SFUSD Earth Day Every Day Challenge

Tours of the Bay Area Air District are available for class-size student groups. Tours will include a visit to the air quality and meteorology laboratories and, upon request, discussions of professional or educational interest. Email Kristina at kchu@baaqmd.gov with the subjcet line “Air District Tour for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to schedule.

For thousands of years, salmon have played a vital role in cultures and economies around the world. Their annual migration has inspired dances, festivals, poems, and family recipes. These iconic fish are the centerpiece of many different community traditions and fishing economies. Salmon are also a vital link in many food chains and a keystone species in many ecosystems. This series of educational resources highlights the challenges facing salmon and how communities can become salmon stewards. Learn more.

The Bay Area Air District offers air quality, health and transportation-related presentations to local community groups, youth serving organizations, schools and health-based groups. Air District staff can tailor presentations based on attendee interest and program focus. Email Kristina at kchu@baaqmd.gov with the subjcet line “Bay Area Air District Presentation for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to schedule.

Take your students to visit Ocean Beach or Baker Beach for a 1-2 hour cleanup and collect data on the plastics you find. To schedule, email Eva at RAP@sf.surfrider.org with the subject line “Beach Cleanup for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day”.

Created by SFPUC and Center for Ecoliteracy, Big Ideas is a guide for teachers to engage their students in learning about how we obtain, use, and conserve water; how we harness the nature of power to provide energy; and how we clean our waste and reuse resources to protect the environment. These quick lesson ideas are aligned to NGSS, Common Core for English Language Arts, or History-Social Science Standards for California Public Schools to cultivate a cross-disciplinary approach to teaching about water, power, and sewer. Access the lessons.

Join the fun as schools across San Francisco celebrate the annual Bike & Roll to School Week in Spring 2020 and thousands of students, parents and teachers bike in “bike trains” or otherwise roll to school. Any parent or school staff member can sign up your school: pick the best day of the week and encourage everyone to roll by bike, scooter, wheelchair, or skateboard. Get organizer resources plus student prizes, stickers and healthy snacks. There’s a chance to win a free bicycle, too! Learn more.

This lesson is composed of 3 challenges, each addressing a different aspect of how to design an efficient public bus system for a fictitious town while taking into account the benefits and drawbacks of various fuel options. All challenges involve mathematical & computational thinking and modeling that is connected not only to the NGSS, but also to the middle school Common Core math standards. Learn more.

The Academy is the only place where you’ll find an aquarium, planetarium, and natural history museum all under one living roof. Book a planetarium show, enjoy drop-in presentations, and explore endless exhibits!

School field trips to the California Academy of Sciences are available year-round for school groups bringing grades preK-12, including preschool. Bring one class, or the entire grade! Admission is FREE for San Francisco schools. Learn more.

Take the pledge to eat more plant-rich meals. Earn 2 extra points if you submit a photo of you completing your pledge on the Points Reporting Form.

The Coastal Commission is launching a new challenge for middle and high school students this school year, inviting them to create short videos in response to the question, “How do we come together for the climate?” Students can enter independently or under the guidance of a teacher, on their own or in teams of up to five film makers. The deadline to submit entries is March 31st, 2020. Learn more.

Take the pledge to spend time connecting to nature. Earn 2 extra points if you submit a photo of you completing your pledge on the Points Reporting Form.

Teach your students about one of the most vital ecosystems on this planet: coral reefs. Students will identify the many species found in these communities, investigate the unique biology of deep-sea corals, and learn the threats these animals face and what we can do help protect them. Includes lesson plans, videos, powerpoints, field guides, and more. Access the curriculum.

Make “better” ears! Why do animals’ ears look different from yours? What would life be like if your ears were shaped differently? Make new ears for yourself and find out. Learn more.

For returning participants to the Earth Day Every Day Challenge (or eager new participants)! Inspire and show your colleagues on how easy it is to help their school get ahead in the EDED Challenge by presenting this 10 minute slide presentation at your next staff meeting. Suitable for parents, middle school, and high school students as well! Email conserve@sfusd.edu if you’d like a phone tutorial of the presentation. Access the presentation.

Using these quick, interactive, and NGSS aligned lessons, teach your students about how human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space. Access the lessons.

Compete with schools across California to reduce your electric bill and carbon footprint! Host a launch lesson with an SEI Energy Advisor and win prizes. Email Lauren at laurenazzola@seiinc.org with the subject line “Energy Conservation Competition for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to learn more.

Work with an SEI instructor to create a custom presentation and/or lesson that relates to zero net energy, solar energy, and/or energy efficiency that aligns with your teaching subject (i.e. history, science, math, etc). Topics can include careers in green energy, introduction to energy efficiency and environment, exploration to energy system and green energy, and much more! Learn about the programs here and email Lauren at laurenazzola@seiinc.org with the subject line “Energy Presentation/Lesson for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to get started.

Engineering for Good is a three-week, project-based learning unit for science classrooms focused on developing solutions for negative impacts of plastics on the environment. In this NGSS-aligned unit, students use the engineering design process to define a problem, brainstorm solutions, develop prototypes and iterate on their designs. The project culminates with students producing videos about their solutions to share with the community. Learn more.

Literacy for Environmental Justice provides educational experiences that are pioneering education rooted in environmental justice. This field trip provokes participants to think critically about their surrounding environments. Students learn how environmental stewardship and native ecology are powerful solutions to environmental and social justice issues in southeast San Francisco and beyond. Email Ryan Tachibana at ryan.tachibana@lejyouth.org with the subject line “Environmental Justice Field Trip for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to schedule.

The SFUSD Environmental Science Center team offers third grade SFUSD classes a free, four-hour, field science investigation to provide students meaningful and engaging science exploration in either Golden Gate or McLaren Parks. Learn more and apply by September 3rd.

Model the carbon cycle and its principal reservoirs and flow rates using rice. Understanding the carbon cycle is fundamental to making sense of environmental changes such as global warming and ocean acidification. This model shows the relative abundance of carbon in each of the earth’s main carbon reservoirs, and also shows the yearly exchanges between these reservoirs. Learn more.

Need help starting or improving upon your cafeteria composting? Support for the Food to Flowers Program includes dynamic assemblies featuring the SF Environment mascot Phoebe the Phoenix (she appears at elementary schools only), compost monitor trainings + aprons, curriculum, signs for your carts, and classroom materials.

Email the School Education Team at environment@sfgov.org with “Food to Flowers Support for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” in the subject line. Make sure to request which resources you would like out of: assembly (40 points), classroom presentation (15), compost monitor trainings (15), breakfast program help (20), afterschool program help (20), or a staff training (15).

Features videos, lesson plans, and an online farming game, all of which prepare students to understand how we can improve our water resilience. Learn more.

Investigate how the city recycles materials by learning about our compost bins, worm bin, and composting toilet (one of the city’s first), and observing microorganisms under a microscope. Learn more.

Do you have students Interested in energy efficiency, solar energy, and green jobs? During this classroom presentation, a member of the local nonprofit engineering firm will discuss what they do, how they got started in the field, and work with students on a mock audit strategy. Email Darya at soofid1@sfusd.edu with the subject line “Ecology Action Presentation for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” with your desired date at least 3 months prior.

Bay Model is a scale hydraulic model of the Bay and Delta. We simulate the tides and currents of the Bay. An excellent place to learn about the SF Bay watershed and how human activities impact the Bay ecosystems. Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Saturday 9am-4pm. Learn more and call 415-289-3007 to schedule and personalize your experience.

Become a Park Steward and help restore unique San Francisco coastal habitat at Lands End, Fort Funston, and along the Presidio coastal bluffs. Our program offers great opportunity for those interested in ecological science. Enhance your studies, explore new habitats, and learn about local wildlife and plants with us. Weekly volunteer activities focus on weeding in the summer and planting in the winter, as well as seed collection, landscape beautification, and trail maintenance. Email Yakuta Poonawalla at ypoonawalla@parksconservancy.org with the subject line “Habitat Restoration work for (Your School ): Earth Day Every Day” to schedule.

At the end of this lesson students will be able to:

1. Recognize that some foods have lower water footprints than others and that meat production is particularly water intensive
2. Plan and create a healthy, balanced meal that has a low water footprint
3. Understand how each person’s food choices affect the water availability in the environment

Learn more.

Even plants have their favorite color. Photosynthesis requires light, but plants don’t use all the colors that make up white light. Use a spectroscope to explore the absorption and transmission of white light through leaf material. Learn more.

Learn the basics of recycling through this interactive web-based game with the Litter Critters! Students will sort trash into four different litter categories: recyclables, compost, electronic waste, and landfill waste. Learn more.

Explore this large library of environmental and science based lessons, activities and ideas related to water, air, waste, energy, ecosystems and more! Lessons in Spanish available. Learn more.

Using these quick, interactive, and NGSS aligned lessons, teach your students about animals, adaptations, ecosystems, and and more! Access the lessons.

Build a simple wind generator. Use wind to power a motor and generate enough electricity to light an LED. Learn more.

Come explore the College Hill Learning Garden through a self-guided scavenger hunt that brings each student through the seven main themes of city sustainability demonstrated on the site. Learn more.

Educators from all disciplines (English, Art, Math, Physical Education, etc.) can use this guide to bring their content into the outdoor world in a fun and engaging way. Through these activities, students will build a “place-based understanding” and connect to their neighborhoods in a unique natural, geographical and cultural context. Access the guide.

Marine debris is one of the major critical issues threatening animals living in San Francisco Bay and all of the world’s oceans, estuaries, lakes, and rivers. All of us, including your students, can control what we do with our trash and the trash we encounter in our everyday lives. By having your students do a trash cleanup at their school, they can take an active role in preventing the creation of more marine debris. Your students will learn how important and easy it is to prevent trash from becoming marine debris. Access the curriculum.

The Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary offers 3 free educational posters which can be picked up at the Farallones Visitor Center in SF Presidio.

1. Deep Sea Coral: deep sea corals found off the coast of California (grades 6-12)
2. Shorebirds: local SF Bay Area shorebirds (grades 3-12)
3. Historical Fishing Boats: fishing boats in the SF Bay Area over the last 100 years (grades 4-12)

Surfrider Foundation instructors and ocean environmentalists visit your school for a lively presentation about the impact of plastic pollution on marine animals and simple ways we can all adapt our behavior to positively impact the marine environment. Both small interactive or large visual assemblies are available. Email Eva at RAP@sf.surfrider.org with the subject line “Marine Plastic Assembly for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to schedule.

Invite the SF Surfrider Foundation to create art with your students using clean plastic collected at beach cleanups while learning about the big impact they can have by making small changes to avoid single use plastic. You also have the options of using plastic collected at school or having students collect it themselves at a beach cleanup (find this as a separate activity under Field Trips). Student art may also be included in the Surfrider Foundation’s annual art show, “Message in a Bottle”. Email Eva at RAP@sf.surfrider.org with the subject line “Marine Plastic Classroom Presentation for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to schedule.

In this unit students will reflect on the changes they can make in their lives that would impact Earth. By analyzing their school’s carbon footprint in the areas of Energy, Transportation and Waste, they will construct a written and visual version of the plan to meet the SFUSD Sustainability Goals. The unit ends with a written letter to either the SFUSD Office of Sustainability or the SF Department of the Environment with student proposals. Arguments will be based on student learning and data collection throughout the unit. Access the curriculum.

Check out our inspirational exhibits and hands-on activities at the eco-industrial hub. Enjoy hearing about positive, environmental innovations from around the world leading to a healthy, Earth-friendly future! Learn more and schedule a visit.

Check out how renters and families can impact climate. Enjoy Earth friendly, convenient and delightful solutions for a happy, healthy future! Learn more and schedule a visit.

Applications are now being accepted for free Nature Detectives Guided Walks for K-5 classes. Teachers select from 5 different walk topics, and students work in small groups with trained guides to explore the Garden. Applications for walks through January 2020 are due by September 10. Learn more.

A step-by-step guide to implementing project based, no idling campaign at your school. Using the fun and engaging online dashboard, students collect and enter data on the idling traffic at school and run an education campaign to affect change. The data entered into the system can calculate pounds of pollution taken out of the air and gas dollars saved thanks to the students’ efforts! Learn more.

Create a carbon dioxide–rich atmosphere in a cup and watch how it changes the water beneath it. This model of ocean-atmosphere interaction shows how carbon dioxide gas diffuses into water, causing the water to become more acidic. Ocean acidification is a change that can have big consequences. Learn more.

Explore a famous environmental data set to learn about climate change. Graph carbon dioxide data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to learn about natural cycles and unnatural changes in our atmosphere. Note: This activity works best with multiple groups, with each group graphing a different year’s data. Learn more.

Learn about urban water systems, rainwater, and watersheds through exploration, modeling, and stewardship. Lesson objectives and activities will be adapted to suit grade levels. Learn more.

Explore the various habitat examples on the site through a scavenger hunt and learn how to help create a biodiverse and interdependent city through stewardship. Lesson objectives and activities will be adapted to suit grade levels. Learn more.

An assembly designed to teach students about San Francisco’s water resources and the importance of conservation and is based on the “Our Water” curriculum. Email the School Education Team at environment@sfgov.org with “Our Water Assembly for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” in the subject line to schedule.

Our Water is designed to teach 4th–6th grade students about San Francisco’s water resources and the importance of conservation. It is a unique, interdisciplinary unit that supports CA State Standards. This unit was created to be flexible. While we put the materials in the order we think works best, you can use it in part, in whole, or in any order you choose. Learn more.

A classroom presentation designed to teach students about San Francisco’s water resources and the importance of conservation and is based on the “Our Water” curriculum. Email the School Education Team at environment@sfgov.org with “Our Water Classroom Presentation for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” in the subject line to schedule.

Measure the efficiency of solar cells as they convert sunlight to power. Solar cells convert light energy into electrical energy. With a few simple tools on a sunny day (or working indoors under a light source), you can measure how efficient a solar cell is at transforming sunlight into electricity. Learn more.

Bring your 4th or 5th grade class to camp overnight at the SFUSD Environmental Science Center located at Fort Funston. Our naturalists will support experiential, NGSS-aligned adventures along our coast with your students. Learn more and apply by September 3rd.

Light leaves leaves light. Photosynthetic organisms capture energy from the sun and matter from the air to make the food we eat, while also producing the oxygen we breathe. In this Snack, oxygen produced during photosynthesis makes leaf bits float like bubbles in water. Learn more.

Engage your students in this video-led, arts-based, interdisciplinary resource that meets NGSS and Common Core Standards. Students learn about climate, energy, water, and transportation issues through interactive songs, games and activities in six 1-hour video-led lessons. Students also go home on superhero missions to lead change in their families’ habits! Learn more.

Engage your students in this video-led, arts-based, interdisciplinary resource that meets NGSS and Common Core Standards. Students learn about waste & consumptions issues through interactive songs, games and activities in six 1-hour video-led lessons. Students also go home on superhero missions to lead change in their families’ habits! Learn more.

Learn how to take care of our environment through place appropriate planting by field sketching and working with drought-tolerant and water-loving plants on site. Lesson objectives and activities will be adapted to suit grade levels. Learn more.

Learn about urban power generation by exploring renewable energy sources on-site and options for using power sustainably at school and at home. Lesson objectives and activities will be adapted to suit grade levels. Learn more.

Introduce your students to the long lasting impact of plastic-use in San Francisco with this 5-minute video on plastic pollution. Complete with NGSS discussion questions, investigations, and reflections, California Academy of Sciences’s new youth powered program, Flipside Science, tackles complex environmental topics and empowers viewers to make a difference. Learn more.

Turn your kitchen trash into a garden treasure. Given the right conditions, worms can accelerate the breakdown of rotting food and produce rich compost in return. Learn more.

Discover how rain gardens are used as a tool to protect our watersheds through exploration of the three on-site rain gardens. Lesson objectives and activities will be adapted to suit grade levels. Learn more.

What do you do if something looks odd in your data? Sometimes when you’re looking at data, you come across something surprising—a measurement that’s so unusual, you wonder if it’s correct. Take a look at some actual data from a rain gauge, then investigate what is likely to be accurate, and why. Learn more.

Landfills take up a lot of space and use a lot of energy, and San Francisco has set the goal to be “waste free” by year 2020. Instead, as much waste as possible will be diverted to recycling and composting facilities, which also creates rich soil for farmers. In this lesson, students learn about decomposition and landfills, and learn how to sort their trash into the appropriate bin. Learn more.

Energy Upgrade California is offering a free Renewable Energy Fruit Popsicle Contest to 30 SFUSD Schools! One classroom per school will lead the campus-wide contest by encouraging their peers to do an at home Energy Investigation with their families. The classroom on your campus that submits the most Energy Investigations will win a Fruit Popsicle Party! If your school submits more Energy Investigations than any other SFUSD school you will receive popsicles for EVERYONE on your campus. Learn more and email Allison at amiller@ase.org with the subject line “Renewable Energy Outreach Contest for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to get started.

The Rock Fund Program provides a free field trip to the California Academy of Sciences, free field trip bus transportation for school groups not within walking distance, and free educational field trip programs led by professional educators (we have bilingual staff, too!). Select from program options that connect to NGSS content at your grade level such as: SF Geology, Earthquakes, African Ecosystems, Plants & Carbon and more! Learn more.

Do you want to bring San Francisco Bay and surrounding ecosystems into your classroom? Look no further than these resources Aquarium of the Bay created for you and your students. Each guide contains multiple thematic lesson plans and is aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards. Access the curriculum.

This 75-minute presentation teaches students about the Earth’s water supply, the water cycle, and how human activity can pollute or protect our water. Meets California State Standards. Email the School Education Team at environment@sfgov.org with “Save Our Bay Classroom Presentation for (Your School Name): Earth Day Every Day” in the subject line to schedule.

Organize a school cleanup day during recess, after school, or on a weekend with help and supplies from SF Giant Sweep. Email jimmer.cassiol@sfdpw.org with “School Cleanup Day for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” in the subject line.

Browse the collection of educational videos to help your students visualize data and understand scientific and environmental concepts. Videos cover a broad range of scientific questions from the environmental impact of feeding the world to how climate change can affect biodiversity. Access the resources.

This curriculum focuses on the rich biodiversity of San Francisco Bay’s ecosystem. Amongst the wide array of aquatic life in the Bay, the Dungeness Crab is an essential part of the marine food web. By studying the Dungeness Crab, students will gain an understanding of the complex connections that define an Ecosystem, Adaptation and Habitats. Learn more.

There is no better way to learn about Maritime History than by making a compass and locating historical San Francisco Landmarks from the water. This curriculum takes students directly to the heart of the history of the Bay, making the local past tangible. Students will come away from this class able to use a compass and identify historical figures and landmarks in San Francisco from a unique perspective. Learn more.

San Francisco Bay is home to some of the most powerful renewable energy sources: solar, wind and ocean energy. Sailing is unique in its ability to utilize all three of these energy sources. Through sailing, students will gain hands-on experience with renewable energy, learning how to harness renewable sources in a unique way. Learn more.

Connect your learners to wildlife using this collection of online resources designed to enhance lessons in biology, zoology, and ecology. Find guides to pair with your visits to the Zoo and fun, science-based activities to support your wildlife lessons. Learn more.

See why ocean acidification may be giving some marine organisms shell shock. Explore how the pH of a solution dictates whether carbon is present in the form needed to make seashells. Learn more.

Work with an SEI instructor to create a custom presentation and/or lesson that relates to solar and renewable energy that aligns with your teaching subject (i.e. history, science, math, etc). Topics can include the photoelectric effect, solar design, solar installation and much more! Preview the curriculum here and email Lauren at laurenazzola@seiinc.org with the subject line “Solar Presentation/Lesson for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to get started.

Art is often inspired by nature, and it can also inspire the imagination and actions of the people who see it. In this 45 minute program, join us to find your own artistic inspiration as we dive into exploring the creativity and action of other artists throughout time. Learn more.

November 14 - 9:10am or 10:10am November 15 - 9:10am or 10:10am

In this 45 minute program, students will practice observing and identifying patterns that meteorologists used to make weather predictions. They then will put these skills to use to make their own forecasts! Building on their ideas of weather as climatologists, students will make observations on weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over time. Through this exploration, students will obtain and integrate information to describe climates in different regions. Learn more.

March 19, 2020 - 9:10am or 10:10am March 23, 2020 - 9:10am or 10:10am

In this 45 minute program, students will practice observing and identifying patterns that meteorologists used to make weather predictions. They then will put these skills to use to make their own forecasts! Building on their ideas of weather as climatologists, students will make observations on weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over time. Through this exploration, students will obtain and integrate information to describe climates in different regions. Learn more.

March 19, 2020 - 9:10am or 10:10am March 23, 2020 - 9:10am or 10:10am

In this 45-minute NGSS-aligned program, we will explore the ingenuity of individuals designing ways to support ecosystems and communities. Students will build upon their own ideas on impacts of one of the biggest impacts on Earth’s ecosystems, such as how to provide food for all people or how to reduce energy use. Students will be challenged to design simple, personal solutions for minimizing impacts while meeting the needs of people, plants, and animals. At the end, they will create their own Planet Hero Action Plan. Learn more.

April 22, 2020 - 9:10am or 10:10am April 23, 2020 - 9:10am or 10:10am

In this 30 minute program, get into the Valentine’s Day spirit as you meet one of the Academy’s penguin biologists! Get to know what goes in a day of making sure the penguin colony has all they need to live a happy life at the museum. Get an insider look and hear from an Academy expert about the support and efforts that help contribute to African penguins in the wild. Learn more.

February 13, 2020 - 9:10am or 10:10am February 14, 2020 - 9:10am or 10:10am

Looking to make Halloween excitement into a fun science experience? Join this 45-minute NGSS-aligned online program from the California Academy of Sciences. Come face-to-face with a diversity of spooktacular skulls! Watch a live colony of flesh-eating beetles in action as they devour and clean flesh from bones. Examine eye sockets, teeth, and other features to find out if mystery skulls were predator or prey. Learn more.

October 30, 2019 - 9:10am or 10:10am October 31, 2019 - 9:10am or 10:10am

In this 45 minute program, students will build skills for spotting birds. Through observation, students will identify unique bird adaptations and feeding strategies in a variety of habitats. They will take a closer look at some of the Academy’s bird collections! Students will then create bird field notebooks modeled on journals from Academy scientists! In no time, students will notice birds and their behaviors in their own backyards or right outside the schoolyard. Learn more.

January 23, 2020 - 9:10am or 10:10am January 24, 2020 - 9:10am or 10:10am

This 30-minute slide show assembly teaches about the problems with litter, the causes of litter, and what we can do to help stop litter. Two assemblies can be presented to reach the entire school. Email the School Education Team at environment@sfgov.org with “Stop Litter Assembly for (Your School Name): Earth Day Every Day” in the subject line to schedule.

Street Safety Explorers is a fun, free curriculum that introduces 3rd-5th grade students to the importance of street design and pedestrian safety, while building analytical and critical thinking skills. In the program, students learn to analyze traffic safety problems on the street near their school and identify street redesign solutions that will help address those challenges. Learn more.

The SEI Sustainability Grades 2-3 curriculum expands on concepts learned in SEI’s K-1 unit, to further examine sustainability topics such as climate change, energy, water, transportation, and waste. Through thirteen interactive and hands-on lessons students build a deeper understanding for the world and environment around them. The adaptable lessons allow the curriculum to span multiple disciplines, class schedules, student skill levels, and background knowledge. Examples of experiential activities include designing a Clean Air Neighborhood, building a simple generator, and conducting a class waste assessment. Learn more and email Lauren at laurenazzola@seiinc.org with the subject line “Sustainability Curriculum Grades 2-3 for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to get sent the curriculum free for SFUSD schools.

The K-1 sustainability curriculum has students participate in lessons and interactive activities that teach the basics of climate change as well as why global warming is occurring, the importance of clean energy sources, the water cycle and water conservation, green transportation, recycling, reusing, reducing, and rotting (composting). This course will leave students with a strong understanding of the components of sustainability and their importance. Learn more and email Lauren at laurenazzola@seiinc.org with the subject line “Sustainability Curriculum K-1 for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to get sent the curriculum free for SFUSD schools.

Pick a book from the Virtual Sustainability Library to read aloud to your students. Most are available at the San Francisco Public Library. Feel free to add your own recommendations to the list as well! Learn more.

Take the pledge to try a more sustainable form of transportation for a trip of your choice. Earn 2 extra points if you submit a photo of you completing your pledge on the Points Reporting Form.

Switch to LED Today! is a fun interactive presentation on the benefits of LED lighting in fighting climate change. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “Widespread use of LED lighting has the greatest potential impact on energy savings in the United States.” Surprisingly, though, LED lights still only constitute a fraction of the lights used in American homes. Presentation explains the evolution of the light bulb and the need to Switch to LED Today! Kids will also be given LED lights. Email Paul at paul@oneatmosphere.org with the subject line “Switch to LED Today Presentation for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to schedule.

Teaching Happening is an interdisciplinary, modular curriculum developed to work alongside the educational version of the documentary Happening: A Clean Energy Revolution, aligned with national standards for grades 6-12. Stream Happening (enter RCStoriesEDU), access the curriculum, and then send an Impact Report to stories@redfordcenter.org.

LIVE is a suite of virtual programs created by The Marine Mammal Center to connect your class or group with a marine science educator at our hospital and education facility in California. Join us on a Digital Dive into the work of marine mammal health and ocean conservation! Learn more.

Work with an SEI instructor to create a custom presentation and/or lesson that relates to sustainable transportation and aligns with your teaching subject (i.e. history, science, math, etc). Topics can include careers in green transportation, the interactive building of solar cars, designing transportation friendly cities, evaluating the carbon emissions from your schools’ commute data and much more! Learn about the programs here and email Lauren at laurenazzola@seiinc.org with the subject line “Transportation Presentation/Lesson for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to get started.

Discover how to grow healthy, sustainable food in the city by helping us care for our food garden. Lesson objectives and activities will be adapted to suit grade levels. Learn more.

High school math teachers: use this 4-part lesson created by a math teacher from our very own Abraham Lincoln High School! Students will apply their math skills to real world water conservation problems while learning the importance of this special natural resource. Access the curriculum.

This four lesson unit is comprised of activities that are great for reviewing concepts, preparing for Walk and Roll to School Days, or just for teaching students about commuting safely by foot or bike to school! Access the curriculum.

Start a fun, healthy habit for you and your children at this year’s International Walk & Roll to School Day on Wednesday, October 2, 2019. Join parents, caregivers and children in over 40 countries and all 50 states, who will be walking and rolling to school together! Learn more..

A walking school bus is a parent/caregiver‐initiated group of children walking to school with one or more adults. It can be as simple and informal as several families taking turns walking their children to school, or as structured as a route with meeting points, a timetable and a regularly rotated schedule of volunteers. Read a quick guide for Walking School Buses or contact Jacquie Zapata-Chavez at gogreen@sfusd.edu for onsite support getting the first one started. Please put “Walking School Bus Support for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” in the subject line.

Have you ever wondered what happens to the dirty water from your shower, laundry and toilet after it goes down the drain? What about the runoff from lawns and gardens, and rainwater and car washing?

Find out by taking a free tour of one of San Francisco’s Wastewater Treatment Plants. You’ll learn about the history of wastewater treatment in San Francisco and plans to upgrade our aging sewer system, tips on preventing pollution of our Bay and Ocean, and best of all, you’ll go behind the scenes to see (and smell!) how this vital infrastructure works. Learn more.

Work with an SEI instructor to create a custom presentation and/or lesson that relates to usage and conservation of water and aligns with your teaching subject (i.e. history, science, math, etc). Topics can include assessment of water usage in school and home, exploration of careers related to water, technology related to water cycle and human society, and much more! Learn about the programs here and email Lauren at laurenazzola@seiinc.org with the subject line “Water Presentation/Lesson for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to get started.

Take the pledge to conserve water. Earn 2 extra points if you submit a photo of you completing your pledge on the Points Reporting Form.

Work with an SEI instructor to create a custom presentation and/or lesson that relates to waterways and watersheds and aligns with your teaching subject (i.e. history, science, math, etc). Topics can include introduction to human water usage, water system management, exploration of water system and economic and much more! Learn about the programs here and email Lauren at laurenazzola@seiinc.org with the subject line “Watersheds and Waterways Presentation/Lesson for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to get started.

Teach students about material lifecycles and a more sustainable circular economy. Hands-on maker projects with bicycle inner tubes introduce students to dead end material flows and unique reuse opportunities. Includes techniques for preparing waste inner tubes and creating with this engaging “raw” material. Aligns with Common Core, NGSS, California Art, and National Curriculum for Social Studies. Learn more.

Youth Vs. Apocalypse is a program designed to support middle and high school students in fighting for their right to a livable planet and a healthy community. It offers in-class presentations that use activities, slides, videos, and opportunities for in-class action to reveal how climate is a justice issue, how it connects with other social issues like racism and classism, and how young people can feel empowered to take meaningful action in their world, starting now. Email Caroyln at carolynclara@gmail.com with the subject line “Youth Action Presentation at (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” and 3 dates and times to schedule your presentation.

YSP offers two programs to choose from: YSP Full (5 trips) and YSP Abbreviated (1- 3 trips). Each program trip can be tailored to meet the needs of teachers and fall within one of our five themes: Sense of Place, Plant Adaptation, Water and Soil, Animal Adaptation and Interdependence. Each program trip includes an environmental education and habitat restoration component. All programs are free of cost and include an introductory in-class presentation. Learn more and apply.

YSP offers two programs to choose from: YSP Full (5 trips) and YSP Abbreviated (1- 3 trips). Each program trip can be tailored to meet the needs of teachers and fall within one of our five themes: Sense of Place, Plant Adaptation, Water and Soil, Animal Adaptation and Interdependence. Each program trip includes an environmental education and habitat restoration component. All programs are free of cost and include an introductory in-class presentation. Learn more and apply.

YSP offers two programs to choose from: YSP Full (5 trips) and YSP Abbreviated (1- 3 trips). Each program trip can be tailored to meet the needs of teachers and fall within one of our five themes: Sense of Place, Plant Adaptation, Water and Soil, Animal Adaptation and Interdependence. Each program trip includes an environmental education and habitat restoration component. All programs are free of cost and include an introductory in-class presentation. Learn more and apply.

YSP offers two programs to choose from: YSP Full (5 trips) and YSP Abbreviated (1- 3 trips). Each program trip can be tailored to meet the needs of teachers and fall within one of our five themes: Sense of Place, Plant Adaptation, Water and Soil, Animal Adaptation and Interdependence. Each program trip includes an environmental education and habitat restoration component. All programs are free of cost and include an introductory in-class presentation. Learn more and apply.

YSP offers two programs to choose from: YSP Full (5 trips) and YSP Abbreviated (1- 3 trips). Each program trip can be tailored to meet the needs of teachers and fall within one of our five themes: Sense of Place, Plant Adaptation, Water and Soil, Animal Adaptation and Interdependence. Each program trip includes an environmental education and habitat restoration component. All programs are free of cost and include an introductory in-class presentation. Learn more and apply.

Take the pledge to reduce your compost, recycling, and/or landfill waste. Earn 2 extra points if you submit a photo of you completing your pledge on the Points Reporting Form.

Work with an SEI instructor to create a custom presentation and/or lesson that relates to waste reduction and aligns with your teaching subject (i.e. history, science, math, etc). Topics can include exploring community based resources related to waste and recycling, establishing and executing individual and team-based waste reduction projects, evaluating the efficiency of the waste reduction projects and much more! Learn about the programs here and email Lauren at laurenazzola@seiinc.org with the subject line “Zero Waste Presentation/Lesson for (Your School): Earth Day Every Day” to get started.