This year theme for the nation’s largest environmental education event is Greening STEM: The Environment as Inspiration for 21st Century Learning. National Environmental Education Week, or EE Week, will take place around the nation April 15–21, 2012.
For educators, the environment has always been a compelling context for teaching and engaging students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This is because “the environment, whether in a schoolyard habitat, a nearby park or the subject of a classroom lesson, can serve as an ideal STEM studies laboratory as well as provide students experience with the scientific method,” says Diane Wood, president of the nonprofit National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), which produces EE week. “We hear from young people often that engaging in study of real-world environmental challenges is exciting. As our nation encourages more STEM learning, a natural partner for this endeavor is nature.”
At Why Science, a STEM education technology company, we couldn’t agree more. We believe that if we strive to work with nature as a mutually beneficial partner we can create a secure and sustainable energy future with new and existing technologies. Explore the infographic below to learn more about why it is important to better educate our kids for the STEM workforce of tomorrow.