The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education

• Annual environmental education conference • Environmental educator certification program • The Maryland Green School Program • The Maryland Green Center Program

How to Grow a Maryland Green School

2011 School’s Actions • Trees Planted: 918 • Shrubs Planted : 318 • Rain Gardens Planted:20 • Shoreline Erosion Control Plantings: 2550 Ft • Butterfly Gardens Installed: 18 • Meadows planted : 679810 Sq Ft • Green Roofs : 4 • Energy $ savings: $342,000 • Average Energy % Savings: 12.11%

Green School Certifications by Year

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

New 1 cert 2 cert 3 cert

MD Green Schools* Total: 398 - 18%

Allegany 2 Anne Arundel 38 Baltimore City 21 Baltimore County 64 Calvert 25 Carroll 21 Cecil 5 Charles 13 Dorchester 1 Frederick 10 Garrett 9

*Supported by 32 Current Maryland Green Centers

Harford 23 Howard 43 Kent 2 Montgomery 42 Prince George’s 17 Queen Anne’s 8 Somerset 1 St Mary’s 14 Washington 6 Wicomico 2 Worcester 4

Support for Maryland Green Schools

MDGS MDG Centers

MAEOE

Funding Partners

Community Partners

MDGS Leaders

• Volunteers familiar with the program • Bring knowledge and skills to schools • Act as a community partner • Mentor the green school committee

MD Green School Leaders

Maryland Green Centers* Anne Arundel County Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center Annapolis Maritime Museum Baltimore County Marshy Point Nature Center Oregon Ridge Nature Center* Cromwell Valley Park* Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center-Kayam Farm Baltimore City Blue Water Baltimore National Aquarium in Baltimore Masonville Cove Environmental Center Parks and People Foundation Carroll County Hashawha Environmental Center/Bear Branch Carroll County Outdoor School Cecil County NorthBay Adventure Camp Charles County Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Education Center Garrett County Hickory Environmental Education Center

* Applying in 2012

Harford County Anita C. Leight Estuary Center at Otter Point Creek Harford Glen Environmental Education Center Eden Mill Nature Center Howard County Howard County Conservancy Montgomery County Audubon Naturalist Society Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center Calleva Outdoor Adventures Prince George’s County Patuxent Research Refuge National Wildlife Visitor Center William S. Schmidt Outdoor Education Center Patuxent River 4-H Center Alice Ferguson Foundation Patuxent River Park St. Mary’s County Elms Environmental Education Center Talbot County Environmental Concern Wetland Learning Campus Washington County Claude E. Kitchens Outdoor School at Fairview Wicomico The Ward Museum Worcester Assateague State Park Maryland Coastal Bays

Baltimore’s Green Centers

• Blue Water Baltimore • National Aquarium • Masonville Cove Environmental Center • Parks and People Foundation • Other area Green Centers also serve

Baltimore City Schools

What is a Maryland Green School?

Benefits to Schools

• Academic achievement • Interaction with Nature • Health effects on Social, Emotional,

Cognitive and Physical Development • Development of a 21st Century Workforce • Importance of Environmental Literacy and

Engagement

Academic Achievement Average Increase in Elementary Test Scores

Average Increase in High School Test Scores

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Algebra Biology English

Incr

ease

in a

vera

ge p

erce

ntag

e

Subject

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

Incr

ease

in a

vera

ge p

erce

ntag

e

Grade Level

Haines, S, Towson University, 2010

Source: “The Maryland Green School Award Program, Celebrating Excellence in Environmental Education: A Study of Maryland Green Schools and Student Academic Achievement” by Kate Clavijo, Ed.D (2005)

Interaction with Nature

• Benefits in cognitive functioning, reduced symptoms of attention deficit disorder, increased self-discipline and emotional well-being

• Experiential learning engages students, provides concrete learning opportunities

Children’s Health

• Sedentary lifestyles, obesity, deceased PE time, too much screen time.

• Less independent exploration: the area where children are allowed to explore has shrunk to a 1/9th of what it was in 1970.

• 71 % of adults report that they walked or rode a bike to school when they were children, but only 22 % of children do today.

Preparing a 21st Century Workforce

• Environmental challenges are dominant issues of the 21st century

• NSF: ”Creating a scientifically informed citizenry requires a concerted, systematic approach to environmental education”

• Nat’l Environmental Education Advisory Council: “Environmental education with its emphasis on critical thinking, interdisciplinary teaching, and learner achievement is helping educational reform goals.”

Environmental Literacy

• Maryland’s Definition • MSDE- High School Graduation

Requirement, environmental literacy standards.

• http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/environment/tk/elci_gb

Program Philosophies

Student Driven

Non-Proscriptive Framework

Hands-On Inquiry

Whole school

Culture Shift

Overview

The MD Green School Application Pre K-12 School’s actions over 2 years.

1. Use of the Environment as a context for learning • Environmental Issue Instruction • Professional Development • Celebration

2. Design, Operation, and Maintenance of School Building and Site (Choose 4)

• Water Conservation/Pollution Prevention • Energy Conservation • Solid Waste Reduction • Habitat Restoration • Outdoor Structures for Learning • Responsible Transportation • Healthy School Environment

3. School and Community Partnerships

Ascension Catholic School

Halethorpe Baltimore County

Maryland Green Schools

• Use the curriculum, school, and community sites to investigate environmental issues and take action

• Model Environmental Best Management Practices (BMPs)

• Build community partnerships for stewardship

Making Curriculum Connections

Using the Environment as a Context

Using the schoolyard and local watershed as a classroom

Language Arts

Math

Science

Art Physical Education

History

Social Studies

Professional Development

• All staff know about the school’s effort to become a Green School

• Majority of staff have Environmental learning

• 10% of staff :Environmental Professional Development

• Professional Development Calendar at www.maeoe.org

Celebration

School wide appreciation of the efforts and achievements of teachers and students

BMP #1 Water Conservation

Water Pollution Prevention Plant trees, shrubs, create “no-mow” zones

to slow storm water runoff, trap nutrients, and control soil erosion.

BMP #2 Energy Conservation

Identify and STOP “phantom” energy losses.

After

investigating

energy use

at school,

students and

their families

conducted an

energy audit

at home.

Reduce - Reuse - Recycle

BMP #3 Solid Waste Reduction

Print double-sided

Buy products with no packaging or with wrapping that can be reused or recycled.

Recycle ink cartridges

Set up outdoor composting

Plan an indoor or outdoor

clean-up day

Arrange for curb-side pick-up of recyclables

No-waste lunch days

Students share the challenge of planning and

the fun of installation.

They evaluate the results and maintain the project

for the long term.

BMP #4 Habitat Restoration

Boardwalks

Nature trails

Informational signs

Wildlife viewing blinds

BMP #5 Building Structures for Learning

Bird, bat, and butterfly boxes

Outdoor Classrooms: Built-in or moveable

Native Maryland tree ID tags

Outdoor art: sculptures, murals

“Green Building” components

To improve air quality, set up “no-idling” policy & zones “Walking School Buses” – safe walking for students Bike Safety programs Carpooling Preferred parking for hybrids, green vehicles

BMP #6 Responsible Transportation

BMP #7 Healthy School Environment

• Air Quality • Water Quality • Food & exercise • Green cleaners • No Idling for buses and carpools • Many options

Objective 2 – BMP’s

• Choose at least 4 of the best management practices

• Do at least two activities in each • Involve students in the planning and action • Make change in your school and site

Baltimore Schools • Stream Cleans, Trash pickups • Rain Barrels • Energy awareness campaigns, patrols • Wasteless Wednesdays, Reusable lunch containers, e • Recycled: Abitibi, electronics - www.recyclingfundraiser.com • Asphalt Removal • Planted Trees • Used Green Cleaners • Installed Gardens : Butterfly, vegetable, Rain,

“Reading”

Objective 3 – Community Partners

• Bring partners with knowledge, skills, experience to the school

• Work with partners on projects, actions in the community

MAEOE

Parents , PTA

MD Green Centers

MDGS Leaders

Chesapeake Bay Trust

County agencies

MD DNR, MDE, MSDE

Universities

Non-profit groups

UMD Cooperative Extension

Garden clubs

Businesses and organizations

Federal agencies/EPA

and

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

RESOURCES

How to get started…..

Celebrate! Submit by the deadline

Schedule your activities Involve the students Document your actions

Assemble a Green School Committee at your school

Identify curriculum connections, actions you already have

Chose BMP’s

What are you already doing? • Turn lights out when you leave the classroom BMP #1 • Go outside for class Obj #1 • Reuse things BMP #3 • Celebrate Earth Day Celebration • Collect data on your school ground Obj #1 • Write nature poetry Obj #1 • Purchase organic or recycled BMP #3 • Investigate and discuss environmental issues Obj #1 • Plant a raingarden BMP #1 • Attend the MAEOE conference Prof Dev • Carpool BMP #6 • Plant butterfly gardens BMP #4

Resources, Ideas

• www.maeoe.org • Baltimore’s Green Centers • City Office of Sustainability • Join the Listserve:

NRMcDaniels@bcps.k12.md.us

• Weblog: http://baltimoregreenteachers.wordpress.com/

What does it cost?

• Application Fee - $25 • Grant opportunities: DNR, CBT, City • Fundraising ideas

www.maeoe.org

• Program Guide • Fact Sheets • Case Studies • Application Examples • Curriculum ideas

2012 Youth Summit

• Sandy Point State Park – June 1, 2012

• FREE environmental education event • Meet environmental providers • Hands on learning for all ages • Youth Leadership activities