In this issue, you'll find teacher tools for immediate use and updates about our partner schools' work.
Please contact us if you have your own work you'd like to see featured in a future issue.
We welcome your feedback.
Teacher Tools: Developing a sense of place and solving authentic problems
High School: Citizen Science
The term "Citizen Science" is used to describe a variety of projects, ranging from volunteers collecting data for scientific research to public engagement in scientific discussions on social justice issues. Many Citizen Science projects are customized for use in the classroom, and all are designed to answer real-world questions. View projects on everything from ladybugs to LifeStraws.
Students look closely at a particular place in order to create a useful map. Through this activity students begin to see what elements make up maps, and uncover how mapping skills help us interpret our place in the world. Learn more about this fun mapping activity.
CELF Case Study: Planting a Seed with Amy Goods of MS 447 in NYC
"In the midst of annual state testing, I received an email asking if MS 447 would be interested in applying to participate in the Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF) Leadership Training in Sustainability Curriculum project... something was different about the CELF opportunity. I was drawn to the organization's idea of "place." The aim was to infuse sustainability into our existing practice; to find a place for sustainability education within our own space." READ MORE
Thanks to Praxair's Global Giving Program for Support of Danbury Schools
Here's a snapshot of what Danbury teachers accomplished in our CELF Summer Institute:
5th grade teachers from South Street School will be developing a whole school waste management program, integrating math and science concepts like graphing and data collection and using recyclable materials to teach shapes and build structures.
An elementary team from Western Connecticut Academy for International Studies Elementary Magnet School are constructing a K-5 integrated curriculum. It will begin with students in kindergarten exploring where the food they eat comes from (home) and increase in scope in each grade, going from the school community to the city of Danbury, the state of Connecticut, the United States, and ultimately, North America. This is the school's first step to integrating formal sustainability education into a larger perspective of Global Studies.
LifeStraw
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"100 School" campaign Exceeds our Target!
University Academy Charter H.S. students helped us exceed our goal.
Thanks to generous donations from passionate individuals and groups around the country, 1500 schoolchildren in Kenya will return to schools with fresh water this September. Thirty LifeStraw® Community filters are on the way to schools in Kenya right now. Now that we've reached our 100 schools target, let's get to 200!
LEARN MORE about doing a LifeStraw campaign to your school or group.
Remember CELF for all your Back to School needs
Still stocking up for fall?
Select CELF when you go to Amazon Smilefor all you back to school shopping, and a percentage of all purchases will support CELF programs.
CELF's mission is to make Education for Sustainability (EfS) an integral part of every school's curricula and culture - from kindergarten through high school - to prepare current and future students to be active and responsible citizens of a sustainable world.
