Guidelines for
the Initial
Preparation of
Environmental
Educators
North American
Association for
Environmental
Education
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RAAEE
NORTH AMERICAN
ASSOCIATION FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION
The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) is a network
of professionals and students working in the field of environmental education throughout
North America and in over 50 countries around the world. For more than 25 years, the
Association has promoted environmental education and supported the work of environ-
mental educators.
There are many environmental interest groups and many organizations dedicated to the
improvement of education. NAAEE integrates these perspectives and takes a positive,
cooperative, non-confrontational approach to promoting education about environmental
issues. :
The Association is made up of people who have thought seriously—over lifetimes—about
how people become literate concerning environmental issues. NAAEE members believe
education must go beyond consciousness-raising. It must prepare people to think together
about the difficult decisions they have to make regarding environmental stewardship, and
to work together to improve and 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 translate theory into reality and provide tangible support for environmental
education and environmental educators, NAAEE engages in a variety of programs and
activities: an annual conference at varying North American sites; an active publications
program; the Environmental Education Training Institute; the VINE (Volunteer-led
Investigations of Neighborhood Ecology) Network; the Environmental Issues Forums
(EIF) program; NAAEE Skills Bank; and the Environmental Education and Training
Partnership (EETAP).
For more information contact:
NAAEE Publications and Membership Office
410 Tarvin Road
Rock Spring, GA 30739 USA
(706) 764-2926 (phone) • (706) 764-2094 (fax)
E-mail: csmith409@aol.com • Web site: www.naaee.org
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Guidelines for
the Initial
Preparation of
Environmental
Educators
North American
Association for
Environmental
Education
-------
Guidelines for the Inital Preparation of Environmental Educators was funded by
the United States Environmental Protection Agency through the Environmental
Education and Training Partnership (EETAP) under agreement number
EPA-NT90289701-3 with the North American Association for Environmental
Eduation.
Additional funding and support for this project have been received from
Northern Illinois ^University and the National Environmental Education and
Training Foundation.
The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of
the United States Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade
names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for
use.
Additional copies of this book can be obtained by contacting:
NAAEE Publications and Membership Office
410 Tarvin Road, Rock Spring, GA 30739 USA
(706) 764-2926 (phone) • (706) 764-2094 (fax)
E-mail: csmith409@aol.com • Web site: www.naaee.org
ISBN # 1-884008-78-X
Copyright © 2000 by the North American Association for Environmental
Education (NAAEE). Commercial reproductions of any material in diis
publication is stricdy prohibited without written permission from the publisher,
NAAEE. Educators may photocopy up to 100 copies of these materials for non-
commercial educational purposes.
EETAE
Printed on recycled paper
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Guidelines for the Initial Preparation of Environmental Educators is the eighth in a series of
documents published by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) as
part of the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education. These guidelines and others
produced as part of the Project synthesize the best thinking about environmental education through
an extensive process of review and discussion. Thus far, diousands of individuals and organizations
representing all aspects of environmental education have reviewed materials, working oudines, and
drafts for the guidelines projects. Reviewers have included teachers, educational administrators,
environmental scientists, curriculum developers, university faculty, staff from natural resource agencies
and education departments, and people from many other areas of expertise. The National Project for
Excellence in Environmental Education has been funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency through the Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP), under agreement
with NAAEE.
Members of the Guidelines Writing Team
Deborah Simmons, Chair Department of Teacher Education
Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois
Michele Archie, Writer The Harbinger Institute, Kapa'au, Hawaii
Lori Mann, Copy Editor Environmental Education Consultant
Layout & Design
Mary Vymetal-Taylor, Project Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois
Assistant & Cover Design
Caroline Alston Project Learning Tree, Washington, DC
Judy Braus World Wildlife Fund-US, Washington, DC
Matt Hayden ITW Hi-Cone, Itasca, Illinois
Don Hollums Department of Education
State of Colorado, Denver, Colorado
Rosalyn McKeown-Ice University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
Mary Paden GreenCom, Academy for Educational Development,
Washington, DC
Margaret Paterson Tacoma Public Schools, Tacoma, Washington
Robert Raze Office of Environmental Education
Florida Gulf Coast University, Tallahassee, Florida
Brenda Weiser Environmental Institute of Houston
University of Houston-Clear Lake, Houston, Texas
Peggy Soong Yap Lee Seattle Public Schools, Seattle, Washington
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Table of Contents
Introduction...................................*[[[ 1
Environmental Education: A Vision for the Future........................... 1
The Instructional Vision of Environmental Education..................... 2
How to Use these Guidelines[[[ 4
The Guidelines at a Glance................*......,....................................... 5
Theme #1—Environmental Literacy................................................. 7
Theme #2—Foundations of Environmental Education.................... 8
Theme #3—Professional Responsibilities..................................... 11
of the Environmental Educator
Theme #4—Planning and Implementing........................................ 13
Environmental Education Programs
Theme #5—Fostering Learning [[[ 19
Theme #6—-Assessment and Evaluation........................................ 21
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Introduction
Guidelines for the Initial Preparation of Environmental Educators is a set of recommendations
about'the basic knowledge and abilities educators need to provide high-quality environmental
education. The guidelines are designed to apply:
* Within the context of pre-service teacher education programs and environmental
education courses offered to students with varied backgrounds such as environmental
studies, geography, liberal studies, or natural resources;
* To the preparation of instructors who will work in both formal and nonformal
educational settings, offering programs at the pre-kindergarten through 12th grade
levels; i
* To those preparing to be full-time environmental educators and those for whom
environmental education will be among other responsibilities or integrated within the
curriculum.
Environmental educators work in a variety of settings, at a variety of jobs. They teach in public
and private classrooms, and lead activities for children and adults at nonformal educational
institutions such as nature centers, zoos, museums, and parks. They teach at universities in
education, environmental studies, geography, natural resource, and science programs. They
develop curriculum materials and administer national, state, and local programs. Regardless of
the setting or the job for which an educator is preparing, Guidelines for the Initial Preparation
of Environmental Educators outlines the pre-service experiences and learning that will help
them deliver instruction that effectively fosters environmental literacy.
This document presents an ambitious overview of die abilities and knowledge of a well-
prepared, pre-service environmental educator; it does not seek to address more general
educational competencies. The guidelines provide a mechanism for gauging die quality of
pre-service programs and the abilities of new environmental educators. Instead of offering
fixed rules, these guidelines suggest a broad vision—a goal to work toward and a guide for
professional and programmatic development.
Environmental Educations
A Vision for the Future
The guidelines are grounded in a common understanding iof effective environmental
education. For many environmental educators, that understanding is rooted in two founding
documents of the field: the Belgrade Charter (UNESCO-UNEP, 1976) and the Tbilisi
Declaration (UNESCO, 1978).
The Belgrade Charter was adopted by a United Nations conference and provides a widely
accepted goal statement for environmental education:
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The goal of environmental education is to develop a. world population
that is aware of, and concerned about, the environment and its
associated problems, and which has the knowledge, skills, attitudes,
motivations, and commitment to work individually and collectively
toward solutions of current problems and the prevention of new ones.
Two years later, at the world's first intergovernmental conference on environmental education,
die Tbilisi Declaration was adopted. This declaration built on the Belgrade Charter and
established three broad objectives for environmental education. These objectives provide the
foundation for much of what has been done in die field since 1978:
* To foster clear awareness of, and concern about, economic, social,
political and ecological interdependence in urban and rural areas;
* To provide every person with opportunities to acquire the
knowledge, values, attitudes, commitment and skills needed to
protect and improve the environment;
* To create new patterns of behavior of individuals, groups and
society as a whole towards the environment.
As die field has evolved, these principles have been researched, critiqued, revisited, and
expanded. They still stand as a strong foundation for an internationally shared view of the
core concepts and skills that environmentally literate citizens need. Since 1978, bodies such
as the Brundtland Commission (Brundtland, 1987), the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development in Rio (UNCED, 1992), and die International Conference on
Environment and Society in Thessaloniki (UNESCO, 1997) have influenced the work of many
environmental educators. By highlighting the importance of viewing the environment within
die context of human influences, this perspective has expanded the emphasis of environmental
education by focusing more attention on social equity, economics, culture, and political
structure.
The Instructional Vision
of Environmental Education
These guidelines outline the abilities and understandings—or competencies—a beginning
educator needs to implement environmental education successfully. Environmental education
is a comprehensive and cohesive whole that both draws on and advances broader educational
goals and instructional mediods. Taken by themselves, these competencies may not capture this
rich vision.
Environmental education is, at its heart, an integrative undertaking. Instructors teach across
disciplines, linking the mediods and content of natural and social sciences, arts, madiematics,
and humanities to help learners fully understand and address complex environmental issues.
Environmental educators need the ability and the commitment to keep the whole picture in
mind as they guide students toward environmental literacy.
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Three important ideas
that shape the instructional
vision of environmental educators
Systems
The idea of systems helps make sense of a large and complex world. A system has parts
that can be understood separately, but die whole cannot be understood completely
without recognizing the relationships among its parts. The human body can be seen as
a system; so can galaxies. Organizations, individual cells, communities of animals and
plants, and families can all be understood as systems. And systems are nested within
other systems.
,4
Interdependence
Human well being is inextricably bound with environmental quality. We and the
systems we create—our societies, politics, economics, cultural activities, technologies—
affect the systems and cycles of the rest of nature. Sincd we are "in" die system, a part
of nature rather than outside it, we are challenged to recognize the ramifications of our
interdependence.
The importance of where one lives
Environmental education begins close to home, encouraging learners to explore and
understand dieir immediate surroundings. The sensitivity, knowledge, and skills gained
by forging this local connection provide a base for moving out into larger systems,
broader issues, and a lifetime of learning about causes, connections, and consequences.
The learner is an active participant in environmental education. If learning is to become a
natural, valued part of life beyond school, instruction should engage the learner in the process
of building knowledge and skills and be guided in part by: the students interests.
Environmental issues are complex and multi-faceted. Especially because they can prompt deep
feelings and strong opinions, educators must take a balanced approach to instruction.
Environmental educators incorporate differing perspectives and points of view even-handedly
and respectfully and present information with intellectual honesty. They involve learners in
critical evaluation of data, results, models, conclusions, and opinions. Fairness and accuracy are
watchwords for instruction.
Environmental education works both in and outside the classroom. Instructors foster learners'
innate curiosity and enthusiasm, providing them with early and continuing opportunities to
explore their environment. Experiences outside the classroom are an important instructional
strategy for engaging students in direct discovery of the world around them. This awareness of
their local community can prompt a personal commitment i to apply skills and knowledge in
pursuit of environmental quality and quality of life.
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Finally, environmental education provides opportunities for learners to enhance their capacity
for independent thinking and effective, responsible action. Engaging in individual and group
experiences helps learners develop these capacities independently and in collaborative situations
that anticipate the ways in which problem-solving happens in the community, on the job, and
in the family. A strong emphasis on developing communication skills helps learners
demonstrate and disseminate their knowledge.
How to Use the Guidelines
Guidelines for the Initial Preparation of Environmental Educators is organized around six
themes. Each theme describes a knowledge or skill area that must be included in the pre-
service training of an environmental educator. Under each theme, general guidelines further
articulate the knowledge and skills that must be mastered to gain competency in that area.
Finally, each guideline is accompanied by several more specific indicators that suggest ways of
assessing the abilities of new environmental educators, as well as the quality of the programs
that prepare them for their profession.
Sample Format for the Guidelines:
Theme #2—foundations of
Environmental Education
Environmental educators must have a basic understanding of the theory, practice, and history of the
field of environmental education. This knowledge provides a solid foundation on which new educators
can buiki their own practice.
2.1 Fundamental characteristics
and goals of environmental education
Pre-scrvkc educators understand environmental education as a distinct field and know its defining
characteristics and goals.
• Identify the goals and objectives of environmental education as laid out in founding
documents of the fieldsuch as the Belgrade Charter (UNESCO-UNEP, 1976) andT&ilisi
Declaration (UNESCO, 1978), as well as in more recent definitions such as Agenoa 21
(UNCED, 1992).
• Describe the broad view that environmental education takes of "enviroi
incorporating concepts such as systems, interdependence, and interactionsamong humans,
other living organisms, the physical environment, and the built or designed environment.
• Discuss environmental education as an interdisciplinary field and provide examples of ways
in which it draws on and integrates knowledge from across academic disciplines.
• Identify major components of environmental literacy. Discuss influences that have
contributed to the evolution of these concepts. /
• Relate environmental education's focus on environmental literacy and citizenship with the
need to provide opportunities for learners to enhance their^iapacity for independent thinking
and effective, responsible action.
2.2 How environmental education
Is Implemented
• Pre-service educators understand that environmental education takes place in a /
variety of settings and that sources of support, program requirements, and /
other factors vary from context to context.
• Identify a range of individuals, organizations, and agencies delivering
environmental education programs, including formal and nonformal programs.
Identify efforts to link formal and nonformal programs through partnerships
and other collaborations.
•Theme
'Guidelines
Indicators
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To assist in the development of programs for pre-service preparation, each theme is
accompanied by references to serveral relevant articles and books. These refrences enable
developers and instructors of pre-service education programs and environmental education
courses to delve more deeply into the content of each theme.
The Guidelines at a Glance
This list includes the six themes and general guidelines required for competency in
environmental education. Each guideline is further articulated in the sections following this
summary.
— Environmental Literacy
Educators must be competent in the skills and understandings outlined in Excellence in
Environmental Education — Guidelines for Learning (K-12).
1 . 1 Questioning and analysis skills !
1.2 Knowledge of environmental processes and systejns
1.3 Skills for understanding and addressing environmental issues
1 .4 Personal and civic responsibility
#2— Foundations of Environmental Education
Educators must have a basic understanding of the goals, theory, practice, and history of the
field of environmental education.
2.1 Fundamental characteristics and goals of environmental education
2.2 How environmental education is implemented
2.3 The evolution of the field
. !
#3— Professional Responsibilities
of the Environmental Educator
Educators must understand and accept the responsibilities associated with practicing
11. r &
environmental education.
3.1 Exemplary environmental education practice
3.2 Emphasis on education, not advocacy
3.3 Ongoing learning and professional development
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#4— Planning and Implementing
Environmental Education Programs
Educators must combine the fundamentals of high-quality education with the unique features
of environmental education to design and implement effective instruction.
4.1 Knowledge of learners
4.2 Knowledge of instructional methodologies
4.3 Planning for instruction
4.4 Knowledge of environmental education materials and resources
4.5 Technologies that assist learning
4.6 Settings for instruction
4.7 Curriculum planning
— Fostering Learning
Educators must enable learners to engage in open inquiry and investigation, especially when
considering environmental issues that are controversial and require students to seriously reflect
on their own and others' perspectives.
5-1 A climate for learning about and exploring the environment
5.2 An inclusive and collaborative learning environment
5.3 Flexible and responsive instruction
#6— -Assessment and Evaluation
Environmental educators must possess the knowledge and commitment to make assessment and
evaluation integral to instruction and programs.
6.1 Learner outcomes
6.2 Assessment that is part of instruction
6.3 Improving instruction
Selected References:
Brundtland, G.H. Our Common Future: The World Commission on Environment and
Development. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
UNCED. Agenda. 21: Programme of Action for Sustainable Development: Rio Declaration on
Environment and Development. New York: United Nations, 1992.
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UNESCO/UNEP. "The Belgrade Charter," Connect I, no. 1 (1976): 1-2.
UNESCO. Final Report: Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education.
Organized by UNESCO in cooperation with UNEP, Tbilisi, USSR, 14-26 October
1977. Paris: UNESCO, 1977. \
UNESCO. Educating for a Sustainable Future: A Transdisciplinary Vision for Concerted
Action. Report from the International Conference on Environment and Society: Education
and Public Awareness for Sustainability. Organized by UNESCO and the Government
of Greece, Thessaloniki, 8-12 December 1997. Paris: UNESCO, 1997.
Theme #1—
Environmental Literacy
Educators must possess the understandings, skills, and attitudes associated with environmental
literacy. These competencies have been defined in detail in Excellence in Environmental
Education—Guidelines for Learning (K-12), published in 1999 by the North American
Association for Environmental Education, which should be considered a companion to this
document. Educators must gain a working knowledge of the content and skills they will be
teaching, with a mastery, at minimum, appropriate to the grade level at which they will be
teaching. .
The outline below offers a broad summary of the content knowledge and basic skills required
of environmentally literate educators, and should guide the preparation of pre-service
instructors. A more detailed summary of Excellence in Environmental Education—Guidelines
for Learning (K-12) is included in the Appendix to this document, and the complete Guidelines
document is referenced below.
/. / Questioning and analysis skills
Developing environmental literacy depends on a willingness and ability to ask questions about
the surrounding world, speculate and hypothesize, seek and evaluate information, and develop
answers to questions. Environmental literacy requires a familiarity with some basic modes of
inquiry, a mastery of fundamental skills for gathering and organizing information, and an
ability to interpret and synthesize information and communicate explanations.
1.2 Knowledge of environmental
processes and systems
Environmental literacy hinges on understanding the processes and systems that comprise the
environment, including human systems and their influences. That understanding is based on
knowledge synthesized from across the traditional disciplines (especially the natural and social
sciences) and includes knowledge about: the Earth as a physical system; the living environment;
humans and their societies; and how society and the environment are linked.
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1.3 Skills for understanding and
addressing environmental issues
Environmental literacy includes the abilities to learn about, evaluate, and act on environmental
issues. The skills and knowledge outlined in the first two guidelines (1.1, questioning and
analysis skills and 1.2, knowledge of environmental processes and systems) are applied and
refined in the context of these issues—the real-life dramas where differing viewpoints and
interpretations of data about environmental problems and their potential solutions are played
out.
1.4 Personal and civic responsibility
Environmental literacy is activated by individual commitment. Environmentally literate citizens
are motivated and empowered to act on their own informed conclusions about what should be
done to ensure environmental quality. In developing and applying concept-based learnings and
skills for inquiry, analysis, and action, people cultivate an understanding that what they do as
individuals and in groups makes a difference.
References:
Excellence in Environmental Education—Guidelines for Learning (K-12). Rock Spring, GA:
North American Association for Environmental Education, 1999.
Theme #2—Foundations of
Environmental Education
Environmental educators must have a basic understanding of the theory, practice, and history
of the field of environmental education. This knowledge provides a solid foundation on which
new educators can build their own practice.
2.1 Fundamental characteristics
and goals of environmental education
Pre-service educators understand environmental education as a distinct field and know its
defining characteristics and goals.
* Identify the goals and objectives of environmental education as laid out in founding
documents of the field such as the Belgrade Charter (UNESCO-UNEP, 1976) and
Tbilisi Declaration (UNESCO, 1978), as well as in more recent definitions such as
Agenda 21 (UNCED, 1992).
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• Describe the broad, view that environmental education takes of "environment,"
incorporating concepts such as systems, interdependence, and interactions among
humans, other living organisms, the physical environment, and the built or designed
environment. :
* Discuss environmental education as an interdisciplinary field and provide examples of
ways in which it draws on and integrates knowledge from across academic disciplines.
'* Identify major components of environmental literacy. Discuss influences that have
contributed to the evolution of these concepts. '.
* Relate environmental education's focus on environmental literacy and citizenship with
the need to provide opportunities for learners to enhance their capacity for
independent thinking and effective, responsible action.
2.2 How environmental education
is implemented
Pre-service educators understand that environmental education takes place in a variety of
settings and that sources of support, program requirements, and other factors vary from
context to context.
* Identify a range of individuals, organizations, and agencies delivering environmental
education programs, including formal and nonformal programs. Identify efforts to link
formal and nonformal programs through partnerships and other collaborations.
* Discuss how school policies, state or local mandates for environmental education, and
federal legislation influence environmental education efforts.
* Describe a variety of national, regional, state, and local environmental education
programs and support services, including funding sources and resources.
2.3 The evolution of the field
Pre-service educators are familiar with how the field of environmental education has changed
over time and continues to change.
* Discuss how educational movements, including nature study, outdoor education,
conservation education, and ecology education, contributed to the development of
environmental education and how they differ from environmental education.
* Discuss how the work of bodies such as the Brundtland Commission (Brundtland,
1987), the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED,
1992), and the International Conference on Environment and Society (UNESCO
1997) has influenced—or might influence—environmental education.
* Describe specific findings from environmental education research and discuss their
effect on how environmental education might be perceived, defined, or practiced.
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* Identify current and emerging issues in the field of environmental education. For example,
evaluate assertions that environmental education focuses more on advocacy rather than
education and discuss how these assertions are affecting environmental educators and
education programs.
Selected References:
Brundtland, G.H. Our Common Future: The World Commission on Environment and
Development. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
Disinger, John E "Environmental Educations Definitional Problem," ERIC Clearinghouse for
Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education Information Bulletin #2. Columbus:
ERIC/SMEAC, 1983.
Disinger, John E "Tensions in Environmental Education: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow."
In Essential Readings in Environmental Education, edited by H. Hungerford, W. Bluhm,
T. Volk, and J. Ramsey J. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing Company, 1998.
Disinger, John E and Martha C. Monroe. Defining Environmental Education. EE Toolbox-
Workshop Resource Manual. Ann Arbor, MI: National Consortium for Environmental
Education and Training, 1994.
Hungerford, H.R., R. B. Peyton, and R. Wilke. "Goals for Curriculum Development in
Environmental Education." Journal of Environmental Education 11, no. 2 (1980): 42-47.
Hungerford, H.R. and T.L. Volk. "Changing Learner Behavior through Environmental
Education." Journal of Environmental Education 21, no. 3 (1990): 8-21.
National Environmental Education Advisory Council. Report Assessing Environmental
Education in the United States and the Implementation of the National Environmental
Education Act of1990. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1996.
Roth, Charles E. Environmental Literacy: Its Roots, Evolution and Directions in the 1990s.
Columbus, Ohio: ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics and Environmental
Education, September 1992.
Schoenfeld, C. "What's New About Environmental Education?" Journal of Environmental
Education 1, no. 1 (1969): 1-4.
Simmons, D. The NAAEE Standards Project: Papers on the Development of Environmental
Education Standards. Rock Spring, GA: North American Association for Environmental
Education, 1995.
Stapp, W.B., et al. "The Concept of Environmental Education." Journal of Environmental
Education 1, no. 1 (1969): 30-31.
Swan, M. "The Forerunners of Environmental Education." In What Makes Education
Environmental? edited by N. Mclnnis and D. Albrecht. Louisville, KY: Data Courier, 1975.
UNCED. Agenda 21: Programme of Action for Sustainable Development: Rio Declaration on
Environment and Development. New York: United Nations, 1992.
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UNESCO-UNEP. "The Belgrade Charter." Connect-. UNESCO-UNEP Environment^
Education Newsletter 1, no. 1 (1976): 1-2.
UNESCO. "The Tbilisi Declaration: Final Report Intergovernmental Conference on
Environmental Education Organized by UNESCO in cooperatipn with UNEP, Tbilisi,
USSR, 14-26 October 1977." Connect 3, no. 1 (1978).
UNESCO. Educating for a Sustainable Future: A Transdiscif Unary Vision for Concerted
Action. (Report from the International Conference on Environment and Society:
Education and Public Awareness for Sustainability, Thessaloniki, December 8-12,
1997), 1997. i
Theme #3—Professional
Responsibilities df the
Environmental Educator
Educators must understand and accept the responsibilities associated with environmental
education. In their pre-service preparation, educators should come to understand
environmental education as a profession that maintains consistent and high standards for
instruction and professional conduct.
3.1 Exemplary environmental
education practice
Pre-service educators understand their responsibility to provide environmental education that is
appropriate, constructive, and aligned with the standards of the field.
* Identify ways in which environmental education can be used as a tool for meeting
curriculum standards and addressing education reform goals. Identify and practice ways
in which educators can enhance these links in their work.
* Assess the role of partnerships with community members and organizations, government
agencies, businesses, the formal and nonformal education systems, and others in
providing environmental education that is appropriate and helpful to the community.
* Model responsible, respectful, and reasoned behavior during instruction.
* Model the process of inquiry and application of environmental investigations in
instruction.
3.2 Emphasis on educations not advocacy
Pre-service educators understand that their commitment as environmental educators is to
provide accurate, balanced, and effective instruction—not to promote a particular view about
environmental conditions, issues, or actions.
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* Identify and implement instructional techniques for presenting differing viewpoints and
theories in a balanced manner and identifying potential sources of bias in information.
* Differentiate among instructional materials on the basis of their factual accuracy. Select
and use materials that togedier present a range of differing viewpoints and
interpretations where there are differences of opinion or competing scientific
explanations. Weigh evidence regarding environmental problems based on validity of
data (e.g., from scientific societies or reputable journals).
* Identify and implement instructional strategies and techniques that encourage learners
to explore different perspectives, form their own opinions, and explain their beliefs.
3.3 Ongoing learning and
professional development
Pre-service educators are aware of the need to be active learners in their professional lives.
* Identify and practice ways of continually updating information about the environment
and issues, current research, environmental education materials, and instructional
methods. For example, critically read scientific journals or join and actively participate in
local, state, national, or international organizations associated with environmental
education.
* Identify and develop relationships with mentors, advisors, and others who challenge
educators to expand and upgrade dieir knowledge and skills and expand their firsthand
understanding of different points of view about environmental issues.
* Reflect on and learn from personal practice as an environmental educator, both
individually and widi other professionals and colleagues. Use tools such as peer
coaching, portfolios, and journals.
* Seek out opportunities to learn essential content and skills in real-world environmental
settings or contexts, especially within the communities and ecosystems in which one lives
and teaches.
" Learn and use research and analytical skills to expand existing knowledge about the
environment, related issues, and environmental education.
Selected References:
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence. Rock Spring, GA: North
American Association for Environmental Education, 1996.
Hug, J. "Two Hats." In The Report of the North American Regional Seminar on
Environmental Education for the Real World, edited by J. Aldrich, A. Blackburn, and A.
George. Columbus, OH: SMEAC Information Reference Center, 1977.
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"Nine Guiding Principles: Professional Responsibilities of Environmental Educators. In.
EnvironmentalEducation in the United States—Past, Present, and Future: Collected Papers of the
1996'NationalEnvironmentalEducation Summit, edited by Michele Archie. Washington,
DC: North American Association for Environmental Education, 1998.
Theme #4-Planniwg
arid Implementing]
Environmental Education
Environmental educators must combine the fundamentals of high-quality education with the
unique features of environmental education to design and implement effective instruction.
Their pre-service preparation should enable educators to provide the interdisciplinary, hands-
on, investigative learning opportunities that are central to environmental education.
i
4.1 Knowledge of learners
Pre-service educators know how to tailor instructional approaches to meet the needs of, yet
challenge, different learners.
• Identify and model methods for presenting the environment or environmental issues in '
appropriate and engaging ways for learners of different ages, backgrounds, levels of
knowledge, and developmental abilities. (This range may include adults, especially for
educators in nonformal settings.) \
• Select environmental education materials and strategies that are developmentally
appropriate for a designated grade level or level of knowledge. Adjust these to respond
to individual differences among learners. :
• Demonstrate an understanding of learning theories such as multiple intelligences and
learning styles. Organize environmental education instruction to accommodate different
approaches to learning. ;
• Apply theories of cognitive and moral/social development in creating an
environmental education instructional plan for a particular grade level, class, or group.
• Recognize and acknowledge the validity of varying cultural perspectives present in
groups of learners. Tailor instructional approaches to respond to these perspectives and
use them as an educational resource. :
4.2 Knowledge of instructional methodologies
Pre-service educators are familiar with and can employ a range of instructional methods that
are particularly suited to environmental education.
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Select among relevant environmental topics and issues for study based on learners'
interests and their ability to construct knowledge to gain conceptual understanding.
Use a variety of teaching methods and strategies appropriate for the environmental
education content and context (see box below).
Select instructional methodologies based on learning objectives, learner characteristics,
time requirements, involvement of community members, community dynamics and
policies, available resources, and the instructional setting.
Essential Approaches to
Environmental Education Instruction
Environmental educators employ many instructional strategies—ranging from
lecture and discussion to action research, and from reading assignments to panel
discussions and debates. While many methods are useful in environmental
education, there are some instructional methods that are particularly well suited
to environmental education content. Pre-service educators should be familiar
with these and be able to put them into action. They include:
• Hands-on observation and discovery in
the environment
• Inquiry
• Cooperative learning
• Community-based action research and
problem solving
• Investigating environmental issues
• Service learning
• Simulations and models
• Case studies
• Problem-based learning
• Project-based learning
References for these instructional methods are included at the end of this
section.
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4.3 Planning for instruction
Pre-service educators are able to plan age-appropriate environmental education instruction and
programs that meet specific instructional goals.
* Produce a plan for environmental education instruction and demonstrate how the
overall plan and specific elements (such as plans for units of instructional or daily
activities) enhance coordination or integration across disciplines or help meet specific
goals of environmental education. ;
* Develop a plan for a coherent, focused environmental education program that is
consistent with the content outlined in Excellence in Environmental Education—
Guidelines for Learning (K-12) or comparable expectations for adults.
* Demonstrate how plans for environmental education instruction will help learners meet
relevant national, state and local educational standards for learning performance in
specific disciplines.
4.4 Knowledge of environmental education
materials and resources
Pre-service educators are aware of a range of materials and resources for their environmental
education efforts and understand how to access, evaluate and use these resources.
* Identify and evaluate materials and education resources using criteria such as those
suggested in Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence.
* Demonstrate ways iri which the community can be a resource for environmental
education, identifying local businesses, service organizations, government agencies,
nonprofit organizations, and others that may participate in and support instructional
programs. ;
* Identify and use sources of information about instructional materials and other
resources including training offered by national, state, and local environmental
education programs and professional organizations.
* Use the Internet to identify and access sources of information about the environment,
particular issues, and educational resources. Critically evaluate the usefulness of
resources found on the Internet.
4.5 Technologies that assist learning
Pre-service educators are familiar with a range of technologies available to assist student
learning. \
* Use a variety of tools for environmental observation, measurement, and monitoring
(e.g., magnifying glasses, chemical tests, hygrometers, survey and interview techniques,
traffic counts) and instruct learners in their safe and proper use.
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* Demonstrate proficiency with computer-based, technologies used to display, analyze,
and communicate environmental information.
* Identify sources of expertise about unfamiliar learning technologies and learn from
them or incorporate this outside expertise into instruction.
4.6 Settings for instruction
Pre-service educators understand the importance of a safe and conducive learning environment
both indoors and outside. t
* Demonstrate a concern for learner safety in designing, planning, and implementing
instruction, especially experiences that are hands-on or that take place outside the
classroom. Attend to the physical layout and maintenance of the learning facility or
center so learners can use it safely and effectively.
* Identify, create and use diverse settings for environmental education, appropriate to
different subject matter and available resources. These may include the schoolyard,
laboratory, field settings, community settings, museums, zoos, demonstration sites, and
other places.
* Identify or develop and implement responses to real or perceived barriers to using
expanded settings (such as outdoor settings) in educational and safe ways.
* Plan and implement instruction that first links content to learners' immediate
surroundings and experience then expands learners' horizons as appropriate to larger
environmental issues and contexts.
4,7 Curriculum planning
Pre-service educators are familiar with ways of including environmental education in the curriculum.
* Describe basic approaches to creating a developmentally appropriate scope and
sequence for environmental education curricula.
* Develop an environmental education program designed to meet the educational goals
of an agency or other institution.
* Develop a plan for integrating environmental education into the formal school
curriculum, either across the curriculum or as a separate course or emphasis within one
or more areas of study.
* Demonstrate links between environmental education curricula (or plans for integrating
environmental education into an existing curriculum) and national, state, or local
standards in disciplines such as science, mathematics, social studies, geography, and
language arts.
* Correlate environmental education with state education standards in a particular
discipline or grade level.
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Selected References:
Abrams, K. and J. Ballas. Teaching Naturally: Using Environment to Improve Teaching and
Learning. Tallahassee: Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida Department of Education,
1997. -.-..,,
Armstrong, T. Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1994. ;
Athman, J. '"Park as Classrooms' Field Trips: Just Another Day in the Park?" Legacy, July/
August 1997.
Baloche, Lynda A. The Cooperative Classroom: Empowering Learning. Columbus, OH:
Prentice Hall, 1997. :
Bardwell, L.V., M. Monroe, and M. Tudor, eds. Environmental Problem Solving: Theory,
Practice and Possibilities in Environmental Education^. Rock Spring, GA: North
American Association for Environmental Education, 1994.
Brandt, Ronald, ed. Collaborative Learning and the Cooperative School. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1991.
Cairn, Rich W. and Jim C. Kielsmeier. Growing Hope: A Sourcebook on Integrating Youth
Service into the School Curriculum. Roseville, MN: National Youth Leadership Council,
1993.
Cairn, Rich and Theresa L. Coble. Learning by Giving: K-8 Service-Learning Curriculum
Guide. Roseville, MN: National Youth Leadership Council, 1993.
Chard, Sylvia. The Project Approach: A Practical Guide for Teachers. Edmonton, Alberta:
North University of Alberta, 1996.
Cothron, Julia, Ronald N. Giese and Richard J. Rezba. Students and Research. Dubuque,
IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing, 1996. ;
Delisle, R. How to Use Problem-Based Learning in the Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1997.
Engleson, D.C. and D. Yockers. A Guide to Curriculum Planning in Environmental
Education. Milwaukee: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 1994.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence. Washington, DC: North
American Association for Environmental Education, 1996.
Glasgow, Neal A. New Curriculum for New Times: A Guide to Student-Centered, Problem-
Based Learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 1997.
Hagenruber, D. and Harold R. Hungerford. Threatened and Endangered Animals.
Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing Company, 1993-i
Hammond, W. F. "Educating for Action: A Framework for Thinking about the Place of
Action in Environmental Education." Green Teacher, no. 50 (1997): 6-14.
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Hammond, William E, J. T. Christensen, J. Butler, and M. Stuart. The Monday Groups: Engaging
Students in Community Based Action. Fort Myers, FL: Lee County Schools, 1971.
Hungerford, Harold R., et al. Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions:
Skills Development Program. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing Company, 1996.
Jarrett, Denise. Inquiry Strategies for Science and Mathematics Learning. It's Just Good Teaching.
Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 1997.
Kim, Eugene C. and Richard D. Kellough. Resource Guide for Secondary School Teaching:
Planning for Competence. 6th ed. Indianapolis, IN: 1994.
j
Jensen, E. Teaching with the Brain in Mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development, 1998.
Johnson, David, Roger T. Johnson and Edythe Johnson Holubec. The New Circles of Learning:
Cooperation in the Classroom and School. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development, 1994.
Johnson, David W, Roger T. Johnson, and Edythe J. Holubec. Cooperative Learning in the
Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1995.
Jones, Beau Fly, Claudette M. Rasmussen and Mary C. Moffitt. Real-Life Problem Solving: A
Collaborative Approach to Interdisciplinary Learning. Washington, DC: American
Psychological Association, 1997.
Kinsley, Carol W. and Kate McPherson, eds. Enriching the Curriculum through Service Learning.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Design, 1995.
Knapp, Clifford. Just beyond the Classroom. Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural
Education and Small Schools, 1996.
Lazear, D. Eight Ways of Knowing. 3rd ed. Arlington Heights, IL: SkyLight Training and
Publishing Inc., 1999.
Lieberman G. and L. Hoody. Closing the Achievement Gap: Using the Environment as an
Integrating Context for Learning. Poway, CA: Science Wizards, 1998.
Lounsbury, J., ed. Connecting the Curriculum through Interdisciplinary Instruction. Columbus,
OH: National Middle School Association, 1992.
Mamchur, C. A Teacher's Guide to Cognitive Type Theory and Learning. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1996.
Marcinkowski, T., T. Volk, and H. Hungerford. An Environmental Education Approach to the
Training of Middle Level Teachers: A Prototype Programme. Paris: UNESCO/UNEP, 1990.
Monroe, M. and D. Cappaert. Integrating Environmental Education into the School
Curricuhim. EE Toolbox-Workshop Resource Manual. Ann Arbor, Ml: National
Consortium for Environmental Education and Training, 1994.
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Monroe, M.C. and S. Kaplan. "When Words Speak Louder than Actions: Environmental
Problem Solving in the Classroom." Journal of Environmental Education 19, no. 3
(1988): 38-41. ;
Moore, R. and H. Wong. Natural Learning: Creating Environments for Rediscovering
Nature's Way of Teaching. Berkeley, CA: MIG Communications, 1997.
Ramsey, J. "Comparing Four Environmental Problem'Solving Models." In Essential
Readings in Environmental Education, edited by H. Hungerford, W. Bluhm, T. Volk,
and J. Ramsey. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publication;Company, 1998.
Rogers, Laurette. The California Freshwater Shrimp Project: An Example of Environmental
Project-Based Learning. Berkeley, CA: Heyday Books, 1996.
Rohwedder, WJ. Computer-Aided Environmental Education. Rock Spring, GA: North
American Association for Environmental Education, 1990.
Rottier, J. and B. Ogan. Cooperative Learning in Middle-Level Schools. Washington, DC:
National Education Association, 1994.
Share, E. and L. Rogers. "Get Real! Project-Based Learning." Learning-, January-February
1996, 61-65. i
Slavin, Robert E. Student Team Learning: A Practical Guide to Cooperative Learning. 3rd ed.
Washington, DC: National Education Association, 1991.
Stapp, William B. "Environmental Education: Approaches to Curriculum Development
(K-12)." In Processes for a Quality Environment, edited by R.S. Cook and G.T. O'Hearn,
77-78. Green Bay: University of Wisconsin Press, 1971.
Stapp, William B., Arjen E. J. Wals, and Sheri L. Stankorb. Environmental Education for
Empowerment: Action Research and Community Problem Solving. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/
Hunt Publishing, 1996. \
Torp, L. and S. Sage. Problems as Possibilities: Problem-Based Learning for'K-12 Education.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1998.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Project Bluestem: A Curriculum on Prairies and Savannas.
Prairie City, LA: Neil Smith National Wildlife Refuge and Prairie Learning Center,
1995.
Wade, Rahima C., ed. Community Service-Learning: A'Guide to Including Service in the
Public School Curriculum. State University of New York: SUNY Press, 1997.
Wilke, Richard, R. Ben. Peyton, and Harold Hungerford. Strategies for the Training of
Teachers in Environmental Education. Paris: UNESCO/UNEP, 1987.
Wilson, Ruth A., ed. Environmental Education at the Early Childhood Level. Rock Spring,
GA: North American Association for Environmental Education, 1994.
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Theme #5—Fostering Learning
Educators must enable learners to engage in open inquiry and investigation, especially when
considering environmental issues that are controversial and require learners to seriously reflect
on their own and others' perspectives. Educators' pre-service training should prepare them to
foster an environment and student interactions that are conducive to learning.
5.1 A climate for learning about
and exploring the environment
Pre-service educators understand how to create a climate in which learners are intellectually
stimulated and motivated to learn about the environment.
* Relate the idea of lifelong learning to instructional practices that engage students in
taking responsibility for their own learning and expectations for achievement.
Demonstrate proficiency with these practices in instructional settings.
* Imbue instruction with a sense of the importance and excitement of die content.
* Provide opportunities for experiences that increase learners' awareness of—and
enthusiasm for—the natural and human-designed environment.
* Incorporate opportunities for learners to have first-hand experiences exploring the
world around them.
* Discuss why fostering clear and independent thinking is important in light of
environmental education's goal of developing environmentally literate citizens.
* Identify and use instructional techniques that encourage learners to ask questions and
explore a variety of answers.
5.2 An inclusive and collaborative
learning environment
Pre-service educators know how to maximize learning by fostering openness and collaboration
among learners.
* Identify and use ways to encourage flexibility, creativity, and openness, considering the
assumptions and interpretations that influence the conclusions that learners and others
draw about the environment and environmental issues.
* Relate learners' capacity for collaborative work to their ability to function as responsible
and effective citizens. Describe and implement management techniques that foster
independent and productive group work.
* Include diverse cultures, races, genders, social groups, ages, and perspectives with
respect, equity, and an acknowledgment of the value of such diversity. Use diverse
backgrounds and perspectives as instructional resources.
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5.3 Flexible and responsive instruction
Pre-service educators know how to augment proper planning with the flexibility that allows
them to take advantage of new instructional opportunities.
* Modify instructional plans and approaches, when appropriate, to take advantage of
unexpected opportunities (e.g. new developments in community issues, recent events or
phenomena that are in the news, or breakthroughs in scientific understanding) and
learner questions and interests.
" Blend a variety of instructional methods and activities to meet instructional objectives.
Make smooth transitions from one to another. i
* Work collaboratively with other instructors and discipline areas, adapting instructional
approaches as needed to blend or complement instructional styles and to meet shared
environmental education goals. \
Reissman, R. The Evolving Multicultural Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1994.
Salter-Stith, C., J. Washburn, and D. A. Barton. Circle of Sharing: Making Your
Environmental Education Programs Multicultural. Proceedings of the 1993 National
Interpreters Workshop. Washington, DC: National Park Service, 1994.
Sobel, David. "Beyond Ecophobia; Reclaiming the Heart in Nature Education." Orion,
Autumn 1995, pp. 11-17. ;
Weilbacher, M. "Education that Cannot Wait." E Magazine, March/April 1991, 29-35.
Theme #6—Assessment
and Evaluation
Environmental educators must possess the knowledge, abilities, and commitment to make
assessment and evaluation integral to instruction and programs. Pre-service preparation should
provide educators with tools for assessing learner progress and evaluating the effectiveness of
their own instruction.
i
6.1 Learner outcomes
Pre-service educators understand the importance of tying assessment to learning.
" State expected learner outcomes that are tied to the goals and objectives of
environmental education.
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* Identify national, state, and local standards that apply to stated learner outcomes and
link assessment of environmental education learnings to these.
* Develop and use a variety of strategies for assessing learning outcomes that reflect both
subject area standards and environmental education goals and objectives.
* Describe and use means for engaging learners in setting their own expectations for
achievement. Discuss the importance of these abilities in light of environmental
education's emphasis on learner-centered education and lifelong learning.
6,2 Assessment that is part of instruction
Pre-service educators are familiar with ways of incorporating assessment into environmental
education.
* Make objectives and other expectations clear to students at the outset of an
environmental education activity or instruction.
* Provide examples of and implement specific performance-based assessments such as
portfolios, open-ended questions, oral reports, group or independent research, or other
projects appropriate to environmental education instruction.
* Identify and use techniques that assess learners' baseline understandings and skills at the
beginning of environmental education programs, lessons, units, and other segments of
instruction such as school terms.
* Develop formative and summative assessment tools appropriate to specific
environmental education instructional segments or projects.
* Discuss the importance of and identify techniques for encouraging learners to assess
their own and others' work. Use these assessments to improve their learning experiences.
6,3 Improving instruction
Pre-service educators know how to use their instructional experiences and assessments to
improve future instruction.
* Organize, interpret, and use the results of differing kinds of assessment to help modify
and improve future instruction.
* Demonstrate a willingness and ability to collect additional information from and about
learners to help modify and improve future instruction.
* Seek out opportunities to reflect, individually and with colleagues, on their own
instructional practices and the broader practice of environmental education within the
field.
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Selected References:
Bennett, Dean. "The Evaluation of Environmental Education Learning." In Trends in
Environmental Education. Paris: UNESCO/UNEP, 1977.
Bennett, Dean. Evaluating Environmental Education in Schools. Paris: UNESCO/UNEP,
1984. :
Doran, R., E CKan, and P. Tamir. Science Educator's Guide, to Assessment. Arlington, VA: National
Science Teachers Association, 1998.
Hibbard, K.M., et al. A Teacher's Guide to Performance-Based Learning and Assessment.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1996.
Hollweg, Karen. Are We Making a Difference? Rock Spring, GA: North American Association for
Environmental Education, 1997. :
Marcinkowski, Thomas. "Assessment in Environmental Education." In Essential Readings in
Environmental Education, edited by Harold Hungerford et al. Champaign, IL: Stipes
Publishing Company, 1998.
Sanders, J. The Program Evaluation Standards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1994.
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Appendix
Executive Summarys
Excellence in Environmental Education-
Guidelines for Learning fK-12)
The Executive Summary can be used as an easy reference to Excellence in Environmental
Education—Guidelines for Learning (K-12) published by the North American Association
for Environmental Education in 1999. As in the full document, the Executive Summary is
organized into four strands, each of which is further delineated by a set of guidelines that
describe a level of skill or knowledge appropriate for each of three grade levels-fourth, eighth,
and twelfth. In the Executive Summary, guidelines for a particular strand are arranged on two
page layouts, so .that the user can quickly understand the flbw of guidelines at a grade level or
compare how guidelines progress across the grade levels. It should be remembered that the
Executive Summary is designed to provide only an overview. For a more in-depth view of the
strands and their guidelines, it will be necessary to refer to Excellence in Environmental
Education—Guidelines for Learning (K-12). \
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OVERVIEW
FOURTH GRADE
Learners should be able to meet the
guidelines included in this section by the end
of fourth grade.
The kindergarten through fourth grade years
are a time of tremendous cognitive
development. By third and fourth grades,
learners have developed some basic skills that
help them construct knowledge. Instructors
in earlier grade levels should use these fourth
grade guidelines as a target, extrapolating
from this end goal appropriate activities and
lessons for younger learners.
In these early years of formal education,
learners tend to be concrete thinkers with a
natural curiosity about the world around
them. Environmental education can build on
these characteristics by focusing on
observation and exploration of the
environment—beginning close to home.
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EIGHTH GRADE
Learners should be able to meet the
guidelines included in this section by the end
of eighth grade.
In the fifth through eighth grades, learners
develop greater skills in abstract and creative
thinking—and along with these, the ability to
understand the interplay of environmental
and human systems in greater depth.
Environmental education can foster this
development by focusing on investigation of
local environmental systems, problems, and
issues. As learners become actively engaged
in deciding for themselves what is right and
wrong, educators can use environmental
problems to help learners explore their own
responsibilities and ethics.
TWELFTH GRADE
Learners should be able to meet the
guidelines included in this section by the
time they, graduate from high school.
By the end of twelfth grade, learners are well
on their way to environmental literacy. They
should possess the basic skills and
dispositions they need to understand and act
on environmental problems and issues as
responsible citizens—and to continue the
learning process throughout their lives. In the
ninth through twelfth grades, environmental
education can promote active and responsible
citizenship by challenging learners to hone
and apply problem-solving, analysis,
persuasive communication, and other higher
level skills—often in real-world contexts.
27 •
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STRAND /—
Questioning and
Analysis Skills
FOURTH GRADE
A) Questioning—Learners are able to
develop questions that help them learn about
the environment and do simple
investigations.
B) Designing investigations—Learners are
able to design simple investigations.
C) Collecting information—Learners are
able to locate and collect information about
the environment and environmental topics.
D) Evaluating accuracy and reliability-
Students understand the need to use reliable
information to answer their questions. They
are familiar with some basic factors to
consider in judging the merits of
information.
E) Organizing information—Learners are
able to describe data and organize
information to search for relationships and
patterns concerning the environment and
environmental topics.
F) Working with models and
simulations—Learners understand that
relationships, patterns, and processes can be
represented by models.
G) Developing explanations—Learners can
develop simple explanations that address
their questions about the environment.
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EIGHTH GRADE
TWELFTH GRADE
A) Questioning—Learners are able to
develop, focus, and explain questions that
help them learn about the environment and
do environmental investigations.
B) Designing investigations—Learners are
able to design environmental investigations to
answer particular questions—often their own
questions.
C) Collecting information—Learners are
able to locate and collect reliable information
about the environment or environmental
topics using a variety of methods and sources.
D) Evaluating accuracy and reliability-
Students are able to judge the weaknesses and
strengths of the information they are using.
E) Organizing information—Learners are
able to classify and order data, and to
organize and display information in ways
that help analysis and interpretation.
F) Working with models and simulations-
Learners understand many of the uses and
limitations of models.
G) Developing proposed explanations-
Learners are able to synthesize their
observations and findings into coherent
explanations.
A) Questioning—Learners are able to
develop, imodify, clarify, and explain questions
that guide environmental investigations of
various types. They understand factors that
influence the questions they pose.
B) Designing investigations—Learners know
how to design investigations to answer
particular questions about the environment.
They are1 able to develop approaches for
investigating unfamiliar types of problems
and phenomena.
C) Collecting information—Learners are
able to locate and collect reliable information
for environmental investigations of many
types. They know how to use sophisticated
technology to collect information, including
computer programs that access, gather, store,
and display data.
D) Evaluating accuracy and reliability-
Learners can apply basic logic and reasoning
skills to evaluate completeness and reliability
in a variety of information sources.
E) Organizing information—Learners are
able to organize and display information in
ways appropriate to different types of
environmental investigations and purposes.
F) Working with models and simulations-
Learners are able to create, use, and evaluate
models to understand environmental
phenomena.
G) Developing proposed explanations-
Learners are able to use evidence and logic in
developing proposed explanations that address
their initial questions and hypotheses.
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STRAND 2—
Knowledge of Environmental
Processes and Systems
FOURTH GRADE
STRAND 2.1—
The Earth as
a Physical System
STRAND 2.2—
The Living Environment
A) Processes that shape the Earth-
Learners are able to identify changes and
differences in the physical environment.
B) Changes in matter—Learners are able to
identify basic characteristics of and changes
in matter.
C) Energy—While they may have little
understanding of formal concepts associated
with energy, learners are familiar with the
basic behavior of some different forms of
energy.
A) Organisms, populations, and
communities—Learners understand basic
similarities and differences among a wide
variety of living organisms. They understand
the concept of habitat.
B) Heredity and evolution—Learners
understand that plants and animals have
different characteristics and that many of the
characteristics are inherited.
C) Systems and connections—Learners
understand basic ways in which organisms
are related to their environments -and to other
organisms.
D) Flow of matter and energy—Learners
know that living things need some source of
energy to live and grow.
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EIGHTH GRADE
TWELFTH GRADE
A) Processes that shape the Earth-
Learners have a basic understanding of most
of the physical processes that shape the Earth.
They are able to explore the origin of
differences in physical patterns.
B) Changes in matter—Learners understand
the properties of the substances that make up
objects or materials found in the
environment.
C) Energy—Students begin to grasp formal
concepts related to energy by focusing on
energy transfer and transformations. They are
able to make connections among phenomena
such as light, heat, magnetism, electricity,
and the motion of objects.
A) Organisms, populations, and
communities—Learners understand that
biotic communities are made up of plants
and animals that are adapted to live in
particular environments.
B) Heredity and evolution—Learners have
a basic understanding of the importance of
genetic heritage.
C) Systems and connections—Learners
understand major kinds of interactions
among organisms or populations of
organisms.
D) Flow of matter and energy—Learners
understand how energy and matter flow
among the abiotic and biotic components of
the environment.
A) Processes that shape the Earth-
Learners understand the major physical
processes that shape the Earth. They can
relate these processes, especially those that
are large-scale and long-term, to
characteristics of the Earth.
B) Changes in matter—Learners apply their
understanding of chemical reactions to round
out their explanations of environmental
characteristics and everyday phenomena.
C) Energy—Learners apply their knowledge
of energy .and matter to understand
phenomena in the world around them.
A) Organisms, populations, and
communities—Learners understand basic
population dynamics and the importance of
diversity in living systems.
B) Heredity and evolution—Learners
understand the basic ideas and genetic
mechanisms behind biological evolution.
C) Systems and connections—Learners
understand the living environment to be
comprised of interrelated, dynamic systems.
D) Flow of matter and energy—Learners are
able to account for environmental
characteristics based on their knowledge of
how matter and energy interact in living
systems.
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STRAND 2—
Knowledge of Environmental
Processes and Systems
FOURTH GRADE
STRAND 2.,
Humans and Their Societies
A) Individuals and groups—Learners
understand that people act as individuals and
as group members and that groups can
influence individual actions.
B) Culture—Learners understand that
experiences and places may be interpreted
differently by people with different cultural
backgrounds, at different times, or with other
frames of reference.
C) Political and economic systems-
Learners understand that government and
economic systems exist because people
living together in groups need ways to do
things such as provide for needs and wants,
maintain order, and manage conflict.
D) Global connections—Learners
understand how people are connected at
many levels—including the global level—by
actions and common responsibilities that
concern the environment.
E) Change and conflict—Learners recognize
that change is a normal part of individual and
societal life. They understand that conflict is
rooted in different points of view.
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EIGHTH GRADE
TWELFTH GRADE
A) Individuals and groups—Learners
understand that how individuals perceive
the environment is influenced in part by
individual traits and group membership or
affiliation.
B) Culture—As they become familiar with
a wider range of cultures and subcultures,
learners gain an understanding of cultural
perspectives on the environment and how the
environment may, in turn, influence culture.
C) Political and economic systems-
Learners become more familiar with political
and economic systems and how these systems
take the environment into consideration.
D) Global connections—Learners become
familiar with ways in which the world's
environmental, social, economic, cultural,
and political systems are linked.
E) Change and conflict—Learners
understand that human systems change over
time and that conflicts sometimes arise over
differing and changing viewpoints about the
environment.
A) Individuals and groups—Learners
understand the influence of individual and
group actions on the environment, and how
groups can work to promote and balance
interests.
B) Culture—Learners understand cultural
perspectives and dynamics and apply their
understanding in context.
C) Political and economic systems—
Learners understand how different political
and econpmic systems account for, manage,
and affect natural resources and
environmental quality.
D) Global connections—Learners are able
to analyze global social, cultural, political,
economic, and environmental linkages.
E) Change and conflict—Learners
understand the functioning of public
processes for promoting and managing
change and conflict, and can analyze their
effects on the environment.
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STRAND 2—
Knowledge of Environmental
Processes and Systems
STRAND 2.4—
Environment and Society
FOURTH GRADE
A) Human/environment interactions—
Learners understand that people depend on,
change, and are affected by the environment.
B) Places—Learners understand that places
differ in their physical and human
characteristics.
C) Resources—Learners understand the basic
concepts of resource and resource
distribution.
D) Technology—Learners understand that
technology is an integral part of human
existence and culture.
E) Environmental issues—Learners are
familiar with some local environmental issues
and understand that people in other places
experience environmental issues as well.
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EIGHTH GRADE
TWELFTH GRADE
A) Human/environment interactions-
Learners understand that human-caused
changes have consequences for the
immediate environment as well as for
other places and future times.
B) Places—Learners begin to explore the
meaning of places both close to home
and around the world.
C) Resources—Learners understand that
uneven distribution of resources
influences their use and perceived value.
D) Technology—Learners understand
the human ability to shape and control
the environment as a function of the
capacities for creating knowledge and
developing new technologies.
E) Environmental issues—Learners are
familiar with a range of environmental
issues at scales that range from local to
national to global. They understand that
people in other places around the world
share many of the issues they are
concerned about locally.
A) Human/environment interactions-
Learners understand that humans are able to
alter the physical environment to meet their
needs and that there are limits to the ability
of the environment to absorb impacts or
meet human needs.
B) Places—Learners understand "place" as
humans endowing a particular part of the
Earth with meaning through their
interactions with that environment.
C) Resources—Learners understand that the
importance and use of resources change over
time and, vary under different economic and
technological systems.
D) Technology—Learners are able to
examine the social and environmental
impacts of various technologies and
technological systems.
E) Environmental issues—Learners are
familiar with a range of environmental issues
at scales that range from local to national to
global. They understand that these scales and
issues are often linked.
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STRAND
Skills for Understanding and
Addressing Environmental Issues
STRAND 3.1—
Skills for Analyzing and
Investigating Environmental
Issues
FOURTH GRADE
A) Identifying and investigating issues-
Learners are able to identify and investigate
issues in their local environments and
communities.
B) Sorting out the consequences of issues-
As students come to understand that
environmental and social phenomena are
linked, they are able to explore the
consequences of issues.
C) Identifying and evaluating alternative
solutions and courses of action—Students
understand there are many approaches to
resolving issues.
D) Working with flexibility, creativity, and
openness—Learners understand the
importance of sharing ideas and hearing
other points of view.
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EIGHTH GRADE
TWELFTH GRADE
A) Identifying and investigating issues-
Learners are able to use primary and
secondary sources of information, and apply
growing research and analytical skills, to
investigate environmental issues, beginning in
their own community.
B) Sorting out the consequences of
issues—Learners are able to apply their
knowledge of ecological and human processes
and systems to identify the consequences of
specific environmental issues.
C) Identifying and evaluating alternative
solutions and courses of action—Learners
are able to identify and develop action
strategies for addressing particular issues.
D) Working with flexibility, creativity, and
openness—Students are able to consider the
assumptions and interpretations that
influence the conclusions they and others
draw about environmental issues.
A) Identifying and investigating issues-
Learners apply their research and analytical
skills to investigate environmental issues
ranging from local issues to those that are
regional or global in scope.
B) Sorting out the consequences of
issues—Learners are able to evaluate the
consequences of specific environmental
changes, conditions, and issues for human
and ecological systems.
C) Identifying and evaluating alternative
solutions and courses of action—Learners
are able to identify and propose action
strategies that are likely to be effective in
particular situations and for particular
purposes,
D) Working with flexibility, creativity, and
openness—While environmental issues
investigations can bring to the surface deeply
held views, learners are able to engage each
other in peer review conducted in the spirit
of open inquiry.
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STRAND 3-
Skills for Understanding and
Addressing Environmental Issues
FOURTH GRADE
STRAND 3.2—
Decision-Making and
Citizenship Skills
A) Forming and evaluating personal
views—Students are able to identify, justify,
and clarify their views on environmental
issues and alternative ways to address them.
B) Evaluating the need for citizen action-
Learners are able to think critically about •
whether they believe action is needed in
particular situations and whether they
believe they should be involved.
C) Planning and taking action—By
participating in issues of their choosing—
mostly close to home—students learn the
basics of individual and collective action.
D) Evaluating the results of actions-
Learners understand that civic actions have
consequences.
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EIGHTH GRADE
A) Forming and evaluating personal
views—Students are able to identify, justify,
and clarify their views on environmental
issues and alternative ways to address them.
B) Evaluating the need for citizen action-
Learners are able to evaluate whether they
believe action is needed in particular
situations, and decide whether they should
be involved.
C) Planning and taking action—As
students begin to see themselves as citizens
taking active roles in their communities, they
are able to plan for and engage in citizen
action at levels appropriate to their maturity
and preparation.
D) Evaluating the results of actions—
Learners are able to analyze the effects of
their own actions and actions taken by other
individuals and groups.
TWELFTH GRADE
A) Forming and evaluating personal
views—Students are able to communicate,
evaluate, and justify their own views on
environmental issues and alternative ways to
address them.
B) Evaluating the need for citizen action-
Learners are able to decide whether action is
needed in particular situations and whether
they should be involved.
C) Planning and taking action—Learners
know how to plan for action based on their
research and analysis of an environmental
issue. If appropriate, they take actions that
are within the scope of their rights and
consistent with their abilities and
responsibilities as citizens.
D) Evaluating the results of actions-
Learners are able to evaluate the effects of
their own actions and actions taken by other
individuals and groups
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STRAND
Personal and Civic
Responsibility
FOURTH GRADE
A) Understanding societal values and
principles—Learners can identify
fundamental principles of U.S. society and
explain their importance in the context of
environmental issues.
B) Recognizing citizens' rights and
responsibilities—Learners understand the
basic rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
C) Recognizing efficacy—Learners possess a
realistic self-confidence in their effectiveness
as citizens.
D) Accepting personal responsibility-
Learners understand that they have
responsibility for the effects of their actions.
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EIGHTH GRADE
TWELFTH GRADE
A) Understanding societal values and
principles—Learners understand that societal
values can be both a unifying and a divisive
force.
B) Recognizing citizens' rights and
responsibilities—Learners understand the
rights and responsibilities of citizenship and
their importance in promoting the resolution
of environmental issues.
C) Recognizing efficacy—Learners possess a
realistic self-confidence in their effectiveness
as citizens.
D) Accepting personal responsibility-
Learners understand that their actions can
have broad consequences and that they are
responsible for those consequences.
A) Understanding societal values and
principles—Learners know how to analyze
the influence of shared and conflicting
societal values.
B) Recognizing citizens' rights and
responsibilities—Learners understand the
importance of exercising the rights and
responsibilities of citizenship.
C) Recognizing efficacy—Learners possess a
realistic self-confidence in their effectiveness
as citizens.
D) Accepting personal responsibility-
Learners understand that their actions can
have broad consequences and accept
responsibility for recognizing those effects
and changing their actions when necessary.
41 •
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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 con^munity.
Publications
The National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education publications include:
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1. The NAAEE Standards Project: Papers on the Development ..:."..-"
of Environmental Education Standards (1995), working
' documentsthat provided background research for the project. ,
2. Environmental Education Materials:, Guidelines for Excellence (1996),
a set of recommendations for developing and selecting :
• environmental education materials;. ; •
3.' The Environmental Education Collection—A Review of Resources for
, Educators, Volume'1 (1997), 3. resource .guide to help educators
find curricula, multimedia resources, and other educational
materials that can enhance teaching environmental education
_ in a variety of settings. ' / / .--.,. ,, • ,
' 4. The Environmental Education Collection—A Review of Resources for
Educators, Volume 2 (1998). ...; ' | ^ , ^.,, .•--•:'.
5. The Environmental Education Collection—-A Review of Resources for
, Educators, Volume3 (1998). _ , " . . :
6. Excellence in Environmental 'Education—-Guidelines for Learning (K-12),
guidance for fostering and gauging environmental literacy in . .,.-.-
kindergarten through twelfth grade (1999). : . ,
7. Excellence in Environmental Education—Guidelines for Learning (K-12)
Executive Summary and Self AssessmentTool (1999),, , '
8. Guidelines for the Initial Preparation of Environmental Educators (2000).
To order any of these materials contact: NAAEE Publications and Membership Office
410 Tarvin Road, Rock Spring, GA 30739 USA •: (706) 764-2926 (phone)
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