The Pacific Education Institute’s statewide initiatives, programs, and projects align with Washington State academic standards.
Our Statewide Initiatives
Project ORCA: Outdoor Regional Curriculum Activities Initiative
The Governor’s Office Policy Group, Environmental Education Association of Washington, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and PEI are working together to bring earth science and ocean literacy to targeted coastal, Puget Sound, and Columbia River school districts. Through Project ORCA, these partners provide training and a resource-expertise network, and develop projects that heighten awareness to yield the action plans needed to implement ocean policies at the local level.
Shadow of the Salmon
At selected schools, PEI and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) launched a new middle school curriculum based on a docudrama created by NWIFC’s policy and outreach specialist, Steve Robinson.
See a trailer of the docudrama
K-20 for E3
PEI’s Education Committee worked with the Environmental Education Association of Washington (EEAW) and other K-12 stakeholders to develop the pre-K-12 plan portion of EEAW’s E3 initiative. Led by Co-Chairs Governor Chris Gregoire, William Ruckelshaus, and Billy Frank Jr., the plan offers schools and communities better insight into sustaining environmental health.
Our Programs
Culminating Projects for High School Seniors
PEI provides regional coordination between students, agencies and organizations plus sets standards for natural resource related culminating projects statewide. PEI has facilitated successful culminating projects in Pierce County focusing on Puget Sound clean up and in Thurston County creating rain gardens impacting non-point pollution.
Partnership with Teachers of Teachers of Science (TOTOS)
PEI brings significant resources for environment and natural resource education to Washington’s pre-service teacher preparation programs. K-12 science methods courses at colleges and universities use PEI field investigation guidelines plus Project Learning Tree, Project WILD and Project WET resources to integrate subject area learning for teacher preparation.
New Market Skills Center
The center provides a year-long “Environmental Explorations” course where high school students experience hands-on learning, assisted by PEI natural resource partners, investigating a local watershed’s water quality, forest health, biodiversity and other indicators, tracking climate change impacts. Students participate in PEI’s research program to develop alternative assessment opportunities to document learning.
Agriculture Education Partners in Project Based Learning
High school science teachers partner with agriculture education teachers to develop projects linking science field inquiry and agriculture education stewardship projects. Teachers identify how students work on local water quality, forestry, fish and wildlife, and climate change projects.
Outdoor Academy
A PEI funded Ph.D. study found that 10th-grade students attending Tahoma School District’s “School Within a School” Outdoor Academy integrating Physical Education, Science and Language Arts learning in the outdoors, gained in student achievement for all subject areas. “These results demonstrate a huge gain for students attending the outdoor academy, with no lost ground,” said Dr. Catherine Taylor of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). PEI supports Outdoor Academy development statewide through its partners and infrastructure.
Our Projects
Adopt-a-Farmer Project
In partnership with NatureMapping, elementary and middle school students in the Waterville School District are conducting a biodiversity inventory of their community and continue their short-horned lizard studies.
See a video of the Leapin! Lizards project
Project Black Bear, Tumwater School District
Following the successful collaring of seven black bear, Olympia area high school students now work with Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA) to conduct plot studies and mapping in Capitol Forest.
Project Bluebird
In partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Audubon, Project Bluebird is growing beyond the Tumwater School District to include Fort Lewis and Whidbey Island School Districts. Students learn how nest box projects help bluebird populations grow.
Project Burrow
Eastside Warden School District students at all grade levels study burrowing owls and ground squirrels living on their sport fields. Students are working with WDFW land managers to relocate growing populations of burrowing critters to nearby public lands.
See a video from this past season
Project CAT
Four hundred seventh grade Tahoma School District students now study cougars on DNR-managed lands in Maple Valley in Western Washington, in conjunction with the Cle Elum-Roslyn School district on the Eastside of the Cascades.
Curriculum Activity Guides for Teachers
PEI is an access point for three widely recognized premier environmental education programs. Through hands-on interdisciplinary activities, K-12 students investigate environmental issues encouraging them to make informed responsible decisions. Each program’s activity guides are available through workshops. Go directly to each program’s website for more information about the activity guides. To schedule a workshop contact the individual programs or PEI.
Washington State’s Project Learning Tree Program
By using the forest as a “window to the world,” PLT inspires and empowers students. The program easily adapts to meet local needs such as local investigations, service learning projects and partnerships with community based resource professionals. PLT is the environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation.
Visit Washington State’s Project Learning Tree Program
Washington State’s Project WILD Program
Project WILD is based on the premise that young people and their educators have a vital interest in learning about the Earth as home for people and wildlife. Activities within the guides cover topics ranging from wildlife as small as a microscopic organism to as large as a great blue whale. This is a program of the Council for Environmental Education.
Washington State’s Project WET Program
Peoples’ relationship to water is a major theme of Project WET. Project WET’s activity guides are a collection of innovative water related activities that are hands-on, easy to use and fun. This is a program of The Project WET International Foundation.
Visit Washington State’s Project WET Program