Interdisciplinary Civic Science with Pre- and In-service Teachers to Connect Students to Place
Implementing Organization
Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation
Overview
DWH Project Funding
$103,555
Known Leveraged Funding
$0
Funding Organization
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine – Gulf Research Program (NASEM - GRP)
Funding Program
NASEM Gulf Research Program Grants
Details
Project Category
Human and Social
Project Actions
Education and Outreach
Targeted Resources
Project Description
The Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF) and the UHCLTeach program at the University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) jointly propose a Place-Based Education program that combines CELF’s expertise in teacher professional learning and student engagement embedding environmental literacy as a cross-curricular learning lens, with UHCL’s expertise in equipping pre-service math and science teachers with pedagogical tools to launch impactful teaching careers. Over two years, the proposed program will incorporate CELF’s inquiry- and project-based approach into UHCLTeach’s pre-service teacher training during the courses Inquiry Approaches to Teaching Mathematics and Science STEP 1 and STEP 2. CELF’s educator team will support four UHCLTeach cohorts reaching up to 100 pre-service educators with student project implementation support during their classroom placements, with additional support for up to 20 full-time teachers working in their placement schools. These placement schools will be located in Houston Independent School District, Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District, and Pasadena Independent School District. These Gulf Coast districts serve students significantly impacted by environmental justice issues such as air pollution. CELF will apply its Civic Science: Inquiry to Action framework to guide teachers in implementing interdisciplinary, community-based student action projects that build students’ skills in systems thinking, data literacy, problem-solving, and place-based storytelling. At the end of Year 2, select educators will participate in a dedicated CELF Summer Institute - a multi-day professional learning workshop - at UHCL to reflect on lessons learned while implementing environmental literacy projects in their classrooms, and develop project plans for the following academic year.
Contact
Lisa GlanukosNone
lisagianukos@celfeducation.org
Project Website
None
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