Summer Institute Reimagined: Civic Science: Inquiry to Action - Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation
Annual Summer Institute

Summer Institute Reimagined: Civic Science: Inquiry to Action

This program has passed or is no longer active.

THEME: Civic Science: Inquiry to Action

Institute Overview: This 6-day (15 hour) online institute will enhance participants’ understanding of project-based learning and place-based education, principles and practices within the context of your school community modeling CELF’s Inquiry to Action Framework.  

Audience: Teachers of Grades 5 – 12 (science, STEAM, health, social studies, civics)

Full Group Virtual Learning and Facilitated Lesson Planning: Follow the process of Inquiry to Action to develop your own project implementation planner to bring into your classroom or virtual experience for your students.

Daily Schedule & Themes
July 21—Inquiry and Place
July 22—Data Collection and Analysis
July 23—Collaboration and Innovation
July 28—Empowering Student Action
July 29—Environmental Health and Community Science
July 30—Environmental Justice

Topics & Keynotes

Plus K-12 EfS Case Studies shared by CELF Master Teachers with student action projects and applications to teaching and learning in a broad range of contexts.

Program Highlights

Self- Paced activities accessible through (presented as a Tool Kit) will include: 

  • Flipgrid introductions & pre reading assignments
  • Mapping place and your community
  • Completion of the Inquiry to Action framework
  • CELF facilitated project planning work time

“FLOW” Portable Air Quality Monitoring Device 
Through our partnership with Air Champions – Social Change Scientists (ACSCS) – powered by McMac Cx and Plume Labs – we are able to offer every attendee their own portable “FLOW” Air Quality Monitoring Device.

Takeaways: 

  • Complete a place-based/project-based lesson or unit using a local civic science topic such as air quality, water quality, pollinators, or soil quality.
  • Learn about a variety of data collection methods, crowdsourcing tools and monitoring technology and how to use them with your students
  • Design a plan to empower student action at your school
  • Increase knowledge of project-based learning through Civic Science 
  • Increase student advocacy for healthy neighborhoods

About CELF’s Civic Science: Inquiry to Action Framework

Straight from the Source: Teacher Takeaways from Our Summer Institutes


Many Thanks to our Summer Institute Supporters



Join our 2024-25 Civic Science USA Cohort for resources and support to elevate student inquiry!Learn More
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