Environmental Science for Grades 6-12: A Project-Based Approach to Solving the Earth's Most Urgent Problems

Environmental science (ES) education is essential for students to solve urgent environmental problems. The COVID-19 crisis has limited student access to ES-focused experiences, but technology and social-emotional learning (SEL) strategies can help. Project-based learning (PBL) is an effective approach to teaching ES, providing practical guidance for teachers and examples of technology-rich, learner-centered student projects. This book helps teachers design learning experiences that model authentic problems and processes, develop SEL skills, and instill a renewed empathy for the environment. It is aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the ISTE Standards for Educators.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 30 March 2022
Publisher: International Society for Technology in Education

Environmental science (ES) education is crucial for equipping students with hands-on investigations to address complex environmental issues. However, the recent COVID-19 crisis has significantly limited student access to ES-focused experiences, particularly affecting students of color and those from low-income communities. In addition, changes in pollution and air quality levels, as well as a resurgence of wildlife, have opened up new avenues for students to connect with the revitalized world through technology and social-emotional learning (SEL) strategies.

Project-based learning (PBL), with its emphasis on inquiry and authentic challenges, can be an effective approach to teaching ES. While newcomers to PBL may feel inadequate in their training, teachers who have not taught ES may question how to incorporate it into their curriculum. This book aims to address both situations by providing practical guidance for teachers, along with examples of technology-rich, learner-centered student projects covering a range of timely and cross-curricular topics such as endangered animal populations, ocean maintenance, bee population rebound, and urban air quality.

One of the key benefits of PBL is its ability to help teachers design learning experiences that model authentic problems and processes practiced by scientists and engineers. By doing so, students are better prepared for future careers in science and can develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. PBL also fosters student empathy and a renewed appreciation for the environment as they gain a glimpse of what a better, cleaner, and more sustainable world can look like.

In addition to PBL, this book introduces facilitation techniques that redefine the role of the teacher in the classroom. By adopting a more facilitative approach, teachers can encourage students to take ownership of their learning and develop their own solutions to environmental problems. This approach promotes deeper learning and fosters a sense of curiosity and inquiry among students.

Overall, this book provides valuable insights and practical strategies for teaching ES in the age of technology and social-emotional learning. By applying high-quality PBL and facilitation techniques, teachers can create lessons and units that help students solve a variety of urgent environmental problems and develop the skills and knowledge needed to contribute to a more sustainable future.

Weight: 341g
ISBN-13: 9781564849250