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Michigan's environmental future is looking brighter thanks to an education program developed in part by CMU.

Michigan is leading the nation in grooming environmental educators because of changes in middle school courses coordinated by Central Michigan University.

CMU received a $700,000 Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Clean Michigan Initiative Fund grant to direct the development and publication of the Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support project, according to CMU faculty geographer Michael Libbee, coordinator of the project.

"The curriculum is well-aligned with science, mathematics and social studies and presents it in a very interesting and appealing format," said Libbee, who also coordinates the Michigan Geographic Alliance at CMU. "This has been a very complex statewide process. CMU is a leader in this type of educational approach. Instead of students learning about the environment by using a rain forest in Brazil, they will learn about the quality of the environment in Michigan and how they can improve and maintain it."

The areas of focus include air quality, ecosystems and biodiversity, energy resources, and land uses. Support materials for upper elementary and middle school teachers were developed by several partners around the state, including the Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education, Grand Valley State University, Michigan Technological University, and Western Michigan University. Each unit is a hands-on, science-based lesson plan focused on Michigan's environmental issues.

Michigan teachers are being trained at workshops throughout the state. "We already have offered about 50 workshops statewide and have an additional 130 scheduled in the summer and fall," said Libbee.

Teachers interested in the locations and dates for the workshops can find details at http://www.michigan.gov/deq-meecs. Each participant will receive a kit with a binder for lesson plans, background information for teachers, a CD-ROM of units, lessons, resources and materials, PowerPoint and video presentations, hands-on activities and experiments, pre- and post-tests, and posters and worksheets.

Other CMU faculty and staff involved in the project include:

• CMU biology professor Claudia Douglass is science editor for the project.

• David DeGraaf, director of CMU's Science/Mathematics/Technology Center, is outreach coordinator.

• Lori Block and Paula Nettleton of CMU's Educational Materials Center, designed and illustrated the materials.

Webmaster's addition...

In addition to the individuals listed in the article above, thanks go to the following CMU individuals and departments for their vital roles in making this project a reality: