (such as the terms evil, bleeding
heart, tree hugger, exploitation, cold-blooded, heartless) can
slant or prejudice a reader's perception of the issue. Similarly,
language involving extremes, or making sweeping generaliza-
tions can be inaccurate (for instance, "No scientists believe
that..." or "All the major industries..."). Finally, educators
should be alert for casual or sloppy use of statistical terms,
such as confusing "most" with "average." (e.g.'The average
number of children in a family is 2.2," versus "Most families
have 2.2 children.")
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INSTRUCTIONS:
Read the following passages relating to population. Underline the
words or phrases that skew or slant the information. Answers can
be found on page 12.
EXAMPLE:
The death of excess populations from disease, famine, natural disaster or other
causes are predictable events. They are the natural way of cleansing the globe
of unwanted and unproductive masses.
• World population continues to increase at unacceptably high rates. In many developing
areas of the world, birth rates have remained constant. Yet population increases because of
advances in medicine that minimize infant mortality. Despite the high costs of maintaining
large families in these increasingly urbanized societies, many cultures stubbornly cling to
ancient notions that value large numbers of offspring.
> America is incapable of absorbing unlimited numbers of illegal immigrants. While Ameri-
cans value growth and welcome diversity, our cherished way of life is threatened by
invaders from beyond our borders. Even today, our social, health, educational, and legal
systems are creaking under the weight of hordes of trespassers who cross our borders in
violation of the law, breed large families, and expect the hard-working taxpayers of our
country to support them.
• Experts are divided on the consequences of the recent decline in the population of the
lesser tribble. Although this obnoxious and invasive animal has been the bane of farmers
and ranchers since its introduction 25 years ago, the 40 percent population drop in the last
year has even some tribble-haters worried. It is feared that this decline could foreshadow
the extinction of this irresistibly cute yet horribly destructive species. This would be
disastrous for manufacturers of tribble houses and designer tribble food. Additionally,
red-tailed hawks and feral cats have come to depend on wild tribbles for their food supplies
in recent years; their decline could spell doom for these predators.
BRINGING IT HOME:
Children are well aware that names and words can be hurtful.
Even adults need to remember the power that words can
have to change our minds, fire our emotions, summon strong
sensitivities, or simply leave a bad taste in our mouths.
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EXAMPLE
Cultured Ivory
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #1
Fairness and Accuracy
GUIDELINES: 1.3, 1.4
OBJECTIVE 3:
Evaluate materials in
terms of cultural and
ethnic diversity.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• cultural perspectives
BACKGROUND:
To be accurate and complete, materials should be inclusive of
different cultural perspectives and experiences. This should
go beyond including an ethnic story or legend as a token nod
toward diversity. There must be recognition that each culture
has legitimate viewpoints that may conflict with each other,
and that these differences can play a role in students' under-
standing of and decision making about environmental issues.
Materials should encourage discussion of differences and
assist learners in considering varying viewpoints while devel-
oping their own opinions.
A well-rounded set of materials reflects some or all of these
perspectives:
• Are the views and interests of people of various economic
status expressed?
• Are the views of indigenous peoples included?
• Are different cultures' use of and relationship to the natural
world explored?
• Are the materials and activities sensitive to the needs of
persons with disabilities?
• Do the materials encourage learners to open their minds
to different ideas and perspectives?
Obviously, no single set of instructional materials can incorpo-
rate all possible opinions or perspectives on a topic. The
number of viewpoints included depends on the complexity of
the subject, the age of the audience, and the availability of
accurate and current information about divergent views.
10
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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ABOUT THE EXAMPLE:
In the following example, pay attention to the'ways that the center
staff make reference to different cultures and groups, and how their
interests in the elephant differ and, at times, collide.
At the Ivory Park Nature Center, the interpretive guides discuss ways different civilizations have
thought about elephants. First, they share the natural history of elephants with visitors (what elephants
look like, where they live, and how they survive). While discussing elephants' strength and intelligence,
the interpreters highlight use of elephants in historical military efforts, such as Hannibal's crossing of
the Alps, and in agriculture and logging in Asia today.
The discussion then turns to elephants as a source of ivory. The guides employ photographs and
artifacts (such as piano keys) illustrating ways in which ivory has been used. The advantages of using
ivory are also discussed. The guides then explain the population decline of wild Africian elephants in
the twentieth century and the role that poaching has played in this decline. Maps and charts show
where elephants live and where populations have decreased; they also show areas such as Botswana,
Zimbabwe, and Namibia, where populations are currently increasing.
In discussing conservation efforts, the guides point out that many of the countries where elephants live
are poor and do not have the resources to commit to protecting them. They add that elephants can
damage crops and that farmers often have a financial incentive to help poachers. To illustrate this, the
guides explain that a farmer could make three times their typical yearly wage by poaching a single
elephant.
Having given this background, the interpreters discuss the importance of making elephant conservation
a viable economic activity. Among the strategies they discuss is ecotourism, where visitors from foreign
countries pay for excursions to see elephants and other animals in the wild. The guides point out that
this industry provides local people with an economic incentive to maintain wild elephant populations
and to discourage or end poaching.
BRINGING IT HOME:
Why would American students be concerned about cultures in Africa
or any culture different from their own? It is important for students to
be exposed to a multitude of perspectives and ideas. However, in
examples such as this, cultural diversity provides more than diverse
viewpoints. Culture influences how individuals see themselves in
relation to the natural world, and therefore helps them understand the
different types of decisions people make about environmental issues.
Thus, a student in Kansas might understand the concept of poaching,
but would not appreciate the complexity of the issue without information
on the economic conditions of those living near elephants or the
reasons some people traffic in ivory.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
ll
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ANSWERS
Key Characteristic #1—Fairness & Accuracy
Going to the Source's Mouth
page?
Any one of these passages could be used in a lesson on air pollution. The following
are not necessarily "right" answers, but indicate aspects an educator should consider.
Information
1. "Steps to curb ak pollution were
incorporated in a law called
the Clean Air Act in the 1970s."
Observations and/or Concerns
Objective, but lacks source.
The statement does not pass judgement on the Clean Air
Act but the source of the information is not identified.
2. "Science has confirmed that Mr. Ford's
new internal combustion horseless carriage
produces gases which may be unpleasant to
some gentlemen, and distasteful to cultured
ladies." —Car and Chauffeur, 1914
Data dated, but objective.
Here the source is identified but the information is quite
old. It would still be useful in teaching about the history
of the issue.
3. "A double-blind study ('Residual Toxicity
of Nicotine Exposure in Dieffenbachia amoena',
Botanica Domestica, volume 4) has shown that
second-hand smoke is actually good for house
plants. From this we can conclude, it must be
OK for humans."
Propagandist^ but well referenced.
Again the source is cited but the intent is clearly to
support a particular point of view.
4. "Electric cars are preferable to all other
modes of transportation. They are inexpensive
and don't pollute the ak in any way, shape,
or form."
5. "Electric cars are expensive playthings for
wealthy celebrities that want to be known for
their pro-environmental stance. They will never
be of any value to average working-class
Americans."
Propagandists, not well referenced.
This is a statement of personal opinion without supporting
evidence or references. The author uses language that
directs the reader to a particular perspective.
Propagandistic, not well referenced.
Another statement of personal opinion without supporting
evidence or references.
6. 'Technological innovations in the last thirty
years have reduced but not eliminated sulfur
emissions from coal burning power plants."
—Journal of Amps & Volts, 1996
Accurate, well referenced.
Source of the information is cited. Information is presented
in a balanced, unemotional manner.
12
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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To Skew or Not to Skew
pages 8-9
Words and phrases that skew the information are underlined.
• World population continues to increase at unacceptably high rates. In many developing areas of the
world, birth rates have remained constant. Yet population increases because of advances in medicine
that minimize infant mortality. Despite the high costs of maintaining large families in these increasingly
urbanized societies, many cultures stubbornly cling to ancient notions that value large numbers of
offspring.
• America is incapable of absorbing unlimited numbers of illegal immigrants. While Americans value
growth and welcome diversity, our cherished way of life is threatened by invaders from beyond our
borders. Even today, our social, health, educational, and legal systems are creaking under the weight of
hordes of trespassers who cross our borders in violation of the law, breed large families, and expect the
hard-working taxpayers of our country to support them.
• Experts are divided on the consequences of the recent decline in the population of the lesser tribble.
Although this obnoxious and invasive animal has been the bane of farmers and ranchers since its
introduction 25 years ago, the 40 percent population drop in the last year has even some tribble-haters
worried. It is feared that this decline could foreshadow the extinction of this irresistibly cute yet
horribly destructive species. This would be disastrous for manufacturers of tribble houses and designer
tribble food. Additionally, red-tailed hawks and feral cats have come to depend on wild nibbles for
their food supplies in recent years; their decline could spell doom for these predators.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
13
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14
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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Things to Think About...
Students need to develop an awareness of the world around them
as a basis for further study. As they gain more experiences, they
increase their understanding of their surroundings, as well as how
elements of the environment function, how these elements interact,
and how students' actions affect and are effected by the environ-
ment. Students should develop critical thinking skills and not
simply collect environmental facts. Materials should be developed
within a conceptual framework that allows students to place
information in context and to construct new knowledge throughout
their lives.
Awareness should include both the natural world and the built
environment, as well as the relationship between the two. Environ-
mental literacy requires that students learn how they interact with
and are affected by these two aspects of their world. Additionally,
students must understand that environmental factors and concerns
occur on different scales, from local to global, short- to long-term,
past to future.
Environmental literacy also requires teaching with both breadth and
depth. In studying a forest, for instance, teaching for breadth could
include cataloguing the forest's contents, the varieties of trees,
ground cover, plant and soil types, and animal life. But studying the
forest at this level may mean looking at isolated facts and elements
without connection. To fully understand the forest ecosystem,
students have to take a closer look. This "in depth" look reveals
the connections and processes of the forest environment (photosyn-
thesis, predation, decomposition, reproduction) and the forest's
relationship with surrounding habitats and communities. Breadth
provides the basics and a place to begin study. Depth carries the
process further, linking those basics within the forest ecosystem
context.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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EXAMPLE
Becoming Aware of Awareness
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #2
Depth
GUIDELINE: 2.1
OBJECTIVES
Distinguish the factors
contributing to environ-
mental awareness.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• attitudes
• beliefs
• environmental
awareness
• perceptions
BACKGROUND:
Environmental awareness begins with a basic acquaintance
with what is around us: sky, air, soil, trees, grass, sounds, and
so forth. However, it is not solely cognitive or informational. All
of the information we receive about the natural and built envi-
ronments is filtered through our personal beliefs, attitudes,
and perceptions. For example, a student whose preconcep-
tion is that natural spaces are dirty and uncivilized will experi-
ence a field trip to a natural area differently from the student
who considers wild spaces to be pristine and beautiful.
Awareness is the start of a continuum that builds to an under-
standing of the complex web of natural forces and phenom-
ena. Awareness of the trees around them is important, but if
students are to be able to make decisions regarding forests
they must also understand how one tree differs from the plant
next to it, how the tree fits into the forest ecosystem, how it is
valued in different cultures and economic systems, how the
tree is affected by sun, wind, and rain, and how the forces that
affect the tree also affect other parts of the ecosystem as well
as the students themslves.
Once students begin to see, hear, touch, and smell what is
around them, they can advance to other observations. They
can begin to ask questions, to appreciate questions asked of
them, and to understand the significance of the answers they
give and receive.
16
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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ABOUT THE EXAMPLE:
The following example illustrates the importance of awareness in the
development of students' understanding of the environment. Pay
attention to how the instructor initiates and nurtures the students'
awareness of and interest in their schoolyard.
Mr. Smith's elementary class spent several days talking about the different things plants and animals need
to survive: sunlight, water, soil, shelter, and so on. To help the students understand how these ideas apply
in their own urban neighborhood, he had his students draw pictures of the small open space next to the
playground. Students were instructed to include all of the plants and animals, if any, that they would
expect to find there. The following day, he took the students to the open area and had them compare their
drawings with the actual space. Many students were disappointed; they claimed to see nothing: no birds,
no rabbits, no plants, just weeds, litter, and crumbling concrete. Mr. Smith then divided the students into
four teams. Each team was assigned one quarter of the lot and was asked to draw their area, putting in as
much detail as possible. Predictably, most of the drawings were rather empty.
Back in class, Mr. Smith asked the students to discuss why they found so few things to draw. During the
discussion, it became clear that some students found things that others did not. Mr. Smith proposed that
perhaps the students were not looking closely enough or didn't know what to look for. They returned to
the yard, armed with hand lenses and note paper. Mr. Smith prompted them to look for insects, differ-
ences between plants (reminding them that weeds are plants too), signs of animals feeding on plants, and
places where plants may grow in the future (cracks in concrete, patches of dirt). The students made new
drawings based on their observations and compared them to their two prior illustrations.
Amazed by their discoveries, the class frequently asked to return to the school yard for further study.
They guessed they would find different things at different times of day, after storms or temperature
fluctuations, and as seasons changed. Each discovery helped them to be alert for others, and helped them
to understand how the different parts of the school yard ecosystem interact. Mr. Smith made use of the
students' familiarity with the school yard as he introduced new biology concepts such as migration,
camouflage, habitat, and the energy cycle.
BRINGING IT HOME:
Awareness is a dimension of environmental education that is
appropriate for more than just the very young. Older students,
regardless of their age or background, can benefit from having
the opportunity to explore and discover what is around them.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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EXAMPLE
ACTIVITY
Building the Framework
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #2
Depth
GUIDELINES: 2.2, 2.3
OBJECTIVE 5:
Demonstrate an
understanding of
conceptual frame-
works and concepts
in context.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• breadth
• concepts
• conceptual
framework
• context
• depth
BACKGROUND:
A framework, in its literal sense, is an organized series of
beams used to support and guide construction. Likewise, a
conceptual framework is an organized set of ideas, concepts,
or principles that an educator uses to give structure and shape
to educational experiences. Frameworks allow educators to
pursue both breadth and depth by clearly organizing ideas.
They ensure that students are given the skills needed to under-
stand relationships and connections between pieces of informa-
tion, and not just a laundry list of environmental facts or opin-
ions. By focusing on concepts, educators provide learners with
the opportunity to generalize, to draw connections among
different disciplines, and to consider differing opinions and
perspectives. Teaching without a conceptual framework is like
putting together a model airplane without glue: initially it may
hold, but eventually it falls apart. Additionally, if concepts are
taught out of context, they can be misunderstood or quickly
forgotten because they are without relevance to the learner.
ABOUT THE EXAMPLE:
In the following situation pay attention to the concepts being taught
and the order and context in which they are delivered. You will be
asked to put them into a framework in the following activity.
Ms. Pong's social studies class was preparing to do a unit on food and agriculture. She
approached the subject by asking the students to consider the origin of their own food. As this was a part
of the country where hunting and fishing were common, she pointed out a distinction between foods that
are deliberately grown or raised for human consumption and those that are taken from the wild. With
this distinction in mind, the students broke into two groups. The first group looked at features of wild
harvest, while the second considered the features of agriculture. Special attention was paid to the risks,
advantages, economic factors, and environmental impacts of each. The two groups shared and compared
their findings at the end of the class.
18
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INSTRUCTIONS:
Using the example on the previous page, arrange the headings
on the right into a logical framework. Answers can be found on
page 22.
EXAMPLE:
The following concepts/topics are arranged from most general to most specific:
I. Money
A. Paper currency
1. Foldable
2. Lightweight
B. Coinage
1. Unbending
2. Heavy in large quantities
FRAMEWORK
1.
2.
3.
B.
1.
2.
3.
CONCEPTS / TOPICS
1) Cultivated products
2) Dependent on humans for
reproduction
3) Self-seeding
4) Maintains genetic diversity
5) Crop is completely harvested
6) Wild harvest
7) Potential for overharvesting
8) Predominantly hybrids or
controlled genetically
9) Food resources
BRINGING IT HOME:
In the activity and example above, the students could have been
given a series of facts about agricultural practices. This would have
been an example of teaching toward breadth. By arranging the
information in such a way that the connections between the ideas
were made clear, the instructor has given the students a tool to help
them make sense of the information and establish a knowledge base
on which to build in future lessons, thereby teaching toward depth as
well as breadth.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
19
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EXAMPLE
Tipping the Scales
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #2
Depth
GUIDELINE: 2.4
OBJECTIVE 6:
Recognize the
relevancies and
relationships of
various scales.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• geographical scale
• temporal scale
BACKGROUND:
The world's economy is becoming increasingly globalized.
Products and services bought in one country may be manufac-
tured half a planet away. Changes in the rate of inflation,
unemployment levels, or interest rates in a single country can
send ripples of uncertainty throughout the world. These im-
pacts are not limited to economics. An increase in lumber
prices or higher demand in one region might promote
overlogging in another. A change in government in one nation
could spur a relaxation of environmental protection policies
there and elsewhere. Because of the movement of air and
water across borders, the contamination of the air or water
in one country or region can have lasting impacts in another
area. These are examples of issues that span regions, na-
tions, and continents. Understanding these issues requires
attention to the geographical scales of the issues.
Another type of scale is temporal, which refers to the
persistence of an environmental concern overtime. For
example, the use of the pesticide DDT in North America was
abandoned in the early 1970s; however, the effects of this
chemical remain with us today and will continue to affect
ecosystems for years. When considering environmental
issues, the long-term impacts on ecosystems, economics,
and human societies are just as important to consider, as
are the other circumstances which inform those issues.
20
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ABOUT THE EXAMPLE:
In the following example, students discover that they have interests in
common with students in other places. The students also recognize that
decisions made in their community may impact wildlife populations
hundreds of miles away.
During the autumn months, Ms. Garcia's students observed and recorded the types of birds that came to
the feeder located outside the window of her middle-school science classroom. As the year progressed
and winter approached, some of the students noticed different birds appearing, and previously common
ones not appearing. They raised the question of what birds do in the winter. Ms. Garcia entered into a
discussion of the different ways that animals deal with weather changes, noting that some hibernate,
some become dormant, some die off, and some migrate to other climates.
The students became interested in knowing where their favorite feeder birds went during the winter and
researched the birds' migration routes and wintering territories. As a way of building on the data they
already collected, Ms. Garcia arranged for the class to have Internet contact with two other middle
school classes: one in south Florida and one in Panama City, Panama. The students compared notes and
arranged to compile data in similar ways regarding what birds they observed, how many, and when. By
the end of the spring, the students put together a map showing approximate travel routes of most of the
species and began to look out for others that had not yet visited their feeders.
The exchange continued with the students discussing the status of the birds' habitats in the different
countries. Ms. Garcia's students noticed that a woodlot near their school had been developed recently for
retail establishments, providing jobs for local workers. The students in Panama observed a similar event
in several of the natural areas near them. The students decided to research the relationship between
habitat and development through continued conversations and to determine what effects these develop-
ments might have on future bird migrations.
BRINGING IT HOME:
It is common for lessons about ornithology to consist primarily of
information about bird adaptations and anatomy. In the lesson
described above, the instructor has included this information but
went beyond it to address the local and regional aspects of bird
migration. The extent to which this can be done is tied to grade level
and developmental ability. Elementary students may not be able to
grasp concepts beyond the local area, whereas senior high students
have the ability to comprehend regional and global ramifications of
local environmental decision making.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
21
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ANSWERS
Key Characteristic #2—Depth
Building the Framework
page 19
Frameworks are organized from the most general to the most specific subheadings. In this case
there were two subheadings, but there could be many more depending on the complexity of your
topic. Specific points naturally fall under the subheadings. For example, wild harvest is not
dependant on humans for reproduction.
FRAMEWORK
:
I. Food resources (9)
A. Cultivated products (1)
1. Dependant on humans for reproduction (2)
2. Predominantly hybrids or controlled genetically (8)
3. Crop is completely harvested (5)
B. Wild harvest (6)
1. Self-seeding (3) -!i»>
2. Maintains genetic diversity (4)
3. Potential for overharvesting (7)
22
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Things to Think About...
In the introduction to Key Characteristic #1: Fairness and Accuracy,
the need to identify bias and to determine the degree to which
information is useful or questionable was discussed. In this section
of the workbook critical thinking skills helpful in recognizing bias
and evaluating the quality of information are examined.
Critical thinking is a process that involves digging below the surface
and thoroughly analyzing an issue or problem. Critical thinking skills
allow students to dissect information and recognize such features as
reliability, fairness, timeliness, completeness, and relevance. Using
these skills, students can connect new information to their existing
knowledge and experiences, and therefore evaluate issues and their
solutions in a sound and logical manner.
The skills needed to apply knowledge in new and useful ways .
constitute creative thinking. Students must be able to recognize
connections between seemingly unrelated issues, and look for
solutions in many places from many angles. However, more than
critical and creative thinking is required; learners also need skills for
applying new information and knowledge to everyday life such as
oral and written communication, group cooperation, leadership and
conflict resolution.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence calls
for the development of critical and creative thinking skills. This
section presents a look at a model that can be used as a basis for
building educational materials and the higher-order thinking skills
students must develop in order to act upon their own environmental
ethic.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence—THE WORKBOOK
23
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ACTIVITY
"Tax"ing Your Brain
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #3
Emphasis on Skills
Building
GUIDELINE: 3.1
OBJECTIVE 7:
Classify curriculum
materials according to
their support of higher-
order thinking skills.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• abstraction
• critical thinking skills
• educational objective
BACKGROUND:
There are a variety of models for classifying levels or types of
learning. These models, or taxonomies, categorize types of
learning in a hierarchy ranging from simple to complex. For
example, analysis is a different level of learning than is applica-
tion. Use of these levels is helpful in determining the potential
for development of critical thinking skills. One of the best
known models is the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
developed in 1956 by Benjamin Bloom and his colleagues.
Bloom identified six levels of learning that range in difficulty
from the simple (such as recall of facts) to the complex (such
as abstraction). Certain verbs describing learning processes
are associated with each level. For example, "categorize,"
"distinguish," and "recognize" are more readily associated with
analysis than with any other learning level. These verbs can be
used by educators when developing educational objectives
for their lesson plans. Educators can also look for these verbs
in the objectives of existing curricula to determine the level of
learning that is expected of the student. For instance, this
activity calls on the user to "classify" (see objective in box at
left), and is therefore a synthesis-level activity in Bloom's
Taxonomy.
A Limited List of Bloom's Taxonomy
Learning Level
Relevant Verbs
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
arrange, identify,
recall, recognize
demonstrate, differentiate,
discuss, locate
apply, choose, interpret,
schedule, solve
analyze, categorize,
contrast, distinguish,
classify, construct, create,
develop, propose
appraise, assess, evaluate,
judge, predict
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Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence—THE WORKBOOK
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INSTRUCTIONS:
For each objective, fill in the relevant verb (from the beginning of
each chapter, the beginning of each activity or example, or the
summary on page 2) and the corresponding learning level (from the
table on page 24). Objective 7 is filled in as an example. Answers
can be found on page 28.
Objective Classification Worksheet
OBJECTIVES
OBJECTIVE VERB
LEARNING LEVEL
Key Characteristic #1
Fairness & Accuracy
Objective 2
Key Characteristic #2
Depth
ECey Characteristic #3
Emphasis On Skills Building
Objective 8
Classify ^J
• SyMhesis
ECey Characteristic #4
Action Orientation
Objective 10
ECey^Characteristic
Instructional Soundness
Objective 12
-------
EXAMPLE
Water You Know?
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #3
Emphasis on Skills
Building
GUIDELINES: 3.2, 3.3
OBJECTIVE 8:
Distinguish the skills
necessary for issue
analysis and action.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• action skills
• cost/benefit analysis
BACKGROUND:
One of the purposes of environmental education is the develop-
ment of a citizenry that is capable of making decisions regard-
ing the environment, and of taking appropriate action on envi-
ronmental issues. Simply learning a particular action skill is
different from being told when or how to use it, or what action
to take. One can teach public speaking, for example, without
dictating what students are to say about any given topic. Simi-
larly, the teaching of skills such as comparing different policies
or actions, investigating current issues, and developing cost/
benefit analyses does not commit the teacher or student to a
particular course of action, but provides learners with the tools
needed to make an independent and educated decision about
the responses to environmental issues they can support.
ABOUT THE EXAMPLE:
This brief description of a unit on water quality issues touches on a variety
of issue investigation and action skills. The outline below shows a number
of possible activities in which the students might take part to develop or
practice these skills. In the box to the right of each section is a relevant
skill from the Materials Guidelines along with a discussion of the role that
skill plays in the total unit. As you read these discussion items, see if you
can make a case for other skill development possibilities.
In this unit, high school students will explore current and historic water resources in their community and
evaluate existing plans for the future. Through their own research, interviews, and field experiences they
will gain an understanding of past and present water resource issues in the community, determine the
current state of affairs, decide whether community action is needed, and how they might be able to
initiate such activity, if appropriate.
Studying Local Water Resources
A. Students research municipal and county historical records.
B. Students interview administrators of the local water supply.
C. Students interview a cross section of community members
representative of the variety of individuals and businesses
served by the local water agency.
D. Students visit local water treatment facility or facilities.
Students should arrive at
their own conclusions based
on thorough research, rather
than being taught that a
certain course of action is
best. Direct access to
records and individuals
involved with water issues
builds data collection skills.
26
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence—THE WORKBOOK
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II. Learning about Water Resource Problems and Solutions
A. Students research the history of water resource
development in their region.
B. Students examine the impacts of human activities
on water resources.
C. Students investigate various responses to past water
resource problems in their own and other areas.
III. Identifying Potential Water Resource Concerns
A. Students learn chemical and non-chemical tests for
water quality.
B. Students analyze current water consumption and
make predictions for future consumption based on
population trends and land use predictions.
C. Students evaluate collected data for trends in
water availability or quality and land use that
might affect local water resources.
IV. Evaluating Water Resource Issues
A. Students evaluate existing policies for water quality
and supply.
B. Students develop alternatives to existing policies.
C. Students contrast and compare alternative water
resource policies.
V. Water Resource Action Strategies
A. Students explore ways to interact with local
government agencies and companies.
B. Students determine if any alternative water resource
policies or procedures might be warranted
and discuss best ways to present them.
C. Students develop presentations of alternatives for
specific audiences.
D. Students plan community action projects.
Students learn to identify,
define, and evaluate issues
on the basis of evidence and
different perspectives
Learners hone their ability
to forecast and to plan long-
term. To do this, they
sharpen basic laboratory
and field skills such as
experimental design,
observation, and data
collection and analysis.
Students practice evaluating
environmental issues and
their potential solutions.
They also try their hand at
developing their own
solutions to issues.
Learners are encouraged to
practice interpersonal and
communication skills, as
these are important for data
collection, conflict manage-
ment, and communicating
alternatives to others.
BRINGING IT HOME:
Many of the skills included in this example are those that students
need to explore and determine a course of action. But developing
skills and actually putting them into practice can be two very different
things. The ability to formulate a plan of action is essential, but until
that plan is carried out, and the results reflected upon, the process is
not complete. Key Characteristic #4 deals with this important aspect
of the action skills process.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
27
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ANSWERS
Key Characteristic #3—Emphasis on Skills
Biiilcliiig
"Taxiing Your Brain
page 25
Objective Classification Worksheet
OBJECTIVES
Key Characteristic #1
Fairness & Accuracy
Objective 1
Objective 2
Objective 3
Key Characteristic #2
Depth
Objective 4 ^^
Objective^
Objective 6
Key Characteristic #3
Emphasis On Skills Building
Objective 7
Objective 8
Cey Characteristic #4
Action Orientation
" "OTyectrve £ ', ""
"ObjectlveTO "~*~— «~»
Key Characteristic #5
Instructional Soundness
Objective 11
Objective 12
Objective 13
Key Characteristic #6
Usability
Objective 14
JDbjective 15
' Objective 16
OBJECTIVE VERB
assess i*, -
•v •* <\VW\.v^\ V*u * *
identify
""evaluate ° <
demonstrate
' " vA^S-* '^iV'T-'";*'*, r^s->^STC» 'V X1 '
- , , .-'.ifepogntee!*:.-,?'^/^-^
^classi^ ^° Vv
distinguish
"" ' T, ''- '' ^ -\v>1 V '=*" ' y v*''v;!vi^ — s,i\ v^%«'/
" i "''•?'• Ch@OS$v;V'A Vvr-l^-
distinguish
cfasslijif
evaluate
!diff«re»tiate~^
recogniize ^ * *
identify
assess
LEARNING LEVEL
^ ,1 fi^kluation t\ ' '
Knowledge
* Evaluation <„• ' "
&$^S^fc^l$^5^)^?£)^ ^
Comprehension
•^^^-Vy^^v^^^^tlK^
Synihesis/"---
Analysis
Analysis
"Syril[|esis
Evaluation
,,»€oj»jjreiie|islori . -•
^ * v TCnlnwffAl'P- t-s?!^'^"';.':^
Knowledge
r ..- ... ' . ... °^ Eyalmafeit , -'SJS'Ai
28
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Things to Think About...
One of the overarching goals of education is to prepare students to
become effective decision makers. As consumers, citizens, voters,
and family members, students will spend their lives making choices
among possible actions. Part of an educator's responsibility is
teaching students to identify and clarify their own opinions. Educa-
tors must help students learn decision-making processes—identify-
ing and evaluating options, selecting a corresponding course of
action, taking action, reflecting on their choices, and adjusting as
needed to accomplish their goals. A critical component of decision-
making is the sense of self-efficacy, or developing students'
confidence in their ability to affect change in their surroundings.
Environmental educators must take care not to direct students to
any particular opinions or courses of action, but to empower stu-
dents to think and act for themselves on environmental issues.
Through the "Water You Know?" unit described on page 26 students
would develop a series of skills while learning about and evaluating
water resources and related issues in their community. The focus in
Key Characteristic #3 was on building skills; in Key Characteristic
#4, the focus is on applying those skills to real world situations.
The opportunity for students to look back on what was done in an
action project is a critical part of the learning process. Students must
determine whether their actions achieved their goals, exploring what
mistakes where made, what lessons were learned, and what they
might have done differently to improve the experience or its results.
Students must learn to reflect honestly on what they have done,
without self-consciousness or fear of criticism. Evaluation of this
type is a crucial step for students to develop self-efficacy.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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ACTIVITY
Recycling Reflections
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #4
Action Orientation
GUIDELINE: 4.1
OBJECTIVE 9:
Choose strategies
that encourage
learners to reflect on
the consequences of
their action(s).
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• action project
• reflection
BACKGROUND:
Reflecting is more than thinking about something; it involves a
careful consideration of one's values, goals, interests, and
behaviors. The final purpose of reflection is to ensure that one's
actions are consistent with one's intent and, if not, to determine
what changes one needs to make. Reflection is crucial to
making an action project a meaningful experience. If students
do not consider the ramifications of the action on their lives
and/or the lives of others, or consider the lessons learned from
it in terms of future behavior, then their participation has been
an exercise, but not necessarily a learning experience.
INSTRUCTIONS:
After much research and discussion, students decide that they want to
start a school-wide recycling program. Which of the following questions
encourage students to reflect on their project? As in many environ-
mental situations, there may be more than one correct answer.
Answers can be found on pages 33 and 34.
EXAMPLE:
Which questions best help students to reflect on their choice of receptacles:
a) What are the cheapest ones to buy?
No—more of a logistics question.
b) Can we paint them the school colors?
No—not really relevant.
c) Will using cans that look like trash cans defeat our purpose?
Yes—it incorporates the students' goals
and the success of their choices.
30
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1) When first planning the recycling program, which of these questions will promote reflection?
a) How many cans do you want to recycle?
b) What do we want to accomplish here?
c) Where can we find room to store the recyclables?
2) Which of these might the students consider when reflecting on their choice of what
objects to collect?
a) From whom do we have to get permission to store the objects?
b) For which materials can we get the most money?
c) Are there some recyclables that do not have an established market?
3) Midway through the project, you find that the recycling bins are always empty. Which of
the following best encourages the students to reflect on their previous decisions?
a) Should we move these to another room?
b) What are some reasons the bins might be empty?
c) Nobody's recycling—should we move on to another action project?
4) The instructor wishes the students to consider a number of consequences of their recycling
project. Which questions should students think about early on to be able to consider at the
project's completion?
a) How much energy does it take to transport the recyclables to the community
collection center?
b) What percentage of the school population currently recycles?
c) Do you know of any books about recycling?
5) When the project is completed, which questions are most likely to inspire reflection?
a) Did we accomplish what we set out to do?
b) Did our project encourage others to continue to recycle?
c) Did you enjoy the project?
BRINGING IT HOME:
Actions taken with the best of intentions can have unforeseen
negative consequences. For students to be able to make intelligent
decisions regarding the costs and benefits of their actions, they must
have a sense of what questions to consider. It is possible for students
to discuss, debrief, and process an action for a significant length of
time, without addressing questions of substance. While there are a
number of different types of questions students will have to ask them-
selves, reflective questions relate to the value and success of their
efforts, their sense of self-efficacy, what they have learned, and the
possible need to act differently in the future.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
31
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EXAMPLE
Energy Empowerment
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #4
Action Orientation
GUIDELINE: 4.2
OBJECTIVE 10:
Distinguish patterns
that contribute to
learner empowerment.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• community action
BACKGROUND:
The apathy that some students feel toward community
action, environmental causes, and in extreme cases toward
life in general, is often connected with a sense that they lack
the ability to make a difference. People have an innate need
to feel that they matter, and that their actions will affect their
surroundings and their own circumstances. Students who
doubt that they have such power are likely to consider any
action project a waste of time. Part of the educator's role is
to help students recognize their power to affect the world.
ABOUT THE EXAMPLE:
Educators can help students see the results of changes in their own
behavior. Note actions taken by the teacher which were conducive to
learner empowerment.
Ms. Wilson's science class completed a unit on electricity, energy, and the mechanics of
energy distribution. Once she felt the class had mastered the information, she challenged
them to explain to her how this information could be useful or practical to them. As a class, the
students decided that it could help them and their families to conserve electricity, thus saving
the families money and conserving resources.
To put this into practice, the students decided to do a thorough energy audit of their homes.
Ms. Wilson helped the class divide into teams, each of which took responsibility for examining
one room of their homes. With some help from formulas and tables provided by Ms. Wilson,
the students were able to estimate the heat energy lost in their homes due to faulty insulation,
poor seals on refrigerators, high settings on hot water heaters, and behaviors such as leaving
doors and windows partially open.
The students collected their findings in a report, which listed specific ways that families could
conserve energy. The students arranged to publish an abridged copy of the report, listing the
main suggestions, in the school newspaper and put it on the school's website. Later, some of
the students recognized that the same principles could be applied to school buildings and
energy practices. They developed a series of recommendations for school energy savings,
which they presented to their school principal.
32
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BRINGING IT HOME:
In this example, learner empowerment is demonstrated in a number
of ways. The outcome of the study is a list of suggested ways that the
families of students can save energy. Hence, the lesson develops
students' sense of self-efficacy. The exploration of these methods is
made by the students themselves, which strengthens their sense of
discovery and decision making. The publication of the information is
accomplished using media that the students control or manage and to
which they have easy and frequent access.
ANSWERS
Key Characteristic #4—Action Orientation
-
Answers for: Recycling Reflections
page 30
** Indicates the more appropriate answer(s) given the definition of reflection used in
this exercise. Other questions could be reflective depending on context and follow-up.
1)
When first planning the recycling program, which of these questions will promote
reflection?
ft
j* fc^ A—How many cans do you want to recycle?
Assumes a course of action has already been set. It presupposes that cans are
the only thing that can be recycled and proceeds to set an arbitrary target
rather than exploring the reasons for recycling in the first place.
** B—What do we want to accomplish here?
Encourages students to think about and set goals for their project. If this isn't discussed,
students will have difficulty knowing if they addressed what they set out to accomplish.
C—Where can we find room to store the recyclables?
Deals with logistics. It is, however, an important step in determining if they have the resources
to conduct the project.
2) Which of these might the students consider when reflecting on their choice of what objects to collect?
A—From whom do we have to get permission to store the objects?
Deals with logistics. It is a planning step, and would only be a matter of reflection if they find
out too late that the person who gave permission was not authorized to do so. Additionally,
space is at a premium at most schools.
B—For which materials can we get the most money?
Unless fundraising is the main purpose of the activity, the monitary value is a secondary
consideration.
** C—Are there some recyclables that do not have an established market?
Addresses the choices they've made and the further implication of the choices.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
33
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Answers for: Recycling Reflections Continued
3) Midway through the project, you find that the recycling bins are always empty. Which of the following best
encourages the students to reflect on their previous decisions?
A—Should we move these to another room?
Recommends an action without assessing the situation. Moving to another location might be
pursued as an experiment to determine if the location is the problem.
** B—What are some reasons the bins might be empty?
Reflects on different aspects of the problem.
C—Nobody's recycling—should we move on to another action project?
Gives up without looking at a different course of action. Students would become more
empowered if they could identify and overcome the obstacle to their program.
4) The instructor wishes the students to consider a number of consequences of their recycling project.
Which questions should students think about early on to be able to consider at the project's completion?
** A—How much energy does it take to transport the recyclables to the community collection center?
Performs a type of cost-benefit analysis on the value of the students' recycling effort.
** B—What percentage of the school population currently recycles?
Helps to establish a baseline, so students can determine if their project is having any effect on
the school community.
C—Do you know of any books about recycling?
Doesn't deal with consequences of actions, but could help with research. The use of books can
be a very effective (but not limited to) springboard into a unit.
5) When the project is completed, which questions are most likely to inspire reflection?
** A—Did we accomplish what we set out to do?
Looks at goals in comparison to final outcomes.
** B—Did our project encourage others to continue to recycle?
Examines whether the project has a far reaching effect.
C—Did you enjoy the project?
Invites an emotional response but does not address goals, choices, consequences, or outcomes.
Other ways of asking the question might be: What did you get out of it? What parts were difficult
or challenging for you? Did this change how you feel about environmental action?
34
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Instructional ;^
,,,^
--Vx _«
Things to Think About-
Educational materials must be instructionally sound or their purpose
is defeated. Understanding instructional soundness and how it is
determined requires a firm grasp of educational terminology. This
section will look at the difference between goals and objectives,
examine instructional methods and learning settings, and investigate
assessment methods.
Until fairly recently, many educational, settings and materials were
largely teacher-centered. Students were often viewed as empty
vessels into which knowledge from teachers and textbooks could be
poured. Assessment demanded little more than the regurgitation of
previously learned facts or the reenactment of experiments. Some
of the important ideas of education today include: learner-centered
instruction, constructivist theory, experiential education,
multiple intelligences, and interdisciplinary education. These
approaches view students as active learners who bring Something
to the table. Learners are capable of creating new knowledge from
what they already know through new experiences and active
investigation. Subject matter is no longer presented within isolated
disciplines, but is linked to other disciplines so that learners see
relationships in broader terms and with a perspective more in tune
with the real world. All these changes in educational delivery require
equivalent changes in the way we evaluate learning.
Traditional assessment methods considered effective in a teacher-
centered model of education are inadequate for learner-centered,
constructivist, interdisciplinary approaches. The latter are more
appropriately assessed through projects, portfolios, presentations or
other forms of authentic assessment.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
35
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ACTIVITY
Gardening, Naturally
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #5
Instructional Soundness
GUIDELINES: 5.1, 5.2,
5.3
OBJECTIVE 11:
Classify instructional
methods and ways of
learning.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• constructivism
• learning styles
• learner-centered
instruction
• multiple intelligence
BACKGROUND:
This activity addresses learner-centered instruction, learning
styles, multiple intelligences, and the connections that
should be made between EE materials and learners' everyday
lives. Learner-centered instruction focuses on the needs and
interests of the students and emphasizes students having
an active role in their education. Akin to this model is
constructivism, in which learners construct new knowledge
from what they already know in an experiential, building-block
process.
Whether one is designing or evaluating EE materials, a variety
of learning styles should be considered. Planning to teach for
more than one learning style not only accommodates the needs
of a larger audience, it also adds variety to the presentation of
the materials. Often, there is confusion between the terms
"learning style" and "intelligence." Learning styles describe the
ways in which learners receive and process the information.
Whether someone learns best by working alone or within a
group is just as important a consideration as whether they learn
best by reading, listening, watching, or touching. Intelligence,
particularly the multiple intelligences (Ml) theory of Howard
Gardner, has often been mistaken as a learning style. But
intelligence, whether Ml theory or not, describes a learner's
ability to acquire new knowledge, not the way in which they do
it. Ml theory in particular identifies learners' aptitudes in certain
areas such as language, dance, science and math. It is a
premise of Ml theory that individuals can strengthen any of
their multiple intelligences through practice.
36
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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INSTRUCTIONS:
This activity asks you to determine the degree to which the instructional
methods are learner-centered, support different ways of learning, and/or
connect learners to their everyday lives. Review this outline for a unit on
gardening with native plants. Following each section are brief descrip-
tions of the three different educational approaches. In the boxes pro-
vided, rank the approaches from 1 to 3 to indicate the most relevant (1) to least
relevant (3) for that part of the lesson. Answers can be found on pages 44 & 45.
In this activity students will have the opportunity to research, plan, plant, tend, and monitor a
garden featuring plants native to their region of North America. The garden may contain food
plants as well as decorative species—that decision lies with teachers and/or students. The
research, planning, and evaluation of the project can be left, to a certain degree, in the hands
of the students, depending on their developmental level. Resources, glossary, and further
background information are available at the end of the unit.
I.
Preparing
A. Students look up examples of all types of gardens in magazines, books, and newspapers,
and bring garden catalogs and pictures of gardens to class.
B. Students visit a local garden center to learn what types of native plants are available
in their area, if any.
C. Local garden club members or native plant restoration groups visit the class.
D. Using the pictures they brought in, students give a presentation. Presentations are followed
by guided discussion on what the students consider to be a garden and the benefits people
gain from gardens and gardening.
E. Students contrast and compare formal, informal, and natural gardens.
F. Students determine if there are local sources for native plants. If not, students research
distant sources.
Educational Approaches (rank relevance from 1 to 3)
I I • Learner centered instruction: Activities and projects use learner questions and
concerns as a starting point.
L_J • Different ways of learning: Important concepts are conveyed in several ways.
I I • Connection to learners' everyday lives: Examples are relevant to the learner.
II. Planning
A. Students determine (through guided discussion, if necessary) the considerations that need
to be addressed before planting a garden.
B. Students inspect and discuss potential garden sites.
C. Working from information and materials collected in Section I of this activity, students
select native plants suitable for a school garden.
D. Students working in teams plan different gardens and represent the plans in more
than one way: e.g., written plant lists, overhead or profile view drawings, murals.
E. Students choose the garden design which they will use.
F. Students determine how they are going to evaluate their performance and the degree of
success of the project.
Educational Approaches (rank relevance from 1 to 3)
n
Learner-centered instruction: Materials encourage learner participation in
planning and assessing learning.
Different ways of learning: Opportunities are provided for students to learn
from self-expression and experience.
Connection to learners' everyday lives: Concepts to be taught are related
directly to students' experiences.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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IE. Planting
A. Students consult with each other to assign initial tasks for the planting, maintenance,
and monitoring of the garden.
B. Students devise a rotating schedule of assignments so all participants can contribute
to the project in a variety of ways.
Educational Approaches (rank relevance from 1 to 3)
I | • Learner centered instruction: Instruction encourages learners to undertake
their own inquiry.
I I • Different ways of learning: Learners are challenged to learn different skills
that reflect their multiple intelligences.
I | • Connection to learners' everyday lives: Materials (activities) provide for
continuing involvement throughout the year by the learner.
IV. Pay-off
A. Students track the progress of the plants and tend the garden.
B. At the end of the season and/or year, students report the status of the garden and
their project, and devise methods for sharing the information with others through
media they determine to be appropriate.
C. Students evaluate the degree of success of the garden and determine:
1. Which plants succeeded, which did not and why?
2. What actions were successful in designing, planting, or tending the garden.
3. What actions were unnecessary or not successful.
4. What things could have been done differently.
D. Students reflect on:
1. The gardening process.
2. What they have learned about plants and the roles plants play in our everyday lives.
3. Their relationship to the land.
4. The influence of the overall experience on their attitude toward human and plant
community relationships.
Educational Approaches (rank relevance from 1 to 3)
I I • Learner-centered instruction: Activities allow learners to build from previous
knowledge.
I I • Different ways of learning: Materials and activities are developmentally
appropriate for the grade level, yet sensitive to individual differences.
I I • Connection to learners' everyday lives: Materials provide for continuing
involvement throughout the year by the learner, both at home and at school.
Note to Teachers: The length of time devoted to this project can vary considerably. Ideally,
this activity spans a full academic year (or more) but shorter duration projects in which
there is no actual planting at a school site are also possible. Options may include planning
at school for home gardens, or planting of small, indoor gardens.
BRINGING IT HOME:
To be truly effective, environmental education materials must meet
learner needs. Materials designed with different learning styles,
multiple intelligences, and constructivist and experiential principles
in mind have the greatest potential to reach the widest audience.
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EXAMPLE
ForesTree
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #5
Instructional Soundness
GUIDELINES: 5.4, 5.5,
5.7
OBJECTIVE 12:
Evaluate the use of
various instructional
environments.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• concept map
• interdisciplinary
BACKGROUND:
Moving learning beyond the walls of the classroom to take advan-
tage of various settings and real world experiences enhances any
learning situation. The strength of these learning opportunities
lies in their relevance to learners' lives and the practical applica-
tion of knowledge. Although an expanded physical setting is
important to learning, it is equally important to have an expanded
intellectual setting in which learners share their discoveries and
observations with one another, draw upon knowledge from a
variety of disciplines, and gain new skills and insights in more
than one subject area. Additionally, meaningful learning is more
likely to take place when students are presented with material
appropriate for their age and developmental level.
ABOUT THE EXAMPLE:
This example of a lesson on forest/wood lot ecology reflects a design
addressing expanded learning environments, interdisciplinary educa-
tion, and appropriate learning settings. Key elements of the unit are
underlined, followed by a short descriptor indicating which guideline
(5.4, 5.5, or 5.7) is being addressed.
Not every school has a forest nearby but most are close to some area with enough trees to serve as an
outdoor classroom. Studying the plant and animal life in a nearby forest, park, or wood lot, whether
off campus or on the school grounds, offers students the opportunity for new ways to experience their
surroundings and interact with each other. (Guideline 5.4—Expanded learning environment: diverse
learning environment beyond the classroom.)
Learning about Habitats with Trees
• Set the stage by asking students to discuss the feelings, words, and terms'that come to mind when
they talk about trees, forests, or woodlands. It might be useful to draw a concept map visible to
the entire class. New or unfamiliar terms should be defined so all class members have a common
ground from which to do further study. (Guideline 5.7—Appropriateness for specific learning
settings: appropriate language level.)
• Divide the students into research teams.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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Studying Habitats with Trees
• Set a time frame for the teams to do general library research on forests, forest types, and other
habitats with trees (including tree plantations or farms, corporate campuses, park settings, and so
on). They should then share what they learned. (Guideline 5.4—Expanded learning environment:
learners are encouraged to share their knowledge and work with others.)
• Once the teams finish their initial research they can begin field work on their wooded site. Within
each team, individuals or pairs (depending on number of students) can record information and
observations. Student teams should record:
• Type and location of site: forest, park, school grounds.
• Size of the site and number of trees of various size ranges. Depending on the preparation of
the students, some tree identification to genus or species could be appropriate.
• Number and types of other plant species (shrubs, flowers, grasses). Easily identified
species can be listed by name.
• Analysis of soil type and condition.
• Animals observed or heard, signs of animals (tracks, nests, signs of feeding).
• Estimates of the apparent condition of trees and other plants—do there appear to be any
stresses to the plants or trees (diseases, pests, human impacts)?
(Guideline 5 A—Expanded Learning Environment: Students learn in a diverse environment which
includes the school yard, field settings, community, and other settings beyond the classroom.)
Reporting ForesTree Findings
Each team prepares a report on their own observations and evaluations of the site. Students should
have a clear understanding of the report evaluation process and know that their grade is based on four
distinct elements; 1) the degree to which the main idea is clear and maintained, 2) the degree to which
elements are elaborated, 3) the logical flow of ideas and 4) how effectively the product addresses the
assignment as a whole. Suggested items for the final report might include, but should not be limited
to:
• Language Arts: reports on the library and field research, expository writing emphasizing some
aspect of the study site, poetry describing the site or the experience.
• Life Science: evaluations of the health of the study site, plant inventories, etc.
• Mathematics: possible computations include: number of trees or other plants per unit area of the
site, percentage of various plant types present, ratio of trees to other species.
• Art: maps of the site, drawings of specific trees or other interesting features of the site.
• Social Science: human uses of the site, regulations involving the site, past and future of the site.
(Guideline 5.5—Interdisciplinary: The material helps develop skills useful in subject areas such as
reading comprehension, math, writing, and map reading and analysis.)
BRINGING IT HOME:
This example illustrates how simple it is to expand the quality of
students' learning experience. Here, students were exposed to a
multidisciplinary exploration in a new learning environment that did
not overwhelm them or stress the resources of the school.
Experiences such as these do not require expensive technology or
complicated field trips, but they do require planning, organization,
and attention to basic educational principles and methods.
40
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EXAMPLE
Rubrics Cubed
ACTIVITY
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #5
Instructional Soundness
GUIDELINES: 5.6, 5.8
OBJECTIVE 13:
Differentiate the role
of goals, objectives,
and assessments.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• alternative
assessment
• assessments
• authentic assessment
• goals
• objectives
• rubric
BACKGROUND:
As noted earlier, education has taken on a new look in recent
years. Educational methods today demand versatility and
power from assessment tools. In answer to that demand,
terms such as authentic assessment, alternative assess-
ment, and rubric have become a part of educational vocabu-
lary.
Goals, objectives, and assessments are inseparable com-
ponents of education. Goals point where we want to go,
objectives tell us how to get there, and assessments let us
know if we actually reached our destination. As one assess-
ment tool, rubrics provide a comprehensive and flexible way
to evaluate the success of environmental education materials
objectively and efficiently. But good rubrics are challenging to
create. In this activity you will gain some familiarity with the
construction and use of rubrics.
ABOUT THE EXAMPLE:
The following rubric on Simultaneous Head Patting and Tummy Rubbing
(SHPATR—pronounced "shpatter") is an example of a very simple rubric.
If you were to evaluate the performance of individuals attempting this
complex psychomotor activity with the rubric, you reasonably could be
assured that your evaluation would be equivalent to the evaluation given
by someone else using the same instrument. While using the rubric, it is
also reasonable to expect that you will be measuring all performances
with the same yardstick.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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SHPATR RUBRIC
Proper Head
Patting
Tempo (PHP)
3
Fully Developed
2
1
Developed
Absent
Circular Tummy
Rubbing
Motion (CTR)
PHP & CTR
Coordination
Maintains
coordination
while changing
tempo
Maintains
constant tempo
Tempo
inconsistent
or irregular
Maintains
coordination while
reversing motion
Maintains
circular motion
Motion
inconsistent
or irregular
Maintains
coordination
while changing
tempo & revers-
ing motion
Maintains
coordination
Coordination
inconsistent
or irregular
Evaluating a SHPATR performance is a straightforward process. In the sample rubric each
column (down) has a scoring range of 1 through 3 (bottom to top). Inconsistent or irregular
motion in any of the actions listed in the column headings results in a score of one for that
column (the bottom row). An adequate performance in any of the three skill areas results in a
mark of two for that column, and an exemplary performance results in a mark of three. The
potential scoring range in the complete rubric is from 3 to 9.
This rubric is based on the goal of attaining SHPATR competency, that is, to successfully
pat one's head and rub one's tummy simultaneously. Objectives leading to the goal are: to
develop rhythm in head patting, to develop speed and proficiency in tummy rubbing, and to
develop coordination between the two motions.
The ForesTree Rubric was adapted from materials in Effective Scoring Rubrics: A Guide to Their
Development and Use, Illinois State Board of Education, 1995.
The rubric on the following page is designed to evaluate the performance of students on the
ForesTree unit on page 39. The goal of that unit is for learners to develop a basic understanding
of forest or woodlot ecology. Objectives of the unit are to learn to identify plant and animal species,
to differentiate between various plant and animal communities, and to evaluate and report on the '
observable relationships between human and other biotic communities.
42
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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s?
INSTRUCTIONS:
The following rubric has been formatted for four elements of
the ForesTree final assignment: Reporting ForesTree Findings
(column headings) and four score levels (row headings). Beneath
the rubric are 16 scoring criteria which must be placed in the
appropriate squares of the rubric. Place the appropriate letter or
complete phrase in each square. Read each heading and criterion
carefully. There is a logical progression within each element and
the language describing the score levels for each element is dis-
tinctive. The answers to this activity can be found on page 46.
FORES-
TREE
RUBRIC
FOCUS
Degree to
which main
idea is clear
& maintained.
ELABORATION
Degree to which
elements are
elaborated.
ORGANIZATION
Degree of logical
flow of ideas.
INTEGRATION
How effectively
the product as
a whole
addresses the
assignment.
Fully
Developed
3
Developed
2
Developing
1
Absent
A) Plan noticeable: Digressions
B) Bare Bones: Position clear
C) Fully developed product
D) Some points elaborated
E) No elaboration
F) Barely deals with topic
G) Attempted: Main point shifts
H) Most points elaborated
I) No plan of organization
J) Only the essentials present
K) All major points elaborated
L) All main points maintained; Effective closing
M) Plan is clear; most points connected
N) Main idea absent or unclear
O) All points logically connected
P) Attempts to address assignment
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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BRINGING IT HOME:
The need for assessments that go beyond traditional multiple choice,
true-false, and matching instruments gives special power to rubrics.
Many types of authentic assessment can be conducted using a well-
constructed rubric as the gauge.
ANSWERS
Key Characteristic #5—Instructional
Soundness
Gardening, Naturally
I. Preparing
page 37
• Learner-centered instruction: Activities and projects use learner questions and concerns as a
starting point.
Least Appropriate Answer: Although learner questions and concerns are present they are not
the starting point of the lesson. For this lesson to be truly learner-centered the students would
have had to initiated a garden planning activity on their own.
• Different ways of learning: Important concepts are conveyed in several ways.
Most Appropriate Answer: Research and investigations encourage learning through a varietv
of media and resources and thus encourage various learning styles.
Connection to learners' everyday lives: Examples are relevant to the learner.
Acceptable Answer: The opportunity for connections to learners'lives is present through local
investigations and discussion.
II. Planning
• Learner-centered instruction: Materials encourage learner participation in planning and
assessing learning.
Most Appropriate Answer: The learners design the form and execution of the project as well
as planning their own assessment.
• Different ways of learning: Opportunities are provided for students to learn from expression
and experience.
Acceptable Answer: Building on the introductory activities from the Preparing Stage and
continuing to the planning and presentation of garden designs, the students are given the
opportunity to learn through experience and expression.
• Connection to learners' everyday lives: Concepts to be taught are related directly to students'
experiences.
Least Appropriate Answer: Although students are gaining experience through research
planning, and presentation, this stage, as described, presents no immediate link to their lives.
44
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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III. Planting
1 Learner-centered instruction: Activities and projects use learner questions and concerns as a
starting point.
Most Appropriate Answer: Instruction encourages learners to undertake their own inquiry.
' Different ways of learning: Learners are challenged to learn different skills that reflect their
multiple intelligences.
Least Appropriate Answer: While different multiple intelligences may be put into play they are
really only incidental to this portion of the activity.
• Connection to learners' everyday lives: Materials (activities) provide for continuing involvement
throughout the year by the learner.
Acceptable Answer: This stage of the activity encourages student ownership of the project and
sets the stage for continued involvement throughout the school year.
IV. Payoff
Learner centered instruction: Activities allow learners to build from previous knowledge.
Acceptable Answer: This step of the activity encourages the learners to construct new knowl-
edge through reflection and evaluation.
Different ways of learning: Materials and activities are developmentally appropriate for the
grade level, yet sensitive to individual differences.
Least Appropriate Answer: It is not directly addressed here, although the entire lesson itself is
adaptable to a variety of levels.
Connection to learners' everyday lives: Materials provide for continuing involvement through-
out the year by the learner, both at home and at school.
Most Appropriate Answer: While there is no home component specifically addressed in this
section the primary intent is to encourage involvement throughout the year.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
45
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Answers for: Rubrics Cubed
page 43
FORESTREE
RUBRIC
4
3
2
1
Fully Developed
Developed
Developing
Absent
FOCUS
Degree to
which main
idea is clear &
maintained.
ELABORATION
Degree to
which elements
are elaborated.
ORGANIZATION
Degree of logical
flow of ideas.
INTEGRATION
How effectively
the product
as a whole
addresses the
assignment.
L)
All main points
maintained:
Effective
closing
B)
Bare Bones:
Position clear
G)
Attempted:
Main point
shifts
N)
Main idea
absent or
unclear
K)
All major
points
elaborated
H)
Most points
elaborated
D)
Some points
elaborated
E)
No
elaboration
0)
All points
logically
connected
M)
Plan is clear
most points
connected
A)
Plan
noticeable:
Digressions
1)
No plan of
organization
C)
Fully
developed
product
J)
Only the
essentials
present
P)
Attempts to
address
assignment
F)
Barely deals
with topic
46
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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?*t*&*^m-"
„
& 'affd^Qree 'of - J
" ~ •'
Things to Think About...
Compared to the previous five characteristics, it might be supposed
that the concept of usability is straightforward and simple. Straight-
forward it is, but far from simple. The fact that usability is a complex
and far too often ignored issue is amply demonstrated by a sample
of the comments often heard regarding EE materials. Materials that
must be copied for distribution to students but are physically difficult
to copy, because of binding or color problems, is one example.
Activities that require expensive consumable materials also present
problems. Lack of documentation or background information for
teachers who are not sufficiently familiar with the subject matter
or procedures can prevent EE materials from being used at all.
Unfortunately, the list of complaints is probably as long as the list
of materials.
"User friendly" is a term that has become well known with the growth
of personal computer use. However, the term applies to many other
fields as well, including environmental education. There is one over-
arching question to be answered when judging the usability, or user
friendliness, of EE materials. Will it be easy for the educator to
include this material or lesson in the curriculum? To answer this
not-so-simple question, you must consider many things, from the
mechanical (reproducibility of student pages, for example) to the
more technical (such as correlation to educational standards or
issues of copyright protection).
Attention to detail goes a long way toward the creation of materials
that gather users rather than dust. The following examples will help
clarify the range of considerations that evaluators or authors face in
determining whether environmental education materials possess
usability.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
47
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EXAMPLE
Clearing the Waters
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #6
Usability
GUIDELINES: 6.1, 6.2
OBJECTIVE 14:
Recognize the
necessary structural
elements for quality
environmental educa-
tion materials.
BACKGROUND:
Environmental education materials must be accessible to the
people who are to use them. Without such qualities as clarity,
logic, and ease of use, it matters little how well EE materials
meet the other Key Characteristics. If usability is greatly
compromised the materials will sit on a shelf. However appar-
ently simple and straightforward, concepts such as "clarity and
logic" and "easy to use" turn out to be rather complex when
examined in detail. While authors of EE materials concentrate
on more obvious characteristics such as Instructional Sound-
ness or Fairness and Accuracy, the characteristic of Usability
can become lost in the shuffle.
Ensuring this does not happen may mean something as
simple as using a checklist approach to evaluating or creating
EE materials, since incorporating these elements is simply a
matter of attention to detail. The following example looks more
closely at some of those details.
ABOUT THE EXAMPLE:
In the following example of a water quality assessment lesson, we look at some of the
indicators of qualify environmental education materials according to Guidelines 6.1 and
6.2. All lines in the example on page 49 have been assigned numbers. The checklist
below lists some of the indicators from Guidelines 6.1 and 6.2. Next to each indicator
is a number corresponding to the line in the example which demonstrates that indicator.
Note, indicators that have physical attributes are difficult to represent in a workbook
and have been intentionally left out of this example and the activity on page 51.
Testing the Waters - Usability Checklist
Location
Line 2 in Sidebar
Line 19 hi Sidebar
Line 37 in Sidebar
Line 27 in Preparation
Line 0 hi Background
Line 48 in Student Sheets
Usability Indicators
• Intended grade level.
• Materials needed.
• Safety precautions.
• Instructions for conducting the activity.
• Adequate and accurate background information for educators.
• Copyright spelled out or permission to copy.
48
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
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n
5
10
1S
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Sidebar
Grade Level: 10-12
Setting: Both Classroom
and Outdoors
Class Size: 15-20
Skills Addressed:
analysis, contrasting,
comparing, observing
Disciplines & Concepts:
Water quality assessment
Qualitative measurement
Quantitative measurement
Data collection
Equipment:
Nets
Thermometers
Sampling trays
Field guides
Collection jars
Tweezers
Test Kits
Dissolved oxygen
pH
Nitrates
Phosphates
Time:
Preparation - 45 Minutes
Outdoors - One half day
Indoors - 100 Minutes
Safety:
Students should not work
alone or unsupervised.
Boots or solid shoes
should be worn while in
the water-no bare feet.
Wash hands after working
in the water. Chemical test
should be done per instruc-
tions and used chemicals
disposed of properly.
Background: 0
Water quality testing falls into two basic categories:
chemical testing and biotic index assessment. Each has
advantages and disadvantages. Determining water quality
based on the presence of macroinvertebrates (biotic index)
can be fairly easy and very rewarding if a suitable sam- 5
pling site is available. If properly maintained, the materials
required for this method need only be purchased once,
feedback on water quality is immediate, and it is an
enjoyable and memorable experience for students.
10
Chemical testing offers much more specific information
on various water quality parameters but requires the use of
consumable materials. Certain tests use materials which
are not safe for the environment so special consideration
must be given to chemical handling and disposal. Most 15
tests require a little time to complete and can be rather
complex.
Frequently, only one of these two methods is used in water
quality studies. This can leave questions about the rela- 20
tionship between water chemistry and aquatic life unan-
swered. In this unit, students will use both a biotic index
and chemical testing to determine water quality and
compare the results of the two methods to see what
correlations and relationships might exist. 25
Preparation:
Select a suitable site. Resource agencies (State Depart-
ment of Natural Resources, Soil and Water Conservation
District, etc.) can be of great help in finding a sampling 30
site if none is immediately near the school. Sites must be
easily accessible, offer several locations where working in
the water can be done safely, and present a variety of
habitat types including at least riffles (fast moving,
shallow water) and pools (slow moving, deeper water). 35
Be sure to obtain permission to use the site. Once again,
resource agencies can be of great help in getting permis-
sion for site visits. Prior to the field work students should
practice the use of chemical test kits and learn identifica-
tion of some of the macroinvertebrates which may be 40
found at the study site. Safety rules for conduct at the site
and use of the test kits should also be reviewed.
Student Sheets and Teaching Aids:
Loose-leaf, black line master copies of sampling instruc- 45
tions, student data sheets, invertebrate identification
guides, and teacher aids are included with this activity
guide. All materials may be freely copied for classroom
and field use. All materials in this packet may also be
downloaded from the website by registered users or for a 50
nominal fee.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
49
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ACTIVITY
Testing the Waters
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #6
Usability
GUIDELINES: 6.3, 6.4,
6.5
OBJECTIVE 15:','.
Identify characteristics
that contribute to
longevity and
adaptability.
BACKGROUND
Teaching most subjects requires the use of physical objects,
from worksheets to chemicals to owl pellets. Some items,
such as text books, or CD-ROMs, can be used over and over
again by successive learners. Others, such as owl pellets,
need to be replaced after each use. Some high quality
educational materials require consumable supplies. Materials
that can be used more than once are generally preferred.
Additionally, materials should be adaptable to the needs of
different situations and learners. Other things being equal,
activities that can be used on rainy, sunny, and overcast days
is preferable to those that requires consistent, direct sunlight.
An activity adaptable to large or small groups is preferable
to an activity for specific group sizes.
INSTRUCTIONS:
The checklist on the following page lists indicators that contribute to
the longevity and adaptability of educational materials. Carefully read
through the statements below. For each line of text write the line num-
ber next to the criterion to which it applies. Clearing the Waters on
page 48 serves as the example for this activity. Correct answers can
be found on page 53.
Student Sheets and Teaching Aids:
Loose leaf, black line master copies of sample instructions, student data sheets, inverte-
brate identification guides, and teacher aids are included with this activity guide in a
supplementary folder. All materials may be freely copied for classroom and field use.
Updates and replacements for the materials in this activity guide may be purchased on
CD-ROM or downloaded free at our website'by registered users. AU materialsjnthis.
packet may also be downloaded from the website by registered users or for a nominal
fee. Supplementary materials are available from a variety of suppliers listed in the
Appendix. Spanish and German versions are available.
10 Getting the Most Out of It:
If it is not possible for a class to conduct the field work which begins this activity, the
chemical and biotic testing can still be completed. Advance preparation for the teacher,
in this case, includes collecting water and biotic invertebrate samples from a suitable
location and bringing the materials to the classroom. For classes that can spend suffi-
cient time in the fieldj cpUectogJ&om^lejsywojijdeli^difJ^ng sites (woodland
stream, urban stream) should yield interesting results. The goal of this unit is the
correlation of biotic and chemical testing with quantitative measurements of water
chemistry. For younger students not ready for the details and demands of quantitative
testing, qualitative testing is an alternative.
50
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Testing the Waters - Usability Checklist
Line#
Example: Lines 5-8
Usability Criterion
Materials include information on where replacements, updates,
equipment, and special supplies can be obtained.
Equipment and materials are listed, reasonably accessible,
inexpensive, and simple to use.
Nonconsumable materials can be reused by another educator or other
learners.
Materials are available in more than one language, if appropriate.
Where appropriate, the materials suggest easy adaptations for
different environments, such as indoor and outdoor, formal and
informal settings, large and small classes, mixed level classes, or
rural, suburban, and urban settings.
Materials offer ideas for adapting to different grade levels.
Continuing technical support for educators is provided.
Materials include lists of essential resources and supporting materials,
such as agency contacts, references to videos, information on
computer databases, etc.
BRINGING IT HOME:
Like any human activity, education involves the consumption of natural
resources. Energy, paper, plastic, and wood all have value to the
educator, but they have costs as well. The challenge is in identifying
curricula that balance meeting educational objectives with minimal costs
while being easily accessible and adaptable.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook
51
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EXAMPLE
Living Up to Promises
KEY
CHARACTERISTIC #6
Usability
GUIDELINES: 6.6, 6.7
OBJECTIVE 16:
Assess the validity of
claims and degree of
correlation.
GLOSSARY TERMS:
• field tested
BACKGROUND:
Environmental education materials generally contain claims
about their effectiveness and the expertise of their authors.
Such claims should be well-documented so that potential
users of the materials know what they are getting and can
be confident that qualified individuals participated in the
creation and testing of the materials. Some include actual
research testifying to the validity or effectiveness of the
curriculum; others indicate where and when the material
was field tested with students. In a time when educational
standards are receiving more attention than ever, it is
important for environmental education materials to advertise
their alignment with local, state, or national requirements.
ABOUT THE EXAMPLE:
The following example of documentation demonstrates how environmental
education materials might substantiate claims and correlate with educational
standards.
The following individuals and agencies participated in the design, writing, and revisions of
this unit.
- Hannah Asher, Chief Forester, Johnny McGee National Forest, Taos, NM
- Jonas C. Baceous, Science Coordinator, Generic School District, Waltham, MA
- Big Pines Tree Farm, Valdosta, GA
- James R. Boreal, Ph.D., College of Forestry, University of the Woods, Alberta, Canada
- George Branch, Ed.D., College of Education, University of California at Oakhurst
- Margaret T. Hugger, Ph.D., Director, Forest Issues Institute, Chattanooga, TN
- Diana B. Packer, President, Trees Eternal, Washington, DC
- Trees for Teens, Keokuk, IA
Field testing of these materials was conducted by over 150 middle school, junior high, and
high school teachers from 27 school districts in 11 states during the 1998 and 1999 school
years.
This unit has been correlated to the Excellence in Environmental Education—Guidelines
for Learning (K-12) of the North American Association for Environmental Education.
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BRINGING IT HOME:
Whether grandiose or modest, claims must be backed up. Environ-
mental education materials stand a better chance of use and have
greater value if they meet the same standards established for other
educational materials and have been field tested with the same rigor.
ANSWERS
Key Characteristic #6—Usability
Testing the Waters page 50-51
Testing the Waters - Usability Checklist
Line#
lines 5-8
lines 1-7
not mentioned
lineS
lines 11-16
lines 18-19
not mentioned
lines 7-8
Usability Criterion
Materials include information on where replacements, updates,
equipment, and special supplies can be obtained.
Equipment and materials are listed, reasonably accessible,
inexpensive, and simple to use.
Nonconsumable materials can be reused by another educator.
Materials are available in more than one language, if appropriate.
Where appropriate, the materials suggest easy adaptations for
different environments, such as indoor and outdoor, formal and
informal settings, large and small classes, mixed level classes, or
rural, suburban, and urban settings.
Materials offer ideas for adapting to different grade levels.
Continuing technical support for educators is provided.
Materials include lists of essential resource and supporting
materials, such as agency contacts, references to videos,
information on computer databases, etc.
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GLOSSARY
Abstraction: Understanding, processing, and
combining of concepts or ideas leading to new
knowledge or insights.
Action Project: An activity planned and carried
out with the intention of creating change regard-
ing an issue.
Action Skills: Observation, evaluation, critical
thinking, communication, leadership, conflict
resolution, and other skills necessary for identi-
fying an issue and planning and executing the
resolution of that issue.
Advocacy: Espousing or pleading for a particu-
lar cause or point of view.
Alternative Assessment: Methods which rely
on creative demonstration of skills or knowl-
edge to assess learning.
Assessment: Evaluation of skills and knowledge
acquired by learners during a learning experi-
ence. Assessment can take many forms, from
basic testing such as true/false, multiple choice
or matching tests to complex performance
assessments.
Attitude: Mental state based on personal
beliefs.
Authentic Assessment1: Methods requiring
the use of teamwork and problem-solving skills
to produce a high-quality solution to a real
problem.
Built Environment: Community and its objects
and edifices created by humans.
Cognitive Domain: One of three commonly
recognized areas of learning, the cognitive
dealing with remembering or understanding
of concepts, ideas, facts.
Community Action: Community level action
project.
Concept: A general idea or understanding,
especially one based on common or related
attributes of specific instances. For example, the
concept of ecological interdependence-that all
living elements of an ecological system depend
on the others-is based on a knowledge of
interrelationships among living things in many
specific systems.
Concept Map: A visual representation of
related abstractions (ideas, beliefs, etc.).
Conceptual Framework: An organized se-
quence of ideas that directs teaching towards
a focused understanding.
Constructivism: A guiding philosophy propos-
ing that individuals make meaning of situations
for themselves through a dynamic combination
of knowledge they already possess, new knowl-
edge presented to them, social interaction, and
personal reflection and experience. This person-
ally constructed knowledge by the learner
evolves throughout the learner's lifetime.
Belief: Acceptance of something as fact whether Context: Elements preceding, following, and
supported by evidence or not.
Bias: Predilection; imbalanced attitude toward
or against a certain person, group, institution, or
issue.
Breadth: Comprehensiveness; incorporating a
broad range. (See Depth)
logically connected to something else, as the
context of a paragraph.
Correlation: A mutual, complementary, or
reciprocal relationship.
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Cost/Benefit Analysis: An examination of a
program that seeks to evaluate the resources
expended in relation to the outcome, often noted
in financial terms.
Creative Thinking: Thinking which results in
connections or possibilities previously unrecog-
nized or unknown to the learner.
Critical Thinking: Analysis or consideration
based on careful examination of information or
evidence. Critical thinking relies on thoughtful
questioning and logical thinking skills such as
inductive and deductive reasoning.
Cultural Perspective: A "world view" or belief
system based on the mores and values embraced
by one's culture.
Depth: Focusing on one part or a narrow range
while probing into details. (See Breadth)
Education: The imparting or creation of knowl-
edge through any of several means including
training, instruction, and facilitation.
Educational Objective: A statement of a
specific measurable or observable result desired
from an activity.
Environmental Awareness2: Awareness of and
concern about economic, social, political and
ecological interdependence in urban and rural
areas.
Environmental Literacy: Possessing knowl-
edge about the environment and issues related
to it; capable of, and inclined to, further self-
directed environmental learning and/or action.
Experiential Education: Education based on
personal experience or observation by the
learner, direct experience rather than second
hand information delivered through an interme-
diary such as a teacher or textbook.
Field Test: Trial of educational materials under
the conditions and in the locations for which they
were developed in order to determine their
quality.
Geographical Scale: Representation of some
part of, or area of, the earth's surface.
Goal: A desired result from an activity, lesson,
or course of study.
Higher-Order Thinking Skills: Skills reflective
of more complex thought processes, such as the
synthesis of new knowledge or analysis of data
vs. less complex processes such as rote recall or
simple recognition.
Interdisciplinary: Linking of two or more
academic disciplines.
Learner Centered: Instructional methods that
are driven by the individual needs of the student.
Learning Styles: The belief that individuals
favor particular methods of learning (e.g., oral vs.
written, self-taught vs. group-mediated) and can
optimize their understanding when such methods
are available to them within the learning environ-
ment.
Multiple Intelligences. Theory advanced by
Howard Gardner (Multiple Intelligences: The
Theory in Practice. New York: Basic Books,
1993) that classifies cognitive abilities according
to seven broadly grouped aptitudes: linguistic
intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence,
spatial intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelli-
gence, musical intelligence, interpersonal intelli-
gence, and intrapersonal intelligence. In 1998 an
eighth intelligence, the naturalist intelligence,
was added.
Objective: See Educational Objective.
Perception: A personal interpretation of an
object, event, or situation based on previous
experience.
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Primary Source: The originating point of
information.
Propagandists: Intended to gather public
support for a specific idea, action, or group.
Referenced: Mentioned or alluded to, listed as
a source of information.
Reflection: Consideration of the process and
implications of an action, activity, or new
learning.
Rubric: A scoring mechanism for performance-
based tests that provides model answers within
an objective framework. See also Alternative
Assessment.
Secondary Source: A source of information
once removed from the originator of the infor-
mation.
Self Efficacy: One's ability, or attitude about
that ability, to be a catalyst or agent of change in
one's own life and in situations involving others.
Standards1: Definitive statements of what
learners should know or be able to achieve.
Teacher Centered: Instructional strategies in
which goals and objectives are set without input
from students.
Temporal Scale: Linear representation of
events with reference to the passage of time; a
time line.
Tertiary Source: A source of information at
least twice removed from the originator.
Derived from: McBrien, J.L. and Brandt R. (1997) The Language of Learning: A Guide
to Education Terms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.
Derived from: UNESCO (1978) Final Report Intergovernmental Conference on
Environmental Education. Organized by UNESCO in Cooperation with UNEP,
Tbilisi, USSR, 14-26 October 1997, Paris: UNESCO ED/MD/49.
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SELECTED REFERENCES
Beane, J. (Ed.) (1995). Toward a Coherent Curriculum: 1995 Yearbook of the Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Bloom, B. (1956). The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: D. McKay.
Checkley, K. (September 1997). "The First Seven ... and the Eighth: A Conversation with
Howard Gardner." Educational Leadership 55:1, 8-13.
Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice. New York: Basic Books.
Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence Refrained: Multiple Intelligences for the 21st Century. New
York: Basic Books.
Glover, J. and Bruning, R. (1987). Educational Psychology: Principles and Applications, 2d Ed.
Boston: Little, Brown and Company.
McBrien, J.L. and Brandt R. (1997). The Language of Learning: A Guide to Education Terms.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
North American Association for Environmental Education. (1996). Environmental Education
Materials: Guidelines for Excellence. Rock Spring, GA: NAAEE
UNESCO-UNEP (1976). The Belgrade Charter. Connect: UNESCO-UNEP Environmental
Education Newsletter, Vol. 1 (l)pp. 1-2.
UNESCO (1978). Final Report Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education.
Organized by UNESCO in Cooperation with UNEP, Tbilisi, USSR, 14-26 October 1997
Paris: UNESCO ED/MD/49.
Wiggins, G. and McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
For Further References See:
North American Association for Environmental Education. (2000). Guidelines for the Initial
Preparation of Environmental Educators. Rock Spring, GA: NAAEE
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THE NATIONAL PROJECT FOR EXCELLENCE IN
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
What does it mean to be environmentally literate? The National Project for Excellence in Environmental
Education, initiated by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) in
1993, is attempting to answer that question. Environmental education is a process that aims to
develop an environmentally literate citizenry that can compete in our global economy, has the skills,
knowledge, and inclinations to make well-informed choices, and exercises the rights and responsibilities
of members of a community.
PUBLICATIONS
Publications created by the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education include:
•The Environmental Education Collection—A Review of Resources for Educators,
Volume 1 (1997), a resource guide to help educators find curricula, multimedia resources,
and other educational materials that can enhance the teaching of environmental education.
•The Environmental Education Collection—A Review of Resources for Educators,
Volume 2 (1998).
•The Environmental Education Collection—A Review of Resources for Educators,
Volume 3 (1998).
•Excellence in Environmental Education—Guidelines for Learning (K-12) (1999), a
comprehensive framework for environmental education, demonstrating environmental
education's alignment with national academic standards.
•Excellence in Environmental Education—Guidelines for Learning (K-12) Executive
Summary & Self Assessment Tool (1999), an easy-to-use outline listing the guidelines
and a set of checklists for analyzing educational activities.
•Guidelines for the Initial Preparation of Environmental Educators (1999), a set of
competencies for educators preparing to teach environmental education in a variety of
job settings.
•Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence Workbook—
Bridging Theory and Practice (2000), activities and examples to deepen your
understanding of the Materials Guidelines.
•Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence (1996), a set of
recommendations for developing and selecting environmental education materials.
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