Completed Actions

  • In 2017, the Chesapeake Bay Program's Education Workgroup published An Educator's Guide to the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE). This easy-to-use manual helps teachers and non-formal educators strengthen outdoor learning and construct high-quality educational experiences for their students. The guide describes the essential elements and supporting practices of a MWEE, offers tips for designing, implementing and gaining funding and support for a MWEE, and features a comprehensive MWEE planning toolbox. The guide brings consistency and quality to the work done under the Environmental Literacy Planning, Student and Sustainable Schools outcomes.

Watershed-wide Actions

  • Use An Educator’s Guide to the Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE) to create a virtual MWEE training hub that provides regional and state-specific training modules and includes information about in-person training opportunities.
  • Create marketing materials that illustrate the importance of the MWEE and make its connection to existing education initiatives—including Next Generation Science Standards and Project Based Learning—clear.
  • Build and support a cadre of “MWEE Ambassadors” to champion and help educators develop and implement MWEEs.
  • Increase the number of standards-aligned professional development opportunities to support the development and implementation of MWEEs.
  • Collect and distribute strong examples of Environmental Literacy Models (ELMs) that include scope, sequence and student work.
  • Improve the ability of state and regional networks to efficiently and effectively disseminate information about environmental literacy programs and practices.
  • Maintain awards programs to sustain the visibility of and excitement around environmental education.