URBAN SCHOOL PROGRAMS

STAFF MANUAL
CONTENTS
Urban School Programs Overview ...........................................................................................................2
Mission and Background 2
Goals for Urban School Programs 4
Outcomes for programs we deliver directly to students 4
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) 5
Important Phone numbers and addresses 6
Urban School Programs Chart 7
GENERAL EMPLOYEE INFORMATION ...........................................................................................7
Email 8
Scheduling & Availability 8
Using Sling (Scheduling Software) 8
Compensation Policy 10
Mileage reimbursement and Ramp 11
HR System (Bamboo) 12
GENERAL SAFETY PROTOCOL for ISLANDWOOD USP PROGRAMS 13
APPENDICES ..........................................................................................................................................16
Commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion 16
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices 17
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts 18
Science vs. Engineering 19
Why Engineering? 20
Learning Targets 21

Edited 9/15/2023
URBAN SCHOOL PROGRAMS OVERVIEW

Mission and Background

IslandWood’s mission is to provide exceptional learning experiences that inspire lifelong environmental
and community stewardship for all.

The vision of IslandWood’s Urban School Programs is to provide exceptional learning experiences in urban
settings that make tangible to learners their connections to the ecology and systems that shape their
communities.

Since IslandWood opened our doors in 2002, the greater Seattle-area population has boomed, in large part due
to the promise of jobs and prosperity. Across the country, over 80% of Americans live in cities, and trends are
pointing toward an ever-increasing percentage of U.S. citizens residing in urban areas in the future. In response
to this trend, IslandWood established its Urban School Programs to foster connections between people and the
systems and ecologies that they inhabit.

Through an experiential, STEM-based approach to education, IslandWood’s Urban School Programs situate
learning within an interconnected urban ecology, encouraging the discovery of new ways of seeing and
engaging with the places where we live, learn, and play. By strengthening community connections and
environmental awareness, IslandWood will help to create a generation of stewards and educators who can
tackle the challenges of a changing world, as well as generate solutions that lead to resilient, healthy, and
thriving communities.

We desire to learn with communities, to discover and cultivate new relationships that strengthen the
connections between educational programs and the lives of the young people that they serve. Through these
stronger relationships and community connections we will help to create a generation of stewards who can
emerge to tackle head-on the challenges of a changing world.

Brightwater Programs

IslandWood’s programs at Brightwater are part of a public/private partnership with the King County
Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD), the owner and operator of the Brightwater Environmental Education
and Community Center (EECC) and the Brightwater Cleanwater Treatment Facility. Brightwater educational
programming includes three different innovative 4-hour school programs; the Freshwater Ecosystems field
investigation, the Stormwater Engineers field investigation, and the Humans and Water Cycle program. We
also deliver optional post lessons for each of the programs we do at Brightwater. The post lessons take place in
schoolyards and/or near the school. All our programs aim to engage students in study of science and
engineering concepts related to water and water infrastructure.

Since 2012, we’ve served over 4,000 students each year from our surrounding school districts. All programs at
Brightwater are offered free of charge through our partnership with the King County WTD and the county also
provides transportation assistance through their Wheels to Water Program for qualifying schools (schools with
greater than 35% free-and-reduced lunch). Other programs offered by IslandWood at Brightwater include
family and adult community events, teacher professional development workshops, and summer camps.

Urban Programs Staff Handbook 2

In addition to the programs on site at Brightwater, participating classes can opt to participate in a follow-up
lesson back at their school that builds on and applies locally the concepts addressed in the program at
Brightwater.

South Plant Programs

Beginning in Fall of 2022, IslandWood is partnering with King County Wastewater Treatment Division to deliver
school day programs at the South Treatment Plant in Renton, WA. There are two programs currently being
offered that are aligned closely with programs of the same name at Brightwater; Stormwater Engineers and
Humans and the Water Cycle.

Tacoma Public Schools Partnership

IslandWood's Urban School Programs (USP) includes our work with Tacoma Public Schools supporting the
Community Waters Science Unit an in-class curriculum. Community Waters is an NGSS-aligned 4th grade unit
focused on understanding stormwater in urban areas and the engineering solutions that help with stormwater
problems. We are working with a variety of partners to support the multi-year rollout of this unit in Tacoma.
This program connects school science curriculum to watersheds and other natural and built ecosystems in the
communities where students live. Community Waters was designed in partnership with Seattle Public Schools
to support science standards and to specifically connect to and enhance science learning that takes place in the
classroom.

Duwamish River Programs

The Duwamish River Program was originally piloted in 2019 by IslandWood’s Urban School Programs team, in
collaboration with Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle Public Schools, Community Health Advocates, and the
Duwamish River Community Coalition, to teach the social and ecological history of the river that lies at the
heart of their community. Thanks to support from Seattle Public Utilities, we’re able to offer the program for
free to schools in the Duwamish River Valley. Students will learn how the Duwamish River has been impacted
by people over many years, and how local communities and groups have made improvements to the
ecosystem.

The program, designed for 4th – 5th grade students, consists of a 1-hour pre-lesson at school, and a 3-hour
exploration of the Duwamish River by Argosy boat. The program is offered only to schools that are located
within the Duwamish River Valley.

Seattle Ecosystem Restoration/”Creekosystem” Field Study

In the spring of 2023, IslandWood, in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities, will be offering a Next Generation
Science Standards-aligned field study for Seattle 5th-grade students. The field study is designed to enhance
and localize the Amplify Ecosystems Restoration unit taught in Seattle Public Schools. Students will make
focused observations about urban creek ecosystems and conduct investigations to increase their understanding
of how people, plants, and animals interact with water in the ecosystem.

Students build an ecosystem web for a creek ecosystem, investigate water quality, soil, plants, and human
impact at the creek, and then propose action steps that could improve the health of the creek ecosystem. This
is a 3-part program that includes a virtual or in-class pre-lesson, a park-based field trip, and a virtual or in-class
post-lesson.

Urban Programs Staff Handbook 3

Salmon in the Schools – Seattle: Carkeek Salmon Search and Salmon Releases

In the spring of 2023, IslandWood began delivering a long-standing program with Seattle Public Utilities,
Salmon in the Schools salmon releases. Through Salmon in the Schools, schools receive salmon eggs and raise
the salmon until they are released into nearby water bodes (Lake Washington or Piper’s Creek) in spring. In fall,
IslandWood educators deliver a program at Carkeek Park where students can see salmon in the creek, observe
a dissection, and play a salmon life cycle modeling game. Grades K-12 participate.

Goals for Urban School Programs

Our Programs will…
• Work closely in partnership to support schools and teachers, including incorporating school standards
such as the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Common Core.
• Reinforce and build upon the student learning that occurs in both formal and informal settings.
• Broaden the idea of environment to include urban systems.
• Be learner-centered and adaptable to the participants and the needs of their community with culturally
responsive design and delivery.
• Have an equitable delivery model that prioritizes communities with the greatest need.

Participants will...
• Feel valued for the knowledge and experience they bring to the learning experience.
• See themselves as agents of change in their home and community.
• Increase their appreciation and awareness of their community’s resources, systems, and community
members.
• Be stewards of their urban community through identifying, investigating, and engineering solutions to
urban challenges.
• Apply scientific and engineering practices, concepts, and understandings to their urban community.
• See and 'read' the urban environment in a holistic and systemic way.
o Identify how places have changed over time
o Understand urban systems including the interaction between social, economic, political, and
natural components within them.
o Understand how they are an integral part of urban ecosystems and have an impact upon them
• Share their learning with others in their community (parents, peers, etc.)

Outcomes for programs we deliver directly to students

Students will leave the program with the capacity to:
• Practice use of NGSS practice(s) and/or crosscutting concepts.
• Identify how what they have learned during the program connects to their:
• personal experiences,
• prior content knowledge, and
• community.
• Describe how parts of an urban system interact.
• Analyze ways that people affect an urban system.

Teachers will…
• Connect how the program supports and enhances classroom learning.
• Build upon what happened during the program to enhance their student’s learning.

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Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT)

At IslandWood, we strive to make sure all students are valued, respected and included in our programs. We
believe that local real-world contexts are a critical part of building the engagement, understanding and
stewardship that are needed to address the needs of people and the planet. Both our experience and research
show that incorporating student experiences and making learning
local by using meaningful local phenomena or problems increases engagement and supports academic
learning.

Next Generation Science Standards: Over the past couple years, we have been redesigning our programs to
incorporate the practices, crosscutting concepts, content and shifts in teaching methods called for in the Next
Generation Science Standards. Depending on the program, changes have included:

• Starting from a student’s personal or cultural experiences and understandings.

• Using a collection of “Science and Engineering Practices” to build understanding instead
of an ordered “Scientific Method.”
• Applying an Engineering Design Process to work on solutions to environmental problems.

Culturally Responsive Programming: To help us meet the needs of all students, we encourage our
educators to respond to the different issues, interests, and concerns that come up during a program.
Responding in the moment can be challenging and may not always be evident, but it could show up
in several ways:

• Shifting course to focus more on a related topic or issue brought up by the students.
• Pausing the program to address comments or behaviors that are racist, sexist, ableist or
otherwise negatively impact others.
• Flexibility with alternative ways to fill in a worksheet including drawing or writing in a student’s
native language.
• Changing activities to adapt to the energy levels or physical needs of the students.

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Important Phone numbers and addresses

Name, alphabetical by Title Email Mobile

FIRST NAME
Celina Steiger (SEA) Partnerships Manager celinas@islandwood.org (206) 851-2344

Kate Bedient Director of Urban kateb@islandwood.org (206) 240-8520

(SEA/BW/BI) Programs
Kate Martin (BW) Urban School and katem@islandwood.org (512) 704-3189
Community Education
Coordinator
KayLani Siplin (BW) Urban School and kaylanis@islandwood.org (425) 923-6617
Community Education
Manager
Louise Prescott Urban Programs - Louisep@islandwood.org (415) 312-8291
Seattle Coordinator

Brad Street (SEA) Senior Manager of (206) 855-7073 (206) 491-1648

Professional brads@islandwood.org
Development
TBD Professional
Development
Coordinator
Cathy Wheaton (BI) HR Specialist (206) 855.4314 Contact for HR and
cathyw@islandwood.org payroll-related
questions.
Elizabeth Barnick (BI) Director of People and (206) 855.4326 (909) 455-8091
Culture elizabethb@islandwood.org

Brightwater Education Center (BW) 22505 State Route 9 SE

(206) 263-9412 Woodinville, WA 98072
IslandWood campus on Bainbridge Island (BI) 4450 Blakely Ave NE
(206) 855-4300 Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

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Urban School Programs Chart

GENERAL EMPLOYEE INFORMATION

Urban Programs Staff Handbook 7

Email
We will use your IslandWood email address for communications with us and external contacts. It is important
to check yours on or before days when you’re scheduled to teach in case there are program updates. We
depend on you getting emails we send to you and you getting back to us in a timely fashion. For day-of
cancellations or other last-minute communications, we’ll likely use text messaging.

Scheduling & Availability

If you are ill or otherwise cannot make it to your scheduled shift, please let KayLani (425) 923-6617 know
immediately via text or voicemail so we can arrange sufficient cover. Please do not send an email or call
desk phones as we will not be able to retrieve the message in time to cover your shift!

Educators are scheduled for programs based on the days they are available. Please update Sling and let us
know right away if your availability changes. We appreciate being kept in the loop:

• As soon as you have information about a change in availability (with at least two weeks warning).
• When you make any vacation plans so we can confirm the timing and get shifts covered.
• Any days you are not available for programming.

When multiple educators are available for the same program we make every effort to distribute hours fairly
under the following criteria (in order of importance):

1. Minimizing the number of different educators working with the same school.
2. Hours worked in the past month as compared to hours available for work.
3. Distance of the program site from the educator’s home (if applicable).

Please let us know if you have any concerns about the hours you are being scheduled to work!

Using Sling (Scheduling Software)

The Urban School Programs uses Sling (online scheduling software - https://app.getsling.com/) to schedule
staff across all programs. This system allows staff to adjust their own unavailability, request time off, send
messages, and exchange shifts. Sling allows us to track hours, run reports, and cross-check our labor budgets.

There is a Sling app as well for both iOS and Android operating systems and it has worked well for folks in
the past. If possible, we recommend downloading the app.

You will receive an email invite to join Sling. It comes with the subject “You are invited to join IslandWood on
Sling.”

1. Click on the “Set-up Account” button in the email.

2. It will ask you to create a password and finish your profile. Check the info here and make sure it’s
correct

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 3. You should see your schedule right off the bat. You can navigate using the tabs above the calendar:

• My Schedule - will show you just your scheduled shifts and your unavailability.
• Full Schedule - will show the same for everyone.
• Available Shifts – at this point, we’re not using this function.
• Unavailability – you can adjust the times that you’re unavailable here. This is really for
recurring unavailability. To request time off outside of recurring unavailability, click on
Request Time Off in the upper right-hand corner while viewing the schedule.

4. Click on your scheduled shift to view location for the shift and start and end times. The notes for each
day will include any other pertinent information that you’ll need to know (grade level, name of school,
room # and teacher name [if applicable], etc.).
5. If you go all the way to the very top, you have some additional options:

• Dashboard – view updates to your shifts, edit your profile, view contact info for coworkers,
change settings
• Shifts - return to viewing your shifts
• Tasks – we won’t use this at this point
• Messages – if we contact you, we’ll use email. You can use this to contact each other, if you’d
like.
• Newsfeed – Any and all documents that you need are here (including this handbook)

If you have other questions about the software – start here: https://support.getsling.com/account-basics-for-
employees and then reach out if you’re still having issues/questions/concerns.

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Compensation Policy

This document details the IslandWood Urban School Programs compensation policy for programming
as of September 2023. If your hours fall outside of these guidelines, please make a note explaining
what those hours are for.

For example: Approved time to review Brightwater curriculum or approved extra debrief time with KayLani

Sick Leave

You will accumulate sick hours. If you don’t have enough sick time, you need to take leave without pay. If you
are sick for longer that 5 days, you can apply for the State Sick and Disability Pay. We may be able to provide
tasks that can be completed at home to offset loss of hours.

Departments for Urban School Programs hours in Paychex:

310 – “Urban Education” = Brightwater On-Site Programs, South Plant Programs, Brightwater Post
Lessons, Brightwater Community Events

312 – “Urban Programs” = Duwamish River Programs, Seattle Creekosystem Field Studies

314 – “Community Waters” = Tacoma Community Waters schoolyard programs or other CW program

315 – “Salmon in the Schools” = Carkeek Park Salmon Programs & Salmon Releases

If you have hours from two different departments, please enter them as separate shifts in your
timesheet.

For Brightwater and South Plant On-Site Programs (dept. 310)

• Educators arrive 1 hour prior to the program start time for set up.
• 1 hour of time is added at the end of the program end time for clean up and debrief.
• As the total hours of the shift(s) for Brightwater and South Plant are more than 5 hours,
educators are entitled to a 30-minute unpaid meal period. Shifts should be entered as
totaling 5.5 hours.

For Brightwater Community Events or Tours (dept. 310):

• Educator hours will be determined by the coordinator on a case-by-case basis.

For Duwamish River Programs (dept. 312)

- Educators arrive 1 hour prior to the program start time for set up.
- 30 minutes of time is added at the end of the program end time for clean up and debrief.
- Educators receive 1 15-minute paid break during their shift.

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For Seattle Field Study (dept. 312) and Salmon in the Schools programs (releases and Carkeek
Programs) (dept. 315)
- Educators arrive 30 minutes prior to the program start time for set up.
- 30 minutes of time is added at the end of the program end time for clean up and debrief.
- Educators receive 1 15-minute paid break during their shift.

For Brightwater Post Lessons (dept. 310), Seattle Field Study Post Lessons (dept. 312) and
Tacoma Community Waters Schoolyard program (spring) (dept. 314):
• Educators arrive 30 minutes prior to the first lesson start time for set up. If two or more classes
are taught by the educator in a single visit, no additional time is added for preparation.
• 30 minutes are added to the end of each teaching day (the last shift that you teach each day,
even if only one shift was taught) for clean up and debrief.
• Educators are compensated for time in between lessons up to one hour. If the total hours of
the shift (including 30 minutes of prep time) are more than 5 hours, educators are entitled to a
30-minute unpaid meal period. For shifts less than 5 hours, educators are entitled to a 15-
minute paid break between lessons.
• If educators are traveling between schools on a single day, they will be reimbursed for the
additional mileage and the time to travel between schools up to one hour. They will also be
entitled to an additional 30 minutes since they have arrived at a new school.

For any hours that do not fall into the categories above, please communicate with your supervisor
for more information.

Canceled Programs

If we are forced to cancel an IslandWood program due to inclement weather (typically snow or smoke), you will
be paid for the time that you were scheduled to work that day. IslandWood staff will make every attempt to
communicate weather cancellations as quickly and efficiently as possible. We will monitor each school and
district’s policy but will also consider local conditions and safety at Brightwater and all other locations. If a
program is cancelled while in progress due to inclement weather, you will be paid for your scheduled time
regardless of how much shorter the program was.

If a program is canceled for reasons outside of weather, we will give as much notice as possible. IslandWood is
not obligated to pay for hours not worked, nor obligated to have a project to make up for those hours
regardless of when the program is cancelled. As much advance notice of cancellation as possible is desired and
respectful on both ends (ie, if an educator cannot work a program), but is not legally required for at-will/on-call
employment.

Mileage reimbursement and Ramp

Educators are entitled to mileage reimbursement at the current IslandWood reimbursement rate.
You will use RAMP to submit your mileage. You will receive an invite to join Ramp through your IW
email address and will need to create an account and add in your bank information. (Ramp has an app
that you may choose to use!)

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Mileage is calculated from the educator’s home address to the Program Location/Field Study Site and
back, which can be done directly in Ramp. Please note that Ramp may calculate a different route than
what was driven, so please check accuracy.

Due to the nature of our programs, we serve schools over a large geographic region. We do our best to
ensure our educators are not experiencing hardship due to travel and take into consideration your
starting location in relation to a program site. If you are scheduled to travel to a program location that
is further than 30 miles from your home address, you may add an additional 1 hour to your
timesheet in Paychex.

Mileage is reimbursed via direct deposit and reimbursed on a rolling basis as submitted. PLEASE
SUBMIT your miles at least MONTHLY, and not
all at the end of the school year.

Passengers in carpools who do not drive are not

entitled to report mileage.

In Ramp, you will need to ensure the correct

selections are made as follows:
“Intacct Category” = Travel – Local
“Intacct Department” = Urban School Programs
“Intacct Class” =
• “Brightwater” for BRIGHTWATER/SOUTH
PLANT
• “Seattle Public Utilities” for SEATTLE FIELD
STUDY
• “Salmon in the Schools” for SALMON IN THE
SCHOOLS programs
• “Tacoma Community Waters”

HR System (Bamboo)
IslandWood uses Bamboo (bamboohr.com) as our HR portal. Accessing Bamboo will allow you to access all the
IslandWood HR resources including:

- Paychex, our online pay system where you record your hours
- IslandWood general Staff Handbook (accessed under Files/Handbook). This handbook includes detailed
policies for the organization including employment status, work schedules and absences,
compensation and benefits, the work environment, and other general rules/policies/employee
responsibilities.
- Perks to get pro-deals and other discounts.

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GENERAL SAFETY PROTOCOL for ISLANDWOOD USP PROGRAMS

PLEASE NOTE: The IslandWood Safety Plan for Brightwater is located in the prep room with the first aid supplies.
The safety plan for South Plant can be accessed upon request. Other sites do not have site-specific safety plans or
those plans are controlled by other entities (ex: on school property or on the Argosy boat).

The following is a list of important safety protocol. If you have any questions, consult the safety plan or talk to
the coordinator.

➢ In case of an emergency, call 911 if necessary and notify the coordinator immediately. The
coordinator will work with the teachers on-site to contact the school about emergency situations if
needed.
➢ Incident reports must be completed for anything that requires treatment larger than a band-aid, or
for any event where police or emergency services are called. At Brightwater, reports are found at the
coordinator’s desk. For other programs, the coordinator will have incident reports on hand.
➢ School staff will carry required medication at all times and administer as needed with the exception of
epinephrine in emergency situations.
➢ We are not given detailed medical information about students. There may be times when adults share
medical information with you, but schools are not required to submit this information.
➢ If a student becomes ill, contact the coordinator. The coordinator will contact the teacher if needed and
ensure the student is comfortable. If a student shows symptoms of illness and/or fever, the teacher will
be asked to take the necessary steps to make sure the student receives the proper care.
➢ The rule of 3 always applies – an adult should never be alone with a student, you should always have at
least 2 children or 1 child and 2 adults with you. This is to protect both you and the child.
➢ Remember, Brightwater and Seattle program sites are public spaces; you should always be aware of
your surroundings and let the coordinator know if you see anything suspicious.
o Always check bathrooms beforehand if possible. Again, these are open to the public.
o There are many community members who walk their dogs while at Brightwater and Seattle
Parks. Dogs should always be leashed. Do not allow children to approach dogs, even if the
owner gives their approval. If you encounter an unleashed dog, please notify the coordinator.
➢ Students and instructors are required to wear closed-toed shoes at all times.

FIELD STUDY SAFE PRACTICES

Safe Practices:
• Instructors must be aware of and abide by all trail closures. Point out and discuss trail regulations
and seasonal hazards. Make sure the students are aware of dangers that exist.
• Do not feed, molest, or intimidate any animal.
• No IslandWood group will engage in rock or tree climbing.
• Carrying sticks is never allowed.
Guidelines:
• Adults are requested to bring up the rear and assist instructors by always being safety conscious.
• Students are kept in sight at all times except in carefully controlled circumstances.

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KEYS (Brightwater Only)
Keys belonging to IslandWood or King County may not be duplicated. Additionally, keys must not be misused
knowingly or unknowingly. Keys must be returned and signed in on the sign out sheet (at Brightwater,
located in the prep room above the microwave) at the end of each program day.

RADIOS
The following are IslandWood’s guidelines regarding proper usage and maintenance of our radios. Our radios
generally are not incredibly powerful and use public radio transmission frequencies meaning that you may get
interference or pickup other conversations at times. In an emergency, the radio will be used for “priority traffic”
only.

Radio Usage
• At Brightwater, radios should be set to Channel 7 9
• Remember the rule of 2’s: with the microphone 2 inches from your mouth press the PTT button,
pause for 2 seconds, speak, and then pause for 2 more seconds to avoid the beginning and end of your
message not transmitting.
• Keep the radio oriented horizontally for optimum transmitting/ receiving range.
• Keep conversations short. Conversations should be less than 1 minute unless there is an emergency.
• Keep your radio’s volume switch turned up and check frequently.
• NEVER use children’s names over the radio regardless of the channel you are using.
• No profanity over the radio.
• If radio beeps while attempting transmission, the battery is low and needs to be charged. The radio will
continue to receive, but it will not transmit.

Treatment Plant Radios

- While leading groups on the treatment plant, you will be required to carry King County Operations
radio.

Radio Maintenance
To prolong the life of our radios please take note the following:
• Please make sure radios are turned OFF when returning to chargers at the end of the day.
• Charge battery after every day in the field.

Sample Radio Dialog:

The following is a sample radio conversation that demonstrates proper radio etiquette for a brief conversation.
Radio 1: This is Derek calling Max.
Radio 2: This is Max go ahead.
Radio 1: What is your location?
Radio 2: I’m in the wetland.
Radio 1: We’ll be there in five minutes.

The following is a sample radio conversation that demonstrates proper radio etiquette for a lengthier
conversation discussing a student without using her name.
Radio 1: This is Max calling Derek.
Radio 2: This is Derek, go ahead.

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 Radio 1: Derek, I have a student who is not feeling well. Would it be possible for somebody to come
and get her?
Radio 2: Yes, what is your location?
Radio 1: We are at Otter Pond.
Radio 2: Ok, we will come down and get her.
Radio 1: Thanks Derek.

Helpful Tips for Radio Use

• Make sure the radio is on at all times and at a volume that allows you to hear it.
• Note where the small microphone hole is, and make sure that you are not covering it when you
transmit.
• Don’t attach the radio to your pack—it will not be with you once you put the pack down, and that is
therefore when someone will call.

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APPENDICES
1. Commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
2. NGSS Science and Engineering Practices
3. NGSS Crosscutting Concepts
4. Science vs. Engineering
5. Intro to Engineering
6. Learning Targets

Commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

from IslandWood’s website:

To do our work effectively, our programs and actions must be relevant, responsive, and accountable to the
places and people we serve. As a historically white-led environmental education organization, we recognize the
legacy of racism and injustice within our field and understand that we have perpetuated and benefited from
racism. It is our responsibility to use our unearned privileges to combat racism and stand with those fighting for
justice.

Staff members have been prioritizing the advancement of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) within
IslandWood’s work for some time. In 2019, we formally made commitments to operationalize JEDI principles
throughout the organization, in all aspects of our work, and laid out specific priorities to move this work
forward. We are committed to the work required to make continual progress on our goals and to being held
accountable to these goals.

Our staff and board have made the following commitments:

• Ensure culturally responsive and inclusive practices across our organization, including in our programs,
services, and policies.
• Provide equitable access to our programs, to employment opportunities within our organization, and to
vendor and contract opportunities.
• Promote equity in our organization and field.
• Serve students and prepare educators who reflect the socioeconomic and cultural diversity of the
region/s in which we operate.
• Be an authentic community partner and
• Be a learning organization.

In 2019, as part of our ongoing equity work, IslandWood made the commitment to focus in particular on race
equity. We are focusing on race equity, not because we believe other inequities don’t exist or aren’t vitally
important, but because in the United States one’s race – more than any other factor – is the biggest
determinant of educational outcomes, wealth, health, exposure to environmental pollutants and hazards, and
life expectancy.

We understand there is an inextricable connection between educational justice, environmental justice, and
racial equity. This work is not ancillary, or “outside” of IslandWood’s mission. It is central to our work in
environmental education, and of inspiring healthy communities and a healthy planet.

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NGSS Science and Engineering Practices
from the National Science Teachers Association:

The practices describe behaviors that scientists engage in as they investigate and build models and theories
about the natural world and the key set of engineering practices that engineers use as they design and build
models and systems. The NRC uses the term practices instead of a term like “skills” to emphasize that engaging
in scientific investigation requires not only skill but also knowledge that is specific to each practice. Part of the
NRC’s intent is to better explain and extend what is meant by “inquiry” in science and the range of cognitive,
social, and physical practices that it requires. Although engineering design is similar to scientific inquiry, there
are significant differences. For example, scientific inquiry involves the formulation of a question that can be
answered through investigation, while engineering design involves the formulation of a problem that can be
solved through design. Strengthening the engineering aspects of the Next Generation Science Standards will
clarify for students the relevance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (the four STEM fields)
to everyday life.

Asking Questions and Defining Problems

A practice of science is to ask and refine questions that lead to descriptions and explanations of how the natural
and designed world works and which can be empirically tested.

Developing and Using Models

A practice of both science and engineering is to use and construct models as helpful tools for representing ideas
and explanations. These tools include diagrams, drawings, physical replicas, mathematical representations,
analogies, and computer simulations.

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Scientists and engineers plan and carry out investigations in the field or laboratory, working collaboratively as
well as individually. Their investigations are systematic and require clarifying what counts as data and
identifying variables or parameters.

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Scientific investigations produce data that must be analyzed in order to derive meaning. Because data patterns
and trends are not always obvious, scientists use a range of tools—including tabulation, graphical
interpretation, visualization, and statistical analysis—to identify the significant features and patterns in the
data. Scientists identify sources of error in the investigations and calculate the degree of certainty in the results.
Modern technology makes the collection of large data sets much easier, providing secondary sources for
analysis.

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

In both science and engineering, mathematics and computation are fundamental tools for representing
physical variables and their relationships. They are used for a range of tasks such as constructing simulations;
statistically analyzing data; and recognizing, expressing, and applying quantitative relationships.

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Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

The products of science are explanations and the products of engineering are solutions.

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Argumentation is the process by which explanations and solutions are reached.

Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Scientists and engineers must be able to communicate clearly and persuasively the ideas and methods they
generate. Critiquing and communicating ideas individually and in groups is a critical professional activity.

NGSS Crosscutting Concepts

from the National Science Teachers Association:

Crosscutting concepts have application across all domains of science. As such, they are a way of linking the
different domains of science. They include patterns; cause and effect; scale, proportion, and quantity; systems
and system models; energy and matter; structure and function; and stability and change. The Framework
emphasizes that these concepts need to be made explicit for students because they provide an organizational
schema for interrelating knowledge from various science fields into a coherent and scientifically based view of
the world.

1. Patterns
Observed patterns in nature guide organization and classification and prompt questions about relationships
and causes underlying them.

2. Cause and Effect

Events have causes, sometimes simple, sometimes multifaceted. Deciphering causal relationships, and the
mechanisms by which they are mediated, is a major activity of science and engineering.

3. Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

In considering phenomena, it is critical to recognize what is relevant at different size, time, and energy scales,
and to recognize proportional relationships between different quantities as scales change.

4. Systems and System Models

A system is an organized group of related objects or components; models can be used for understanding and
predicting the behavior of systems.

5. Energy and Matter

Tracking energy and matter flows, into, out of, and within systems helps one understand their system’s
behavior.

6. Structure and Function

The way an object is shaped or structured determines many of its properties and functions.

7. Stability and Change

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For both designed and natural systems, conditions that affect stability and factors that control rates of change
are critical elements to consider and understand.

Science vs. Engineering

(from Rice University’s Connections Website: www.cnx.org, a resource for educational material)

One of the first distinctions that must be made is between science and engineering. It is not a simple distinction
because the two are so interdependent and intertwined, but whatever difference there is needs to be
considered.

Science is the study of “natural” phenomena. It is the collection of theories, models, laws, and facts about the
physical world and the methods used to create this collection. Physics, chemistry, biology, geology, etc. try to
understand, describe, and explain the physical world that would exist even if there were no humans. It is
creative in building theories, models, and explanations, but not in creating the phenomena that it studies.
Science has its own philosophy with an epistemology, esthetics, and logic. It has its own technology in order to
carry out its investigations, build its tools, and pursue its goals. Science has its organizations, culture, and
methods of inquiry. It has its "scientific method" which has served as a model (for better or for worse) in many
other disciplines.

Science is old. It was part of the original makeup of a university or college in the form of natural philosophy. It
came out of antiquity, developed in the middle-ages, blossomed in the renaissance, was the tool of the
enlightenment, and came into its present maturity in modernity. Indeed, the history of science is, in some ways,
a history of intellectual development. This is certainly only true in conjunction with many other strains of
philosophical, economical, theological, and technological development, but science is a central player in that
story. Science is often paired with the arts (and Humanities and Social Sciences) in the “College of Arts and
Science” of a traditional university.

Engineering is the creation, maintenance, and development of things that have not existed in the natural
world and that satisfy some human desire or need. A television set does not grow on a tree. It is the creation
of human ingenuity that first fulfilled a fantasy of a human need and then went on to change the very society
that created it. I use the term "things" because one should include computer programs, organizational
paradigms, and mathematical algorithms in addition to cars, radios, plastics, and bridges.

Science is the study of what is and engineering is the creation of what can be. Only recently has engineering
developed the set of characteristics that make it a legitimate academic discipline. Earlier, engineering often
was viewed only as the application of natural science. Now, engineering has developed its own engineering
science for the study of human made things to supplement natural science which was developed to study
natural phenomena. Parts of computer science are wonderful examples of that. Engineering has its own
philosophy and methodology and its own economics. It even has its own National Academy.

We differentiate science and engineering, not because their difference is great, but because, in many ways, it is
small. Science could not progress without technology, and engineering certainly could not flourish without
science and mathematics.

A more illuminating comparison might be between the humanities and engineering. One might find more
similarity in style (not content) between English literature and engineering than between science and
engineering. Both literature and engineering are the study of human created artifacts. Both teach creation in

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the form of creative writing and engineering design. Both teach analysis in the form of literary criticism and
engineering analysis. Both are intimately connected with the needs and desires of individuals and society. A
similar analogy could be made between art and engineering looking at studio art, art criticism, and art history.

Most scientists (but not all) feel there is some unique objective truth behind the physical phenomena they are
studying. Their goal is to find it and describe and explain it, and this truth is unique although the approaches
and approximations to it are certainly not. In literature and engineering, the designed entity is not unique to the
situation, but it is a creation of the particular writer or designer and perhaps unique to the creator.

The distinctions of this section are not as clean or clear as have been presented here. The boundary between
science and engineering can be and often is murky. Many items of study in science are influenced if not literally
created by people. This is obviously true in biology and the life sciences but also true in physics where certain
elements in the periodic table do not exist in nature. Perhaps, therefore, the areas of pure science are very
limited. On the other hand, since people are members of our natural system, an argument can be made that
their products are as natural as anything else and, therefore, the areas of pure scientific study are very broad.
Clearly engineering is constrained in what it can create by the laws of science as everything is. Nevertheless,
there is a difference in spirit in the two disciplines worth trying to delineate.

Why Engineering?
Appendix D - "All Standards, All Students”: Making the Next Generation Science Standards Accessible to All
Students (from
https://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/Appendix%20D%20Diversity%20and%20Equity%206-14-
13.pdf)

Inclusion of engineering along with science in the NGSS has major implications for nondominant student
groups. First, from an epistemological perspective, the NGSS reinterpret a traditional view of epistemology and
history of science. For example, Science for All Americans stated:

The recommendations in this chapter focus on the development of science, mathematics, and
technology in Western culture, but not on how that development drew from earlier Egyptian, Chinese,
Greek, and Arabic cultures. The sciences accounted for in this book are largely part of a tradition of
thought that happened to develop in Europe during the last 500 years – a tradition to which most
people from all cultures contribute today. (American Association for the Advancement of Science
[AAAS], 1989, p. 136)

At that time, although the goal of “Science for all Americans” was visionary, the definition of science in terms of
Western science while ignoring historical contributions from other cultures presented a limited or distorted
view of science. The NGSS, by emphasizing engineering, recognize contributions of other cultures historically.
This (re)defines the epistemology of science or what counts as science, which, in turn, defines or determines
school science curriculum.
Second, from a pedagogical perspective, engineering has potential to be inclusive of students who have
traditionally been marginalized in the science classroom and do not see science as being relevant to their lives
or future. By solving problems through engineering in local contexts (e.g., gardening, improving air quality,
cleaning water pollution in the community), students gain knowledge of science content, view science as
relevant to their lives and future, and engage in science in socially relevant and transformative ways (Rodriguez
& Berryman, 2002).

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Finally, from a global perspective, engineering offers opportunities for “innovation” and “creativity” at the K-12
level. Engineering is a field that is critical to innovation, and exposure to engineering activities (e.g., robotics
and invention competitions) can spark interest in the study of STEM or future careers (National Science
Foundation [NSF], 2010). Although exposure to engineering at the pre-collegiate level is currently rare (Katehi,
Pearson, & Feder, 2009), the NGSS make exposure to engineering at the pre-collegiate level no longer a rarity,
but a necessity. This opportunity is particularly important for students who traditionally have not recognized
science as relevant to their lives or future or students who come from multiple languages and cultures in this
global community.

Learning Targets
“GPS for the Classroom” Accessed 9/3/15 from http://www.fsusd.org/Page/8774
If you own a global positioning system (GPS), you probably can't imagine taking a trip without it. Unlike a
printed map, a GPS provides up-to-the-minute information about where you are, the distance to your
destination, how long until you get there, and exactly what to do when you make a wrong turn. But a GPS can't
do any of that without a precise description of where you want to go.
Think of shared learning targets in the same way. They convey to students the destination for the lesson—what
to learn, how deeply to learn it, and exactly how to demonstrate their new learning. The intention for the
lesson is one of the most important things students should learn.
No matter what we decide students need to learn, not much will happen until students understand what they
are supposed to learn during a lesson and set their sights on learning it. Regardless of how important the
content, how engaging the activity, how formative the assessment, or how differentiated the instruction,
unless all students see, recognize, and understand the learning target from the very beginning of the lesson,
one factor will remain constant: The teacher will always be the only one providing the direction, focusing on
getting students to meet the instructional objectives. The students, on the other hand, will focus on doing what
the teacher says, rather than on learning. This flies in the face of what we know about nurturing motivated, self-
regulated, and intentional learners (Zimmerman, 2001). Students who don't know the intention of a lesson
expend precious time and energy trying to figure out what their teachers expect them to learn. And many
students, exhausted by the process, wonder why they should even care.
Although teachers derive them from instructional objectives, “I CAN” Statements differ from instructional
objectives in both design and function. Instructional objectives are about instruction, derived from content
standards, written in teacher language, and used to guide teaching during a lesson or across a series of lessons.
They are not designed for students but for the teacher. An “I CAN” Statement, on the other hand, frames the
lesson from the students' point of view. A shared learning target helps students grasp the lesson's purpose --
why it is crucial to learn this chunk of information, on this day, and in this way. Students can't see, recognize,
and understand what they need to learn until we translate the learning intention into developmentally
appropriate, student-friendly, and culturally respectful language.

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