Across the country, classroom chalkboards are once again filling up with fresh ideas. So in honor of the new school year and our own big news, we decided to share a happy update of our own—from our chalkboard to yours…
Ladies and gents, we’ve got a pilot! And we’ve begun collaborating with schools to test and refine it.
Led by our own Education Manager Beth Kosson, we’ve been busily developing a multi-prong action plan, complete with lesson plans, website components, and long-term plan. Through our partnership with the National Wildlife Federation’s Eco-Schools USA, we’re currently offering the pilot program to 25 teachers in Chicago region schools, and working with seasoned educators to ensure we meet the Illinois and Next Generation Standards.
We have also collaborated with the Alliance for the Great Lakes to hone the first part of the curriculum series: “The Truth About Drinking Water.” This detailed lesson plan will increase student awareness in grades 6-8 of clean water issues through discussion and activities—such as hands-on water testing and identifying their local watershed—that demonstrate how personal actions impact water in their surrounding ecosystems. Ultimately, each lesson aims to inspire students to do One Green Thing by taking action in their local communities.
Next steps? We are now seeking corporate partners to underwrite the accompanying myth-busting videos, to be produced by Second City, and will build out the full curriculum for K-12 based on information from the pilot. By next year, it will be available to all Eco-Schools around the country, potentially serving nearly 3,000 schools in 49 states and reaching over 3 million students.
Got questions? We’d love to talk shop anytime. Drop Beth a line at bkosson@ecomythsalliance.org.
