Students are noticing extreme heat, flooding, wildfires, and other effects of climate change in their communities. But teachers do not have access to instructional materials on these or related topics that are California-specific. To meet this need, the California Legislature provided the San Mateo County Office of Education with funding to create curricular resources to help teachers empower students to be environmentally literate, engaged community members who are prepared to act for the well-being of their family, broader community, and environment.

The San Mateo County Office of Education is working with Ten Strands to develop units for every grade level. These units, which are scheduled for release in spring 2025, will be free, open education resources, standards-based, and will integrate California’s Environmental Principles and Concepts.

Current Program Status

Writing teams are continuing to refine their work. Field testing begins this spring. See the Ten Strands website for more information on the writing teams and process.

About the Instructional Materials

Engage and empower by sparking student curiosity

  • Students get the opportunity to investigate age-appropriate, California-specific environmental issues and solutions
  • Inquiry-based Storyline approach to learning helps students learn how to think, not what to think
  • Mindful of students’ personal experiences with environmental issues, like wildfire and flooding

Support teachers in meeting state standards

  • Free supplemental resources that align to state standards, Environmental Principles & Concepts, and frameworks
  • One 15-hour unit of instruction at each grade level; integration with science, history-social science, mathematics, and English language arts
  • Culturally relevant and includes the experiences of youth and communities statewide

Previous Updates

Patricia Love

Executive Director, Strategy and Communications

Email: plove@smcoe.org

Phone: (650) 802-5559