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The Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum

Famed naturalist John Muir captured the vital importance of education about the environment when he said, "Tug on anything at all and you'll find it connected to everything else in the universe." Imagine the possibilities if that understanding began, for students, as early as Kindergarten and continued through high school. With the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum, that vision is well on the way to becoming a reality.

Field-tested in K-12th grade classrooms from San Diego to California's North Coast, the 85 EEI Curriculum units cover selected academic content standards in both Science and History-Social Science. Each EEI unit is designed to teach one or more standards to mastery.

The State Board of Education (SBE) approved 76 EEI Curriculum units on January 6, 2010. EEI Curriculum units with an asterisk (*) next to their titles have been revised based on feedback from the Curriculum and  Supplemental Materials Commission. The SBE will address those curriculum units in March 2010. The approved 85 units are now undergoing revisions to incorporate the feedback and recommendations provided by teachers, content specialists, and the California State Board of Education’s members. Revisions to the units will be completed by Fall 2010.

Take a Look! Final Draft EEI Curriculum Units Below.

The "Final Draft" EEI curriculum units are posted here while revisions are underway.

Please Note: Many of the PDF files are large (10 to 60 MB or more) and may require significant download time, depending upon the type of Internet connection you are using. 
 

Kindergarten	Standard	Unit
	K.3.a.	The World Around Me Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Alphabet Cards, Workbook: E is for Earth, National Geographic Society (NGS) Map: Habitats
	K.3.c.	A Day in My Life Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Flip Chart: A Day in My Life
	K.4.5/K.6.3.	Some Things Change and Some Things Stay the Same Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Big Book: Our School and Our Town
1st Grade	Standard	Unit
	1.2.a.	Surviving and Thriving Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Journal: My Science Journal, Reader: Beavers and Where They Live, NGS Map: Habitats
	1.2.c.	Finding Shelter Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: An Interesting Little Bird, Poster: Kelp Forest, NGS Maps: Political, Habitats
	1.2.d.	Open Wide! Look Inside! Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Big Book: Life on California’s Channel Islands, NGS Map: Political
	1.2.4.	People and Places Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Big Book: Two Different Places, NGS Map: People and the Environment
	1.4.2.	On The Move Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Big Book: On the Move Through Time
2nd Grade	Standard	Units
	2.2.4.	California Lands – Then and Now Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, NGS Map: People and the Environment
	2.2.a./2.2.b.	Cycle of Life Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: The Tall Pine and the Big Eagle, Presentation: A Monarch’s Story, NGS Map: Habitats
	2.2.c./2.2.d.	Alike and Different Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: Adapted to Woodlands, Posters: Woodlands in Summer and Woodlands in Winter, NGS Maps: Habitats
	2.2.e./2.2.f.	Flowering Plants in Our Changing Environment Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: Mother Orange Tree, NGS Map: Habitats
	2.3.a./2.3.b.	The Earth Rocks Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: Sarah’s Spring, Posters: California Pine Forest and California Rocky Coast
	2.4.1.	From Field to Table Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Readers: Wheat Farming: Then and Now and the Bale Grist Mill, The California Weather Connection, NGS Maps: Habitats, People and the Environment
	2.4.2./2.4.3.	The Dollars and Sense of Food Production Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: The Mystery of the Missing Strawberries, Audio: Strawberry News Report (Windows Media, 32 Kbps, 2:20 minutes), NGS Maps: Habitats, People and the Environment
3rd Grade	Standard	Units
	3.1.1./3.1.2.	The Geography of Where We Live Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: California Natural Regions, NGS Maps: Political, Habitats, People and the Environment
	3.2.2.	California Indian People: Exploring Tribal Regions Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: California Natural Regions, Presentations: More or Less and Making a Tule Boat, NGS Maps: Political, Habitats, California Tribal Regions
	3.3.a.	Structures for Survival in a Healthy Ecosystem Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Readers: Roots and Trunks, Beaks and Claws and California Natural Regions, NGS Map: Habitats
	3.3.c./3.3.d.	Living Things in Changing Environments Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, NGS Map: Habitats
	3.5.1./3.5.2./3.5.3.	California's Economy—Natural Choices* Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: So Many Decisions to Make, NGS Maps: Political, People and the Environment
4th Grade	Standard	Units
	4.1.3./4.1.5.	Reflections of Where We Live* Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: California Natural Regions, NGS Maps: Human Geography, Natural Regions, Political
	4.2.1.	California Indian Peoples and Management of Natural Resources* Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: California Natural Regions, NGS Maps: California Tribal Regions, Natural Regions
	4.2.6.	Cultivating California Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, NGS Maps: Human Geography, Political
	4.2.a.	Plants: the Ultimate Energy Resource Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Posters: Mojave Ecosystem, Freshwater Streams, and North Coastal Forests, NGS Map: Natural Regions
	4.2.b.	The Flow of Energy Through Ecosystems Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, NGS Map: Natural Regions
	4.2.c.	Life and Death with Decomposers Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Workbook: Decomposition Book
	4.3.3.	Witnessing the Gold Rush Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, NGS Maps: Human Geography, Political
	4.3.d.	Microorganisms and the Human World Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary
5th Grade	Standards	Units
	5.3.a.	Earth's Water Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Poster: Glaciers on Earth, Presentation: Managing California’s Water, NGS Map: Political
	5.3.b.	Changing States: Water, Natural Systems and Human Communities Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, NGS Map: Natural Regions
	5.3.c.	Precipitation, People, and the Natural World Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Student Map: Precipitation in California, NGS Maps: Natural Regions, Political
	5.3.d.	Our Water: Sources and Uses Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, NGS Maps: Human Geography, Water for Life, Political
	5.4.1.	Human Settlement and the Natural Regions of the Eastern Seaboard* Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary
	5.8.4.	Nature and Newcomers Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary
6th Grade	Standards	Units
	6.1.1.	Paleolithic People: Tools, Tasks, and Fire Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, NGS Maps: Natural Regions, Political
	6.1.2.	Paleolithic People: Adapting to Change Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, NGS Maps: Natural Regions, Human Geography
	6.2.1.	River Systems and Ancient Peoples Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Presentation: Seasonal Cycles of the Fertile Crescent, NGS Maps: View From Space, Natural Regions, Water For Life
	6.2.2.	Agricultural Advances in Ancient Civilizations* Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Presentation: Changes in The Fertile Crescent, NGS Map: View from Space
	6.2.6./6.2.8.	Egypt and Kush: A Tale of Two Kingdoms Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, NGS Map: Water for Life
	6.2.b.	The Dynamic Nature of Rivers Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, NGS Maps: View From Space, Water For Life
	6.5.1./6.6.1.	The Rivers and the Ancient Empires of China and India Teacher’s Edition (TE), Supporting Materials (SM), Word Wall Cards (WWC), Dictionary (D), Presentation: Looking at Natural Resources and Rivers, NGS Map: Water For Life
	6.5.c.	Energy: Pass it on! Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, NGS Maps: Political, Natural Regions
	6.5.d.	Playing the Same Role Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Posters: World Biomes, NGS Map: Political
	6.6.a.	Energy: It's Not All the Same to You! Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Reader: The Energy Source Buffet, Video: You’ve Got the Power (Windows Media, 282 Kbps. 12:04 Minutes), NGS Maps: Energy Resources, Natural Regions
	6.6.b.	Energy and Material Resources: Renewable or Not? Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary
	6.6.c.	Made from Earth: How Natural Resources Become Things We Use Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Word Wall Cards, Dictionary, Journal: Manufacturing and Design
7th Grade	Standards	Units
	7.2.5.	Arabic Trade Networks: Growth and Expansion in the Middle Ages Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Student Map: Afroeurasian Trade Routes in the Middle Ages, NGS Maps: Political, Human Geography
	7.3.5.	Genius Across the Centuries Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Poster: China’s Natural Regions
	7.3.a.	Shaping Natural Systems through Evolution Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Map: Political
	7.3.e.	Responding to Environmental Change Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Game board: Changes in Ecosystems, NGS Maps: Human Geography, Biological Diversity, Human Imprint
	7.4.g.	Extinction: Past and Present Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Map: View From Space
	7.6.3.	Managing Nature's Bounty: Feudalism in Medieval Europe Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Student Map: Physical Map of Medieval Europe, NGS Map: Natural Regions
	7.7.1.	Sun Gods and Jaguar Kings* Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
	7.7.3.	Broken Jade and Tarnished Gold* Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Poster: Important Resources in the Inca Empire | Important Resources in the Aztec Empire
8th Grade	Standards	Units
	8.4.1.	Land, Politics, and Expansion in the Early Republic Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
	8.6.3.	America Grows Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Map: View From Space
	8.8.4.	Struggles with Water Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Map: Water for Life
	8.12.1.	Agricultural and Industrial Development in the United States (1877-1914) Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
	8.12.5	Industrialization, Urbanization, and the Conservation Movement Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Map: Political
Biology	Standards	Units
	B.5.c.	High Tech Harvest: Genetic Engineering and the Environment Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
	B.6.a.	Biodiversity: The Keystone to Life on Earth Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Map: Biological Diversity
	B.6.b.	Ecosystem Change in California Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Maps: Biological Diversity, Political, Human Imprint, and Who Owns California
	B.8.a.	Differential Survival of Organisms Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
	B.8.b.	Biological Diversity: The World’s Riches Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Maps: Biological Diversity, Diversity of Life, Biodiversity
	B.8.d.	The Isolation of Species Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
Earth Science	Standards	Units
	E.4.c.	The Greenhouse Effect on Natural Systems Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Video: Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Landmark Legislation to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Part 1 (Windows media, 14:31 Minutes) | Part 2 (Windows media, 282Kbps. 14:31 Minutes) | Part 3 (Windows media, 11:34 Minutes), NGS Map: View From Space
	E.5.d.	Ocean Currents and Natural Systems Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
	E.5.e.	Rainforests and Deserts: Distribution, Uses, and Human Influences Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Maps: Political, Biological Diversity
	E.7.b.	The Life and Times of Carbon Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
	E.8.c.	Living Under One Roof Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
	E.9.c.	Liquid Gold: California's Water Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Video: Chairman's Address to the Association of California Water Agencies (Window Media, 292 Kbps. 12:13 minutes), NGS Maps: Water For Life, View from Space
10th Grade	Standards	Units
	10.3.1./10.3.5.	Britain Solves a Problem and Creates the Industrial Revolution Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Map: Political
	10.3.3.	Growth of Population, Cities, and Demands Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Maps: Human Imprint
	10.4.1.	New Imperialism: The Search for Natural Resources Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
	10.4.3.	New Imperialism: The Control of India’s and South Africa’s Resources Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
11th Grade	Standards	Units
	11.5.7.	Mass Production, Marketing, and Consumption in the Roaring Twenties Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
	11.8.6.	Postwar Industries and the Emerging Environmental Movement Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Student Map: Ecological Regions of North America, NGS Maps: View From Space, Human Imprint
	11.9.7.	The United States and Mexico — Working Together* Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Student Map: Border Region Map
	11.11.5.	Many Voices, Many Visions: Analyzing Contemporary Environmental Issues Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Maps: Political, Who Owns California
12th Grade	Standards	Units
	12.1.4. (E)	Private Property and Resource Conservation Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, NGS Maps: Political, Who Owns California
	12.2.2./12.2.5. (PAD)	This Land Is Our Land Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Presentation: Introduction to Landfills, NGS Maps: Political, View From Space, Human Imprint
	12.2.2./12.2.7. (E)	Sustaining Economies and the Earth's Resources Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials
	12.3.1 (E)	The Role of Government in Economics: An Environmental Perspective* Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Presentation: Emissions Allowances and Environmental Protection, NGS Maps: Human Imprint
	12.3.2. (PAD)	Active Voices: Civil Society and the Environment Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Presentation: The Evolution of People’s Park, NGS Maps: Political, View From Space
	12.7.6. (PAD)	Making and Implementing Environmental Laws Teacher’s Edition, Supporting Materials, Presentation: Superfund & Military Base Closures and California's Brownfields Program: An Overview, NGS Maps: Political, Human Imprint

If you require special accommodation to access this document pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Office of Education and the Environment at (916) 341-6769 or EEI@calepa.ca.gov.

Background Information

Highlights of the EEI Curriculum

• Is an environment-based curriculum rather than an environmental education curriculum. The curriculum is designed to teach students about their relationship with the environment and how humans interact with natural systems.
• Is designed to teach select California academic standards to mastery.
• Is aligned with instructional materials adopted by the California Department of Education (the 2005 History/Social Science adoption and the 2006 Science adoption).
• Includes “Extension Ideas” that give teachers ideas for linking their lessons with local resources, including environmental education providers, industry, and/or agencies in their area.

Learning Objectives for the 85 EEI Curriculum Units

Take a look at the final list of Learning Objectives for all 85 California EEI Curriculum units (PDF) that will be used in EEI Units

Model Curriculum Plan

The Model Curriculum Plan (PDF, 1 MB) outlines the proposed methodology, scope, and sequence for the EEI Curriculum pursuant to the law’s requirements.

During the development of the Model Curriculum Plan, input was solicited from state agencies, education organizations, business groups, universities, and environmental organizations.

In addition, an Educator Needs Assessment was sent to 10,000 teachers and numerous focus group meetings and discussion sessions were conducted to gather information regarding design elements for the EEI Curriculum. Design alternatives were developed as a result of these meetings.

The results of the Educator Needs Assessment indicated that teachers would require the EEI Curriculum to address grade and discipline-specific standards. In response, the Model Curriculum is being designed to fit with teachers' existing lesson plans without increasing instructional content. Each lesson may stand alone or be used in combination with other units. The EEI Curriculum will use content and instructional materials already adopted, incorporating the EP&Cs as the content for instruction. It will provide a scope and sequence for teaching the EP&Cs through a learning continuum from kindergarten through 12th grade.

The Model Curriculum Plan was reviewed by State of California environmental organizations, Curriculum and Supplemental Materials Commission liaison, EEI Education Partnership, and educational entities.

Attributes of the EEI Curriculum:

• Teach content standards to mastery.
• Can be easily implemented by teachers.
• Does not place an extra burden on teachers.
• Offer teachers an alternative strategy to teach the content of their subject matter.
• Make use of and work well with adopted instructional materials.
• Be cost-effective and fit with established assessment practices.

Design Format of the EEI Curriculum:

• Comprehensive units that teach complete standard(s).
• Content-based units using Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&C)-related literature and materials to develop skills.
• Individual lessons using EP&C content to expand on particular elements of standard(s).

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