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ISSUE OF THE MONTH: SUSTAINABILITY CURRICULA
Sadly, we are generally not preparing our students to handle the environmental and health legacies that we will be leaving them. While states have standards for math and science curricula, most states have not adopted specific environmental education standards, resulting in a grab bag of excellent to dismal programs, and funding for these programs is certainly inadequate. [For an evaluation of environmental education programs and key elements of effective programs, please read Pillar 4 of our report “The Little Green Schoolhouse.” ] The good news is that hands-on, experiential learning – often incorporated into environmental education, science, social studies, or global issues curricula – is shown to improve student achievement, increase their critical-thinking skills, nurture children’s natural affinity to “do good,” and ultimately contribute to happier adults who are more engaged in their communities! At Green Schools Initiative, we have been working to compile some of the best existing teaching tools and make them more widely known to educators. As it turns out, Facing the Future has already done this work for us! In addition to profiling their fantastic work, we provide other useful links below. Facing the Future: People and the Planet is a nonprofit organization that brings global issues and sustainability education to middle and high schools (and soon to elementary schools as well). Since 1995, the organization has been researching and writing curriculum materials that promote critical thinking and meet national and state education standards (including California); providing professional development workshops to teachers on global issues, sustainability, and service learning; and consulting with schools to integrate global sustainability across their curricula. Facing the Future’s resources are used in 49 states in the United States and 42 countries. Students learn about sustainability (environmental, social, and economic) and the tragedy of the commons by “fishing” with straws in a bowl of candy coated chocolate or learn about their “ecological footprint” through researching and diagramming what every day items like a hamburger or a cell phone are made of and what their impact is. These are just two examples of the 40 activities available for FREE on Facing the Future’s website: www.facingthefuture.org. The activities are a starting point for young people to think critically about issues facing the planet and to find entry points to make a difference in their local and global communities. Facing the Future also publishes an intermediate and advanced textbook to provide more in-depth coverage of the issues addressed in the hands-activities. Various materials can be ordered on their website starting as low as $10; complete classroom sets of the intermedia materials run for $145 and the advanced materials for $330. Financial support may be available for qualifying schools, so don't let lack of funds stop you! In addition to curriculum there are many resources available on Facing the Future’s award-winning website that support service learning in schools, including professional development. A Take Action! Area of the website features a service learning project database as well as endless ideas and links for students and teachers to get involved in global issues and sustainable solutions. The feedback from students and teachers is tremendous! An eighth grade student using Facing the Future's curriculum said “I know how to reduce my ecological footprint and help solve global issues. I also know that what I do here in America affects those in other places.” A 12th grader said “I know how to develop action plans to reach goals concerning the world around me.” A science teacher at Sam Lawson Middle School in Cupertino, CA said “The curriculum is amazing. I have used it systematically this year, and can find no faults with it. The students are incredibly engaged, while learning very complex issues related to my science curriculum. The students are writing, reflecting, researching, and reading more and more about global issues. I just love it!” In a survey done by Facing the Future, 98% of teachers using the curriculum and resources rated them as excellent or “good.” So, as teachers, principals, school board members, parent volunteers and other school community members start planning for the year ahead, Green Schools Initiative encourages you to make time in your school schedule for hands-on environmental projects. The efforts can be scaled to the time you have available, whether weekly, monthly, once a semester, or even only one single classroom period. The materials provided by Facing the Future, and these other resources listed below, can make it easy for you!
August 2007 content |
