Environmental Literacy

Kim Day
Curriculum Specialist for Elementary Social Studies
(301) 644-5264		 Mary Feist
Administrative Secretary
(301) 644-5264

See also: 

Purpose

The purpose of Maryland's Environmental Education program is to enable students to make decisions and take actions that create and maintain an optimal relationship between themselves and the environment, and to preserve and protect the unique natural resources of Maryland, particularly those of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.

What is Environmental Education?

Environmental Education promotes environmental literacy and the development of the skills needed for life-long learning. Environmental Education refers to education efforts that increase public awareness, concern, and knowledge about environmental issues and provides the critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills needed to make informed and responsible decisions about the environment in all its complexity. Environmental Education promotes interdisciplinary integration of subject matter, problem-and issues-based learning experiences, and both cooperative and independent learning opportunities. More details here.

The Standards: Overview

Standard 1 Environmental Issue Investigation & Action: Environmentally literate students investigate environmental issues in order to develop and implement local actions that protect, sustain or restore the natural environment.

Standard 2 Human Dependence on Earth Systems and Natural Resources: Environmentally literate students construct and apply understanding of how Earth’s systems and natural resources support human existence.

Standard 3 Environmental Impact of Human Activity: Environmentally literate students construct and apply understanding of the environmental impact of human activities on Earth’s systems and resources.

Standard 4 Consequences of Environmental Change on Human Health and Well-Being: Environmentally literate students construct and apply understanding of the consequences of human-induced environmental change on individual and collective health and wellbeing.

Standard 5 Individual and Collective Responses to Environmental Change: Environmentally literate students construct and apply understanding of individual, collective, and societal responses to human-induced environmental change.

When Environmental Literacy Standards are Taught

  • Elementary: Embedded in Social Studies and Science; grades PreK – 5
  • Middle: Embedded in Social Studies and Science; grades 6 – 7
  • High: Biology, Government, Modern World History, American Studies 2 (all courses are graduation requirements)