Professional Development
These are resources specifically for educators to help you build background knowledge in best practices for teaching environmental education. Some resources provide educator resources from environmental education organizations as well as training for specific environmental education curriculums.
Environmental Education Guidelines & Frameworks
These set of guidelines and frameworks provide educators a conceptual structure of ideas to integrate when designing environmental lessons and activities for students.
These Environmental Principles and Concepts serve as the foundation for developing the Model Curriculum for California's kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) students that is mandated under the Education and the Environment Initiative.
The Teacher Call to Action for Environmental Literacy is a three-part publication developed for educators by educators. Part 1: The Imperatives for Environmental Literacy defines the field and recounts its development in California. Part 2: Voices from the Field presents case studies of effective instruction at every grade level. Part 3: Roadmap for Instruction describes steps to increase Environmental Literacy integration.
The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) is a network of professionals, students, and volunteers working in the field of environmental education throughout North America and in over 55 countries around the world. NAAEE combines the perspectives of the environmental and educational communities, taking a cooperative, non-confrontational, scientifically balanced approach to promoting life-long learning about environmental issues.
The International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education(IJECEE) publishes scholarly written work, anonymously and expertly reviewed by peers, that focuses on book reviews, educational approaches, evaluation models, program descriptions, research investigations, and theoretical perspectives pertinent to the education of all young children (birth to eight years).
Best Practices in Early Childhood Environmental Education
These resources explain the how of environmental education and what environmental education might look like in an early childhood program.
Learning outside can be an enriching way for students to investigate questions, apply concepts, and engage beyond the barriers of a classroom. Here are some key strategies for managing groups and facilitating outdoor learning before and during the City Nature Challenge. You can find an extensive list of these resources at the end of this guide.
The Nature-Based Preschool Professional Practice Guidebook is the first resource to fully address the unique practices of nature-based early childhood education. This guidebook is an essential resource for anyone interested in teaching young children outdoors.
Whether starting a new nature-based program or “naturalizing” an existing classroom, this book is your guide to creating a successful nature-learning experience and making the most of the time children spend outdoors.
Learn how to create rich, explorative, and interdisciplinary learning through extensive outdoor experiences. Develop and implement a nature-based curriculum that supports optimal learning. You will be able to (1) create a program philosophy, (2) Infuse nature into all aspects of your program, (3) prepare teachers for a nature-centered approach, (4) Implement a curriculum that emphasizes inquiry-based learning, and (5) maintain quality childhood practices that support children’s development.
A Social and Emotional Learning Toolkit for Residential Environmental Learning Centers. Each year, RELCs touch the lives of two million youth in the U.S.
Environmental Education Organizations and Programs
These organizations are some of the most well known and trusted in the field of environmental education. These sites offer a wealth of high-quality, inclusive resources to help you build background knowledge and teach environmental education.
Learning in Places is a collaborative network of educators, families, and community partners working to cultivate equitable, culturally thriving, socio-ecological systems learning and ethical decision-making using field-based science education in outdoor places, including gardens, for children in pre-kindergarten to 3rd grade and their families.
NAAEE brings the brightest minds together to accelerate environmental literacy and civic engagement through the power of education.
The Natural Start Alliance is a network of people and organizations that believe that all young children need frequent opportunities to experience, learn from, and care for nature and the environment through high-quality education. The Alliance, a project of the North American Association for Environmental Education, serves as a backbone organization to focus and amplify the collective impact of the people and organizations that share this common vision.
The Children & Nature Network is a leading organization in the movement to connect all children, their families, and their communities to nature through innovative ideas, evidence-based resources and tools, broad-based collaboration, and support of grassroots leadership.
Justice Outside Resources advances racial justice and equity in the outdoor and environmental movement. We shift resources to, build power with, and center the voices and leadership of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color because the health of current and future generations demands it.
IslandWood is an environmental education nonprofit. We offer experiential environmental science programs throughout the Seattle region for people of all ages to deepen their understanding of the world around them and the positive impact they can have.
Educator Trainings and Professional Development
The field of education requires constant learning and growing in the profession. These trainings, conferences and workshops allow you to grow your skills to effectively teach environmental education.
Free virtual workshops for educators featuring resource developers whose resources are available on the Outdoor Learning Store.
The Nature-Based Early Learning Conference brings professionals together to explore and promote nature-based learning for young children. Attendees include teachers, program administrators, higher education faculty, researchers, education consultants, landscape designers, and others who are committed to or interested in bringing nature, outdoor learning, and environmental education to young children’s education.
Use this tool to find a Project WET training event near you. They are designed to teach about climate change with fun, hands-on lessons.
Enhance your teaching skills and become comfortable teaching outdoors – in urban, suburban, or rural environments. Receive multi-disciplinary, hands-on lessons aligned with state and national academic standards. Put the materials to use right away in your own classroom, playground, or nature center.
Schedule a WILD workshop! Project WILD is one of the most widely used and recognized programs among K–12 educators. It focuses on conservation, environmental challenges, and the need for humans to develop as responsible citizens of the planet. Based on this premise that young people and educators have a vital interest in learning about the natural world, Project WILD teaches youth about wildlife and habitat, aquatic ecology, civics, conservation, field investigations, and natural history.