ECSL Dinner Workshop: Pathways to Understanding through Gardening and Food
Sustainability for our planet by reducing waste and growing resilient gardens. Sustainability for our communities by increasing empathy and embracing diversity. Join ECSL and Netiya for an innovative dinner workshop that bridges the concepts of food and social justice. Cook farm-to-table ethnic food and engage in conversation focusing on ways we can link concepts of bio-diversity and cultural diversity within our curriculum and school communities to create a more just society.
RSVP here
Environmental Service Learning PD this Summer
Image via Generation Earth
Check out these two environmental service learning summer professional development opportunities brought to you by Generation Earth. Both these experiences provide access to personalized support, links to standards, toolkits, and eligibility for stipends and bus funds for a related field trip next school year.
This is How You Hack the Curriculum
On Saturday, April 16th ECSL joined with the Green Ambassadors Institute, a professional development program through Environmental Charter High School, to engage in a first-of-its-kind experiment: The Curriculum Hack. 
It was based on the shared experience of many teachers that there is no one-size-fits-all curriculum. An educator is a kind of jigsaw puzzle expert. They are constantly fitting together the puzzle pieces (standards, time, current events, learning styles, youth interests) to create the big picture (a curriculum that best serves their students).
With so many factors to consider when deciding how to deliver content, teachers rarely use a published curriculum verbatim. They take out, add on, or adjust lesson plans to create something that fits the needs of the class. Teachers may do this in isolation or amongst their planning teams on campus. But at this spring’s BioDiversity Summit, Green Ambassadors gave educators access to a valuable resource in this process of tailoring curriculum- diverse perspectives.
In our increasingly interconnected world, there is a need to bring together all community stakeholders to create curriculum that helps students prepare for the challenges we face as a society. Everyone was invited to the table. Educators, students, community organizations, businesses and government leaders all lent their ideas and expertise. In real-time, this melting pot of perspectives helped shape curriculum for pressing essential questions we need to cover in our classrooms, like “How can we undo environmental injustices within our communities in order to keep people safe and healthy?”
At the start of the summit, ECSL led participants in a personal inventory activity that revealed each other’s interests, skills and talents through a guided interview process. Later, when it was time to hack the curriculum together, each member could reflect on their traits, background and experiences that would impact their group’s lesson planning process. 
This year’s institute theme was BioDiversity, and the experience lived up to its name. The diverse skill sets present amongst each group member led to rich explorations of environmental justice themes for all grade levels.
Green Ambassadors has made available the lesson plans created in this collaborative curriculum development experience (where you can also access the Personal Inventory activity presented by ECSL).
We look forward to connecting with members and new participants alike at the ECSL Fall Meeting scheduled for September 27th at The Skirball Cultural Center from 3:15-5:30pm. Join us for another unique opportunity to network with a variety of stakeholders in the service learning community.
Special Opportunity to Share your Service Learning Work!
**Share your service learning program at the upcoming Environmental Justice Showcase and Curriculum Hack that ECSL is co-sponsoring with Environmental Charter High School.**
PLEASE CALENDAR: SATURDAY APRIL 16, 2016
ECSL is making available a special opportunity. You are invited to share a 10 minute talk with 5 min Q/A in a roundtable type conversational format. We are providing a personal ECSL mentor to help facilitate review and teacher preparation for this collaborative workshop along with a simple template to utilize.
The purpose is to discuss the process, more importantly than the result. It will be an chance for you to examine various stages from where you might have felt stymied in your SL process, to taking positive outcomes to the next level.
This meeting will provide time for interaction, exchange of ideas/needs, connections and will genuinely aid faculty with the five stages of service learning, fostering student voice and choice and developing meaningful community benefits.
WE HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER JOINING THE OTHER FACULTY (from K-12 schools, private & public) who have agreed to tell their service learning stories….Faculty who shared at last year’s ECSL expo felt they actually learned more from the experience than the observers….so take advantage of this unique opportunity to partner with an ECSL mentor and enhance your service learning (no matter whatever stage you are currently practicing).
PLEASE REPLY to ECSLabc@gmail.com as soon as possible IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE an ECSL mentor and the presentation template.
INCLUDE: YOUR NAME, CLASS LEVEL/SUBJECT TAUGHT, TOPIC PRESENTING. This “show and grow” will take place in the morning, although there are worthwhile activities and exchanges from 9-3pm. The topic you choose does not necessarily need to be environmentally based…. any Service Learning program in which your students are currently engaged has justice and curricular tie-ins. Lastly, feel free to bring some of your students along to present with you and experience the day.
.….We are looking forward to hearing back from you soon and hope you choose to be a part of this exciting day!
School Greening Workshop
Are you looking to create an outdoor classroom by planting trees or a native plant garden on your campus? Join TreePeople on Saturday, October 4, 2014 for our FREE School Greening Workshop. This class will cover the ins and outs of planting and caring for trees as well as planting native plant gardens on school campuses including meeting district regulations. Mini grants are available for all participating schools.
Who: Teachers, Administrators and Eco Club Students
What: School Greening Workshop. See attached flier!
When: Saturday, October 4, 2014 9:00 AM – 12:00 NOON
Where: TreePeople’s Center for Community Forestry, 12601 Mulholland Drive Beverly Hills 90210
Mini Grants include:
1. A FREE project mentor and on-campus support with TreePeople staff
2. FREE tools and event day support for your planting or garden installation
3. FREE trees and plants for most projects
4. FREE gardening supplies
All participants must register at
http://www.treepeople.org/event/10/04/2014/school-greening-workshop
For more information please contact schools@treepeople.org
The Earth Meets Apps
Looking for ways to integrate technology and your environmental service learning curriculum? MINDSHIFT, an educational blog focusing on the future of education, shares four educational apps that center around environmental awareness: Apps That Challenge Kids to Solve Environmental Issues
High School Opportunity: Environmental SL Prof. Development
Sammy Lyon, a faculty representative for ECSL’s Advisory Council, shares this environmental service learning professional development opportunity in Spring 2014. This program is provided by Green Ambassadors, a program of Environmental Charter Schools. Courses teach educators how students can solve real-world environmental issues with Common Core aligned curriculum that can be implemented immediately in the classroom. Scholarships are available that include FREE tuition, a copy of the curriculum, and up to $1000 in sub reimbursements. Scholarship applications are due January 15. Visit the Green Ambassador website for more information.
Water Planet Challenge 10/30
EarthEcho International Presents a
Water Planet Challenge Workshop:
Out the Spout & Down the Drain
Led by Cathryn Berger Kaye, M.A., author of The Complete Guide to Service Learning
and Kyra Kristof, Director of Learning for EarthEcho International
OCTOBER 30, 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Hosted at Windward School, 11350 Palms Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Bring science content to life with Water Planet Challenge Action Guides. These easy to use materials integrate service-learning and citizen journalism into your academics and provides students a comprehensive understanding of contemporary local water quality issues. Can students become community leaders to benefit the health of our water planet? Will you join the Water Planet Challenge?
EarthEcho International offers exciting, interactive workshops for middle and high school educators and their students. Rooted in service-learning and focused on action, these workshops examine how our every day actions make a difference, and how we can make sure the differences we make protect our water planet.
Register for this dynamic three-hour workshop and explore what comes OUT THE SPOUT, goes DOWN THE DRAIN, and youth citizen journalism strategies to enhance service-learning and academic outcomes.
We need to drink water. Does the water we choose to drink matter? Drinking water from local resources, even on the go, protects threatened global water resources, and protects us from potentially harmful chemicals. Worried there might be more coming out your spout than water? Bottled water is not the answer. Do we stop and think that everything we send down the drain—including products that wash off our bodies or pass through our bodies—can end up back in local waterways, the ocean, and our water supply? Why does knowing this matter? With our limited global water supply and current droughts, we do need to make every drop count.
Learn! Discover! Explore!
• Out the Spout—Learn why filtered tap water is always best; find out how you can become part of the Anti-Bottle movement that helps communities kick their plastic water bottle habit while raising money for water-related projects in their own backyard or across the globe.
• Down the Drain—Discover tools you can use to investigate what is going down your drain; develop and implement a plan to defend your drain (and others) from toxins.
• Citizen Journalism—Explore how multi-media documentation of the service-learning process enhances student achievement and gives youth a voice in protecting the environment as citizen journalists.
TO REGISTER, visit https://earthecho.wufoo.com/forms/earthecho-water-planet-challenge-workshop/
Or send an email to mia@earthecho.org $25 per adult | Scholarships Available: email mia@earthecho.org
SPACE IS LIMITED! Reserve your space now! Registration includes copies of TWO Action Guides
Additional resources available for purchase on site Light refreshments served. Carpool, please!
Thanks to the Educators Consortium for Service Learning for their assistance
Youth Summit: Plastic Ocean Pollution Solutions
From Anna Cummins, Co-founder, The 5 Gyres Institute | 5gyres.org |Cell: (310) 998-8616 | Twitter: @5gyres
We are getting closer to the PLASTIC OCEAN POLLUTION SOLUTIONS YOUTH SUMMIT and want to encourage you and your students to attend!
This is the perfect opportunity for students (and you) who are already involved in the fight against plastic pollution to take it to the next step!
The summit will be educational, inspirational and most importantly FUN! It will be a great opportunity to learn more about the issue, get inspired by other youth solutions, network and come up with some great ideas!
SUMMIT OVERVIEW
WHEN: October 27, 2012, All Day
WHO: YOU!
WHERE: Google Offices, Venice CA 90291
STUDENTS: The summit is FREE!! Please encourage your students to APPLY on our website BY SEPTEMBER 21st.
EDUCATORS: You are encouraged to attend! If interested, send a request to youthsummit@algalita.org letting us know how you are active and what attending the training will help you do!
Visit the website to learn more and to APPLY.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
And SHARE THIS WITH YOUR STUDENTS AND FRIENDS!
Free Monthly Sustainability Webinars
From “Facing the Future”
Next Webinar: Thursday, October 18, 2012 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM PDT (Click to register)
As you keep strengthening your students’ skills in critical and creative thinking, we’re here to support you. We’re offering a free monthly webinar on third Thursdays, starting October 18th, hosted by Dave Wilton, FTF’s fabulous Professional Development Manager.
The 45-minute webinars will focus on targeting the tactics and techniques that get students excited about achieving and integrating sustainability topics across grades and disciplines. Each one will feature interdisciplinary approaches to learning – language arts, social studies, and STEM subjects. Join us to explore climate change with the National Center for Atmospheric Research, green project-based learning with award-winning middle school science teacher and FTF Peer Educator, Naomi Harper, and best practices straight from-the-field with FTF Peer Educator Amanda Patrick of the US Forest Service, and more.
Our free webinars will connect academics to real-world issues, show connections to Common Core State Standards, provide the seeds to grow sustainability initiatives inside and outside your classroom, and give you the chance to ask questions and share ideas.
Sign-up now. Spaces are limited for this series of six monthly Third Thursday webinars. Once you sign up you’ll be sent reminders and links to archived materials. Don’t miss out!
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