Resources for Environmental Literacy: Science-Environment Modules
Supported by the National Science Foundation, our Resources for Environmental Literacy project brought together scientists, classroom teachers, and curriculum developers who gathered materials from a variety of disciplines and sources to produce professional development materials for middle level and high school teachers in physical science, earth science, life science, biology, and physics. The project is unique because it focuses on the needs of teachers to cover core discipline-specific concepts, then demonstrates how environment-related science can be taught effectively to further students' understanding of those core concepts. The materials are correlated to the National Science Education Standards and the AAAS Benchmarks.
Modules are currently available to download from the Environmental Literacy Council's website on the following topics: Earth Science - earthquakes, volcanoes, and plate tectonics; Life Science - species diversity and the impact of mass extinctions; Biology - the science, risks, and tradeoffs of genetically modified crops; Physical Science - Earth's energy balance and global climate change; and Physics - the science of radioactivity and issues surrounding the disposal of radioactive waste.
These modules are not about how to persuade students one way or the other with regard to the political issues, rather, they are designed as a resource to help teachers foster the scientific knowledge and critical ways of thinking that students will need as they grow to be responsible adults. Each of the five modules is designed to build skills in critical thinking and analytical reasoning about complex issues. Each module includes background information detailing the environmental context of each topic; recommends supplementary texts and lists online teaching resources; and suggests activities for further classroom exploration.
If you have questions or comments on these modules, please contact the Council at (202)296-0390 or email: email@example.com
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ESI-0243521. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.