Frequently asked questions
The Everglades Literacy Program is a call to action for schools, teachers, and students to ensure that future generations of Floridians understand the ecological and economic value of the Everglades ecosystem. Our goals are laid out by curriculum design, professional development, and instruction assessment/student learning outcomes:
GOAL 1: Curriculum Design for Authentic Learning and Alignment to Standards
GOAL 2: Professional Learning and Implementation
GOAL 3: Student Engagement and Career Connections
The Everglades Literacy Program hosts Teacher Trainings and classroom presentations, participates in Science Nights, and provides a free, online Teacher Toolkit with 41 comprehensive Everglades lesson plans that align with State Academic Standards.
The Everglades Literacy Teacher Training is a hands-on, inquiry-based program aimed at improving the understanding of this rich topic through interdisciplinary techniques. These trainings provide participants with the insights they need to implement the Everglades Literacy Program in their classrooms while integrating its lesson content with their other science and non-science related curricula. In addition to modeling sample lessons, facilitators introduce educators to the Everglades Literacy Program’s Teacher Toolkit – a resource made available free of charge on The Everglades Foundation website.
Participants will receive essential instructional supplies such as top-quality books and other grade-appropriate materials for use in conjunction with specific lesson plans.
All Everglades Literacy Teacher Trainings are free for teachers in public, private, parochial, and charter schools. These trainings are typically from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM and are offered on professional development days or weekends. Condensed, shorter versions of the training may be an option depending on group size, location, etc.
We also offer virtual training with synchronous/asynchronous work.
Please click here to request an Everglades Literacy Teacher Training for your school or district.
Once you have filled out the training request form, someone from the Everglades Literacy Program team will contact you to organize an Everglades Literacy Teacher Training.
Please click here to explore the PreK-12 Teacher Toolkit. We encourage you to implement lessons outside of your grade level or subject area. Lessons can be scaffolded up or down to meet the needs of your classroom.
The Everglades Champion Schools Program is a free program that encourages teachers to participate in Everglades literacy professional development, integrate Everglades literacy into the curriculum, and promotes inquiry- and project-based learning, as well as Everglades leadership. This program is transformational in recognizing the critical shifts in school leadership and culture to make environmental education and Everglades literacy a core part of the learning culture.
Please visit our webpage to learn more about our K-5 Everglades Champion Schools Program and our 6-12 Champions in Action Program.
If you have any other questions, please email: ATorres@evergladesfoundation.org
Please click here to learn more.
You will begin by filling out the Intent to Apply form for the current school year. You will be contacted by our K-12 Everglades Champion Schools Manager to start filling out your application for the current school year.
Schools and communities benefit from shared purpose and civic engagement by:
Increasing the number of environmentally dedicated and effective teachers who connect youth to the environment around them
Creating a sustainable school-wide program which builds community and purpose
Providing effective curriculum and grant funding to improve classroom education
Providing high-need schools resources and access to their local environment
Connecting students in meaningful ways to science and their environment
Champion Schools will receive a banner and certificate for their designation level. There is also the opportunity to be recognized by the school district and receive funding for Everglades related field trips.
The 6-12 Champions in Action Program is an extension of our K-5 Everglades Champion Schools Program that works with Middle and High School teachers to engage and empower young people to use civic action to improve the local environment and their communities today and as future stewards of our unique Florida Everglades.
To learn more about this program, please visit the 6-12 Champions Page.
The Everglades Foundation's High School Leadership Committee provides a platform for cultivating youth leadership for Everglades restoration. It provides a unique opportunity for environmentally conscious high school students from across the state of Florida to amplify their voices through community engagement. As members of the High School Leadership Committee, students will participate in a program of service-learning and hone their leadership skills to foster and promote environmental stewardship in their local communities.
To learn more and apply, please visit our High School Leaders page.
We have created over 50 additional instructional resources as supplemental lessons and activities to help with teaching about the Everglades.
These resources include our bite-sized, fun and engaging, interdisciplinary, additional instructional lesson plans and adaptations that can easily be implemented over a virtual platform. Many of our lessons have been adapted from the PreK-12 Teacher Toolkit and aligned to Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.
To learn more, view our Additional Instructional Resources page.
This one-day symposium will provide teachers with an opportunity to participate in engaging professional development sessions, collaborate with community partners, explore new ideas for field studies, and gain content knowledge through facilitated discussions of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem with Everglades experts. This program will provide a forum for teachers to network while engaging in a learning experience together.
Learn more here.
The Everglades Foundation's Everglades Literacy Program presents Families ForEverglades family night series, a virtual webinar event.
Join fellow community members at these events to learn more about family-friendly topics and activities to take home and share with your family.
To see our next event, check out the Families ForEverglades page.