Project Grant 00A01094

DESCRIPTION:THIS GRANT AGREEMENT IS BEING AWARDED FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $90,000 TO CAMPUS COMPACT TO IMPLEMENT ITS PROJECT. THESE FUNDS WILL ASSIST IN THE DESIGN, DEMONSTRATE, AND DISSEMINATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, METHODS, AND TECHNIQUES THAT WILL SERVE TO INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND ENCOURAGE BEHAVIOR THAT WILL BENEFIT THE ENVIRONMENT IN MORRILL, HANCOCK, AND LAMOINE, MAINE. THE GRANTEE WILL DO THIS THROUGH EFFORTS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE/AIR QUALITY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY STEWARDSHIP THROUGH PROBLEM-BASED CURRICULUM AND ACTIVITIES FOR MAINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS (3RD-5TH GRADE) IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. ACTIVITIES:THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN LAMOINE, MORRILL, AND HANCOCK, MAINE AND PROVIDE TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE: FIVE SCHOOL TEAMS THROUGHOUT MAINE, EACH CONSISTING OF A 4TH GRADE TEACHER FROM A DIVERSE, LOW INCOME AREA AND/OR RURAL COMMUNITY PAIRED WITH A PRE-SERVICE COLLEGE STUDENT AND FACULTY ADVISOR TO IMPLEMENT THE RESEARCH-BASED, EE CURRICULUM, CONNECT SCIENCE (CS). WITH AN EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF COLLEGES AROUND THE STATE, MCC WILL PAIR HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS WITH 4TH GRADE TEACHERS TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS EE CURRICULUM. EACH TEAM WILL ATTEND A FIVE-DAY CS TRAINING AND IMPLEMENT A 12-WEEK ENERGY UNIT IN THEIR CLASSROOM CULMINATING WITH A STUDENT-LED SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECT. EACH TEAM WILL ORGANIZE AND LEAD AT LEAST ONE EE COMMUNITY EVENT TO PROMOTE ENERGY EFFICIENCY TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY. FINALLY, TEACHERS AND PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS WILL LEAD ONE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH THEIR PEERS AND TO EXPAND THE IMPACTS OF THE ENERGY ME MODEL. OVER 750 MAINERS WILL BE REACHED IN TOTAL. THE EDUCATIONAL METHODOLOGIES UTILIZED INCLUDE: A FIVE-DAY IN-PERSON/VIRTUAL TRAINING WORKSHOP FOR ENERGY ME TEAM MEMBERS, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CS CURRICULUM, STUDENT IMPACT ACTIVITIES, CONTINUOUS COACHING FOR TEAMS AS THEY IMPLEMENT CS, COMMUNITY EDUCATION FORUMS LED BY TEAM MEMBERS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC. THIS CURRICULUM WEAVES TOGETHER THREE KEY BRANCHES: SCIENCE CONTENT LEARNING ON PAR WITH NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NGSS), STUDENT-DRIVEN SERVICE LEARNING, AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING. SUBRECIPIENT:FIVE TEAMS THROUGHOUT MAINE, EACH CONSISTING OF A 4TH GRADE TEACHER FROM A DIVERSE, LOW INCOME AREA AND/OR RURAL COMMUNITY PAIRED WITH A PRE-SERVICE COLLEGE STUDENT AND FACULTY ADVISOR TO IMPLEMENT THE RESEARCH-BASED, EE CURRICULUM, CONNECT SCIENCE (CS). AFTER THE 12 WEEK LEARNING PROGRAM IS COMPLETED STUDENTS WILL LEAD A SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT AS A RESULT OF THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: AWARENESS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION (EE) NEEDS IN THE REGION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CONNECT SCIENCE LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES, NEW TOOLS TO IMPLEMENT A WIDE RANGE OF CURRICULUM IN NEW AND EFFECTIVE WAYS ON ENERGY AND AIR QUALITY, AND ADVANCE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH NEW SCIENCE INSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES FOR EDUCATORS AND PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS.