February 4th through 6th, a dozen educators from around the state gathered in the Pacific Education Institute’s Olympia offices to create Solutions Oriented Learning Storylines that will engage Washington students on the topic of climate science. With input from PEI facilitators and cultural experts, this group worked on curriculum rooted in rigorous science education while linking to local issues and opportunities. Designed to reach students that historically have been underserved in science; these storylines will build student understanding and problem solving around local environmental challenges related to food and food sovereignty, land use and management, agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, and renewable energy.
This project will provide educators with classroom tools and professional development to effectively teach climate science through storylines. This workshop focused on five important anchors:
- Incorporate indigenous ways of knowing
- Embed 3-D NGSS assessment tools to help educators demonstrate student growth
- Utilize place-based/locally relevant strategies
- Have students, in developmentally appropriate ways, learn the carbon cycle and be able to calculate greenhouse gas emissions and drawdown of carbon from the atmosphere
- Elevate student voice in the community and beyond as they participate in solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions
