Engaging STEM Learning through the Environment
ENVIRONMENT-BASED EDUCATION AND WHY IT MATTERS TO YOU
Slide 2
Introductions Bryan Ehlers Director, Office of Education and
the Environment California Department of Resources Recycling and
Recovery (CalRecycle) Gerald Lieberman, PhD. State Education and
Environment Roundtable Will Parish Founder and President Ten
Strands
Slide 3
Session Overview Key Questions What is environment-based
education (EBE)? What are Californias Environmental Principles and
Concepts (EP&Cs) and why are they significant for the future of
STEM? What opportunities and challenges do you see for using the
environment to connect students to STEM learning?
Slide 4
The Environment Broadly defined The natural systems in which
all human activity is embedded The air we breathe, the water we
drink, the food we eat The context for our daily lives NOT only
pristine mountain meadows
Slide 5
The Environment and STEM What does the environment have to
offer? Intrinsically engaging context Meets students where theyre
at in terms of their daily lives Relevant, real-world issues of
importance
Slide 6
Environment-Based Education (EBE) What is it? A framework for
instruction Focuses on standards-based educational results Uses the
environment and related issues as a context for learning *Based on
Education and the Environment: Creating Standards-Based Programs
for Schools and District, (Lieberman, 2013)
Slide 7
Environment-Based Education (EBE) What is it not? Not the same
as environmental education which focuses primarily on environmental
literacy and environmental issues instead, EBEs focus is
traditional academic content standards Not environmental advocacy
EBE encourages students to think critically about the world around
them and arrive at their own conclusions based on sound science and
reasoning
Slide 8
Environment-Based Education (EBE) Why use this approach?
Research-based model
Slide 9
Environment-Based Education (EBE) Why use this approach?
(continued) Higher scores on standardized measures of academic
achievement Increased student engagement and enthusiasm for
learning Reduced discipline and classroom management problems
Greater student pride and ownership in accomplishments
Environmental literacy will be essential to our prosperity in the
21 st century and beyond!
Slide 10
Environment-Based Education (EBE) What can we accomplish with
EBE? Three core goals: 1. Help students achieve success with
academic content standards 2. Develop their understanding of
interactions between natural and human social systems 3. Prepare
students to be active members of a civil society with the skills
they need to identify and resolve environmental challenges
Slide 11
Environment-Based Education (EBE) How did the EBE shift begin?
The ball began rolling with 2003 California legislation:
Established core environmental big ideas for all K-12 students
California Environmental Principles and Concepts EP&Cs Required
creation of a model curriculum California Education and the
Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum (State Board of Education
approved, 2010) Requires future state-adopted curriculum to
incorporate the EP&Cs i.e., follow the EEI model
Slide 12
CA Environmental Principles & Concepts What are the
EP&Cs? Principle I People Depend on Natural Systems The
continuation and health of individual human lives and of human
communities and societies depend on the health of the natural
systems that provide essential goods and ecosystem services.
PRINCIPLE I People Depend On Natural Systems
Slide 13
CA Environmental Principles & Concepts What are the
EP&Cs? Principle II People Influence Natural Systems The
long-term functioning and health of terrestrial, freshwater,
coastal and marine ecosystems are influenced by their relationships
with human societies. PRINCIPLE I People Depend On Natural Systems
PRINCIPLE II People Influence Natural Systems
Slide 14
CA Environmental Principles & Concepts What are the
EP&Cs? Principle III Natural Systems Change in Ways that People
Benefit from and Can Influence Natural systems proceed through
cycles that humans depend upon, benefit from and can alter.
PRINCIPLE I People Depend On Natural Systems PRINCIPLE II People
Influence Natural Systems PRINCIPLE III Natural Systems Change in
Ways that People Benefit From and Can Influence
Slide 15
CA Environmental Principles & Concepts What are the
EP&Cs? Principle IV There are no Permanent or Impermeable
Boundaries that Prevent Matter from Flowing Between Systems The
exchange of matter between natural systems and human societies
affects the long-term functioning of both. PRINCIPLE I People
Depend On Natural Systems PRINCIPLE II People Influence Natural
Systems PRINCIPLE III Natural Systems Change in Ways that People
Benefit From and Can Influence PRINCIPLE IV There are no Permanent
or Impermeable Boundaries that Prevent Matter from Flowing Between
Systems
Slide 16
CA Environmental Principles & Concepts What are the
EP&Cs? Principle V Decisions Affecting Resources and Natural
Systems are Complex and Involve Many Factors Decisions affecting
resources and natural systems are based on a wide range of
considerations and decisions- making processes. PRINCIPLE I People
Depend On Natural Systems PRINCIPLE II People Influence Natural
Systems PRINCIPLE III Natural Systems Change in Ways that People
Benefit From and Can Influence PRINCIPLE IV There are no Permanent
or Impermeable Boundaries that Prevent Matter from Flowing Between
Systems PRINCIPLE V Decisions Affecting Resources and Natural
Systems are Complex and Involve Many Factors
Slide 17
CA Environmental Principles & Concepts Whats next? EEI
Curriculum uses EP&Cs Some organizations aware and aligning
materials and programming New K-12 science curriculum framework
will integrate EP&Cs with Next Generation Science Standards By
2018-19 new science textbooks will contain EP&Cs
Slide 18
Implications for NGSS Instruction What will NGSS + EP&Cs
look like? [Placeholder for example of Jerrys framework material.
Add additional slides as necessary.]
Slide 19
EBE and STEM Opportunities and Challenges Discussion Prompts
From the standpoint of your organization or sector: What does EBE
have to offer STEM? What are the best opportunities to use EBE to
expand and/or improve STEM learning for Californians? What are the
biggest challenges to capitalizing on opportunities to leverage EBE
in support of STEM? How might these challenges be confronted and/or
overcome? What do you see as next steps for helping bring EBE to
your community of STEM stakeholders, and what support might you
need to achieve success?
Slide 20
EBE and STEM Opportunities and Challenges What does EBE have to
offer STEM? What are the best opportunities to use EBE to expand
and/or improve STEM learning for Californians?
Slide 21
EBE and STEM Opportunities and Challenges What are the biggest
challenges to capitalizing on opportunities to leverage EBE in
support of STEM?
Slide 22
EBE and STEM Opportunities and Challenges How might these
challenges be confronted and/or overcome?
Slide 23
EBE and STEM Opportunities and Challenges What do you see as
next steps for helping bring EBE to your community of STEM
stakeholders, and what support might you need to achieve
success?
Slide 24
EBE and STEM Discuss findings Questions?
Slide 25
EBE and STEM Wrap-up and Takeaways EBE is a state policy
initiative with growing relevancy for STEM (e.g., EP&Cs in new
science textbooks by 2018-19) Many opportunities to capitalize on
environment as engaging context for STEM learning No time like the
present to begin identifying and planning to confront and overcome
challenges
Slide 26
Thank you! And please feel free to contact us Bryan Ehlers
Director, Office of Education and the Environment California
Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle)
www.californiaeei.org Gerald Lieberman, PhD. State Education and
Environment Roundtable www.seer.org Will Parish Founder and
President Ten Strands www.tenstrands.org
