Welcome to U.S.-China Environmental Education Partnerships!
The U.S.-China Environmental Education Partnerships Program (UCEEPP) aims at using environmental education as a foundation for promoting understandings and communications between U.S. and Chinese children and youth.This program intends to prepare our next generation with the environmental literacy and practices necessary to the establishment of a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable global community.
The program has two main goals:
1. Environmental Education
We think as the future leaders of our world, it is important for children and youth to understand the importance of natural systems and be equipped with the knowledges to address the complex environmental problems affecting every aspect of our society in the future.
2. Global Communication
Our world is becoming a global community. Increasing the communication between U.S. and Chinese children and youth will brings understandings and friendships to both countries in the long term.
Seven approaches help us to achieve the goals:
1. School to School Parnerships
This project will connect two schools, one from U.S., one from China together. Schools will conduct environmental education activities together, share experiences and build friendships between students.
2. Teacher Exchange Project
Each year, one teacher from each partner school will go to other's school to teach languages, environmental education; experience school life, education systems and to increase communication between partnership schools.
3. Model Classrooms
A Chinese style classroom in U.S. school with the decoration of totally Chinese classroom style and with all the Chinese textbook, homeworks and stationeries. A U.S. style classroom in Chinese school with the decoration of totally U.S. classroom style and with all the U.S. textbook, homeworks and stationeries, plus a nature library (Can you imaging almost all the Chinese schools in the Nature Reserve area don't have a library) with all books such as: National Geography, Nature Learning, Wondering in the woods and etc. Plus each classroom has several computers that students can communicate with friends from the partnership schools.
4. Students Connections
Students will communicate at least 8 times a year, using the latest technologies to share school life, discuss global environmental topics, exchange curriculum materials, practice using each other's language and develop lasting friendships.
5. Build EE Capacity
Build EE Capacity is an online training program for environmental educators from China which will give those educators a chance to learn the up to date methods to promote environmental education in their schools.
6. EE Blogs
EE Blogs is a place U.S. and China's environmental educators can post their recent thoughts about environmental education and also a place for them to communicate between each other. It also opens a window to the public of what the life looks life for those environmental educators.
7. Resources
In this part, we collect many excelent EE teaching materials for environment educator, especially Chinese EEors. There aren't many EE teaching materials in China. Some of the materials are designed by our partner EEors, some are from various EE organizations. Thanks to all the people who contribute time and materials to this program.
