Green Schools Design Essentials

This PDF document was published by Green Charter Schools Network. Their goals involve the promotion the identification, connection and development of innovative Green Schools through partnerships across the United States. Here are four components of their “Green School Design Essentials.”

Component 1: Standards-based integrated environmental learning and Green career education

-Solid emphasis on outdoor/hands-on learning Constructivist pedagogy driven by a school wide ‘Green’ culture.
-Engaged autonomous learners with the confidence and skills to pursue the widest range of post-secondary Green careers with STEM emphasis.
-Individual/group learning complimented by research based environment focused models: ex; project-based, expeditionary, and interdisciplinary units.
- All models incorporate place-based education approach.

Component 2: Implement Green and Healthy school practices and develop Green School facilities

-Schools that work towards implementation of green facilities with LEED facility design components.
-Incorporating green practices around energy, waste and water reduction in your school.
- Implement the use of healthy eco-friendly supplies and materials in your school and on school grounds. -Conduct research on the relationship of Green and Healthy Schools to improve student learning and reducing environmental impact.

-Developing Leopold’s Land Ethic. Respect for one’s immediate place, land stewardship, gives one respect for all places. (We may take natural resources for granted but ultimately it is the land that sustains us).
-Apply integrated environmental learning skills and capacity for students to develop sustainable Earth solutions.
-Practice the role of active environmental stewardship by developing peace gardens and organic gardens on school sites.
-Restoration of school and community land to develop natural ecosystems through service learning projects.

Component 4: Partnerships and networks –locally, statewide, bio-regionally and nationally

-Incorporate the community as an explicit partner for environmental learning.
- Develop a statewide and bio-regional capacity to support field learning, internships, conferences, and symposiums.
-Contribute to the development connection and sustainability of a national network to support Green Schools.
-Utilize dissemination resources to help with a sustainable state and national Green School Movement.

Click here to download Green Schools Design Essentials (PDF).