Green School Programs are an internationally recognized effort that transforms schools into environmentally friendly entities and engage school communities in environmentally impactful efforts. Such efforts may increase student awareness about their connection to the environment and have the potential to increase achievement through opportunities…

Green School intend to increase student connection to the environment, and have the potential to increase achievement through opportunities for hands-on science learning. This study utilizes publicly available data on all public schools in Maryland to examine the extent to which the Green School designation relates to changes in science…

This article examines community-driven adult environmental learning in a volunteer watershed stewards program. We look for evidence of elements that portray steps toward "concientización"--the process of individuals and communities directing their own learning in nonhierarchical ways. Leveraging two theories from the learning sciences…

History museums sometimes struggle to communicate history's relevance to visitors. By reframing historic interpretation through the lens of environmental sustainability and by developing issue-based exhibits to bridge past and present, Accokeek Foundation (which runs the National Colonial Farm) has made colonial history more meaningful to…

This paper examines the feasibility of developing a new Master Volunteer training program to help communities adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Traditional models of volunteer training programs, such as the Cooperative Extension Master Volunteer peer-to-peer learning model, are based in part on Diffusion Theory. The existing…

This exploratory study used a comparative cross-sectional research design and survey data to describe and compare attitudes of undergraduate students about climate change and environmental issues at the University of Botswana in Gaborone and the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) located in Annapolis, Maryland during the spring of 2011. Two important…

In urbanized areas, incorporating residents' concerns and priorities into the stormwater management debate has focused on adults rather than youth. This study used Photovoice, a tool that includes photographs taken by youth, to uncover youth concerns and perceptions about their local watersheds. This study consisted of a comparative study of two…

Stream investigation and restoration projects offer unique experiential opportunities to engage students in outdoor learning experiences that are relevant to the communities in which they live. These experiences promote an understanding of watershed issues and establish positive attitudes and behaviors that benefit local watersheds and help to…

"Green school" is an umbrella term that covers a number of educational approaches, such as environment-based curricula, environment-integrated curricula, education for sustainability, and education for sustainable development. Green schools enrich the traditional secondary curriculum by relating it to practical issues of environmental…

This white paper examines the business case for environmental and sustainability (E&S) employee education and engagement. The "business case" is defined as both quantifiable measures of the business value for the sustainability program (e.g. money saved, energy use reduction, etc.) as well as less easily measurable assets such as…

A student committee whose main duty is changing light bulbs may sound like the punch line to a bad joke, but as the students and faculty at Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Rockville, MD, know, changing a light bulb is no laughing matter. As part of the district's green initiative, all standard incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs…

Science trade books can spark real-life involvement in saving a threatened fish. A successful science program at the Westbrook Elementary School, in Bethesda, Maryland, does just that. The program--in which students participate in watershed restoration projects as part of a yearlong study of the local Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River…

As part of a cooperative extension service series by the University of Maryland, this publication introduces the identification and control of common turf and plant pests that can be found in the urban environment. The first of the five sections defines "pest" and "weed" and generally introduces different kinds of pests such as…

Man in the Community is the theme of this social studies curriculum guide for Grade 2. The course emphasizes: what a community is, how people contribute as individuals and family groups, and comparative study of community life. A stated aim is for the student to gain a knowledge of his place in the community and his worth as an individual. Content…

Describes development of a successful experiential education program to involve Baltimore County (Maryland) students (grades K-12) in studying the Gunpowder River, which empties into Chesapeake Bay. Identifies success factors including creative teachers, availability and cooperation of local resources, and parental involvement. (NEC)