The Hawaii Environmental Literacy Plan

The Hawaii Environmental Literacy Plan

Educational Standards Alignment

Educational Standard Sets analyzed include:

Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines for Learning
Na Honua Mauli Ola- Hawaii Guidelines for Culturally Healthy and Responsive Learning Environments
The Common Core State Standards
The Hawaii Department of Education Content and Performance Standards and General Learner Outcomes)

Completed October 23, 2011

by Sandy Webb,

Science Educator and Science Learning Center Coordinator,

Mililani High School, Oahu

University of Phoenix Education Faculty, Hawaii Campus

Hawaii Environmental Education Alliance, Leadership Team Member

Contact email:

Table of Contents

Introduction and Quantification of the Hawaii Environmental Literacy

with Educational Standards……………………………………………………………...... pp. 4-6

Kindergarten Standards Alignment

Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning………...p 7
Common Core State Standards……………………………………………….pp. 7-11
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards and Benchmarks……………pp. 11-14

First Grade Standards Alignment

Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning………...p 15
Common Core State Standards……………………………………………….pp. 15-18
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards and Benchmarks……………pp. 18-22

Second Grade Standards Alignment

Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning………...p 23
Common Core State Standards……………………………………………….pp. 23-25
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards and Benchmarks……………pp. 25-30

Third Grade Standards Alignment

Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning………...p 31
Common Core State Standards……………………………………………….pp. 31-34
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards and Benchmarks……………pp. 35-39

Fourth Grade Standards Alignment

Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning………...pp.40-48
Common Core State Standards……………………………………………….pp. 48-52
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards and Benchmarks……………pp. 52-56

Fifth Grade Standards Alignment

Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning………...p 57
Common Core State Standards……………………………………………….pp. 57-60
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards and Benchmarks……………pp. 60-64

Middle School Introduction and Quantification of Educational Standards Alignment……..p 65

Sixth Grade Standards Alignment

Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning………...p 66
Common Core State Standards……………………………………………….pp. 66-71
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards and Benchmarks……………pp. 72-75

Seventh Grade Standards Alignment

Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning………...p 76
Common Core State Standards……………………………………………….pp. 76-81
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards and Benchmarks……………pp. 81-84

Eighth Grade Standards Alignment

Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning………...pp.85-94
Common Core State Standards……………………………………………….pp. 94-99
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards and Benchmarks………..pp. 100-102

High School Introduction and Quantification of Educational Standards Alignment………..p 103

Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning………...... ……pp.103-112

Common Core State Standards: College and Career Readiness………………………...pp. 113-114

Hawaii Department of Education General Learner Outcomes and

Vision for High School Graduates…………………………………………………………….pp. 114

Hawaii Department of Education Senior Project Overview and

Guidelines……………………………………………………………………………………….pp. 114-116

Grades 9-10 Standards Alignment

Common Core State Standards…………………………………………….pp. 117-121
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards and Benchmarks…………pp. 122-126

Grades 11-12 Standards Alignment

Common Core State Standards…………………………………………….pp. 127-130
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards and Benchmarks…………pp. 130-135

The Hawaii Environmental Literacy PlanEducational Standards Alignment

Environmental Education provides an excellent means of helping students master a number of educational standards in several content areas. Further, environmental education is a subject that lends itself to the development of units of instruction that are interdisciplinary, place-based, hands-on and culturally responsive. Rather than being viewed as an “add on” to often over-burdened educators, environmental education can provide a lens through which students can be motivated to learn reading, math and science.

The following sets of educational standards were reviewed so that the Hawaii Environmental Literacy Plan would compliment goals already in use for educational excellence and innovation initiatives in Hawaii.1. Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines for Learning (K-12) (revised 2010) developed by the National Association for Environmental Education provides students, parents, educators, home schoolers, policy makers, and the public a set of common, voluntary guidelines for environmental education. The guidelines support state and local environmental education efforts by:

Setting expectations for performance and achievement in fourth, eighth, and twelfth grades;
Suggesting a framework for effective and comprehensive environmental education programs and curricula;
Demonstrating how environmental education can be used to meet standards set by the traditional disciplines and to give students opportunities to synthesize knowledge and experience across disciplines; and
Defining the aims of environmental education.

Available online at

2. Na Honua Mauli Ola- Hawaii Guidelines for Culturally Healthy and Responsive Learning Environments. Developed by the Native Hawaiian Education Council in partnership with Ka Haka `Ula O Ke`elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language, University of Hawaii, Hilo.

Guideline 4: He ho`oulu i ke aloha ho`ona`auao, mai ka lā hiki a ka lā kau, me ka`imi `ana i ke kūlana po`okela o ka hana a`o, alaka`i a no`ono`o. Instill a desire for lifelong exploration of learning, teaching, leading and reflecting to pursue standards of quality and excellence.
Guideline 14: He Ho`olālā i nā hopena a`o e ulu ai ka pilina mawaena o nā kānaka, nā hanauna, nā wahi, a me kekaiapuni. He mea ia e pili at ke kuana`ike o ke kanaka me kona wahi, me ka ho`omaopopo I ko ka po`e o waho. Plan for mearningful learning outcomes that foster the relationship and interaction among people, time, space, places and natural elements around them to enhance one’s ability to maintain a “local” disposition with global understandings.
Guideline 16: He mālama i ka honua ho`ona`auao holo`oko`a a me ke kalapuni ma ke kāko`o `ana i ka ho`ona`auao, i ke kuleana kahu, i ke ō o nā kumu waiwai, a i ka pilina `uhane. Engage in experiences which mālama the entire learning community and the environment to support learning and good practices of stewardship, resource sustainability and spirituality.

The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) has the complete set of guidelines online, at

3. The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy. Available online at Currently, there exist standards in English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects and standards in Mathematics. Environmental Literacy can help students develop mastery in several of the Common Core State Standards

Grade / K-5
# Anchor Stds/ Benchmarks In Reading / 4/8
# Anchor Stds/ Benchmarks In Writing / 4/10
# Anchor Stds/ Benchmarks for Speaking and Listening / 2/6
# Anchor Stds/ Benchmarks for Language / 2/4
Mathematics: Counting and Cardinality / 3/7
Mathematics:Operations and Algebraic Thinking / 1/2
Mathematics:Measurement and Data / 2/3
Mathematics: Geometry / 1/1
Grade / 6 / 7 / 8
Common Core State Standards Language Arts / 58 / 46 / 50
Common Core State Standards Mathematics / 13 / 12 / 12
Grade / Grades 9/10 / Grades 11-12
Common Core State Standards Language Arts / 41 / 41
Common Core State Standards Mathematics / 36 (standards for math address grades 9-12)

Note: Details of CCSS alignment are in the following pages, organized by grade level- see Table of Contents

4. The Hawaii Department of Education: Vision, General Learner Outcomes, Content and Performance StandardsOur vision of a Hawaii high school graduate is that all public school graduates will:

Realize their individual goals and aspirations;
Possess the attitudes, knowledge and skills necessary to contribute positively and compete in a global society;
Exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; and
Pursue post-secondary education and/or careers without need for remediation.

The GLOs are the essential overarching goals for all grade levels -- from elementary through middle to high -- and all of the academic disciplines. Every content and performance standard should support the learner's progress towards these outcomes because they enable learners to lead full and productive lives.

Self-Directed Learner: The ability to be responsible for one's own learning

Community Contributor:The understanding that it is essential for human beings to work together
Complex Thinker: The ability to be involved in complex thinking and problem solving
Quality Producer: The ability to recognize and produce quality performance and quality products
Effective Communicator: the ability to communicate effectively
Effective and Ethical User of Technology: the ability to use a variety of technology effectively and ethically

Hawaii Content and Performance Standards Aligned to Environmental Literacy

Grade / K / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
# of Standards / 27 / 26 / 31 / 32 / 33 / 31
# of Benchmarks / 42 / 46 / 56 / 56 / 54 / 49
Grade / 6 / 7 / 8
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards/Benchmarks / 24/46 / 23/42 / 24/49
Grade / Grades 9/10 / Grades 11-12
Hawaii Content and Performance Standards/Benchmarks / 25/62 / 22/68
*(2/12)
Specific Course Titles
(note: schools in Hawaii vary on the grades in which these courses are taught) / Physical Science
Biology
Earth Science
Algebra I
Language Arts 9 and 10
Modern Hist. Hawaii/PID
US History (Grade 10)
Physical Education (9-12)
Career and Technology / Chemistry
Environmental Science
Algebra II
Language Arts 11 and 12
Social Studies 11-12 (elective courses vary/student and school)
*(Statistics – at some schools these standards are integrated into other math courses, at other schools this subject is offered as a separate math elective)

Kindergarten

EXCELLENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: GUIDELINES FOR LEARNINGThe kindergarten through fourth grade years are a time of tremendous cognitive development. By third and fourth grades, learners have developed some basic skills that help them construct knowledge. Instructors in earlier grade levels should use these fourth grade guidelines as a target, extrapolating from this end goal appropriate activities and lessons for younger learners. In these early years of formal education, learners tend to be concrete thinkers with a natural curiosity about the world around them. Environmental education can build on these characteristics by focusing on observation and exploration of the environment—beginning close to home. Local solid waste and water issues easily fit these basic guidelines. Similarly, gardening and habitat improvement projects are especially appropriate for these young learners.COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDSStudents who are College and Career Ready in Reading, Writing, Speaking, Listening, and LanguageThe descriptions that follow are not standards themselves but instead offer a portrait of students who meet the standards set out in this document. As students advance through the grades and master the standards in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language, they are able to exhibit with increasing fullness and regularity these capacities of the literate individual.Anchor standards for Reading Grades K-5Key Ideas and Details

1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

Craft and Structure

4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

Anchor Standards for Writing Text types and purposes

1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Production and Distribution of Writing

4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Range of Writing

10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening Comprehension and Collaboration

1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.5. Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Anchor Standards for LanguageKnowledge of Language

3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression

Standards for MathematicsIn Kindergarten, instructional time should focus on two critical areas: (1) representing, relating, and operating on whole numbers, initially with sets of objects; (2) describing shapes and space. More learning time in Kindergarten should be devoted to number than to other topics.(1) Students use numbers, including written numerals, to represent quantities and to solve quantitative problems, such as counting objects in a set; counting out a given number of objects; comparing sets or numerals; and modeling simple joining and separating situations with sets of objects, or eventually with equations such as 5 + 2 = 7 and 7 – 2 = 5. (Kindergarten students should see addition and subtraction equations, and student writing of equations in kindergarten is encouraged, but it is not required.)Students choose, combine, and apply effective strategies for answering quantitative questions, including quickly recognizing the cardinalities of small sets of objects, counting and producing sets of given sizes, counting the number of objects in combined sets, or counting the number of objects that remain in a set after some are taken away.(2) Students describe their physical world using geometric ideas (e.g., shape, orientation, spatial relations) and vocabulary. They identify, name, and describe basic two-dimensional shapes, such as squares, triangles, circles, rectangles, and hexagons, presented in a variety of ways (e.g., with different sizes and orientations), as well as three-dimensional shapes such as cubes, cones, cylinders, and spheres. They use basic shapes and spatial reasoning to model objects in their environment and to construct more complex shapes.Counting and Cardinality Know number names and the count sequence.

1. Count to 100 by ones and by tens.2. Count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence (instead of having to begin at 1).3. Write numbers from 0 to 20. Represent a number of objects with a written numeral 0-20 (with 0 representing a count of no objects).

Count to tell the number of objects.

4. Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect counting to cardinality.

a. When counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object.b. Understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted. The number of objects is the same regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.c. Understand that each successive number name refers to a quantity that is one larger.

5. Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a line, a rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered configuration; given a number from 1–20, count out that many objects.

Compare numbers.

6. Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than, or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting strategies.1

7. Compare two numbers between 1 and 10 presented as written numerals.

Operations and Algebraic Thinking Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from.