These themes were wonderfully explored at the North American Association of Environmental Educators’ (NAAEE) annual conference, as well as their Research Symposium, both held recently in Portland, OR. Countless sessions focused on how to integrate environmental education into the broader curriculum, through activities such as simulations and those incorporating technology such as Google Earth. The sessions and conversations at the conference and symposium helped me to further refine my understanding and ideas about environmental and sustainability education.

Although I have been passionate about protecting the environment for over 20 years, and an educator and developer of educational resources for over 15 years, the various environmental challenges our world is facing have recently spurred me to look at even more ways to link these interests. The conference was one of the most important vehicles to help me do this, and in some ways I feel that the journey is just beginning.

I have been working on a series of activity books that teach environmental and sustainability education to students in fun ways that also teach and reinforce other academic skills, and I am renewed by a belief that my work is supported by the available research and needs of teachers and students. In addition, recent developments have encouraged a belief that the educational process can be transformed to integrate environmental and sustainability education into the daily lives of students. In particular, I was surprised to learn that the state of California, like the state of Washington as discussed in a previous post, was ready to move forward with integrated environmental literacy standards for all students, K-12.

At the main NAAEE conference, I attended a session conducted by Lori Mann, an environmental education consultant who has been helping to manage California’s Environmental Education Initiative for the past several years. In painstaking detail, she explained how the various state agencies and administrators all had to sign off on the measures that, like Washington’s, would seek to integrate environmental and sustainability information into every grade, K-12.

Lori explained how in 2005 it was state Assembly Bill 1721 that had started the process of developing that states’ Environmental Principles and Concepts (EPCs) that would eventually be developed into curriculum and disseminated around the state. Further, all textbook producers would need to integrate the EPCs if they wanted their books to be placed on the all-important list of approved materials which enabled school districts to use their textbook money to purchase them. Unlike Washington’s standards, however, the EPCs would be entirely voluntary, at least in the beginning; schools would all be expected to receive information about the EPCs, but teachers would not be required to teach them. However, I still feel better knowing that our most populous state is taking this significant step to advance environmental and sustainability education, especially as the measures are now finally being implemented. As Lori mentioned, one long-term benefit of this will likely be that, because of California’s size and the importance of it as a market for school resources, most of the textbook publishers, and probably also developers of other educational resources like software, will integrate the EPCs into their materials; these will then be sold throughout the country, as well, benefiting countless other students and teachers in the process.

Another topic that came up at many points during the conference was systems thinking. This was not a new concept to me, but I have not yet fully integrated it into my teaching and educational resources. It is a fascinating way to view the world, and a very important framework to teach sustainability; I will be researching it much more in the weeks to come and how to integrate it into the materials I am producing. It is my hope that this, like the other information I have been learning about environmental and sustainability education, will allow me to produce educational resources that will be meaningful for students and help them integrate the knowledge into all of their endeavors.

Check out the images and captions below for a small sampling of the highlights, and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions. You can also see more photos of the Institute and learn more about the Sustainability Education presentations and discussions at the event by joining the WA Sustainability Education networking site.

Enjoy!
-Rick Reynolds

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The buzz before the "Trashion Show." Students from art classes at both West Linn and Wilsonville High Schools, as well as district middle schools, made fashions, such as this dress made of Tootsie Pop wrappers that were sewn together.

What do you get when you gather passionate students, teachers, administrators, and community members with a commitment to sustainability and a desire to share what they’ve learned and created? Answer: a “Sustainability Showcase,” the social and educational event of the year!

The West Linn-Wilsonville School District recently presented the event to a packed house at West Linn High School, which included a “Trashion Show” of student-created fashions made from reused items. Superintendent Roger Woehl even showed off a hat he made.

The Showcase was a smashing success and highlighted many of the core elements of our philosophy at Engaging Every Student. We have been developing a sustainability curriculum and activity books for grades preK-12 that also teach the other content area standards, so it was exciting to see some of the same kinds of ideas put into action. One of the driving goals of our company and blog is to help teachers around the world engage every student to the degree exhibited at the Showcase.

While the “Trashion Show” resulted in the most cheering and applause of the evening, as educators, we were even more excited by the quality of student projects which explained everything from the how-tos of composting to building a wind turbine. The wind turbine project, presented by Nate Snyder from Mr. Quizling’s 5th grade class at Bolton Primary School, involved Nate engineering his own turbine! Dozens of other student and class projects added to the celebration of learning. Attendees also participated in hands-on education with organizations such as Metro, which brought a demonstration worm bin. Check out more examples below and let us know what you think!

Students have fun on Michael Biancardi's energy-generating seesaw as he looks on (in blue shirt). A retired engineer from the community named Dick Bailey helped him with the design and construction.

Fifth-grader Nate Snyder talking about his wind turbine in a video presentation.

A Metro representative was on hand with hands-on projects and educational resources on everything from worm bin production to green cleaner recipes.

Mitch Halverson and Matt Pempler show off their green redesign of the 700 Building at West Linn High School. It was done as part of a school project.

This is another design for the 700 Building done using CAD software.

...and another design. Projects detailed written explanations of the "green" features of their buildings and how they saved energy and helped the environment.

A video presentation showing preschoolers at Bolton Primary School getting help building tables from reused lumber and tree stumps.

"The Irresistible Effects of Magnetism and Motion in Groundwater Remediation": one of many amazing projects showing the results of primary research.

Another outstanding project: "The Thermotolerance of Invasive Species."

There were many great graphic design projects to promote sustainable living; this one was by Rachel Tennis.

Native plants were promoted, as opposed to invasive species...all while raising some money

Everything you always wanted to know about composting but were afraid to ask.

Standing room only for the "Trashion Show"

The MCs who described the creations really added to the fun

Stacy Erickson, an amazingly energetic teacher and librarian from West-Linn High School, helped organize the event.

Science teacher Becky Farris enjoys a tasty organic treat, one of her last official acts before a well-deserved retirement.

Parents also helped out, here promoting the use of alternative transportation.

Teacher Andy West's son Fisher enjoys a scupture made of reused items.

Attendees were asked to bring sneakers for recycling

President Nancy Frazer and Board member Dave Flaming of the Prescott Bluebird Recovery Project had hands-on resources including one the bluebirds' favorite foods--mealworms! Yum.

Toys made by students at Stafford Primary School from reused items.

Information about CREST, the districts' Center for Research in Environmental Sciences & Technologies. Click the image to find out more!