Environmental Literacy Council Releases Review of Middle School Textbooks

The Environmental Literacy Council has reinvigorated its historical mission to review environmental education materials by undertaking a review of middle school materials related to energy literacy. Our goals were three-fold:

1. Collect and examine current environmental education materials used in teaching energy literacy;

2. Create a usable survey mechanism to assess classroom materials for (a) scientific and economic content and (b) scientific and environmental context;

3. Create a free, online, printable Energy Literacy Resource Guide to help meet teacher needs and foster energy literacy in schools.

The full report includes background information on the current science education market and available energy-related materials (primarily at the middle school level); the results of our energy content review within a representative sample of middle school textbooks; and suggestions for how policy-makers, adoption committees, and teachers can further encourage student development of energy literacy.