1. All You Need to Know About the Grade 6 Environmental SSL Requirement
March 25, 2015
Outdoor Environmental Education Programs
Science, Technology and Engineering
Student Service Learning

2. why SSL in Grade 6? And Why through science?
First, way back in
1963…..
Joe’s story – first outdoor ed in elementary, culmination, integrated learning across the curriculum

3. “Outdoor Ed” is born!
1970”s first earth day….

4. Earth Day ! April 22, 1970 1970”s first earth day….
1992 – mandate service earning participation as a graduation requirement – infused into existing courses

5. S1992SL 1992 SSL Grad Requrement!
General Instructional Programs 13A
D. Student Service. Students shall complete one of the following: .... (1) seventy-five hours of student service that includes preparation, action, and reflection components and that, at the discretion of the local school system, may begin during the middle grades; or (2) a locally-designed program in student service that has been approved by the State Superintendent of Schools.
1970”s first earth day….
1992 – mandate service earning participation as a graduation requirement – infused into existing courses

6. Chesapeake Bay Agreement
2000
Chesapeake Bay Agreement
Mandates a meaningful Bay or stream outdoor experience for every school student in the watershed before graduation from high school.
Experiences should be
investigative or project
oriented.
Laurie – Policy
So outdoor ed was the place to do this!
Ches Bay 2000 Agreement:
VA, MD, PA, DC and EPA re-signed an agreement to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem
Focus areas: Living Resource Protection and Restoration, Vital Habitat Protection and Restoration, Water Quality Protection and Restoration, Sound Land Use, **Stewardship and Community Engagement**This one included a statement about k-12 education.

7. 2008!
Louv published in 2008

8. MSDE Code of Maryland Regulations for Environmental Education
COMAR 13A.04.17
2010
Comprehensive PreK-12 multidisciplinary program of environmental education in every school system aligned with the Maryland Environmental Literacy Curriculum
COMAR

9. MSDE Code of Maryland Regulations for Environmental Education
COMAR 13A June 2011 High School Graduation Requirement Complete a locally designed high school program of environmental literacy
Laurie- importance of adopting this as a high school graduation requirement – imbedded in curriculum – no separate test.
In MCPS bio and government are our two subject areas in which the 8 standards are taught. The challenge was to address Standard 1 –expectation that students investigate environmental issues but also take action. We do that in Government – students investigate an environmental issue and write an advocacy letter.

10. Chesapeake Bay 2014 Agreement
Mandates a meaningful Bay or stream outdoor experience for every school student in the watershed at least once at each grade band before graduation
from high school.
Experiences should be
investigative or project
oriented.
Laurie – Policy
Ches Bay 2000 Agreement:
VA, MD, PA, DC and EPA re-signed an agreement to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem
Focus areas: Living Resource Protection and Restoration, Vital Habitat Protection and Restoration, Water Quality Protection and Restoration, Sound Land Use, **Stewardship and Community Engagement**This one included a statement about k-12 education.

11. Outdoor Environmental Education Programs
NO Child Left Inside Persuasion and argument around authentic and local environmental issues

12. Outdoor Environmental Education All You Need to Know About the Grade 6 Environmental SSL Requirement
March 25, 2015

13. What is Student Service Learning
A teaching method that addresses real community need through meaningful service and curriculum-based learning.
High quality service learning promotes civic knowledge, civic engagement, academic success, character and social development in students.
SSL neither substitutes for, nor replaces service to families, neighbors, and/or religious organization members.

14. Maryland Seven Best Practices of Service Learning
Meet a recognized need in the community
Achieve curricular objectives through service-learning
Reflect throughout the service-learning experience
Develop student responsibility
Establish community partnerships
Plan ahead for service-learning
Equip students with knowledge and skills needed for service

15. MCPS SSL Program 75 Hour SSL Graduation Requirement
3 systemwide deadlines to document service
MCPS SSL Program
My not receive financial compensation
Specific MCPS Courses
School sponsored clubs, activities, departments
Approved Non-profit Organizations
Individual SSL Request Form
SSL Activity Verification Form
SSL hours reflected on report cards and transcripts
SSL Implementation Plan approved by MSDE
SSL Coordinator in every secondary school
1 SSL hour for every hour of service outside of the school day
(maximum of 8 hours in a 24 hour period)
Supervised by an adult representing the nonprofit organizations or school
Public Place
May not involve door-to-door canvassing or telephone solicitation
3 Phases of SSL
MCPS SSL Awards for Exceptional Service
Secular Activities
Summer after Grade 5 to Grade 12

16. Three Phases of SSL:
Preparation
2. Action
3. Reflection

17. Provides students with the knowledge and skills needed for service.
1. Preparation
Provides students with the knowledge and
skills needed for service.

18. 2. Action
Direct service provides face-to-face contact with the service recipients. These activities include tutoring young children; serving meals at homeless shelters; working with the elderly in nursing homes.
Indirect Service meets a need with no direct contact. These activities include food & clothing collections and environmental projects.
Advocacy shares viewpoints on issues of interest. These activities include letter writing, public comment, and participating in community activities.

19. 3. Reflection Encourages students to rethink:
the need they have addressed
the service they have performed
the impact of their service on the community
what they learned about themselves

20. Parents - Students - Community
SSL Coordinator The primary point of contact for students, parents, & staff regarding the MCPS SSL program, guidelines and requirements
School
Parents - Students - Community
Implements the MCPS SSL guidelines and requirements
Participates in meetings with building administrator to discuss the status of the SSL program
Chairs the local school SSL advisory committee
Coordinates MCPS SSL awards program
Shares monthly SSL notes with school newsletter editor
Communicates with staff who provide SSL opportunities in courses
Designates a place where students can drop off forms according to timeline
Maintains an OASIS SSL Log and SSL folder for every student
Shares preapproved organizations & opportunities with students
Provides all necessary MCPS SSL Forms
Recommends students for award opportunities
Works collaboratively with an SSL parent liaison at the school to promote the MCPS SSL program and opportunities within the community
Reviews opportunities from community organizations for pre-approval

21. Automatic SSL Hours Process Achieve Curricular Objectives through SSL Activities

22. Integration Classroom Instruction Curriculum Student Service Learning
The key is that all of the planned components work together to achieve our goals of scientific and environmental literacy. Your classroom instruction, along with the curriculum and opportunities through outdoor education support the complete package the student experiences in 6th grade. By integrating the SSL component, the classroom instruction becomes truly authentic, and prepares students for life long learning and service to improve our daily lives and the lives of others.
Student Service Learning
Outdoor Ed

23. Maryland Department of Natural Resources Request for Proposal (RFP) Biodiversity Restoration Project
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources requests proposals from an experienced design team to promote public awareness of the ecological value of the Lathrop E. Smith Center ecosystem and develop a solution for threats to its biodiversity and health.
As you are aware, we are updating our MS curriculum to align with the Next Generation Science Standards. As part of that work, we are updating the current “butterfly habitat or trout habitat RFP” to reflect the NGSS emphasis on larger systems. Therefore the updated RFP will have a focus on how to improve the biodiversity of an ecosystem. Note on location.
Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms. It includes diversity within and among species and diversity within and among ecosystems. Biodiversity is the source of many ecosystem goods, such as food and genetic resources, and changes in biodiversity can influence the supply of ecosystem services.

24. Ecological Services Benefits
Drinking water
Timber
Wood fuel, natural gas and oils
Plants used to make clothes/other materials
Medicinal benefits
Pollination
Decomposition
Water purification
Cultural and educational values
Recreation and ecotourism
Ecological services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems.

25. Design a Solution Examples: Habitat loss (hummingbirds, bees)
Overexploitation (Trout schools)
Spread of non-native species (Wine-berry, mile-a-minute, garlic mustard, stilt grass)
Disease (limiting factors, honey bees)
Water Quality (macro invertebrate lab)
Nutrient recycling (protist lab, bacteria soil lab)
Soil erosion
Students will be asked to look at one or more impacts that affects the biodiversity of an ecosystem, such as habitat loss, over exploitation, invasive species, disease, etc. and design a solution to combat that particular impact to improve the biodiversity of an ecosystem. As human behavior affects most if not all of these impacts, it is important that humans are educated to change their behavior.
Wineberry will be talked about in a few minutes. We are working with Laurie and her team around habitat loss for bees.

26. Promote Public Awareness
Develop a communication tool that educates the public on the negative conditions affecting the ecosystem and persuades the community to participate in solving the problem.
Therefore, students will be asked to develop…..

27. Curriculum Connections
Habitat model must be drawn to scale and show all relevant abiotic and biotic factors of the habitat design that are necessary for maintaining the ecological health of the ecosystem.
A review of the history of the habitat and an assessment summary of its current health.
A description of the abiotic and biotic factors of an ideal habitat, including an explanation of any unique needs.
What students will be completing throughout the unit. Specific curriculum connections
Life cycle of checkerspot and trout: no longer in NGSS
Looking at organisms in relationship to biodiversity within ecosystem

28. Curriculum Connections
A food chain which includes an organism most directly connected with the design solution.
A food web which includes the 10 organisms most directly impacted by the design solution, identifies the predator and prey relationships of the ecosystem, and explains the positive impact to the food web.
Symbiotic relationships that exist within the ecosystem.
Energy pyramid

29. Connections
Lessons in the unit will directly link to opportunities at the school house to draw connections for students with local ecosystems. Additionally, when students come to the outdoor education, they will directly observe and participate in various solutions to the problems specific to the outdoor education site.