Advancing Equitable Environmental Literacy in Illinois
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Since spring 2020 EEAI has engaged with over 50 individuals representing more than 40 different organizations from around the state of Illinois in developing a foundational guide to advancing equitable environmental literacy in Illinois,
now titled EL4IL: Environmental Literacy for Illinois And we are ready to share it with you! |
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How to Use EL4IL
The EL4IL Project team envisions this document being used as a compliment to professional development workshops, courses and other events related to environmental education throughout Illinois. Additionally, EL4IL can be utilized by higher education faculty working with pre-service educators. This project is being funded by the Pisces Foundation.
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For Professional Development Providers
EL4IL was created to be used to help inform both actively working Illinois educators as well as pre-service educators in a wide range of fields. The EL4IL Educator Guide can help professional development providers understand how to incorporate EL4IL into an in-person or online workshop or use as an asynchronous assignment. |
Workshops
Illinois Climate Change Education Online Workshop Series
Comprehensive climate change education means understanding climate science, current research demonstrating local changes and impacts and an understanding of how to effectively share that information with students. This workshop series will provide Illinois formal and non-formal educators that work with elementary through high school students all of the information, tools, resources and curriculum support they need to implement comprehensive climate change education.
May 10th - 4:30pm - 6:30pm CST;
Elementary/Middle School Climate Change Curriculum Workshop
May 11th - 4:30pm - 6:30pm CST;
High School Climate Change Curriculum Workshop
May 16th - 4:30pm - 6:00pm; IL Climate Change Panel Discussion
COST -
Full Workshop EEAI Members - $45
Full Workshop Non-Members - $60
Elementary/Middle Curriculum Workshop and Panel Discussion - $35
High School Curriculum Workshop and Panel Discussion - $35
Panel Discussion Only - $15
IL State Board of Education professional development credit hours can be provided to interested formal educators. Educator Identification number is required during registration. Total number of hours provided will be based on number of events attended. A maximum of 5.5 hours can be provided.
May 10th and 11th - Climate Change Curriculum Workshops
Join Climate Generation staff for one of two 2-hour workshops featuring key aspects of climate change education. In these workshops educators will use Climate Generation’s Minnesota’s Changing Climate curriculum to explore concrete examples of how to bring climate change into both formal and nonformal settings in a context localized to Illinois. Each of the two workshops will feature lessons and activities for connecting climate change to explorations of the natural history of plants and animals through observation and journal writing. The May 10th workshop will highlight elementary and middle school techniques and resources, and May 11th will focus on high school. Educators will leave with practical climate change activities to incorporate into their educational experiences and links to download Climate Generation’s free curricular resources.
Comprehensive climate change education means understanding climate science, current research demonstrating local changes and impacts and an understanding of how to effectively share that information with students. This workshop series will provide Illinois formal and non-formal educators that work with elementary through high school students all of the information, tools, resources and curriculum support they need to implement comprehensive climate change education.
May 10th - 4:30pm - 6:30pm CST;
Elementary/Middle School Climate Change Curriculum Workshop
May 11th - 4:30pm - 6:30pm CST;
High School Climate Change Curriculum Workshop
May 16th - 4:30pm - 6:00pm; IL Climate Change Panel Discussion
COST -
Full Workshop EEAI Members - $45
Full Workshop Non-Members - $60
Elementary/Middle Curriculum Workshop and Panel Discussion - $35
High School Curriculum Workshop and Panel Discussion - $35
Panel Discussion Only - $15
IL State Board of Education professional development credit hours can be provided to interested formal educators. Educator Identification number is required during registration. Total number of hours provided will be based on number of events attended. A maximum of 5.5 hours can be provided.
May 10th and 11th - Climate Change Curriculum Workshops
Join Climate Generation staff for one of two 2-hour workshops featuring key aspects of climate change education. In these workshops educators will use Climate Generation’s Minnesota’s Changing Climate curriculum to explore concrete examples of how to bring climate change into both formal and nonformal settings in a context localized to Illinois. Each of the two workshops will feature lessons and activities for connecting climate change to explorations of the natural history of plants and animals through observation and journal writing. The May 10th workshop will highlight elementary and middle school techniques and resources, and May 11th will focus on high school. Educators will leave with practical climate change activities to incorporate into their educational experiences and links to download Climate Generation’s free curricular resources.
May 16th - IL Climate Change Panel Discussion
Participants will hear from a wide range of Illinois experts on climate science and impacts facing Illinois communities. This panel discussion will provide educators with vital, localized, real-time research examples and stories about climate change here in Illinois. Experts will share resources and follow up materials for continued education of participants.
Climate Change Panelists:
Dr. Eric Schauber - Director of the Illinois Natural History Survey and Illinois State Biologist
Edith Makra - Director of Environmental Initiatives, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus
Elena Grossman - Director of the Illinois BRACE Program, University of Illinois-Chicago
Trent Wayne Ford - Illinois State Climatologist, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
Climate Change Panel Moderator:
Ayesha T. Qazi-Lampert - Science Teacher at Northside College Preparatory High School
Participants will hear from a wide range of Illinois experts on climate science and impacts facing Illinois communities. This panel discussion will provide educators with vital, localized, real-time research examples and stories about climate change here in Illinois. Experts will share resources and follow up materials for continued education of participants.
Climate Change Panelists:
Dr. Eric Schauber - Director of the Illinois Natural History Survey and Illinois State Biologist
Edith Makra - Director of Environmental Initiatives, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus
Elena Grossman - Director of the Illinois BRACE Program, University of Illinois-Chicago
Trent Wayne Ford - Illinois State Climatologist, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
Climate Change Panel Moderator:
Ayesha T. Qazi-Lampert - Science Teacher at Northside College Preparatory High School
IL EE Resource Database
Get a sneak peak at the "in progress" development of the Illinois EE Resource Database! This map and searchable feature will help educators connect with the facilities, resources and services in their area and across the state to advance equitable environmental literacy.
Technical issues are still being worked out so don't judge us too harshly just yet!
Interested in having your facility, resource or service added? It is FREE! Simply head to the site and click the ADD LISTING button to create your spot on the map.
Technical issues are still being worked out so don't judge us too harshly just yet!
Interested in having your facility, resource or service added? It is FREE! Simply head to the site and click the ADD LISTING button to create your spot on the map.
Already see yourself listed? Want to change, update or add more information? EEAI has already been working hard to ensure our Organizational Members are already a part of the IL EE Resource Database, but all of your information may not be there.
Simply complete the form below so that we can get that updated for you.
Simply complete the form below so that we can get that updated for you.
2010 Environmental Literacy Plan for IllinoisThe Environmental Literacy for Illinois (EL for IL) strategic plan was originally released in July of 1995. In January of 1998 six of the 10 original committee chairs met in Bloomington to revise and update the plan to reflect upon objectives that had been met, as well as the technological advances achieved in the past few years. The original plan was endorsed by over 200 leaders throughout the state, from agency personnel and nature center staff, to educators and Illinois State Board of Education staff. During Conservation Congress 2000, Environmental Literacy for Illinois won the full support of the congressional body and was unanimously passed for statewide adoption.
In May of 2005, a revision team convened to amend the plan to reflect the accomplishments of the plan’s goals since its conception and modify it for the next five years. The revision was available for review to over 150 environmental educators throughout the state. In October of 2009, the Conservation Congress voted on a number of recommendations to increase youth involvement and interest in outdoor activities. The top recommendation in the Youth Recruitment and Retention subcommittee made by the congress was to update the Environmental Literacy for Illinois strategic plan. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources engaged the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to develop this plan, with input from over 30 organizations. Governor Pat Quinn signed Executive Order 10-7 on April 14, 2010, supporting the adoption of the Environmental Literacy for Illinois strategic plan. |
What is an Environmental Literacy Plan? Environmental literacy plans (ELPs) are state-specific comprehensive frameworks that support school systems in expanding and improving environmental education programs.
ELPs: • Ensure that environmental education activities are aligned with student graduation requirements and help achieve state education goals • Integrate environmental education fully, efficiently, and appropriately into formal education systems • Align teacher professional development opportunities in environmental education with student achievement goals in environmental literacy • Ensure consistency, accuracy, and excellence in environmental content knowledge • Engage underserved communities through an inclusive process so that all stakeholders are beneficiaries of environmental education in schools • Involve non-formal environmental education providers, state natural resource agencies, community organizations, and other partners in environmental education activities in schools • Serve as a necessary component of a comprehensive state environmental education program State Environmental Literacy Plan Resources NAAEE - State Environmental Literacy Plans 2014 Status Report Developing a Statewide Environmental Literacy Plan |
2020 Sponsoring Organizations
The Field Museum
Chicago Wilderness
Mary Rice
Chicago Wilderness
Mary Rice
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Want to be Involved in this Work?
Become a Sponsoring Organization -
As the lead organization on the re-writing of the IL Statewide Environmental Literacy Plan, the Environmental Education Association of Illinois will be working hard to advocate for the full adoption and endorsement of this plan by Illinois educators, governing bodies and the public. To support this effort please consider making a donation to EEAI. Funds donated to EEAI will go directly toward staff time in advocating for the plan and in continued support of the implementation of the literacy plan. Organizations that choose to give a minimum of $250 will be listed on the plan as a Sponsoring Organization. Sponsoring organizations will have their logo or organizational name listed on this website, on the final "home" website for the EL4IL, in the final publication of the EL4IL and in future press releases or promotional materials for the project. In addition, Sponsoring Organizations will be provided the EL4IL logo that they can place on their own websites as a way to advertise their support. Simply click the DONATE button below to get started!
As the lead organization on the re-writing of the IL Statewide Environmental Literacy Plan, the Environmental Education Association of Illinois will be working hard to advocate for the full adoption and endorsement of this plan by Illinois educators, governing bodies and the public. To support this effort please consider making a donation to EEAI. Funds donated to EEAI will go directly toward staff time in advocating for the plan and in continued support of the implementation of the literacy plan. Organizations that choose to give a minimum of $250 will be listed on the plan as a Sponsoring Organization. Sponsoring organizations will have their logo or organizational name listed on this website, on the final "home" website for the EL4IL, in the final publication of the EL4IL and in future press releases or promotional materials for the project. In addition, Sponsoring Organizations will be provided the EL4IL logo that they can place on their own websites as a way to advertise their support. Simply click the DONATE button below to get started!