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Advancing
Education Through
Environmental
Literacy
Michele L. Archie
The Harbinger Institute
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Advancing
Education Through
Environmental
Literacy
Michele L. Archie
The Harbinger Institute
Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development
Alexandria, Virginia USA
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Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
1703 North Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311-1714, USA
Phone: 1-800-933-2723 or 1-703-578-9600
Fax:1-703-575-5408
Internet: http://www.ascd.org
Project Team
Bora Simmons, Northern Illinois University
Augusto Medina, Environmental Education and Training Partnership
Kathleen MacKinnon, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Pamela Karwasinski, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
ASCD Staff
Gene R. Carter, Executive Director
Theresa Lewallen, Director, Health in Education Initiative
Pamela Karwasinski, Program Coordinator, Special Projects
Gary Bloom, Director, Design and Production Services
Mary Beth Nielsen, Manager, Editorial Services
Lisa Post, Associate Editor
Georgia McDonald, Senior Designer
Eric Coyle, Production Specialist
This publication was funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency,
Office of Environmental Education under agreement number NT-82865901-2 between
the U.S. EPA and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The contents of this
document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the United States
Environmental Protection Agency or the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin
System, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute
endorsement or recommendation for use.
Copyright © 2003 by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. All rights reserved.
Educators may photocopy these materials for the noncommercial purpose of educational advancement.
Anyone else who wishes to duplicate material copyrighted by ASCD may do so for a small
fee by contacting the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923, USA.
Telephone: 1-508-750-8400. Fax: 1-508-750-4470. ASCD has authorized the CCC to collect such
fees on its behalf.
Printed in the United States of America.
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Advancing
Education Through
Environmental
Literacy
An Invitation to Educators 4
Linking Education and the Environment 5
Advancing Education 6
Advancing Environmental
Literacy and Citizenship 7
School Snapshots 8
Results That Count 10
Hallmarks of Quality 11
Taking the Next Steps 12
References 13
Resources 13
Meeting Standards Naturally (CD-ROM).... 17
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An Invitation to Educators
Across the country and around the world, growing numbers of educators are using the
environment as a focal point for teaching. Many schools are also incorporating the envi-
ronment into the curriculum, sometimes as a central focus, using local issue explorations,
community service projects, outdoor learning experiences, and themes that cross
disciplinary boundaries.
Across disciplines, teachers find that students are engaged in learning, feel chal-
lenged, and often perform better in school when they are studying their local environment.
Learning about the environment can help students meet state academic standards while
providing them with the knowledge and citizenship skills they will need to participate
effectively in environmental decision making.
In today's world, environmental literacy is not a luxury. Simply defined, environmental
literacy means understanding how human decisions and actions affect environmental
quality as well as using that understanding as the basis for responsible and effective
citizenship. Increasingly, people are asked to grapple with decisions ranging from land-
use zoning to consumer choices that can affect air and water quality. Personal choices
and societal policies have consequences for the natural world. People need the knowl-
edge and skills to seek sound decisions that maintain public health and the quality
of the environment. Students must be prepared for those responsibilities, as well.
Packaged with this booklet is Meeting Standards Naturally, a CD-ROM that offers
a compendium of free activities to help educators promote academic excellence and envi-
ronmental literacy. Activities featured on Meeting Standards A/afure//x focus on a range
of subject areas including social studies, language arts, mathematics, fine arts, science,
and health. This broad focus speaks to the diversity of educators who are using the
environment as a focal point for top-quality education.
Together with the CD-ROM, this booklet is an introduction to using the environment
as a context for learning and a means to help students develop essential skills. Both of
these resources connect you with other sources of information and support that can help
you continue your professional exploration of the tools and educational strategies used
to advance both education and environmental literacy.
Gene R. Carter, Executive Director
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
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Linking Education and the Environment
As education reform efforts continue, substantial agreement is emerging about what to
teach in our schools. Education reform experts have identified essential content and skills,
in large part through the process of developing national and state educational standards
for the core academic disciplines, as well as state assessments that measure student
performance. For the most part, these assessments are designed to measure not only
students' knowledge of facts, but also their ability to write well, think critically, solve
problems, and integrate knowledge.
Now the question in the forefront of many educators' minds
is how best to teach. Which instructional strategies will best
help students gain the knowledge and skills that will prepare
them to pass state exams and meet the demands of future
schooling, jobs, and societal responsibilities? How can curricula,
school days, and teacher responsibilities best be organized to
support this essential knowledge?
Many educators and schools are answering these questions
by linking education and the environment. "Teachers are overburdened," says Susan Toth,
former director of education at Florida's Pine Jog Environmental Education Center. "We
can't expect them to add one more thing to their curriculum plates. But we can use
environmental education to restructure what's already on their plates and make it more
manageable."
Educators at Pine Jog have created partnerships with 11 nearby schools, helping them
organize activities, curricula, and multidisciplinary instructional units around environmen-
tal themes. The results for the diverse schools that have taken up the challenge of
systemic school change are remarkably similar: Students are more enthusiastic about
learning and perform better academically. Teachers are more enthusiastic about teaching,
bringing more innovative instructional strategies into the classroom and taking more
leadership in school change (Glenn, 2000).
7 think environmental literacy
is a right. Without it, people
can do harmful things they
would never intend to do."
Jane Utter
Kentucky Environmental
Education Council
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Advancing Education
"The school days seem shorter and shorter," notes Reeda Hart, a teacher at Grant's Lick
Elementary School in Alexandria, Kentucky. "With so much to do, integrating everything
through environmental education just makes sense. The curriculum not only gets covered,
but also extended. Reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, as well as
group dynamics, problem solving, and real world issues... We're accomplishing so many
things with the environment as a context."
Environmental education is a powerful and flexible tool that provides a focus for many
of the strategies that educators are using to reorganize their full plates. Many educators
use the environment as a foundation for project-based learning, service learning, and
theme-based learning. These educational approaches tend to emphasize hands-on learn-
ing, the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and student initiative,
as well as a grasp of concepts that span academic disciplines.
"Learning out of context is a waste. We don't have time for children to ask, 'Why am
I doing this?'" notes Jane Weaver, a
5th grade teacher in Texas. Weaver's
"/ know my students are interested in environmental issues approach to teaching is entirely project-
when I see them making weekend or after-school trips to based Her students |egm fay tgck|jng
do research for class. 1 don 'I require this, and I don t guv
,.;, .,„,.,, „ ,- complex, real-world pro ects, many of
extra credit for it. They do it because thev want to.
which focus on the local and regional
Nancy Piraino
Memorial High school, Madison. Wisconsin prairie environment. In taking on
everything from prairie restoration to
designing and building a bridge, the
5th graders learn science, mathematics, history, social studies, language arts, and more.
This instructional approach is an example of using the environment as an integrating con-
text for learning (Lieberman & Hoody, 1998). Using a school's surroundings and community as
a focal point, educators integrate subject-area knowledge and skill development. Students
learn standards-based subject matter, build thinking and problem-solving skills, and develop
basic life skills such as cooperation and interpersonal communication. Students also gain an
appreciation for how their community and natural surroundings relate to each other.
Organizing instruction around environmental themes boosts the educational relevance
to students. Teachers who incorporate the environment into their teaching often report
that students show new interest in academics and learning—and the teachers them-
selves sometimes find that their own interest in teaching has been renewed. Because
environmental topics lend themselves to hands-on instruction, this kind of education
can appeal to students with diverse learning styles.
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Advancing Environmental Literacy and Citizenship
"The environment is a great integrator. It's hands-on and engages students," says Bora
Simmons, professor of environmental education at Northern Illinois University. But
Simmons cautions that simply using the environment to teach a standard curriculum may
not do enough to improve environmental literacy.
In its most general sense, environmental literacy means understanding how human
actions and decisions affect environmental quality and acting on that understanding
in a responsible and effective manner. Environmental literacy consists of four essential
aspects (NAAEE, 2000):
1. Developing inquiry, investigative, and analysis skills.
2. Acquiring knowledge of environmental processes and human systems.
3. Developing skills for understanding and addressing environmental issues.
4. Practicing personal and civic responsibility for environmental decisions.
Students may get some of the environmental literacy equation from instruction that
uses environmental themes. According to Simmons, however, it takes a well-designed
scope and sequence to give students the best chance at achieving all four environmental
literacy goals. "Schools can take a comprehensive view of environmental literacy and pro-
vide experiences in a way that develops the knowledge
and skills necessary for responsible citizenship."
A primary goal of public education is to prepare
young people for the responsibilities of citizenship. Many
schools, particularly middle schools and high schools,
require community service as part of the educational
program. Service learning—in which these service
experiences are integrated into an investigative curricu-
lum—is also gaining acceptance in classrooms, linking
students with their schools and surrounding communi-
ties. Because of the interest they hold for young people,
environmental topics and issues are commonly at the
heart of these service projects.
Informed and active participation is a key component
of environmental literacy and a common goal of service learning and citizenship educa-
tion. In fact, all four of the major aspects of environmental literacy are applicable to, and
necessary for, successful citizenship. This is especially true today when so many of our
public and private decisions can affect public health and environmental quality.
"In my classes, I have students deal
with things in their community, not
necessarily big issues, but local con-
cerns. When these issues come up in
the news later, students remember talk-
ing about them in class and can make
informed statements. I see the response,
'Maybe what I'm learning is relevant.'
And I think that feeling transfers to
other topics they're learning about."
Scott Stankowski
Lincoln High School
Wisconsin Rapids. Wisconsin
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School
Snapshots
The snapshots on these pages demonstrate how schools across the nation
are using the environment to boost academic performance, increase student
motivation, and enhance environmental literacy.
Huntingdon Area Middle School, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
Science Teams in Rural Environments for Aquatic Management Studies (STREAMS) started
as a way to make study hall less boring. Students could choose to use their study hall
to get involved in hands-on outdoor learning and environmental studies. Overtime,
STREAMS has evolved into a program for all 6th graders. Social studies, science,
math, and language arts teachers collaborate to help students work on complex
environmental projects.
After they complete this core course, many students continue their studies and
projects in an after-school club. The club takes on environmental projects that
benefit the community. Students fund their activities by writing their own grant
proposals. Projects have included assessing watersheds, repairing broken sewage
lines, constructing wetlands, and restoring stream banks.
In addition to forming valuable community partnerships, STREAMS students
have revitalized their passion for learning. Their enthusiasm has rubbed off on parents,
who volunteer their support for student projects. Students have increased their compre-
hension, retention, and assimilation of concepts skills, and the school's discipline
problems have decreased.
Helen M. King Middle School, Portland, Maine
In 1993, Helen M. King Middle School retooled its curriculum to focus on environmental
themes. Struggling with discipline and attendance problems, poor academic performance,
and minimal parental involvement, the principal and a team of teachers eliminated track-
ing and built the curriculum around focus units. Each of these "learning expeditions"
culminates in projects showcased for the school and the community. With names
such as "Rock the House," "Weathering the Storm," and "Yuckology," the units
invite students to explore their local environment and how it affects their lives.
Despite steady population increases in King's low-income students and those with
limited English proficiency, which can correlate to lower test scores,
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the school's standardized test results have shown marked improvements in all disciplines,
including writing. Parental involvement has grown from one percent to 27 percent. Seventy-
five percent of all teachers at King now participate in summer professional development
programs, and student behavior, attendance, and attitudes have all improved dramatically.
School of Environmental Studies ("Zoo School"), Apple Valley, Minnesota
High school juniors and seniors attend the School of Environmental Studies, which is
located on the grounds of the Minnesota Zoo. The zoo and a nearby regional park function
as learning labs for this school. The curriculum, unified by environmental themes, helps
students draw connections between disciplines. Three hours are devoted daily to a seam-
less integration of language, social studies, and environmental science classes. For 10
days during each trimester, students pursue independent studies. Often these studies
involve fieldwork or service projects.
The integrated curriculum, community mentoring and internship programs, and faculty
advising add up to significant benefits for students. ACT scores are higher than those of
their peers, students are well prepared for college, and they tend to
graduate with experience as active citizen leaders.
Gililland Elementary School, Fort Worth, Texas
Eleven years ago, one teacher and her 5th grade class at Gililland
Elementary School started studying a nearby plot of former prairie. Today, this
school is nationally recognized for the Prairie Project, which incorporates science, math,
history, social studies, language arts, and more in a project-based curriculum.
Students have helped restore the prairie, studied the area's social and ecological his-
tory, and published literary research on the legends of prairie flowers. They have designed
and built a bridge to improve public access to the prairie, added a greenhouse for growing
native plants and collecting the seeds, planted trees and an herb garden, and made quilts.
Students help write applications for grants to support their own learning projects.
District middle school teachers note that Gililland graduates show a sustained interest
in science. Gililland has earned several awards based on student achieve-
ment, and an above-average proportion of students pass all sections of the
Texas Assessment of Academic Skills. The Prairie Project has also given
the town a focal point for community pride and involvement.
Source: From Environmental education and educational achievement: Promising programs and resources.
(2002, October). Washington, D.C.: National Environmental Education and Training Foundation.
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Results That Count
As the snapshots suggest, linking education and the environment can result in dramatic
improvements in the quality of education. In schools, it can improve the effectiveness
of education overall (measured in a variety of ways, including standardized testing), boost
enthusiasm for learning and pride in accomplishments, and decrease discipline and
attendance problems, all the while building environmental literacy.
A report issued in 2000 by the National Environmental Education and Training
Foundation reviewed schools that adopted environmental education as the central focus
of their academic programs. According to that report, "The results in all of the schools
studied are impressive and heartening, as the nation searches for effective ways to
improve the quality of education our children receive in public and private schools"
(Glenn, 2000, p. 3). This study showed
• Reading and mathematics scores improved.
• Students performed better in science and social studies.
• Students developed the ability to transfer their knowledge from familiar
to unfamiliar contexts.
• Students learned to "do science" rather than just "learn about science."
• Classroom discipline problems declined.
• All students have the opportunity to learn at a higher level.
Similarly, a 1998 report by the State Education and Environment Roundtable found that
using the environment as a context in which to integrate science, math, social studies,
and language arts can result in greater academic achievement. Closing the Achievement
Gap: Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning reported remarkable
improvements in academic achievement and behavior among students at 40 schools in
12 states (Lieberman & Hoody, 1998).
"There's no question that environmental education can help boost student performance
in traditional subject areas," notes Margaret Tudor of the Washington State Department
of Fish and Wildlife. Preliminary comparisons of academic performance in Washington
schools show that schools with environmental education programs perform significantly
better on standardized tests in reading, writing, mathematics, and science than do other
schools.
"Furthermore," says Tudor, "we're just beginning to collect and assess samples of stu-
dent work to learn more about how environmental education is advancing environmental
literacy in these schools—including higher-order thinking skills and the ability to integrate
knowledge across subject areas. When we piloted our integrated assessments
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last year, we found that students in environmental education-based schools did better
than those in schools with [less] experience with environmental programs."
Hallmarks of Quality
Teaching and learning about the environment can bring up controversies that must be
handled in a fair and balanced manner in the classroom. Because environmental issues
involve differing opinions, perspectives, and values, environmental education helps
students develop skills for understanding and addressing those issues from a personal
and social standpoint, as well as a scientific one. Because of the broad range of skills
and knowledge needed for environmental literacy, this kind of education lends itself well
to team teaching or thematic approaches that focus on an environmental subject from
a number of disciplinary perspectives.
Whether you teach alone or with a team of teachers, selecting developmentally appropri-
ate topics and materials is crucial to success. Environmental education fits across all grade
levels, but topics and instructional strategies that are appropriate for middle school will not
necessarily work in 1st grade. As an educator, you must rely on your professional judgment to
match your students' development level with skills, concepts, and instructional techniques as
presented through your educational materials. Top-quality programs and materials will assist
you by noting essential skills and concepts, recommending an appropriate age range, and
identifying the disciplinary standards an activity or module will help attain.
Top-quality environmental education materials and programs also offer a variety
of means for assessing learner progress
that are tied to learner outcomes. They
provide examples of how to use specif- "For me> environmental education is a 'two-fer. '/get
ic performance-based assessments to do somethinS that will help the environment and help
kids. Those are two great payoffs. It's great education.
such as portfolios, open-ended ques-
/ ix watched kids really grow and shine because they re
tions, group or independent research, comected with somthing that encoumges them to karn
or other appropriate culminating proj-
ects to indicate mastery. Culminating Kentucky Environmental Education Council
activities can also help students reach
beyond themselves and practice the
kind of informed, responsible citizenship that is the ultimate aim of environmental literacy.
Jane Eller of the Kentucky Environmental Education Council calls assessment "a con-
stant feedback process." She notes, "Culminating activities are critical tools for assessing
student learning. But if students are going to do well on those culminating activities,
teachers should continually assess student understanding and adjust their own
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teaching strategies as necessary to ensure that all students do well. So teachers are
assessing both the students' performance and their own at the same time." When review-
ing environmental education programs and materials, teachers should look for suggested
means of assessing learners' baseline knowledge and skills and an ongoing assessment
process as another hallmark of quality.
As support for designing balanced, accurate, and pedagogically sound educational
materials or school programs, the National Project for Excellence in Environmental
Education has produced guidelines for excellence. These documents—one set for environ-
mental education materials and another for learner achievement benchmarks at different
grade levels—are practical tools for classroom teachers, school administrators, and cur-
riculum developers (see Internet Resources, p. 15, to find out more). The learner guidelines
are correlated to national disciplinary standards for easy integration with core disciplines.
Taking the Next Steps
"Most environmental education programs I've seen in schools are instigated by a couple of
teachers who get really excited about the idea," observes Dawn Dubats, an educator with
the nonprofit Tree Trust in St. Paul, Minnesota. Like the Prairie Project, which began with
one teacher taking her class outdoors, or STREAMS, which started as a study hall enrich-
ment program, some of the most successful
school-based environmental education programs
"I'd say the most important aspect of teachinq . _, ,.
had simple beginnings. The first step is to begin.
about the environment is to look at all aspects
involved with an issue or problem. Teach from lf You are mtri9ued bY what You have Just
an unbiased position no matter bow strong read, you may want to take the next step by
your ideas are about the topic. Let the kids reviewing the Meeting Standards Naturally
make decisions for themselves—that's the most CD-ROM included with this booklet. Insert the
valuable experience for them." CD_ROM into your computer's CD drive to find
Scott stankomki more information about using the environment
Lincoln Hiqb School, Wisconsin Rapids. Wisconsin
as an educational vehicle.
Free activities on the CD-ROM are linked to
different grade levels and subject areas, making it easy for you to choose the ones that
are right for your situation. These activities were selected as an introduction to environ-
mental education. Using them in your classroom will let you explore how environmental
education can help meet academic standards, boost student learning, and promote
environmental literacy.
Beyond the activities and ideas offered on the Meeting Standards Naturally CD-ROM,
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you will find more sources of information, support, and instructional materials in the
Resources section that follows. These resources provide a rich ground for you to explore
the tools and educational strategies that you can use to improve the quality of education,
enhance your students' experiences in school, and prepare students for a lifetime of
informed and active citizenship.
References
Glenn, J. L. (2000, September). Environment-based education: Creating high performance schools and
students. Washington, DC: National Environmental Education and Training Foundation.
Lieberman, G. A., & Hoody, L. L. (1998). Closing the achievement gap: Using the environment as an integrating
context for learning. San Diego, CA: State Education and Environment Roundtable.
North American Association for Environmental Education. (2000). Excellence in environmental education:
Guidelines for learning IK-12). Washington, DC: Author.
Resources
National Organizations and Programs
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
http://www.ascd.org 1 -703-578-9600
Founded in 1943, ASCD, an international, non-profit association, is one of the largest professional develop-
ment organizations for educators. It provides education information services, offers cutting-edge professional
development for effective teaching and learning, and supports activities to provide educational equity for all
students. ASCD's 160,000 members reside in 135 countries and include teachers, principals, superintendents,
professors of education, and other educators. ASCD's position on environmental education states, "Because
people in developed nations are rapidly consuming earth's natural resources and because the world popula-
tion is increasing rapidly, human beings must take individual and social responsibility for the environment.
Schools should provide environmental education." (Excerpted from What We Believe: Positions of the
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Revised 2001.)
ASCD Environmental Education Network
Facilitator: Bora Simmons, Northern Illinois University 1-815-753-9069 boras@niu.edu
ASCD's Environmental Education Network is an independent association of persons and organizations inter-
ested in environmental education and sharing resources, information, and ideas.
Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP)
http://www.eetap.org 1-715-346-4958
EETAP supports classroom teachers and other educators by providing professional development, resources,
and other support services to help them teach effectively about the environment.
National Environmental Education and Training Foundation (NEETF)
http://www.neetf.org 1-202-833-2933
NEETF's Education and Environment (K-12) program helps connect environmental education and the formal
K-12 education system. Related publications are available on the Web site.
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North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)
http://www.naaee.org 1-706-764-2926 email@naaee.org
NAAEE is a professional environmental education association that conducts an annual conference, publishes
resource materials, and promotes the professional development of its members and the field of environmental
education. One of its projects, the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education, has developed
guidelines for environmental education materials, programs, and teacher education.
Project Learning Tree (American Forest Foundation)
http://www.plt.org 1-202-463-2462
This interdisciplinary K-12 program provides instructional materials on topics ranging from forests, wildlife,
and water, to community planning, waste management, and energy. PLT offers activities in English and
Spanish correlated to national science, social studies, and environmental education standards, as well
as activities correlated to state curriculum standards.
Project WET (Montana State University)
http://www.projectwet.org 1 -406-994-5392
Project WET is an interdisciplinary K-12 program that fosters knowledge and stewardship of water resources
while helping students meet academic standards. WET offers activities that are correlated to state standards.
Project WILD (Council for Environmental Education)
http://www.projectwild.org 1-713-520-1936 info@projectwild.org
This interdisciplinary K-12 program focuses on wildlife as a means of engaging student interest in learning
and academic achievement. WILD offers activities that are correlated to national science, environmental
education, and state standards.
State Education and Environment Roundtable (SEER)
http://www.seer.org 1-858-676-0272
This cooperative endeavor of 16 state departments of education works to enhance student achievement,
improve K-12 instructional practices, and help schools achieve their improvement goals by implementing
the Environment as an Integrating Context model.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Environmental Education
http://www.epa.gov/enviroed
This agency spearheads national efforts to advance and support environmental education. The Office of
Environmental Education administers grants, educator training, and student fellowships; facilitates federal
agency projects; and develops and supports publications and Web resources.
Windows on the Wild (World Wildlife Fund)
http://www.worldwildlife.org/windows 1-800-225-5993
Windows on the Wild (WOW) is an environmental education program that uses biodiversity to explore
connections among science, geography, economics, community development, communications, and other
disciplines. Its Web site offers teacher guides, classroom activities, professional development resources,
and information related to biodiversity. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) offers activities that are correlated
to the national science and social studies standards.
Publications
Archie, M. (2001, August). Moving into the educational mainstream: Environmental education. Infobrief, 2B.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD. http://www.ascd.org/readingroom/infobrief/issue26.html
This publication examines how environmental education can work within the formal education
system to help achieve educational goals.
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Braus, J., & Wood, D. (1994). Environmental education in the schools: Creating a program that works!
Washington, DC: North American Association for Environmental Education, http://www.naaee.org
/publications/pubdescriptions.php
This book contains a wealth of ideas to help plan an environmental education program or incorporate
environmental content into teaching, including teaching strategies, fundraising and evaluation tips,
resources, and dozens of activities.
Environmental Education and Training Partnership. (2002). Teaching with the future in mind [poster],
http://www.eetap.org/eetapwhatsnew.htmllposter
This colorful poster includes a resource section on the back with classroom activities ideas.
Heimlich, J.E. (2002). Environmental education: A resource handbook. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa
Educational Foundation.
This handbook of collected articles provides a reference guide on topics including integrating
environmental education into the formal education system.
Lieberman, G. A., & Hoody, L. L. (1998). Closing the achievement gap: Using the environment as an integrating
context for learning. San Diego, CA: State Education and Environment Roundtable. http://www.seer.org
/pages/GAP.html
Lieberman and Hoody document improvements in student achievement and behavior from using the envi-
ronment as a context for learning. This report is a result of a qualitative study of 40 schools based on sur-
veys, interviews, observations, and achievement tests.
Mann, L. (Ed.). (1999, Spring). [Educator: Advancing education reform (special ed.|. North American
Association for Environmental Education, http://www.naaee.org/publications/pubdescriptions.php
This special edition from the North American Association for Environmental Education includes collected
articles that offer ideas for integrating curriculum, activities, and resources, as well as descriptions of
exemplary programs and partnerships.
National Environmental Education and Training Foundation. (2002, October). Environmental education and
educational achievement: Promising programs and resources. Washington, DC: Author. http://www.neetf
.org/Education/reports.shtm
This report provides 10 accounts that illustrate promising strategies and practices for integrating environ-
mental education into educational settings, as well as a listing of environmental education resources.
Internet Resources
EE-Link
http://www.eelink.net
EE-Link is a project of the North American Association for Environmental Education that makes high-quality
environmental education materials available to teachers and other educators.
ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education
http://www.ericse.org/eeindex.html
This site is part of the federally supported Educational Resources Information Center. Its database includes
descriptions of nearly a million articles, reports, curriculum guides, books, and other information sources.
"Fundamentals of Environmental Education" online course
http://www.uwsp.edu/natres/rwilke/eetap
Contact Dr. Rick Wilke, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, at 1-715-346-4766 or rwilke@uwsp.edu.
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Nationally known environmental educators developed and reviewed this course in basic environmental
education. The Environmental Education and Training Partnership and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens
Point offer this course to online participants, who can earn two undergraduate or graduate credits.
Participants can also elect to take the course as a noncredit workshop. Other universities will also offer
the course.
GreenCOM Resource Center
http://www.greencom.0rg/greencom/resourcej:enter/resourcej:eriter.asp
This searchable collection of classroom materials offers more than 3,000 high-quality items in several
languages.
Kentucky Environmental Education Council
http://www.state.ky.us/agencies/envred
The Kentucky Environmental Education Council (KEEC) coordinates environmental education activities
throughout the Commonwealth. KEEC developed standards for environmental education, maintains a
database of resources, and promotes the development of environmental education-based resource
schools throughout the state.
National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education
http://www.naaee.org/npeee
This site offers online versions of published guidelines for environmental education materials and programs,
a workbook for applying the guidelines, as well as resource guides identifying high-quality environmental
education materials.
Pine Jog Environmental Education Center's collaboration with schools
http://www.pinejog.org/WebPages/ModelSchools.htm
Pine Jog provides comprehensive services to assist with planning, professional development, implementation,
and evaluation of environmental education programs. The Model Schools program ties student performance
goals in individual Schools Improvement Plans into a program that uses the environment as a theme for
student learning in reading, writing, science, social studies and math.
U.S. EPA Office of Environmental Education resource page
http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/resources.html
This page offers an array of EPA-supported resources for environmental education including Web sites,
publications, and a database of educational materials sorted by environmental topic.
Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA)
http://www.wfpa.org/ee
WFPA works with schools and communities to foster education programs that prepare youth to use critical
thinking skills to make wise decisions about forests in Washington State. See Current Research ("Better
Test Scores Through Environmental Education"), Secondary Integrated Teams, and Environmental Study
Site Program pages, among others on the site.
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Advancing
Education Through
Environmental
Literacy
"Across disciplines, teachers find that students are engaged in
learning, feel challenged, and often perform better in school
when they are studying their local environment. Learning
about the environment can help students meet state academic
standards while providing them with the knowledge
and citizenship skills they will need to participate
effectively in environmental decision making."
Gene R. Carter, Executive Director
Association for Supervision
and Cuniciilnm Development
About the Author
Michele L. Archie is an ASCD consultant and freelance
writer. She has a background in environmental education
and is involved with promoting civic engagement
around environmental issues.
VISIT US ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
http://www. ascd.org
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Alexandria, Virginia USA
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