"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead 
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe." -John Muir

Environmental Education

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No Child Left Inside (NCLI) is a movement to counteract the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law.  NCLB often causes teachers to focus more on math and reading to prepare students for state tests.  However this often leaves very little time for science and environmental education.  NCLI gives teachers more flexibility with their curriculum.  The law strives to get more children outside learning, playing, and connecting with nature.


For more information about NCLI, click the image
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NAAEE provides guidelines for environmental education curriculum.  All lesson plans should meet the following guidelines:
  1. Fairness and Accuracy: information and facts are true and represent all views of a particular topic
  2. Depth: lessons provide detailed information about particular topics, not just overviews of the "big picture"
  3. Emphasis on Skill Building: lessons provide students with the skills necessary to take action (writing letters to city-planners, stewardship, etc.)
  4. Action Orienting: lessons give students a direction, and the ability to take action in the field
  5. Instructional Soundness: lesson plans make sense, are well organized, and the activities are appropriate
  6. Usability: any teacher should be able to use any lesson plan easily and effectively


                                                                                                                         For more information about NAAEE, click the image
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The Critters and Currents Environmental Leadership Program team used the Tbilisi Framework to structure all of our lesson plans.  Our goal was to promote awareness to action in the environment.

Awareness --> Knowledge --> Attitude --> Skills --> Action


To read more about the Tbilisi Declaration, click the image