Connect, Explore, Engage: Familiarizing Preservice Teachers with the Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy & Sustainability
Teaching Context: Timeframe: One class period during the traditional undergraduate semester. Audience: Preservice teachers | Abstract: This resource is an action plan that includes inquiry, exploratory activities, discussion, and application. It is intended to familiarize preservice teachers with the three interconnected strands of the Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability including: Connect, Explore, and Engage. This plan will allow preservice teachers to identify and integrate the standards associated with Connect, Explore, and Engage and implement the standards. |
Institution: Concordia University Wisconsin | Author(s): Amy M. Lindgren, amy.lindgren@cuw.edu Kathleen G. Kremer, kathleen.kremer@cuw.edu |
Current Status of Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Preparation: In birth to Grade 9 methodology coursework, undergraduate preservice teachers at CUW engage in a variety of inquiry-based, hands-on, environmental education related activities. These activities include book talks, field trips, collaborative investigations, observations, and lesson planning and implementation. Preservice teachers are exposed to the seven Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability, along with other content standards, during methodology coursework. Preservice teachers are expected to use appropriate content standards in lesson planning and implementation. They may, but are not required to, include the Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability in their planning. | |
Evidence of Need: Preservice teachers do participate in and reflect on a variety of environmental education experiences. They are exposed to the Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability. Their lesson planning often does not include these standards or does not reflect their in-depth understanding of the interconnected strands. | Evidence of Success: As a result of enacting this plan, preservice teachers will apply the three interconnected stands as they engage in systems thinking, design and implement lesson plans, and reflect on environmental literacy and sustainability. The evidence of success will be indicated by independent use of the Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability in lesson planning and implementation. An additional tool that could be used to assist with evaluation and serve as evidence is the Integrated STEM Standards and Concepts 2020 chart. |
Action plan to revise, improve, or integrate inquiry-based environmental education: | |
In what ways will you address Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Standards Addressed (Full Document or searchable spreadsheet)? Embedded in Action Plan
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