Welcome to EarthLab
The EarthLab Climate Action Park is a four acre space where students and community members gather to celebrate each other, learn about climate science, and generate solutions to improve our environment. The EarthLab is located next to Millennial Tech Middle School. It is home to a tributary of the Chollas Creek, a volunteer maintained plant garden, and serves as the home base for Groundwork San Diego's education programs.
Science in Action
In partnership with UCSD, The San Diego Natural History Museum, and other community organizations, EarthLab serves as a space to conduct biodiversity monitoring and other student-led citizen science projects. Additionally, the four acre greenspace houses a fruit orchard with figs, pomegranate, and pears, raised garden beds with food crops, and an oak grove.
All Together Now
Pictured left to right are Nicola Labas (Principal, MTM), Allie Sifrit (Education Director, Groundwork San Diego), and Sarah Hillard (Science, MTM). Together with Teddy Cruz (UCSD Center on Global Justice), they are crafting a vision for integrating MTM academics with outdoor learning, STEAM careers, and hands-on climate action and advocacy, all in a state-of-the-art facility.
"How can the past develop your advocacy for the future?"
This year, students in Hoover High School's Academy of Information Technology (AoIT) are working on advocacy projects that raise awareness and inspire change in their local community. For their project launch, students gathered at Fair@44 International Market. They then heard from Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera (District 9) and Mid-City CAN Community Organizer Yaseem Obied about their leadership experiences within their local communities.
The 11th grade project, "How can the past develop your advocacy for the future?" is led by AoIT teachers Ellen Towers (Social Studies), Lorena Gastelum (English), John Michener (Multimedia), Jack Wetzel (CyberSecurity 3-4) and Bryan Voeltner (GIS 3-4).
The culmination of work will be a podcast submitted to the NPR Student Podcast Challenge in March 2022 on a topic of advocacy in the lives that they believe would have impact on others in the nation.
SDCOE's Go Virtual! Career Pathways Conference
SDCOE’s College and Career Readiness Team is hosting the Go Virtual! Career Pathways Conference for K-12 educators and students on the afternoons of November 2, 3, & 4.
This FREE career pathways conference will feature keynotes, panels, and breakout sessions. This year's theme is "CTE in the Age of Disruption" and seeks to address the question: How do we incorporate innovative practices to meet the needs of students and the world of work in the changing world?
The student section of the conference will feature employers presenting on the in-demand skills and careers that comprise San Diego’s economy (including some virtual site tours!) as well as workshops to prepare students for job applications, their first day on the job, and more.
Teachers can register here. After registering, teachers will be provided the information to register their students. A student’s parent/guardian will be required to sign a digital permission slip for the student to attend.
Making Student Learning Public
Student-led Conferences! Presentations of Learning! Exhibitions!
When students share their learning with others, amazing things happen. Share Your Learning is an educational movement that empowers teachers and students to share their work with authentic audiences. This provides students with "an opportunity to share their story, reflect on their growth, and engage in real dialogue with others about their learning and their futures.”
- Get started by viewing the Share Your Learning in SDUSD slides, which show examples of students sharing learning at SDUSD schools.
- Explore the downloadable toolkits on the SYL website for student-led conferences, presentations of learning, & exhibitions.
- Want to share virtually? Check out Share Your Learning for Distance Learning.
Join the movement of over five million students sharing their learning at shareyourlearning.org!
SDCOE Work-Based Learning Opportunities
Highly recommended for PBL teachers!
Receive access to the SDCOE Work-Based Learning opportunities as they are made available, by completing the Work-Based Learning Training (30 minutes). After completing the training, submit the Sign In for Work-Based Learning Training Form and the SDCOE College and Career Readiness Team will add you to their email list and send you the training presentation with links to WBL resources.
New Website: Take a few minutes to click around and explore the SDCOE College and Career Readiness Team's new website. It features resources for educators, employers, and students, including a database of regional internships and jobs.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens. Students in grades 7 through 12 can submit their best art or writing pieces and win recognition, awards, and scholarships.
View the submission categories for Art and Writing to learn more, and encourage and support your students to submit their best work!
The deadline for submission for San Diego is Monday, December 6, 2021. Here's HOW TO ENTER.
Education Amplifier
Education Amplifier provides free artwork, open source lesson plans and teaching tools that help facilitate non-partisan conversations around social justice in K-12 classrooms. They also have open calls for artwork.
These are excellent supplements to engage students in relevant, meaningful, and current issues. If you would like support with integrating these lessons into your PBL work, please reach out!
Want a PBL Thought Partner?
If you'd like support, guidance, or a thought partner in developing/enhancing PBL at your school, building connections between schools/with industry, or integrating any of the resources within this newsletter, use this form or email Christopher Millow, PBL Resource Teacher.
SDUSD Instructional Innovation Team
To find out more about curriculum, instruction, and assessment resources, as well as professional learning opportunities, visit us at SDUSD Instructional Innovation.