EEC Overview
How To Register
Unless otherwise noted in the "Upcoming Courses" section of this website, course participants must enroll for each class through the UCSC Extension Education Department. You must have the EDP number in order to register.
Click here to locate EDP numbers for upcoming classes.
Registration at least one week prior to the start of the course is strongly recommended. On-site registration on the first day of class usually can be accommodated.
- To enroll by phone, call toll free, (800) 660-8639.
- To enroll by mail, call the above number and request registration forms and address information
- To enroll online, go to ucsc-extension.edu/enroll.html
Course Fees
Unless otherwise noted, course fees are $120 per academic quarter unit. All core classes are one unit; electives may vary. Course fees can be paid by check or credit card. See note below about registration fee rebates.
Registration Fee Rebates
To demonstrate our commitment to quality professional development for teachers, the Environmental Volunteers offers rebates of 50% of registration fees to all educators. Rebates are awarded upon completion of each one-unit course; some electives are not eligible.
Our Instructors
Lori Mann
Lori Mann, M.S. in Environmental Education, is the coordinator of the EE Certificate program for the Environmental Volunteers. She consults on local, state, and national environmental education and education reform projects and has taught many professional workshops for teachers.
Camara Lee Wolff
Camara Lee Wolff, M.S. in Education with a Curriculum option, is a naturalist and an environmental education consultant. She has facilitated teacher education workshops since 1982 and has owned Education Naturally since 1995.
Environmental Education Certificate for K-6 Teachers
The Environmental Education Certificate program is a series of credited classes developed by the Environmental Volunteers and UCSC Extension. The classes are designed to help bring the highest quality, most engaging environmental education techniques to California classrooms.
All classes model the most effective educational practices, including small group interactions, problem-solving, outdoor education, hands-on, and brain-compatible learning. Inquiry methods, critical thinking activities, and interdisciplinary approaches are emphasized.
The Environmental Volunteers have been delivering creative, interactive programs in classrooms and in the field for nearly 30 years. Over 260,000 students and teachers in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties have benefited from the Environmental Volunteers' carefully crafted environmental education programs.
The UCSC Extension Education Department enjoys a reputation for creating unique professional development opportunities for practicing teachers, teachers-in-training, and educators in the non-formal arena.
Program Goals
Elementary-level educators who complete the 150-hour Certificate program will gain a mastery of the skills and practices of environmental education. Certificate courses are designed to help teachers:
- Better understand and appreciate the environment
- Employ the best of current pedagogy-integrated, hands-on/minds-on instruction
- Use inquiry and discovery in the classroom and surrounding communities to stimulate critical thinking and make learning relevant
- Achieve State standards in English-language arts, science, social science, and mathematics-without sacrificing exciting lesson plans
- Connect to community resources
Benefits To Teachers
Educators who complete the Certificate will:
- Earn 15 academic quarter units and the associated opportunity to improve salary levels
- Earn up to $900 in registration fee rebates
- Learn to use their surroundings as an extended classroom
- Gain full understanding of environmental education techniques and philosophies-an approach to education shown to engage students and increase academic performance
Certificate Requirements
Certificate recipients are required to complete ten specially designed core classes, including one independent project. Each core course is worth one academic quarter-unit (10 hours of instruction).
In addition, recipients must complete five academic quarter-units of elective courses that develop understanding of specific environmental education materials and methods. Electives may be selected from a variety of University-approved classes. Offerings vary each semester and include training in supplemental curricula and field seminars for teachers.
Core Curriculum
The Environmental Education Certificate program offers ten core classes designed to provide a solid understanding of environmental education and its associated methods and practices. The classes shown can be taken in any order and are normally offered at least once per year. There are no prerequisites. Each core class involves 10 hours of instruction and earns one academic quarter unit. Educators are welcome to participate in single classes.
Certificate recipients are also required to complete five quarter-units of University-approved electives. These courses vary by the quarter and are listed under Upcoming Classes.
Registration through UCSC Extension is required for all classes.
Interdisciplinary Teaching on the Trail
Inquiry-Based Teaching in Environmental Education
Creative Teaching for Critical Thinking
Achieving State Standards through Environmental Education
Enhancing Classroom Learning with Field Trip Experiences
Environmental Education Resources and Materials
Environmental Education Foundations: Building a Quality EE Program
- History and philosophy of environmental education from the 1970s to today
- New resources for defining and ensuring quality in environmental education practices
Independent Project
-->For more info
Email EECertificate@evols.org or call (650) 961-0545 x337