Professional Learning

See Santa Cruz County Office of Education's Professional Development Calendar for environmental literacy and a range of PD topics.

The goal of this teacher leadership institute is to increase TK-12 teacher capacity for integrating environmental sustainability with classroom curriculum in any content area and leading students in sustainability efforts at school and in their communities. See the overview and submit this short interest form to receive an invitation to apply in Fall 2023

YES (Youth for Environmental Sustainability) Conference 

CSTA Conference

California STEAM Conference

Bioneers Conference

Green Technology hosts two facilities-focused events, the Green California Schools and Community Colleges Summit and Exposition in Pasadena in Fall and the one-day Sustainable Facilities Forum in Sacramento in Spring

Green Schools Conference & Expo is a national event that brings together all green schools stakeholders: people who lead, operate, build and teach in U.S. schools. 

NAAEE Conference NAAEE serves as the professional association and backbone organization for the field of environmental education, working with a diverse group of educators in the United States, Canada, and Mexico to advance environmental education. 

AEOE Conference The Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education, California's NAAEE affiliate organization, serves outdoor and environmental educators, including hosting annual conferences for outdoor education.

EEI (CA Education and the Environment Initiative) is a statewide effort to make environmental literacy an integral part of K-12 instruction. EEI provides educators with professional learning and instructional materials for blending the environment into traditional academic subjects like science, history, and English language arts. 

Project WET (Water Education for Teachers): Project WET activities are designed to engage students of all ages – in formal and non-formal education settings – in the study of water through interactive simulations, use of models and reality-based scenarios. The award-winning, NSTA-recommended Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide 2.0 includes 64 activities studying water science, as well as water challenges from multiple viewpoints. 

Project Learning Tree: Project Learning Tree is an award-winning environmental education program designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth from preschool through grade 12.  

Kiss the Ground Middle School Curriculum: Created by Kiss the Ground and Life Lab, this free curriculum focuses on the vital role of soil. The 5-lesson curriculum, written to support Next Generation Science Standards, teaches about the carbon cycle, photosynthesis, soil science, various agricultural practices, and concludes with a regenerative soil-based project. Webinar training video is archived here.