Developing a Place-Based Curriculum for Environmental Education Aligned to Next Generation Science Standards

With the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards, schools opting for early adoption are fundamentally changing their science instruction. Synergistically, the environmental education community is also adopting these new 3-dimensional standards. The purpose of our study was to work with Western Washington University’s new SEA Discovery Center in Poulsbo, WA to develop an NGSS aligned 6th grade curriculum centered on Olympia Oyster restoration. The place-based curriculum would need to utilize the Center’s unique resources while addressing relevant environmental education programming goals. During the summer of 2017 we met with a variety of stakeholders including the SEA Discovery director, Center volunteers and scientists specializing in oyster restoration. As a planning team, we developed a curriculum and piloted it during a summer youth camp. Upon completion of the pilot program we submitted a final curriculum to the SEA Discovery Center for implementation during the 2017-2018 school year. Through this process we learned that curriculum development is a complicated and fluid progression requiring constant feedback and revision that includes all stakeholders in an iterative design process