Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education

https://sites.google.com/site/livingclassroomco/

The Program

Come discover the benefits of incorporating a learning classroom at your institution. Discover how to meet the new PFL- Personal Financial Literacy, Science, and Health standards by maximizing the use of land and receiving new multiple streams of income through Grants and Plants.

The program was the birth of both a passion for the environment and the genuine concern for the increasing childhood obesity rates in the United States. The idea came from Heidi Halvorsen as a passion to bring nutrition back to the class and from Dr. Ilisha Newhouse who strongly believes the best lessons take place outside the classroom and in the field. Our goal is to encourage our peers and colleagues to utilize the community economic resources in a matter that moves the educational experience outside and creates an attachment to the environment. We ask that each interested party begin with small steps and explore untapped resources such as land that is not utilized in an effective or efficient manner. The next step is to begin replacing plants, trees, and bushes with baring foliage that produce, fruit, vegetables, herbs or spice. A final step in the program the incorporation of a 1/3 acre or more as a designated area for the Living Classroom that will become a self-sustaining program that will add to the selection in the cafeteria such as a salad bar.

Mission
Because Some of the Best Lessons Come From Nature....

Purpose:

Health and the environment are important learning areas in science education and their significance is growing. Not only do they have high social relevance, but are also appealing to students' interests and needs. They provide many opportunities to unlock science with questions that are personally relevant to boys and girls and that inspire them to engage in science as well as become stewards of the environment and activists for healthy social lifestyles.

This workshop was presented at Teaching Outside the Box Conference 2013. Whether you a re new to the field or have years of experience, the EE Certification Program through CAEE can help you grow as an environmental educator. Participants were able to find out more about the program and how they can get started. Session handouts and additional links for information are provided here.

Based on the needs of the student group (Student Council, Eco-Club, etc.), Eco-Cycle staff will meet with and support students in increasing school-wide knowledge and participation in recycling efforts and environmental awareness. This can be done through discussion, brain-storming sessions, labeling and relocation of waste stations throughout the school, poster-making, and/or presentations and activities.

Students will get a better understanding of the beauty and importance of the forests near us. An animal game teaches about food chains and the interrelationships between animals and plants. Students will also see examples of the many products made from trees, then problem solve ways to keep our forests healthy.

Exploring Environmental Issues: Focus on Risk module helps students explore the different aspects of environmental and human health risks that affect their everyday lives. Through eight hands-on activities, students analyze, explore, discover, and learn about risk assessment, risk communication, risk perception, and risk management. There are also three special topics that encourage students to apply their knowledge real-life risk issues. Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making are emphasized throughout the module.

Contact us to find out how to get this resource, or visit http://www.plt.org/focus-on-risk

Through the Exploring Environmental Issues: Municipal Solid Waste module, students begin understanding waste management issues and options. This module uses hands-on experiences to show interrelationships among waste generation, natural resource use, and disposal. The activities guide students through waste management strategies and solutions while providing the necessary tools to make informed decisions and choices on waste management issues.

Contact us to find out how to get this resource, or visit http://www.plt.org/municipal-solid-waste

This annual, week=long institute focus on all things related to fire in Colorado. Wildfire is scientific, fascinating, relevant, emotional and natural. Explore and receive fire activities, kits, trunks, experiments, videos, cds, posters and more. Experience field and research-based activities while learning about fire, insects, and drought from fire and resource professionals. Visit and study fire sites and mitigation efforts and experience inquiry experiments. Ideal for teachers of grades 4-12. This institute is held each year during the summer.

Students will gain a better understanding of the beauty and importance of North American forests beginning with a reading of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax. A look at a forest food web will uncover the many ways animals, trees, plants and insects rely on each other to create a functioning ecosystem. The class will brainstorm ways to reduce our use of trees as a natural resource and keep our forests healthy.