NAAEE Publications

   Excellence in

   Environmental Education —

   Guidelines for Learning (K-12)

STRAND 3 -
Skills for Understanding and
Addressing Environmental Issues FOURTH GRADE EIGHTH GRADE TWELFTH GRADE

STRAND 3.1 -

Skills for Analyzing and
Investigating Environmental Issues
A) Identifying and investigating issues - Learners are able to identify and investigate issues in their local environments and communities. A) Identifying and investigating issues - Learners are able to use primary and secondary sources of information, and apply growing research and analytical skills, to investigate environmental issues, beginning in their own community. A) Identifying and investigating issues - Learners apply their research and analytical skills to investigate environmental issues ranging from local issues to those that are regional or global in scope.

B) Sorting out the consequences of issues - As learners come to understand that environmental and social phenomena are linked, they are able to explore the consequences of issues. B) Sorting out the consequences of issues - Learners are able to apply their knowledge of ecological and human processes and systems to identify the consequences of specific environmental issues. B) Sorting out the consequences of issues - Learners are able to evaluate the consequences of specific environmental changes, conditions, and issues for human and ecological systems.

C) Identifying and evaluating alternative solutions and courses of action - Learners understand there are many approaches to resolving issues. C) Identifying and evaluating alternative solutions and courses of action - Learners are able to identify and develop action strategies for addressing particular issues. C) Identifying and evaluating alternative solutions and courses of action - Learners are able to identify and propose action strategies that are likely to be effective in particular situations and for particular purposes.

D) Working with flexibility, creativity, and openness - Learners understand the importance of sharing ideas and hearing other points of view. D) Working with flexibility, creativity, and openness - Learners are able to consider the assumptions and interpretations that influence the conclusions they and others draw about environmental issues. D) Working with flexibility, creativity, and openness - While environmental issues investigations can bring to the surface deeply held views, learners are able to engage each other in peer review conducted in the spirit of open inquiry.

STRAND 3 -
Skills for Understanding and
Addressing Environmental Issues FOURTH GRADE EIGHTH GRADE TWELFTH GRADE

STRAND 3.2 -

Decision-Making and Citizenship
Skills
A) Forming and evaluating personal views - Learners are able to examine and express their own views on environmental issues. A) Forming and evaluating personal views - Learners are able to identify, justify, and clarify their views on environmental issues and alternative ways to address them. A) Forming and evaluating personal views - Learners are able to communicate, evaluate, and justify their own views on environmental issues and alternative ways to address them.

B) Evaluating the need for citizen action - Learners are able to think critically about whether they believe action is needed in particular situations and whether they believe they should be involved. B) Evaluating the need for citizen action - Learners are able to evaluate whether they believe action is needed in particular situations, and decide whether they should be involved. B) Evaluating the need for citizen action - Learners are able to decide whether action is needed in particular situations and whether they should be involved.

C) Planning and taking action - By participating in issues of their choosing – mostly close to home – they learn the basics of individual and collective action. C) Planning and taking action - As learners begin to see themselves as citizens taking active roles in their communities, they are able to plan for and engage in citizen action at levels appropriate to their maturity and preparation. C) Planning and taking action - Learners know how to plan for action based on their research and analysis of an environmental issue. If appropriate, they take actions that are within the scope of their rights and consistent with their abilities and responsibilities as citizens.

D) Evaluating the results of actions - Learners understand that civic actions have consequences. D) Evaluating the results of actions - Learners are able to analyze the effects of their own actions and actions taken by other individuals and groups. D) Evaluating the results of actions - Learners are able to evaluate the effects of their own actions and actions taken by other individuals and groups.

STRAND 3 - Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues	FOURTH GRADE	EIGHTH GRADE	TWELFTH GRADE
STRAND 3.1 - Skills for Analyzing and Investigating Environmental Issues	A) Identifying and investigating issues - Learners are able to identify and investigate issues in their local environments and communities.	A) Identifying and investigating issues - Learners are able to use primary and secondary sources of information, and apply growing research and analytical skills, to investigate environmental issues, beginning in their own community.	A) Identifying and investigating issues - Learners apply their research and analytical skills to investigate environmental issues ranging from local issues to those that are regional or global in scope.
B) Sorting out the consequences of issues - As learners come to understand that environmental and social phenomena are linked, they are able to explore the consequences of issues.	B) Sorting out the consequences of issues - Learners are able to apply their knowledge of ecological and human processes and systems to identify the consequences of specific environmental issues.	B) Sorting out the consequences of issues - Learners are able to evaluate the consequences of specific environmental changes, conditions, and issues for human and ecological systems.
C) Identifying and evaluating alternative solutions and courses of action - Learners understand there are many approaches to resolving issues.	C) Identifying and evaluating alternative solutions and courses of action - Learners are able to identify and develop action strategies for addressing particular issues.	C) Identifying and evaluating alternative solutions and courses of action - Learners are able to identify and propose action strategies that are likely to be effective in particular situations and for particular purposes.
D) Working with flexibility, creativity, and openness - Learners understand the importance of sharing ideas and hearing other points of view.	D) Working with flexibility, creativity, and openness - Learners are able to consider the assumptions and interpretations that influence the conclusions they and others draw about environmental issues.	D) Working with flexibility, creativity, and openness - While environmental issues investigations can bring to the surface deeply held views, learners are able to engage each other in peer review conducted in the spirit of open inquiry.
STRAND 3 - Skills for Understanding and Addressing Environmental Issues	FOURTH GRADE	EIGHTH GRADE	TWELFTH GRADE
STRAND 3.2 - Decision-Making and Citizenship Skills	A) Forming and evaluating personal views - Learners are able to examine and express their own views on environmental issues.	A) Forming and evaluating personal views - Learners are able to identify, justify, and clarify their views on environmental issues and alternative ways to address them.	A) Forming and evaluating personal views - Learners are able to communicate, evaluate, and justify their own views on environmental issues and alternative ways to address them.
B) Evaluating the need for citizen action - Learners are able to think critically about whether they believe action is needed in particular situations and whether they believe they should be involved.	B) Evaluating the need for citizen action - Learners are able to evaluate whether they believe action is needed in particular situations, and decide whether they should be involved.	B) Evaluating the need for citizen action - Learners are able to decide whether action is needed in particular situations and whether they should be involved.
C) Planning and taking action - By participating in issues of their choosing – mostly close to home – they learn the basics of individual and collective action.	C) Planning and taking action - As learners begin to see themselves as citizens taking active roles in their communities, they are able to plan for and engage in citizen action at levels appropriate to their maturity and preparation.	C) Planning and taking action - Learners know how to plan for action based on their research and analysis of an environmental issue. If appropriate, they take actions that are within the scope of their rights and consistent with their abilities and responsibilities as citizens.
D) Evaluating the results of actions - Learners understand that civic actions have consequences.	D) Evaluating the results of actions - Learners are able to analyze the effects of their own actions and actions taken by other individuals and groups.	D) Evaluating the results of actions - Learners are able to evaluate the effects of their own actions and actions taken by other individuals and groups.

Excellence in Environmental Education - Guidelines for Learning (K-12) Executive Summary & Self Assessment Tool

Strand 4

STRAND 3.1 -

Skills for Analyzing and Investigating Environmental Issues

STRAND 3.2 -

Decision-Making and Citizenship Skills

Skills for Analyzing and
Investigating Environmental Issues

Decision-Making and Citizenship
Skills