EEI News: Winter Edition

Dear Educator,

First, we would like to send kudos to all of our educator friends who have faced unprecedented teaching challenges this year due to COVID-19. Many of you are teaching from your homes and are juggling oversight of your students and your own families. We wish you a relaxing and restorative winter break!

We are pleased that we can continue to support you with digital copies of the EEI Curriculum for distance learning along with printed copies for those of you who need them. In 2020, we welcomed 2,789 new members to the EEI community. Please continue to share the EEI Curriculum with your colleagues.

In the continued advancement of environmental literacy in the classroom, our friends at Ten Strands are overseeing the efforts of the California Environmental Literacy Initiative. We encourage you to sign up on their website to receive updates about their work and to learn how to get involved. In the coming year, they will be especially mindful of focusing on equity and access to environmental literacy opportunities for all California students. Check out their blog article “A Focus on Equity and Access”. We look forward to sharing another year of environmental literacy exploration with you and your students in 2021.

Happy Holidays, from Team EEI!

EEI Program Updates

As you may have noticed, the EEI Curriculum was migrated to a Microsoft SharePoint on July 1^st, 2020. We see that many of you have not yet signed up for a SharePoint profile so that you may access the curriculum. Reference our SharePoint Access Guide for more details on how to access all the EEI Curriculum units in one convenient location. We are happy to walk you through the process via phone if you’re having any issues. Feel free to contact us at (916) 341-6769 or email us at EEI@calrecycle.ca.gov.

Shipping update: During the winter break we will not be shipping EEI Curriculum units to any school addresses, even if your school is open. Shipping will continue to residential addresses throughout the winter break, when ordering copies of EEI Curriculum units please use your home address for delivery.

Professional Development Opportunity

A Call to Action for Educational Leaders

Designed by and for California educational leaders and administrators, this free, five-part webinar series showcases effective strategies for supporting environmental literacy, both during the pandemic crisis and beyond. The series was developed by our friends at the California Environmental Literacy Initiative. All of the recordings are now available on their website.

Award, Grant, and Contest Opportunities

Captain Planet Foundation ecoSolution Grants

The Captain Planet Foundation ecoSolution Grants are intended to support solution-oriented, youth-led projects that result in real environmental outcomes. These grants are available to educators working with youth in the USA.

Deadline: January 15, 2021

Award: $500-$2,500

President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA)

This national award program is designed to recognize outstanding environmental projects by K-12 youth. The President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) program promotes awareness of our nation’s natural resources and encourages positive community involvement. Each year the PEYA program honors a wide variety and projects developed by young individuals, school classes, and more, awarded with a prestigious Presidential plaque.

Deadline: February 19, 2021

Award: Nationally recognized Presidential plaque

Environmental Storytelling Contest

The Environmental Justice Storytelling Initiative for students is open to students in 5^th-8^th grades. The program is free to all participating educators and students, and encourages students to explore themes related to environmental justice, protection and repair.

Deadline: March 15, 2021

Award: Recognition and showcase during April 2021 Film Showcase

The Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge

The Biomimicry Institute’s Youth Design Challenge is a project-based learning experience that asks middle and high school teams to design bio-inspired ideas that can provide solutions to the climate crisis.

Deadline: April 1, 2021

Award: Certificate + $500 towards the environmental charity of your choice

Environmental Literacy News

Virtual Field Trips at the California Science Center

The California Science Center is now offering virtual field trips for grades K-5. Check it out!

Remote Solutionaries: A Story of Transformation from SMELC Community Partner to SMELC Facilitator

By Naomi Stern

December 14, 2020

Ten Strands

A Year in Review: Thank you for Being Part of This Journey!

By Karen Cowe

December 3, 2020