Project Grant 953A0064

DESCRIPTION:THIS GRANT AWARDS INTERMEDIATE UNIT ONE $71,965 OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR AN OVERALL BUDGET AND PROJECT COST OF $96,022. THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FUNDING TO 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 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. ACTIVITIES:ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED DURING THIS PROJECT PERIOD INCLUDE THE ROLLOUT OF THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL ECOSYSTEMS INITIATIVE, WHICH WILL COMPRISE THE DELIVERY OF CURRICULUM MATERIALS TO SCHOOL PARTNERS, REGIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CURRICULUM TRAINING FOR EDUCATORS, AS WELL AS ONGOING EDUCATOR SUPPORT AND PROGRAM EVALUATION. THERE WILL BE A PHASE 1 AND PHASE 2 RUNNING CONCURRENTLY, WITH CURRICULUM MATERIALS BEING DISTRIBUTED TO THE PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS AHEAD OF THE 2025-2026 ACADEMIC YEAR. TEACHERS WILL RECEIVE REMOTE ACCESS TO A CURRICULUM OF TEN MODULES ALIGNED TO THE ACCEPTED EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS. THE ROLLOUT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ECOSYSTEMS INITIATIVE INCLUDES THE DELIVERY OF CURRICULUM MATERIALS TO SCHOOL PARTNERS, REGIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CURRICULUM TRAINING FOR EDUCATORS, AND ONGOING EDUCATOR SUPPORT AND PROGRAM EVALUATION.SUBRECIPIENT:13 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND 4 MIDDLE SCHOOLS WILL BE RECEIVING $1,250 AND $1,625, RESPECTIVELY, TO IMPLEMENT AQUAPONIC CURRICULUM TO TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN AGRO-INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES AND THEIR PLACEMENT AND IMPACTS RELATIVE TO LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS AND THE BROADER ENVIRONMENT; DEVELOP THE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS NEEDED TO APPROACH ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES; AND ASSESS NOT ONLY THE ROLES, ACTIONS, AND EFFECTS OF INDIVIDUAL AGENTS, BUT ALSO EVALUATE THE BROADER INTERPLAYS OF ANIMAL REARING AND PLANT GROWTH, CLIMATE CONSIDERATIONS, NUTRIENT AND WATER CYCLES, AND OTHER FACTORS. THE TOTAL AGGREGATE VALUE OF SUBAWARDS IS $22,750.OUTCOMES:THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES: THE PROGRAM WILL COMPLETE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS WITH THE SELECTED SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AND STAKEHOLDERS; ENSURE LOGISTICAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE IN PLACE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AQUAPONICS CURRICULUM; PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FOR EDUCATORS IN EACH OF THE SELECTED SCHOOLS; INTEGRATE SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES; AND FOSTER IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS WITHIN THE SCHOOL SETTINGS.