Place-based learning resources for teachers

Learning Landscapes

Teacher Handbook

Learning Landscapes for Your Class

Our new teacher handbook is designed to give teachers and other outdoor mentors tools and ideas for connecting with and using your local outdoor environment as an instructional resource to enrich student learning. This handbook has it all, from philosophy on science education to core field activities that keep students engaged.

Teacher Handbook

WaterSafeguarding the Sierra’s largest source of clean, abundant water

WildlifeProtecting critical habitats for 300+ species of birds and wildlife

Ag & Open SpaceConserving open space and ag lands that host wetlands and wildlife

RecreationPreserving majestic beauty and access to nature-based recreation

Native HomelandsConserving Maidu homelands and supporting cultural connections to land

KidsCultivating a love of nature and stewardship in the next generation

BiodiversityConserving one of the American West’s most biodiverse regions

Climate ResilienceProtecting biodiverse lands and waters that help natural systems thrive

CommunityProtecting treasured landscapes and community connection to land

We have a saying at our school—You're a mountain kid. You're a mountain kid if you've interacted with local plants and animals. You've seen them in the wild, you understand their ecology, and you've done projects to support them.

- Aletha O'Kelley
2nd grade teacher, Chester