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Environmental Literacy Plans:
Information & Resources
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Environmental
literacy is having the knowledge, understandings and skills necessary to sustainably
use, enjoy and protect the natural environment.
Environmentally literate people:- Can question,
analyze and interpret situations, data and information.
-
Understand environmental processes and systems.
- Understand
environmental issues and know how to address them.
- Act upon their understanding individually and in their communities to work
for environmental health.
(Note: environmentally literate
people will not resolve environmental issues in the same
way). Environmental literacy is important for long term
economic, social and ecological sustainability as humans are
inextricably connected to the natural world.
Understanding our connection to the natural world and acting
upon those understandings are at the heart of environmental
literacy. Schools have an important role to play in developing the
environmental literacy of children and students in partnership
with families, communities and government. Legislation
known as No Child Left Inside
is pending in Congress that would
support the integration of environmental education into PreK -
Grade 12 classrooms. One of the requirements of this
legislation is that states would be required to have an
environmental literacy plan in place before receiving funding
for this initiative.
An environmental literacy plan is the blueprint to show how a
state will develop environmental literacy in students. Environmental literacy plans will help ensure that schools are
effective and efficient in supporting environmental literacy.
An environmental literacy may include the following: - Specific content standards, content areas, and courses
or subjects where instruction will take
place.
- A description of how state high school graduation
requirements will ensure that graduates are environmentally
literate.
- A description of programs for professional development
of teachers to improve their environmental content
knowledge, skill in teaching about environmental issues, and
field-based pedagogical skills.
- A description of how the state education agency will
measure the environmental literacy of students.
- A description of how the state education agency will
implement the plan, including securing funding and other
necessary support.
While the above is one model for an environmental literacy plan, it is not
the only model. Environmental literacy plans may also
address plans for "greening" school grounds, reaching
adult/family/community audiences, and identifying resources and
assets of that state.
South Dakota is undertaking the task of a
developing an Environmental Literacy Plan that will be relevant
and useful to the needs of our state.
An environmental literacy plan will identify the
goals, objectives, processes, activities, and resources
necessary to foster in students and youth the knowledge,
understanding and skills to be able to act in a way that is
environmentally responsible. A South Dakota
environmental literacy plan will also:
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Examples of State
Environmental Literacy Plans |
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South Dakota
Environmental Literacy Plan |
Environmental Literacy Plan Listening Session
The South Dakota Discovery Center invites all South Dakotans
to offer their input on developing the environmental
literacy of South Dakota’s students. Parents, teachers,
administrators, natural resource professionals, industry
leaders, and citizens interested in the environment are
invited to participate in a listening session at one of the
following locations.
Spearfish, Black Hills State
University
Young Center, Room 206
Monday, Jan 30;
7:00PM
Rapid City, Outdoor Campus West
Tuesday,
Jan 31; 9:00AM
Mission, Sinte Gleska University
Student Services Building, Room 103
Tuesday, Jan 31;
7:00PM
Pierre, SD Discovery Center
Wednesday,
Feb. 1; 9:00AM
Huron Public Library
Thursday. Feb
2; 9:00AM
Huron, SD Math & Science Teacher Convention
Huron Convention Center, Dakota E
Feb 4 1:00PM
Environmental literacy is having the
knowledge, understanding, skills and motivation to wisely
and sustainably use, enjoy and protect the environment. The
K-12 education system has a role to play in developing the
environmental literacy of children in partnership with
families, communities and government. At the listening
session, we want to hear your ideas about what should be
included in this plan. In short, what do you think needs to
happen in the K-12 schools in order for kids to become
environmentally literate? For more information please contact Anne
Lewis (annelewis@sd-discovery.com) at 605-224-8295.
See
related documents developed to date at:
SDELP
Wikispaces
The SD Discovery Center has secured
an EPA Region 8 environmental education grant to
advance work on the plan. The grant will help fund the
following:
1. Listening sessions around the
state to gather public input.
2. A written version of the plan to
be submitted to the Department of Education for their
approval. This written plan will be produced by an
iterative process amongst the interested parties.
If
you would like to participate in this process, please fill
out the form at:
SDELPForm.htm
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