My sixth grade students in Montague, Michigan are thrilled that Alcoa Foundation sponsored my travel to Silverthorne, Colorado in June to attend Key Issues Institute with Keystone Science School. In the first few months of school, I have been using my knowledge from Key Issues to teach my students about environmental issues in the community. My students have learned about environmental citizenship, and we are beginning to study environmental issues in our area. Many of the strategies and activities that I have been using to bring the environmental issues into my classroom come from Key Issues Institute, like working with maps, analyzing surveys, creating stakeholder grids, discussing possible causes of issues, and learning about sustainable options. My students plan to use their new knowledge and skills to create a plan and take action in our community.
The Key Issues framework has been a valuable resource and planning tool to tie in with my Michigan curriculum in teaching science and environmental issues in my area. Thank you Alcoa Foundation! You have made a huge impact on my teaching and my students’ learning.
