Connecting Content to ELS Standards

Teaching Context:

Timeframe: Semester

Audience: Pre-service early childhood, elementary, secondary science, secondary social studies, and special education teachers (college sophomores or juniors)

Abstract:

Institution:

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Author(s):

Kendra Liddicoat

Kendra.Liddicoat@uwsp.edu

Current Status of Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Preparation:

Pre-service teachers are required to take a course entitled “Introduction to Environmental Study and Environmental Education.” It is one third environmental studies information and two thirds environmental education teaching methods.

Evidence of Need:

Course generally receives positive student evaluations and most students complete all assignments at or above the expected level. However, students are not always clear on the connection between the environmental studies (lecture) material and the environmental education (discussion) material. This disconnect is in part an artifact of the course structure where students from all majors (elementary, secondary, etc.) are lumped together in lecture. Connections to K-12 instruction and curriculum are reserved for the discussion sections that are divided by intended teaching license. Requiring students to connect lecture material to the ELS learning priorities for different grade bands might help resolve this issue.

Evidence of Success:

During Fall 2020 when the course is online due to COVID-19 and instructors are not allowed to award points for attendance, keeping students engaged may be harder than usual. Evidence of success will include (a) students view weekly environmental studies lectures (as indicated by Canvas statistics), (b) students complete weekly multiple choice quizzes, (c) students complete a weekly short-answer question about link between lecture content and an ELS performance indicator at their intended instructional grade band, and (d) students provide positive ratings for lecture portion of course in course evaluations.

Action plan to revise, improve, or integrate inquiry-based environmental education: 

The lecture portion of the course does not have a significant inquiry component due to the size of the class (80+ students). Students investigate environmental issues more thoroughly through a semester-long project associated with the discussion portion of the course. However, some individual activities embedded in lecture do require students to gather data and reflect. For example, students calculate their ecological footprint, measure adequate and inadequate light in learning spaces, and record observations of birds to a citizen science project. Some of these embedded components may actually be easier to accomplish in the new online format. 

In what ways will you address Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Standards Addressed (Full Document or searchable spreadsheet)?

Each week, students will be asked to write a couple of sentences explaining how content provided in lecture could be used as background for a lesson that meets a designated ELS standard and performance indicator at the grade band they intend to teach. This will encourage students to repeatedly look at the ELS standards and require them to consider the connections between environmental studies content and their future careers. 

Environmental studies topics covered in weekly 50-minute lectures include environmental history, environmental economics, environmental health, human population growth, biodiversity, water resources, climate change, energy production, and waste management. 

The intention is to use each of the seven ELS standards at least once during the semester.

Consider the following items and incorporate those that are appropriate to address the actions above:

• A syllabus or course outline that integrates environmental education

• Lesson plans and assessments;

• Steps to implement and evaluate their plan;

• Networks and resources available to help implement their plan;

• Potential grants and funding sources;

• Local and statewide resources;

• Local outdoor learning sites;

• Professional development resources; and

• Policies that reinforce and support plan implementation.