Childrens Environmental Literacy Foundation

CELF PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMS FOR K-12 TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS, STUDENT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAMS, AND CURRICULUM CONSULTING SERVICES IN ORDER TO MAKE SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE K-12LEARNING EXPERIENCE. OUR PROGRAMS FOR EDUCATORS, STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMPLEMENT OUR CONSULTING SERVICES BY PROVIDING VARYING ROUTES TO BRINGING SUSTAINABILITY INTO CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL CULTURE.

SUMMER INSTITUTES:MULTI-DAY IMMERSIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR K-12 EDUCATORS THAT EXPLORE THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABILITY, AND WAYS OF BRINGING THESE CONCEPTS TO LIFE IN CLASSROOMS THROUGH HANDS-ON STEAM ACTIVITIES, CASE STUDIES, AND FIELDWORK. THE INSTITUTES BUILD PRACTICAL CURRICULUM INTEGRATION OF STEWARDSHIP PERSPECTIVES, SKILLS AND ACTION TO THE RESTORATION, REBUILDING, AND RECONNECTING OF HUMAN COMMUNITIES, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND CIVIC LIFE.PARTICIPANTS LEAVE WITH RESOURCES FOR IMPLEMENTING INTERDISCIPLINARY,PLACE-BASED, AND INQUIRY-DRIVEN SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS, AND RECEIVE IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT FROM CELF THROUGHOUT THE ACADEMIC YEAR.

CIVIC SCIENCEINQUIRY TO ACTION IS A SEMESTER- OR YEAR-LONG PROGRAM THAT ENGAGES EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS IN PROJECT-BASED STEAM LEARNING OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. USING OUR INQUIRY-TO-ACTION FRAMEWORK, THIS PROGRAM TRAINS TEACHERS TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN HANDS-ON LEARNING TO IDENTIFY, ANALYZE, AND SOLVE REAL-WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT IMPACT THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. EXPLORING CROSS-CURRICULAR INQUIRY PATHWAYS SUCH AS AIR AND WATER QUALITY, BIODIVERSITY, WASTE, AND INFRASTRUCTURE, STUDENTS VISIT LOCAL GREEN SPACES TO COLLECT DATA, DEVELOP ACTION PLANS, AND SHARE FINDINGS AND SOLUTIONS WITH FIELD EXPERTS AND DECISION-MAKERS DURING OUR CULMINATING ANNUAL STUDENT SYMPOSIUM EVENTS.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAININGTHE CONCEPTS OF SUSTAINABILITY ARE UNIVERSAL, BUT EVERY DISTRICT AND SCHOOL STARTS FROM A DIFFERENT PLACE IN IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION. CELF CUSTOMIZED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (PD) HELPS SCHOOLS INFUSE CURRICULUM AND SCHOOL CULTURE WITH EDUCATION FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. PD SERVICES INCLUDE: GAP ANALYSES OFCURRICULUM; ON-SITE EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY TRAINING AND RESOURCES (SPECIFIC TO GRADE LEVEL AND SCHOOL OR DISTRICT NEEDS AND INTERESTS); AND REVIEW OF FACILITIES "GREEN" IMPROVEMENTS TO HELP INFUSE PROJECTS INTO CURRICULUM. THROUGH HALF-DAY WORKSHOPS TO MULTI-YEAR ENGAGEMENTS, WE PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY CONCEPTS INTO EXISTING CURRICULA, REVIEW CURRICULUM EXEMPLARS. HELP TEACHERS CONNECT STUDENTS TO PLACE-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMMUNITY, CREATE WHOLE-SCHOOL ACTION PLANS, AND ACTIVATE STUDENT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.GREEN CAREERS SPEAKER SERIESAS STUDENT INTEREST IN SUSTAINABILITY GROWS, CELF HELPS STUDENTS SEE HOW THEIR INTERESTS AND COMMUNITY CONCERNS CAN BE CHANNELED INTO POTENTIAL CAREER PATHWAYS BY CONNECTING THEM WITH PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN A WIDE ARRAY OF SUSTAINABILITYFOCUSED CAREERS. CELF CONNECTS CLASSROOMS DIRECTLY WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS ACROSS SECTORS TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR APPLYING SUSTAINABILITY AND SYSTEMS THINKING IN THEIR CAREER PLANNING AND ASPIRATION.