As another year ends, we want to thank you for your continued support of the EEI Curriculum and environmental literacy. You play a vital part in bringing high-quality, environmental education to the students of California.
In 2018, nearly 5,000 new members joined our community, we held 97 EEI Curriculum trainings throughout the state, and shipped 6,208 EEI Curriculum units to educators. We are well on our way to achieving our goal of environmental literacy for all!
There is, however, plenty of work remaining. One of our key goals for the new year is to raise awareness of California’s Environmental Principles and Concepts. Please help us spread the word by viewing and sharing the new video below from teacher and National Geographic Fellow, Jim Bentley. This video tackles the question: “What is Environmental Literacy?” And be sure to join in on the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #EnviroLiteracy.
Happy Holidays!
The EEI Team.
EEI Program Updates
EEI Curriculum Holiday Shipping Postponement
To prevent the delivery of packages to closed schools during the winter holidays, we will temporarily postpone shipments for EEI curriculum orders placed on or after December 13, 2018. If you place an order during this period, your package will not arrive until the week of January 7, 2019. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
New, Shorter EEI 101 Training Video
If you have yet to complete our training requirement to qualify to order free printed copies of the EEI Curriculum, you might want to check out our new, shorter EEI 101 on-demand video. This quick introductory video will get you to the features of the EEI Curriculum, including California’s Environmental Principles and Concepts.
Changes to EEI Curriculum Ordering Policy
Qualified California educators can now order up to 10 EEI Curriculum units per school year. Please see our updated ordering guidelines for more information and contact us if you have any questions.
New EEI Blog Articles
EEI Curriculum Units That Support Climate Literacy
Today marks the official start of California’s Global Climate Action summit in San Francisco. This event is bringing leaders and people from across the globe to celebrate the actions taken by states, regions, cities, companies, investors, and citizens to mitigate climate change. Read More.
Governor Brown Signs Environmental Literacy Education Bill
Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 720 (Allen, Chapter 374, Statutes of 2018), which aims to increase environmental literacy for California K-12 students. Read More.
EEI Environmental Literacy Institute: Teaching Across Disciplines
I am a proud new member of the elite Teacher Ambassador team for the California Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI), a statewide program to make environmental literacy an integral part of K-12 instruction. Read More.
Headline of the Future: “Green Wave Rolls Through K-12 Education”
CalRecycle’s Angela Vincent reflects on the K-12 education affiliate event, organized by CalEPA and TenStrands at the Global Climate Action Summit. Read More.
Award, Grant & Contest Opportunities
Environmental Education/Literacy Grant Program
The Environmental Education Grant Program provides grants to support programs that will result in long-term educational benefits to California educators and students. Five Environmental Literacy Projects will be funded for one year. Projects may be funded for up to an additional two years based on project success.
Grant Amount: TBD
Deadline: December 19, 2018
Teach Earth Educator Fellowship
Teach Earth offers teachers the opportunity to step away from their desks and out of the classroom for an outdoor environmental learning experience. You’ll experience scientific research first-hand, providing you with the tools to make science come alive in your classroom. Each year, we select talented K-12 teachers from all subject areas to be part of this unique professional development opportunity.
Grant Amount: TBD
Deadline: January 10, 2019
National Geographic’s GeoChallenge
The GeoChallenge is an annual themed and standards-based competition form the National Geographic Society that challenges student groups in grades five through eight across the United States to develop a creative solution to a real-world problem. This year’s theme is Tackling Plastic! Participants must register to receive the program materials. Registration is now live!
Deadline: January 15, 2019
President’s Environmental Youth Award
The President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) recognizes outstanding environmental projects by K-12 youth. The PEYA program promotes awareness of our nation’s natural resources and encourages positive community involvement.
Grant Award: A presidential plaque in recognition of the student’s efforts to protect human health and the environment, from EPA leadership.
Deadline: February 1, 2019
Kids to Parks Day National School Contest
The National Park Trust (KPT) is once again hosting the Kids to Parks Day National School Contest to help educators engage their students with their local parks. This national contest is open to all Title I schools in the United States (grades pre-K through 12). Classes can receive funding for a KTP event at a local park or public land/waterway in their community.
Grant Amount: Up to $1,000
Deadline: February 14, 2019
Environmental Literacy News
A Partnership Between Formal and Informal Educators Through Environmental Literacy
By Jenny Chien & Lori Walsh
October 5, 2018
California Science Teacher’s Association (CSTA) blog—California Classroom Science
Want to keep students engaged? Ask, don’t tell
By Talia Milgrom-Elcott
October 23, 2018
Forbes
Where does milk come from? Mobile program brings the answer to the city
By John Walker
October 25, 2018
The Fresno Bee
Outdoor education: Markham Elementary School Students become citizen scientists
By Joel Rosenbaum
October 29, 2018
The Reporter
Classroom Stories
#EEIinAction
“The students LOVED the whole idea of decomposition. The images grabbed their attention while they also grossed them out (in a positive way)! Students really started to see the power of decomposition and why it is very necessary to life. They also started to think about what would happen if the world didn’t have decomposers and why we need to think about them in everything we do.”
—Kim Cosmas, 4th grade educator, Freemont Unified School District
California Education and the Environment Initiative 