Environmental and Sustainability Education Learning Standards for Washington State

1. Environmental and Sustainability Education Learning Standards for Washington State By Kayleen Terrell Part of Approaching the Opportunity Gap as an Instructional Designer

2. Creating Opportunities for Educators • The new standards Education for Environment and Sustainability: Ecological, Social and Economic Systems, the Natural and Built Environment and Sustainability and Civic Responsibility, create opportunities for educators to design instruction that is relevant and engaging for students by aligning with science and social studies Washington State Standards and allowing for meaningful connections to be made by students of varying backgrounds.

3. Standard 1: Ecological, Social and Economic Systems • In the first standard, Ecological, Social and Economic Systems, the purpose is to learn how to create sustainability for future generations as well as meeting the needs of today. There are many cultures that already have sustainability as a strong valuesuch as Native Americans.

4. Standard 2: The Natural and Built Environment • The second standard, the Natural and Built Environment focuses on places in the physical world that are living and non-living, places that are natural and those that are affected by man. This kind of standard includes critical thinking skills about how the “human-built,” environment can be improved to “promote ecological health and better serve quality of life for all humans. (pg. 4)”

5. Standard 3: Sustainability and Civic Responsibility • The third standard, Sustainability and Civic Responsibility, focuses on the impact of one person’s decision on future generations. The student is to take the knowledge from Standard 1 & 2 and apply them in creating positive solutions for the future.

6. Example of Alignment with WA Science Standards • Science EALR 4: Life Science Structure and Function of Living Systems Plants and animals have life cycles • This science standard aligns with the ESE standard 2: The Natural and Built Environment • Butterfly Unit: 2nd Grade Science • Students learn the butterfly life cycle. • Students observe and inquire about butterflies though experiencing their life cycle in the classroom. • Going further: Students learn the dangerous effects releasing butterflies that have been studied in the classroom into the wild has on the environment and other connecting systems.

7. Example of Alignment with WA Science Standards continued… • Science EALR 4: Physical Science Force Makes Things Move Forces on objects make them move. Changes in forces will cause changes in the motion. • Science EALR 2: Inquiry Conducting Investigations Carry out investigations by using instruments, observing recording and drawing evidence-based conclusions. • These science standards align with the ESE Standard 2: The Natural and Built Environment • Balance and Motion Unit: 2nd Grade • Students use a driving questions to conduct investigations on how objects move, spin, balance etc. • Students use new vocabulary such as gravity, point of balance, force, motion etc. • Students understand the importance of these components and see how they have contributed to the process of natural and human-built environments.

8. Examples of Alignment with other WA state Standards. • The following is an example of how these new ESE standards can align with the content area of Reading. • Reading EALR 3: The students reads different materials for a variety of purposes. • Examples of a read aloud or text for students: • A Garden for Pig by Kathryn K. Thurman • This children’s book shows an example of organic gardening when the pig uses his own fertilizer after eating some acorn squash and his own garden begins to grow. • A connection can be made to ESE Standard 3, as students think about solutions, skills, habits and ways to create sustainability. This is just one of many books that can be used to get students thinking about ways they can help with environmental health or other ESE Standard aspects.

9. In Closing… • The great thing about these ESE standards is that they can easily be connected and intertwined with the already established WA state standards. • Students are able to access prior knowledge and build upon it with new learning and information. • Depending on students’ cultural or ethnic background, they will bring different ideas and perspectives to discussion or inquiries.

10. References • State of Washington Education for Environment and Sustainability: http://www.k12.wa.us/EnvironmentSustainability/default.aspx