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About the Learning Site
Our goal in designing these materials is to encourage good global citizenship in young children and to develop in them a deeper understanding of current conservation challenges, cultural differences and the wise use of resources, as well as a healthy respect for the environment. These dynamic units follow state and national learning standards. They teach pertinent science, social studies, math and language arts concepts within the overarching context of environmental education. The Rainforest Alliance understands that children are our most important stakeholders. Not only are they the leaders of tomorrow; they are a key consumer group today, and they are inheriting a society that places greater importance on technology and development than on resource conservation or community-equity. By engaging children in the protection of our forests, wildlife and waterways, the Rainforest Alliance is preparing students for the role that they will one day play as adults in the largest consumer nation in the world. The Rainforest Alliance is investing in the education of children in the United States because we believe that an opportunity exists to excite and engage them with examples of conservation in action. By giving children front-row seats to actual conservation initiatives, we will be exposing them to the tough decisions that communities grapple with in attempting to balance their needs for survival with their desire to protect the environment. By presenting environmental education in the context of real-life situations, we offer children around the country the opportunity to broaden their own cultural perspective in the hopes that they will grow to become compassionate, active and committed conservationists in their own right.
How the Rainforest Curriculum Was DevelopedDeveloped by a highly talented team of educators, these multidisciplinary units follow national learning standards. Together with Rainforest Alliance staff and partners, the team explored the key themes of each conservation project to find which particular elements are most relevant to children. After identifying those key messages, each educator spent many months selecting appropriate and engaging activities, and developing assessment rubrics to gauge student learning. We believe that the resulting units are outstanding. The development team was coordinated by Dr. Anthony Coletta and Corn Associates. The Rainforest Alliance K-6th grade curriculum was revised and expanded by Cindy Thomashow and her team at the Antioch New England Graduate School. The Rainforest Alliance 7th and 8th grade curriculum was created in collaboration with Project Learning Tree, an award-winning multidisciplinary environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation. An Educational Basis for the Curriculum
Each grade-specific unit is based on the Four-Step Plan, a format founded on the latest cognitive research in teaching and learning. By assisting teachers in arranging and implementing pedagogically sound planned learning experiences, the Four-Step Plan is intended to maximize student understanding. Each unit follows national standards as compiled by the Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning by John S. Kendall and Robert J. Muzano. These standards can be easily cross-walked to current individual state standards. In addition, each unit includes assessment rubrics that tie learning to state-mandated standards, enabling teachers at all grade levels to gauge students in areas identified as essential for academic achievement. These lessons were created to reach various learning styles and multiple intelligences by utilizing the key concepts of Howard Gardner. Please see the brief summary of the Four-Step Plan [PDF ~97K] as the model for the development and use of these materials in the classroom. To learn more about the Four-Step Plan, please click here [PDF ~219K] to download "Research Supporting the Strategies within the Four-Step Plan." Made possible by:
Are you using our curriculum? Click here: Yes or No. Just press send! Read comments from people using the curriculum.
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