Sustainability Matters
Teaching for Sustainable Communities Program Newsletter
Welcome to our Newsletter: Issue 1, September 2018
We are pleased to launch this new quarterly newsletter designed for K-12 teachers who are participating in the California Global Education Project (CGEP) program, Teaching for Sustainable Communities: Empowering Eco-Literate Global Citizens.
If you are receiving this e-newsletter, you either participated in our pilot program in Sonoma or Long Beach in 2017-18 or began your participation in the 2018-19 program in Sonoma, Fullerton, Long Beach, San Diego, or Bay Area. Or, you have a colleague who passed this newsletter along because of your interest and commitment to teaching global competence, environmental literacy and/or student agency. In all cases, welcome to the first issue of this newsletter.
This issue features highlights from this year's program launch during the summer months as well as information about exciting news from the state of environmental education. In future issues, we plan to highlight the work that you are doing in your classrooms across California in addition to resources and opportunities available for improving environmental literacy and global education in your school and district. We would also like to share on-going news about the state of environmental education as it unfolds.
If you have contributions, requests, or ideas for this newsletter, which is meant to serve you in your work to build more sustainable communities through education, please contact me at eschell@sdsu.edu or contact our office through the CalGlobalEd.org website.
Environmentally Yours,
Emily M. Schell, Ed.D.
Executive Director
California Global Education Project
(formerly California International Studies Project)
San Diego Focuses on Sustainability in the South Bay
Twenty Sweetwater Union High School District teachers from San Diego’s South Bay participated in a 4-day “Teaching for Sustainable Communities (TSC)” summer institute as part of the year-long program sponsored by the California Global Education Project (CGEP). Participants learned about and discussed the UN Sustainable Development Goals, California’s Environmental Principles and Concepts, and CGEP’s Global Competence framework. Each day they worked in teams on a plan to advance a sustainability “project” at their own school site for the 2018-19 school year. Inspiration for what to do came easy as participants were exposed to numerous local examples of sustainability in practice.
On the first day, teachers heard from the Chula Vista Sustainability Commission, which includes various departments within the city’s government. As one example, Dr. Dennis Gakunga shared his work in supporting Chula Vista Bayfront’s development via their “Smart Cities Plan.” Day one also included two school sites' presentations about their sustainability work. Maria Galleher from Chula Vista High presented her quest to transform an old garbage dump site into a school garden on her campus. Cynthia Roncoroni from Southwest High School and some of her student leaders spoke about a partnership with the Eco-Engineering program where students have constructed eco-friendly buildings, a school garden and greenhouse, and a chicken coup. Teachers went off-site for day two of the institute so that they could visit Wild Willow Farm, a South Bay organic and sustainable teaching farm. Before advancing on their plans in the late afternoon, they also heard from Dr. Serge Dedina, Imperial Beach Mayor and environmental activist. Thinking about how environmental work happens over decades and with the help of non-governmental organizations provided an important local example of one man’s lifelong career of environmentalism.
If there was a theme for Day 3, it was “recognizing different perspectives,” one of the four domains of global competence. Teacher participants visited Mission Trails Regional Park to learn about our local ecosystem and how the Kumeyaay people have practiced sustainability for hundreds of years. Dr. Thomas Herman, Geographer, also pushed the thinking of the institute’s participants by asking them to analyze the sustainability of the South Bay from a geographic perspective. It turns out that what many think of as environmentally friendly, isn’t always so. On the last day of the summer institute, Sweetwater teachers built a hypothetical city using their knowledge of sustainability and worked diligently on their action plans for the following school year. To culminate a great week of learning, Dr. Emily Young, Executive Director for the Nonprofit and Philanthropic Institute at the University of San Diego gave feedback and advice to each team as they presented their draft plans. In summary, TSC San Diego was an exhausting, exhilarating, and inspiring week of learning about all things sustainable!
-- Kelly Leon, CGEP at San Diego State Interim Regional Director
Soil Science at Wild Willow Education Farm
Creating Solutions with Design Thinking
Can You Build a Sustainable City?
Long Beach Launches Teaching for Sustainable and Resilient Communities
Elementary and middle school teachers from the Los Angeles and Long Beach area came together over 5 days this June 25-29, 2018, to understand and act upon the issue of climate change and its impact on their local communities. Focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goal #11, Sustainable Communities, and adding the element of resilience, participants experienced a wide range of learning experiences that were framed by the essential question: How will I work alongside my students to learn about and take informed action around making our local and global communities more sustainable and resilient? Informed by experts like Dr. Gerald A. Lieberman, internationally recognized authority on school improvement using natural and community surroundings as interdisciplinary contexts for education, participants delved into the learning of environmental principles and concepts to assist their integration across the K-8 curriculum. Dr. Susan Gomez-Zwiep from the Science Education Department at CSULB helped teachers think about using the idea of systems in nature to facilitate student thinking to develop civic action projects that address a specific environmental challenge in their communities.
Partnering with other stakeholders in the community to assist teachers and students in the classroom was another avenue explored in this institute. Visiting field sites like Rancho Los Alamitos, which gave an historical context to sustainable community practices across time, the Friends of the L.A. River, the Willow Springs Watershed, and the Long Beach Community Organic Farm provided opportunities for teachers to connect and network with like-minded civic and private organizations in this work of creating more sustainable and resilient communities. Also, field study sites served as models that can empower teachers and students to act upon challenges in their communities, acknowledging that this work is too important to apply the “go alone” approach.
Finally, educators were given the time and space during the institute to think about their own ideas and habits around the issue of sustainable and resilient communities and to plan their next steps in their classrooms. Working individually or in small grade level teams, teacher action plans included the integration of the environmental principles and concepts into an existing unit, the use of an inquiry protocol called Design Thinking to frame an investigation around environmental challenges their students would perform in their school community, and proposed collaboration with civic and private stakeholders that could serve as a support system as teachers and students identify the focus of their civic action. A follow-up meeting January 12, 2019 is planned for ongoing learning and sharing of ideas with a culminating student showcase exhibiting their learning and work in the community to take place by June of 2019. Teacher participants left the institute with a strong knowledge base of the issues, a variety of skills important for problem solving in a globally interconnected and diverse society, and the attitude that together, each one doing what we can, these issues can be managed and resolved. One teacher’s final evaluation sentiment said it best: “I used to think I was helping the planet by recycling bottles and cans and now I know I can be a more informed participant in implementing and guiding my students to become stewards for sustainable and resilient communities.”
-- Barbara Vallejo-Doten, CGEP at CSU Long Beach Regional Director
Teachers Explore Books and Instructional Resources
Willow Springs Watershed Exploration at LA River
Grace Lieberman Introduces Environmental Principles and Concepts
Fullerton Teachers Explore Land and Sea
Teachers from districts throughout Orange County participated in 3 days of activities June 27-29, 2018, and will continue with a field study experience of their own choice and attend a follow-up day in October. The theme of the first day of the program was Sustainability in Our Communities. Teachers learned a process for taking stock of their school community using circles of sustainability and a similar process for assessing individual carbon footprints in the home led by teacher leader Katie Fitzpatrick. At the CSUF Arboretum Education Director, Miquel Macias addressed the question, “What makes a community sustainable?” by exploring the preservation of community green spaces as we hiked through the biomes. The Honorable Jose Solario, Santa Ana City Councilman, discussed intentional planning for sustainable cities. Teacher leader Susan Groff presented a school-wide sustainability project related to hunger issues that follows the Design Thinking model. The day ended with teachers exploring the Action Plan Blueprint that will be used to help in development of classroom projects.
The theme of the second day of the program was Sustainability in the Natural World. Teachers spent the day at Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary located on the Santiago Creek in Modjeska Canyon. The preserve provides a richness of habitat types that support abundant and diverse wildlife. It has been restored after destruction from a wildfire and is an excellent example of restoration of a habitat. Native American Mark Mendez led us in exploration of the question, “What is my relationship with the earth/natural systems?” by providing a talk and hike highlighting the Native American views of living and taking care of Mother Earth. Marcella Gilchrist , Site Manager, provided teachers with a field-based hike and talk demonstrating care of our environment and habitat restoration. Teacher leaders Susan Groff and Mandy Bush presented lessons on kids changing the world focused on environmental issues and on Rachel Carson’s lasting legacy on the modern environmental movement.
The theme of the third day held at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point was Sustainability in the Ocean and Waters. Wendy Marshall, Education Director, started the day showing the Seven Guiding Principles of Ocean Literacy which are compatible with California’s Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&Cs). Throughout the day the importance of citizen science and the need for innovators who have curiosity and character were identified as key to science education. Teachers participated in hands-on science experiments to learn about ocean acidification and renewable energy and spent several hours on the Sea Explorer with a member of the research team to experience marine life monitoring and observation using specialized tools on board the vessel. Teachers are invited to bring classes to the Ocean Institute to participate in grant-funded citizen science programs.
Where do we go from here? Back to the classroom to get our students involved in projects that reflect these days of summer learning. Watch for information on these projects in future editions of this newsletter.
-- Connie DeCapite, CGEP at CSU Fullerton Regional Director
Fullerton Arboretum Exploration
Wildlife Sanctuary and Habitat Restoration
Research Demo Aboard the R/V Sea Explorer
Sonoma
Teachers of grades 3-12 gathered at the Sonoma State University Environmental Technology Center July 17-19 to launch to the 2018-19 Teaching for Sustainable Communities program. The group will meet at Bayer Farm on September 22 to continue learning and developing action plans, which they will share when they meet on December 15.
Teachers considered the essential question What makes a community sustainable? while learning from Carolyn Glanton, Climate Program Manager for the Regional Climate Protection Agency, and Dr. Tom Jacobson, Professor of Geography, Environment, and Planning at Sonoma State. Glanton described regional plans and jobs associated with energy, solid waste, water and wastewater, livestock and fertilizers, and adaptation and climate resilience. Jacobson addressed issues of planning, policies, implementation. As the focus turned to How do I engage my students in learning about sustainability?, teachers learned from Kerry Fugett, Leadership Institute Program Manager at Daily Acts, Marika Ramsden, One Planet Living Director at Credo High School, and Wendy St. John, Lecturer at Sonoma State.
Teacher Leaders Maggie Front and Laura Diaz shared their work with students that resulted from participation in the Teaching for Sustainable Communities pilot program last summer. Maggie led teachers in learning and planning to apply Design Thinking to generate solutions to local sustainability issues. Laura and one of her high school students shared how collaboration and mapping data can lead to community projects that address issues of environmental justice. CGEP at CSU Long Beach Teacher Leader Kimi Waite shared elementary lessons with teachers based on her experiences in the 2017 pilot at CSU Long Beach. Kimi used design thinking, children's literature, STEM concepts, and a National Geographic explorer in the Philippines to inspire her kindergarteners in Los Angeles to generate ideas for preservation of the vulnerable dugong -- a marine animal threatened by sea grass loss and fishing bycatch.
A presentation from Project Drawdown Vice President of Operations and Engagement Crystal Chissell introduced teachers to the project's 100 most substantive, existing solutions to address climate change. Teachers received a copy of the book Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming to read and discuss at follow-up meetings.
CGEP at Sonoma State welcomes new Regional Director Nancy Case Rico, who will continue the work that started this summer by former Regional Director Michelle Mazzeo.
-- Emily Schell, CGEP Executive Director
Environmental Design Tour with Dr. Soto
Design Thinking in the SSU Makerspace
Teaches Reflect on Sustainable Practices
Oakland Program Reformatted for 2018-19
Due to low enrollment in the Teaching for Sustainable Communities (TSC) program created for Bay Area teachers, CGEP@World Savvy has invited registrants to participate in the World Savvy Classroom (WSC) program. WSC is a year-long program that supports educators to build their students’ global competence through project-based learning and design thinking. World Savvy works with educators to design a customized program tailored to their curriculum and unique classroom environment that engages students in thinking critically and creatively. Students will have the opportunity to present their work at a Spring Festival as well.
For TSC registrants who participate in WSC, World Savvy's implementation team will focus their coaching efforts on eco-literacy and empowering students to work on Knowledge to Action plans related to local city sustainability plans. The first 2-day institute and set of professional development workshops related to WSC will be held on November 1 and 2. If you are interested in participating in workshops related to environmental literacy and UN Sustainable Development Goals, please contact Rolland.
-- Rolland Janairo, CGEP at World Savvy (Bay Area) Regional Director
In the News...
Governor Signs Environmental Education Legislation
On September 13, 2018, during the Global Climate Action Summit, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Senate Bill 720. This bill was authored by Senator Ben Allen, co-authored by Assembly Member Tony Thurmond, and sponsored by Ten Strands in support of environmental education programs for K-12 students in California.
The new law highlights environmental literacy as an important element of the Next Generation Science Standards adopted by the State Board of Education (state board) as well as K–12 instruction that integrates California’s adopted environmental principles and concepts, within both the science and the history-social science curriculum frameworks adopted by the state board. The law states that environmental literacy constitutes an important curriculum content area, and also provides problem solving skills and hands-on, real-world learning experiences that have been demonstrated through educational research to enhance pupils’ achievement across many subject areas, promoting understanding and engagement in learning. Furthermore, in developing an environmentally literate population, we will enhance our ability to develop and implement solutions to our environmental literacy and environmental justice challenges, and provide a critical foundation of skills and knowledge to help students compete in a growing job market where science, mathematics, engineering, technology, and language arts proficiency are highly sought after.
The law acknowledges that California has a rich array of scientists, community-based organizations, and informal education providers whose deep expertise in science, history-social science, public health, social and environmental justice, and other environmental content should be harnessed to support expanded environmental literacy instruction in our public schools. The law calls for the inclusion of environmental literacy in Local Control Accountability Plans and urges equitable access to curriculum and learning experiences that promote environmental literacy.
Finally, the law calls for the teaching of environmental principles and concepts to include, but not be limited by such topics as air, climate change, energy, environmental justice, environmental sustainability, fish and wildlife resources, forestry, integrated pest management, oceans, pollution prevention, public health and the environment, resource conservation, waste reduction, and recycling, toxics and hazardous waste, and water.
California Hosts Global Climate Action Summit
CGEP was proud to serve on the organizing committee for the official Education Affiliate event, Education: Key to Long-term Climate Action Success, with the California Department of Education, University of California, Ten Strands, Cal EPA, and Strategic Energy Innovations. This day-long event was held at the Exploratorium on September 12 and featured speakers, panelists, and performers who spoke about their work in or for environmental education.
Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation CEO Terry Tamminen kicked off the day drawing attention to policies, resources, and challenges for educators. UC Santa Cruz student and activist Maxine Jimenez followed with a passionate presentation about her experiences as a global citizen and student navigating social injustices and a call to lead.
CDE Deputy Superintendent Tom Adams moderated the first panel featuring the Santa Cruz County Office of Education Superintendent Michael Watkins, Rialto District Resource Teacher Juanita Chan, Yosemite High School Teacher Kahri Boykin, and high school student Eleanor Huang to discuss systemic progress in K-12 education. Another panel focused on scaling efforts for education and climate action, including higher education programs and international education initiatives from university professors, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations. The final panel featured cross-sector partnerships as avenues to achieve climate action success in education and use education as an effective lever for change in taking climate action. Moderated by Frank Niepold, NOAA Climate Education Coordinator, the panel included New York Times Writer Nate Rich who recently published Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change, Beth Rattner, Biomimicry Institute Executive Director, and Chris Castro, Director of Sustainability for the City of Orlando.
Youth performer Leila Mottley inspired the audience when she performed her original poem about Mother Earth.
The summit established key challenges for each delegate consider in taking climate action ambitions to the "next level." Those challenges address healthy energy systems, inclusive economic growth, sustainable communities, land and ocean stewardship, transformative climate investments, and cross-cutting challenges. In the education event, we challenged each leader from across sectors to elevate their commitment to climate education, community engagement, and workforce development to drive ambitious, collaborative climate action.
Those who could not attend the summit are also invited to consider, plan, implement, and conquer a personal or collaborative challenge to address climate change through action. What is your elevated commitment?
K-12 Education Panel
Global Scholars Teacher and Students from Sweetwater UHSD
Youth Performer Leila Mottley
Astronaut Mae Jemison
Alec Baldwin Interviews Jane Goodall
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi
California Global Education Project
Email: eschell@sdsu.edu
Website: CalGlobalEd.org
Location: 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: (619) 594-8302
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CISPatSDSU
Twitter: @CISPisGlobalEd