Environmental Education Plan (pdf)Environmental education events and resources for North Carolina's preK-12 teachers. Also useful for homeschool and nonformal educators.
North Carolina Environmental Literacy Plan
In the fall of 2008, the N.C.Department of Public Instruction and the N.C. Department of Environment & Natural Resources entered into a partnership to develop a state environmental literacy plan. This partnership was created in response to federal legislation called the No Child Left Inside Act, which would provide increased funding for environmental education initiatives as part of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (also known as No Child Left Behind). North Carolina's environmental literacy plan is being developed by DPI and DENR in partnership with Environmental Educators of North Carolina, the state professional association for environmental educators, and the NC Association of Environmental Education Centers, with additional input from a wide range stakeholders in the education and environmental communities.
Review the NC Environmental Literacy Plan - Draft 1.0. (.pdf) (.doc)
Sign up to receive updates about the NC Environmental Literacy Plan by email.
For more information, please contact Marty Wiggins at marty.wiggins@ncdenr.gov or Lisa Tolley at lisa.tolley@ncdenr.gov.
Publications
The Office of Environmental Education provides a variety of publications that educators find useful. Click here to see a listing of all of our publications, many of which are free to order!
EE Schools
This is a listing of North Carolina schools that integrate environmental and outdoor education into their curriculum. It is a great way for schools interested in EE to network, learn from each other and use each other as resources. List your school today!
Grants, Contests and other Resources
EE Grants Database The majority of the grants in this updated directory support classroom and school projects related to environmental education and outdoor learning!
Contests and Awards Database This is also a great resource for teachers and nonformal educators. Many of these contests can be used for classroom activities or individual student projects. There are also opportunities for recognition of environmental education efforts by teachers, students and volunteers. Many awards have cash prizes that can be used toward the current or future projects!
EE Resource Database Search this comprehensive database for the very best in environmental education professional development opportunities, service learning, field trips and outreach programs.
EE Lesson Plans
Activties and lessons from the Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs:
- Bluebirds: Winter Blues Learn how to put up a bluebird box in the winter for spring fun and learning!
- Seedy...In A Good Way Explore the world of seeds with a fun flashcard game.
- Cheap and Easy Butterflies Investigate caterpillars in your own backyard with inexpensive household items.
- Animal Tracks and Signs Discover many ways to look for the clues animals leave behind.
- N.C. River Basins and Discover Your Ecological Address online and print publications are popular with both middle and high school teachers.
- EE Resource DatabaseYou can also search our databse for lessons and activities. Under resource type, choose "Educational Materials & Curricula."
Learn NC has a number of environmental education-related lesson plans. Just type "environmental education" into their lesson plan search engine!
Take A Child Outside has simple outdoor activities.
Outdoor Classrooms
Our friends at the Natural Learning Initiative at N.C. State University specialize in outdoor learning environments and have a wealth of information and resources.
EE for Early Childhood
Providing developmentally appropriate environmental education lessons and activities for preschool-aged children can be a challenge. We recommend these resources:
Natural Wonders: A Guide to Early Childhood for Environmental Educators, Minnesota Early Childhood Environmental Education Consortium, 2002
Making the Most of Outdoor Time with Preschool Children, NC Cooperative Extension
Preschool Outdoor Environment Measurement Scale (POEMS), NC Cooperative Extension
Outdoor Play: Combating Sedentary Lifestyles, by Betsy Thigpen in Sept. 2007 issue of Zero to Three
Nurturing Children's Biophilia: Developmentally Appropriate Environmental Education for Young Children, Randy White and Vicki L. Stoecklin, White Hutchinson Leisure and Learning Group, 2008
EE School News
Articles pertaining to EE and the classroom. Learn how teachers and schools in N.C. are integrating environmental education to improve student performance. Also features education policy news that affects environmental education.
