Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning (Pre K - 12)

This document is the companion publication to "Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning (K-12)", published by the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) as part of the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education. The Guidelines are organized into four strands, each of which represents a broad aspect of environmental education and the goal of environmental literacy. This guide provides an overview for becoming familiar with the four strands and a set of self assessment checklists for analyzing the degree to which various curricula and educational programs meet the Guidelines. The four strands include: (1) Questioning and Analysis Skills; (2) Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems; (3) Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues; and (4) Personal and Civic Responsibility. The Guidelines describe a level of skill or knowledge appropriate for each of three grade levels--fourth, eighth, and twelfth. (CCM)

Excellence in Environmental Education--Guidelines for Learning (Pre K?12) (NAAEE, 2004) offers a vision of environmental education and promotes progress toward sustaining a healthy environment and quality of life. The Guidelines provide students, parents, educators, home schoolers, administrators, policy makers, and the public a set of common, voluntary guidelines for environmental education. The Guidelines support state and local environmental education efforts by: Setting expectations for performance and achievement in fourth, eighth, and twelfth grades; Suggesting a framework for effective and comprehensive environmental education programs; Demonstrating how environmental education can be used to meet standards set by the traditional disciplines and to give students opportunities to synthesize knowledge and experience across disciplines; Defining the aims of environmental education.