Environmental Health Education in Schools
Author Information
Author(s): Kim Kastens, Margaret Turrin
Primary Institution: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Hypothesis
Are K–12 students receiving adequate education on human-environment interactions?
Conclusion
Many K–12 schools are not adequately teaching students about the connections between the environment and health.
Supporting Evidence
- 15 state standards included less than 1 discussion of human-environment topics a year.
- Only 2 states averaged more than 5 discussions a year.
- 57% of state standards included information on how individual actions impact the environment.
- 95% of adults and 96% of parents support teaching children about the environment.
Takeaway
Some schools don't teach kids how humans affect the environment, which is important for understanding how to take care of our planet.
Methodology
The authors analyzed science education standards in 49 states, focusing on required graduation courses.
Potential Biases
Concerns about controversy may lead to the omission of important topics like global warming in standards.
Limitations
Iowa has no statewide standards, which may affect the overall analysis.
Participant Demographics
The analysis included education standards from 49 states.
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