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Timely Environmental Literacy Resources and Updates 2023-34

Local News and Highlights in Environmental Literacy

Exploring Santa Cruz Podcast: Join host Mathilde Rand and environmental literacy coordinator Amity Sandage in a conversation about the great strides Santa Cruz County is making by integrating school curriculum with environmental literacy. Students and teachers involvement and interaction is a big part of the efforts led by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education.

After bracing for the worst during pandemic schooling, we found hope and value in outdoor learning--An opinion piece by Karen Cowe and Craig Strang in The Hechinger Report. 

SUSTAINABILITY NOW! aired on KSQD February 21st: ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY FOR K-12 STUDENTS, With Amity Sandage, Environmental Literacy Coordinator at Santa Cruz County Office of Education. Listen here.

 The inequities facing agricultural workers transcend Covid-19, into history and into the future--A first hand account by a Watsonville area youth, published in Monterey Bay Weekly and The New Journal at Yale.

Check out the first episode of the new podcast featuring Youth Outside sharing insights about creating a more racially just and inclusive outdoor movement: https://apple.co/3smJuf0 

California Environmental Literacy Initiative: Thinking Through Environmental Justice in K-12 Education--Report for the CAELI interdisciplinary Environment and Social Justice workgroup

A win-win-win - outdoor education and the National Covid-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative--This podcast from KSQD's Talk of the Bay program brings together outdoor education leaders from Santa Cruz County Office of Education and Green Schoolyards America for a discussion of the many benefits of using the outdoors in schools during Covid-19 and beyond. 

The Green Return to School: California Administrators Find a New Lens for Teaching Environmental Literacy--Santa Cruz County Superintendent Dr. Faris Sabbah speaks out about the importance of environmental justice and youth leadership in this interview with the California Environmental Literacy Initiative.

California Youth Lead the Movement for Environmental Action--Santa Cruz County Youth for Environmental Action high school leaders are featured in this article!

The Role of Climate Change Education on Individual Lifetime Carbon Emissions--Check out this research indicating that climate education's potential for carbon reduction is of similar magnitude to large scale solutions such as rooftop solar or electric vehicles.

Environmental Literacy May Be the Answer! --Santa Cruz County is highlighted in the California Science Teachers Association (CSTA) online publication, California Classroom Science!  

Educators Learn new Approach in Teaching Science --Brief article in The Pajaronian covering the Nature Journaling for Science teacher workshops that are taking place as part of the Santa Cruz County Science Initiative. 

Outdoors for All: A nascent global movement proclaims that access to nature is a human right --Sierra Club article that examines the impact of nature connection on psychological, emotional and physical health. Great connections to the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) being used in CA Schools.

NOAA California Bay Watershed Education and Training Program regional vignette featuring PVUSD working with Watsonville Wetlands Watch --This video highlights Watsonville Wetlands Watch, a B-WET grantee in California. Students in Watsonville are exploring green careers while learning about the Pajaro Valley wetlands. 

Guardians of the Ocean --Great article sharing the inspiring work being done by Gault Elementary School students and staff with the support of community partner Groundswell Coastal Ecology! 

The Irrefutable Case for Taking Class Outside - Education Week --Great article articulating how serious learning doesn't just have to be an indoor activity

Fired up on climate change in California schools --EdSource Podcast with a shout out to Santa Cruz County Office of Education and others working toward environmental literacy!

We're making history...and environmental literacy connect! Check out the wonderful article by local Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary teacher in the CA History-Social Science Project's statewide magazine, The Source. This issue of the magazine provides a rich overview of connections between environmental literacy, civics, and the new history-social science framework. 

County Offices of Education Present Environmental Literacy Programs at CISC Leadership Symposium --Ten Strands highlighted this article by our Superintendent, Dr. Faris Sabbah 

Teaching the Teachers --Pajaronian article on PVUSD's environmental literacy efforts