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Laurel
Springs School Connects Students and the
Environment with Kids4Earth Course
Laurel Springs School and the UNEP Global 500 Forum announce
Kids4Earth, the first online environmental curriculum for grades
six through eight.
OJAI, CA (PRWeb) June 5, 2007 -- Laurel Springs
School, the leader in personalized distance learning education
for preK-12 students, and the UNEP Global 500 Forum today announced
Kids4Earth, the first online environmental curriculum for grades
six through eight. This integrated core science curriculum offers
students the opportunity to learn about the environment, take
action on a wide range of ecological and preservation issues,
and become citizens who are aware of and connected to life on
Earth.
Kids4Earth was written by Laurel Springs with support from members
of the UNEP Global 500 Forum. Each of the 36 lessons focuses on
the work of the Global 500 Laureates who have won international
recognition for their achievements in bringing about environmental
awareness and change. "Kids4Earth, an online educational
tool for children, fits well with UNEP's mandate to educate and
empower individuals to take a stand on behalf of the environment,”
said Eric Falt, the UNEP Director of the Division of Communications
and Public Information. “The course, with weekly lessons
and environmental activities, unites the technology of the Internet
with concerns for the environment. It also provides children with
role models of real people who have been acknowledged by UNEP
as examples of global stewardship or leadership. We welcome this
initiative."
Students study a wide range of environmental issues as they relate
to life, physical and earth sciences. Environmental pioneers like
Jane Goodall and Globetree Foundation share their stories and
experiences and through their journeys, students explore the planet
and its plants, animals and people. The mission of Kids4Earth
is to “empower children individually and collectively to
help restore the Earth and become its responsible stewards.”
Kids4Earth ensures that students are informed and empowered to
take action on a wide range of environmental activities. Working
closely with the UN Global 500 Forum, the United Nations Environmental
Programme, the Learning Springs Learning Corporation, and the
Laurel Springs Educational Foundation, Laurel Springs School aims
to offer the course to children around the world.
Laurel Springs has long been involved with charitable activities,
and bettering the environment has remained a top priority for
the school. Laurel Springs School is an accredited private school
offering personalized distance learning programs for kindergarten
through high school students. With more than 4,250 students in
50 states, as well as students in 43 countries, Laurel Springs
makes use of web-based communication tools, a standards-based
curriculum, and personalized instruction to give each student
an educational experience that is best for them. Under the guide
of its director, Marilyn Mosley Gordanier, Laurel Springs has
garnered such awards as the President’s Environmental Youth
Award, the United Nations Global 500 Award, and the Earth Prize.
Gordanier herself was a key presenter at the UNEP’s International
Children’s Conference on the Environment in Malaysia in
2006.
Laurel Springs has decided to take the next step and offer a Kids4Earth
course as part of its regular curriculum. It was developed by
Laurel Springs director and Global 500 Forum president, Marilyn
Mosley Gordanier and co-authored by Laurel Springs teacher, Beverly
Mills in response to a perceived need for a socially conscious
online environmental curriculum after numerous requests from parents
and teachers. “Never before has a school put together an
online program like this one. The objective is to create strong
leaders with a taste of activism for the environment,” said
Marilyn Mosley Gordanier, executive director and founder of Laurel
Springs School.
Kids4Earth gives students the opportunity to do ecological volunteer
work and receive “eco-credits” for their good job.
At the end of the course students are given their own “Eco-hero”
certificate to commemorate their tasks and honor their future
as protectors of nature. To keep the class interesting and informative,
each lesson is broken up into different parts, including a theme
(such as “Temperate Rainforests” or “Becoming
an Environmental Detective”), a geographical location, and
a Global 500 Laureate (e.g., a person such as Jane Goodall or
an organization such as Greenpeace), and an eco-activity. By examining
the work of Global 500 “eco-heroes,” the course encourages
students to become “eco-heroes” themselves and pursue
environmental action in their own community.
About Laurel Springs School
Laurel Springs School, an accredited private school, delivers
personalized K-12 distance-learning programs with a commitment
to academic and creative excellence. Established in 1991, Laurel
Springs School is the leader in distance learning education for
kindergarten through high school. Each Laurel Springs student
receives personalized, one-to-one instruction. With a student
population of more than 5,000 – comprised of students from
all 50 states and 43 countries – Laurel Springs makes use
of web-based communication tools, a standards-based curriculum,
and personalized instruction to offer students a top-notch home
education experience, no matter where they live.
To learn more about Laurel Springs School go to www.laurelsprings.com
To learn more about UNEP go to www.unep.org
To learn more about the Global 500 Forum go to www.global500.org
To learn more about Kids4Earth go to www.Kids4Earth.org
Contact:
Leslie Davis
Laurel Springs School
(805) 646-2473
http://www.laurelsprings.com
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