Dr. Timothy Baird’s leadership in green initiatives and environmental stewardship has garnered state and national recognition for the Encinitas Union School District, including selection by the U.S. Department of Education as a National Green Ribbon District. These efforts have included attention to the curriculum opportunities in the district’s facility projects.
Faculty at the University of Colorado’s engineering school, in partnership with graduate students and K-12 teachers have developed and classroom tested an online resource, the TeachEngineering collection, which showcases engineering in everyday life as the context for student learning. The curriculum unit, Engineering for the Earth, covers Earth systems through lessons on natural resources, processes, weather, climate and landforms
Improving energy efficiency isn’t just a matter of replacing equipment. Behavior change is essential to realizing the potential of upgrades to lightning and HVAC systems.
The non-profit Ten Strands has played a leading role in the development of strategies and curriculum to implement California’s Environmental Principles and Concepts throughout the state’s schools. Ten Strands co-founder Will Parish describes that the evolution of these educational standards, and importance of ensuring that they become a part of every child’s education.
Andra Yeghoian is the Environmental Literacy Coordinator at the San Mateo County Office of Education, the first person to be hired for this position at the county office of education level. She offers a powerful view of the concerns that students are bringing to school about environmental challenges, and the importance of systemic environmental literacy efforts that can address them.