The EcoCenter at Heron’s Head Park
Saturday, September 11, and Saturday, October 16, 2010
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

The Exploratorium Teacher Institute and Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ) will present the Understanding the Science of Sustainability Institute. The Institute will focus on environmental awareness, stewardship, eco-literacy, and sustainability.

This two-day institute for teachers (one Saturday in September and one Saturday in October) will be based at LEJ’s new EcoCenter at Heron’s Head Park in southeast San Francisco. The EcoCenter is the first environmental education center in the Bay Area to focus on environmental justice. The EcoCenter’s sustainable technology and construction provides the science content foundation for our program, which will be viewed through an environmental justice lens.

We will examine the use of various technologies and strategies through hands-on activities and discussions. Subject areas will include solar power, wastewater treatment, wetlands as filters, rainwater catchment, green building, and native plant gardening. Sample activities include building simple solar cells, modeling filtration systems, participating in a beach cleanup at Heron’s Head Park, exploring the mathematics of rainwater catchment, and calibrating the amounts of water needed for native plants.

Time will be provided during the Institute for teachers to meet in small groups to adapt Institute ideas to their own curricula and to help teachers plan a field trip to the EcoCenter. Teachers attending this Institute (both Saturdays) will be paid a $200 stipend. The institute is funded through the generous support of the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation. Preference will be given to secondary teachers from the San Francisco Unified School District.

Follow-up, half-day Saturday workshops will be offered during the 2010/2011 school year. Attendance at these follow-up workshops is not required.

Understanding the Science of Sustainability workshop is now full.