STRENGTHEN BASIC SKILLS USING CONSERVATION EDUCATION

Case studies of individual schools, integrated groups of schools, and a statewide program that adopted environment-based education as the central focus of their academic programs showed:

• Reading scores improve.
• Mathematics scores improve.
• Students perform better in science and social studies.
• Students develop the ability to transfer knowledge from familiar to unfamiliar contexts.
• Students learn to "do science" rather than just "learn about science."
• Classroom discipline problems decline.
• Opportunities to learn at a high level are equalized among students.

Environmental education not only helps children become better educated, but it also helps them become better citizens.

The above information comes from Education & the Environment: Strategic Initiatives for Enhancing Education in California, 2002. California Department of Education