Name of Presentation Date of Presentation

Maryland Partnership for Children In Nature

Name of PresentationDate of PresentationEnvironmental Literacy: Connecting Children with NatureBritt Slattery, MD DNR


• Formed 2008 by Governor’s Executive Order – Developed a Plan to connect communities, youth and families to nature – in schools, in their communities, on public lands.

• Co-Chairs: – Maryland State Department of Education – Maryland Department of Natural

Resources

• 2012 Renewed structure to support implementation of actions


• Maryland Department Of Natural Resources (DNR) • Maryland State Department Of Education (MSDE)• Maryland Department Of Agriculture (MDA)• Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE)• Maryland No Child Left Inside Coalition (MD NCLI)• Maryland Recreation And Parks Association (MRPA)• The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC),

Montgomery County Department Of Parks • Montgomery County Public Schools • Howard County Public School System • Chesapeake Bay Trust • Alice Ferguson Foundation • Audubon Maryland-DC • National Wildlife Federation • National Aquarium • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

PARTNERSHIP LEADERSHIP

+ More signing Participation Pledge (universities, non-profit, private, etc)

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non-governmen

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2012 Leadership Team


Early Achievements:• Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights

• Conservation Jobs Corps

• Environmental Literacy graduation requirement


• Every student graduates from high school environmentally literate

• Environmental literacy in Maryland includes both in-school and outside of school, unstructured experiences for varied audiences

• Driven by:– Chesapeake Bay Agreement - Stewardship and community

engagement / a MWEE for every student– COMAR – Partnership’s Environmental Literacy Plan

• Aligns with:– Chesapeake Bay Executive Order – Mid-Atlantic

Environmental Literacy Strategy

Environmental Education Vision


Code of Maryland Regulation (COMAR)

– COMAR 13A.04.17• Comprehensive PK-12 multidisciplinary program of environmental education

in every school system

– COMAR 13A.03.02 (graduation requirement)• Beginning with students entering high school in 2011-2012, all students must

complete a locally designed high school program of environmental literacy.

• 24 school districts = 24 different E-Lit programs

…All aligned with the Maryland Environmental Literacy Standards…


What is Environmental Literacy?

Students who are environmentally literate possess the knowledge, intellectual skills, attitudes, experience, and motivation to make and act upon responsible environmental decisions as individuals and members of their communities.

Environmental Literacy Standards

Environmental Issues – includes taking actionInteractions of Earth’s SystemsFlow of Matter and EnergyPopulations, Communities, and EcosystemsHumans and Natural ResourcesEnvironment and HealthEnvironment and SocietySustainability

Main topics of each of the 8 standards –


“We don't make the things you love, we just make them better”

We don't take the children outside, we just make it so others can.


Does every child in Maryland have theMeansAccess

KnowledgeSupport

EncouragementDesire

Inclinationto go outdoors

and play, explore, learn?

Maryland Partnership for Children In Nature Partnership Initiatives

main focus areas for 2012:

– Promoting outdoor play and learning

– Supporting Environmental Literacy (in schools and community)

– Providing means for incorporating nature into healthy lifestyle choices (through community planning, health and food/ agriculture connections)


Supporting Environmental Literacy in Schools and the Community

Provide information, guidance; facilitate communication, collaboration between schools and EE providers; support strong EL plans including outdoor experiences.


• Guidance – MSDE – E-Lit Standards infused within Maryland curricula (+ online Toolkit)

• Professional Development (PD) – to help build capacity to teach about the environment across all disciplines

– Regional E-Lit workshops … and facilitating sharing models among counties– Statewide E-Lit Summit … and ensuing regional liaisons / workshops– PD for Environmental Education Providers (Fall 2012+)

• Student Focused Actions –– Every Student Outdoors Every Year – recommendations / criteria– Student metrics tool / workshop – Co-sponsor the annual MAEOE Youth Summit – MD State Parks expanding EE offerings/ aligning w/ standards

• Policy Actions –– Schoolyard Habitat and Agriculture education within MD Green Schools – National Green Ribbon Schools– ‘Greener schools’ policy – school design / facility managers



Mirroring/ reinforcing E-Lit with community/ family programs:


• programs in parks

• community / watershed restoration projects

• Governor O’Malley’s Stream Restoration Challenge


Communities and Community Planning

• Equitable access to green spaces such as parks and trails for all communities

• Nature Play Spaces


Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Health Connections – • Prescribe active outdoor time • Parent awareness• Community-based initiatives


Agriculture Connections –• Integrating ag education – Farm to School, school gardens• Healthy foods as part of the Green Schools criteria• Awareness of locally grown foods for schools/ community

Healthy Lifestyle Choices


Promoting Outdoor Play and Learning

Celebrate Maryland Outdoors Days

June 9–23


Take Your Children Outdoors!


www.dnr.state.md.us/cin

Coordinator

Britt [email protected](410) 260-8715


Documents

Name of Presentation Date of Presentation